Sample multi-day tours and daytrips in Georgia from various starting points

All my trips are fully bespoke and customizable. I work with my clients to find the most interesting and appealing itineraries for them; with me, there’s no such thing as going on the same trip twice. I realize, though, that Georgia’s sheer variety and diversity can be overwhelming to consider, especially if you haven’t spent a long time here and built up a bucket list of places to get to. As such, I’ve created this page to act as a kind of inspiration for the kind of things that are possible to see and do here. Of course, I’m always happy to do most of the planning or offer suggestions based on your input. For more inspiration, you can also check through my pages about the different regions of Georgia, or visit my archive of actual trips I’ve made recently. Whether you’re a longterm expat in Georgia looking to make some interesting daytrips, or a tourist experiencing the country for the first time, send me a message anytime to discuss directly what some interesting possibilities could be for you. I also offer trip planning services, for those who have their own transport or wish to travel independently here, but might be interested in some help ironing out an itinerary.

Daytrips from Tbilisi

Khovle-Saorbisi Daytrip

A trip into the lost paradise high above the Tedzami Valley in Kartli. After the village of Khovle, where a number of interesting heritage sites can be seen, including a unique arched-brick aqueduct, the jeep trail begins and we ascend through the forest to a large, grassy plateau where the villages of Sakavre and Saorbisi cling to existence. The plateau is pleasant to walk on, and we can slowly ascend the large hill above Saorbisi, upon which stands a spectacular 12th-century church with one of the best views in all of Georgia.

Daytrip to the Armenian heritage of Lore

Bring your passports, because we are going to the border zone. Some of the most spectacular monuments of Kvemo Kartli lie just meters from the frontier, hearkening to an era when the entire Lore region (at the southernmost part of Kartli) was a marchland flowering with an intermixture of Georgian and Armenian culture. The ruined cathedrals of Khorakert, Khojorni, and Brdadzori are the highlights of this journey; untouched by restoration, nothing modern distracts from the sensation of their past glory. If there is time, we can detour on the way back to Tbilisi to discover the Binadzor complex, another medieval Armenian monument located more on the northeastern side of the vast Lorean forest.

Prehistorical Tour of Tsalka Region

The area around Tsalka reservoir, on the west side of Kartli, contains an huge amount of fascinating Bronze Age sites. The lonely stones on the open, wide, plateau bring one into an incredible sensation of ages long past. Even a few days is not enough to see everything; a day’s trip could potentially start with the Tejisi menhir and stone circle and the Gantiadi petroglyphs, continuing with the Gokhnari and Avranlo megalithic fortresses, and finish with more standing stones or some of the spectacular ruined chapels and shrines on the cliffs above the Algeti Valley.

Guided hike through Khrami Canyon

A moderate day’s hike combining amazing views of both natural and cultural heritage sites. A nice loop trail goes through a pleasant forest, past the Pirghebula monastery and down into the bottom of the canyon, where it passes the ruins of some villages. After a short detour to see the confluence with the Chivchavi canyon, a set of switchbacks brings us directly to the ruined city of Samshvilde, once one of the greatest towns of medieval Kartli.

Multi-day trips from Tbilisi

Javakheti – Meskheti Tour

The regions of Javakheti and Meskheti are just far enough away from Tbilisi that it’s worth staying at least one night to maximise what it’s possible to see. More, if time allows, is better, of course. If we are up for some moderate climbing, it’s impossible to come this way and not try to visit at least one of Shaori or Abuli, the unbelievably well-preserved megalithic fortresses built on mountaintops here thousands of years ago. If we want to take it a little easier, we could spend some peaceful hours watching migratory birds at one of the lakes. After a night’s stay in a village guesthouse, we could continue across the back roads of the plateau until we come to the lip of the Mtkvari canyon, enjoying a rare view of Vardzia Monastery from above. A whole day could be spent in the Mtkvari valley or on the opposite plateau exploring the ancient churches and castles or enjoying the spectacular views – or, we could press on to the Uraveli valley, a quieter and more mystical place a bit to the west. After another night in a guesthouse, we would have time to dawdle our way slowly back to Tbilisi through Akhaltsikhe, Atskuri, and Borjomi, checking out some of the more interesting spots along the way.

Guided hiking in the Gombori Range

The Gombori Range runs right down the middle of Kakheti. At its highest point, it breaks the treeline and on a clear day affords amazing views of the Greater Caucasus range while strolling through the rolling meadows. The best option is to plan for one night of camping, so we can bring a tent, leave the car behind at the Gombori Pass, and hike to a campsite below Zhati Mountain. The next day, we complete our traverse of the alpine zone and walk back down through the forest to the Shuamta monasteries, where a transport from Telavi will return us to the top of Gombori Pass. If we only have a day, though, it’s still possible to hike all the way up to the highest point of the alpine zone – Mount Tsivi – and back to the Gombori Pass in one day.

Daytrips from Kutaisi

Khvamli mountain daytrip

The massive trapezoidal limestone cliff of Khvamli hangs beckoningly behind Kutaisi’s northern skyline. It’s one of the best daytrips that can be made from Georgia’s second city. A paved road takes us to the beginning of the plateau, after which it’s a short walk uphill to the St. George chapel and the panoramic cliffs looking out over the west. A slightly longer and more challenging walk brings us to the summit – just 2000 meters above sea level, the prominence of Khvamli gives it a view over half the country. If the day isn’t clear enough for the perfect views, cloudy mists hanging over the weirdly carved rock formations will create a mystical atmosphere, well befitting the many legends of the mountain. Khvamli mountain also creates a unique microclimate for grapes, and on the way back home, it’s possible to taste some of the best and rarest wines of Georgia in Okureshi village.

Guria daytrip

A daytrip to Guria should not miss the “Tea Route”, an association of tea producers and guesthouses who bring the region’s special heritage of organic tea production to tourists. My friends at Komli preserve a remarkable collection of historical artifacts related to the tea industry and Gurian culture in general, as well as giving visitors the opportunity to make their own tea by hand. They also serve delicious lunches according to old Gurian recipes, offering the chance to taste a special part of Georgian cuisine you won’t find in restaurants. On the way there and back, there’s plenty of places to stop, relax, and enjoy the peaceful Gurian countryside – for example, the beautiful Jikheti and Jumati monasteries, or a serene river canyon at Chakukha or Sakukhia.

Racha daytrip

A daytrip to Racha begs the question of how far you want to get. Just spending the day at Tskhrajvari and Nikortsminda could have us turning around in the evening having just barely made it through the door. With some discipline and motivation, though, we could make it to the mystical cliffs by the Leknari St. George, chase waterfalls down the Shareula and Znakura valleys, crawl up ice caves at Sakinule, and taste some of Georgia’s most famous red wines in the Khvanchkara microzone. Of course, overnighting at a local guesthouse will open many more possiblities…

Multi-day trips from Kutaisi

Akhalchala mountain trip

We can get to Akhalchala either by a guided hiking trip or a jeep adventure. The jeep is more comfortable for a longer stay – easier to bring nicer things to eat. Once there, we stay at local cottages – simple but sufficient accommodation – and explore one of the most stunning landscapes of Georgia, where pure streams trickle down from the high mountains on three sides, and the forest air of pines and maples mixes with breezes from the sea and the Caucasus. It’s possible to climb up to one of the surrounding peaks, search for mineral water springs, or simply enjoy the peace and serenity of the meadows and maple groves. It’s worth it to spend two or even three nights in Akhalchala after expending the effort to get there; once back in the valleys of Lechkhumi, there’s plenty more to be seen while continuing the stay in the region at guesthouses in Tsageri, Ghvirishi, Lailashi or the Rioni Valley.

Guided hiking between Racha and Svaneti

Bring a tent and a good sleeping bag. We can rent some if you don’t have them. Hiking west from Uravi village enters a thick, steep, rarely travelled forest, but we will easily reach the alpine zone below the Chutkharo massif on the first day. This is a large, desolately beautiful mountainous region, and the second day can be taken slowly as we cross the Kelida Pass and spend the second night by the Black Lakes. The third day brings us down to Mele village in Lower Svaneti, where we can rest for the night before catching a transport back to a population center.

Daytrips from Batumi

Upper Adjara daytrip

Visiting Upper Adjara is like wandering the garden of branching paths – every steep valley is green and beautiful, and none of them connect to each other except by their stem on the Acharistskali river. So is it up the Khevaghele to see the historical wooden bridges and watermills of Khabelashvilebi? The Skhalta to visit the historical cathedral of that name, the Bako yaylas and the elusive Khikhani fortress? The Minadzeebistskali for the largest and most richly decorated wooden mosque of the region? The Machakhlistskali for its historical stone bridges and rifle workshops? Or yet another direction? Everything is possible…