Adventure in Georgia: the name of the game
My main touring car is an old but rugged Toyota Highlander. It’s comfortable and roomy, but capable of tackling any kind of village road or beating its way up a dirt road to a trailhead. The Highlander seats four adult passengers comfortably and even has a tight third row which can fit two kids or a small, adventurous adult. There’s plenty of room for luggage as well, making it an ideal vehicle for long road trips as well as one-day excursions from town.
I also own a scrappy, lightfooted Suzuki Jimny. It can go yard for yard with the best jeeps on the trail – bumpy roads and steep climbs are no obstacle, perfect for adventures in Georgia’s mountainous terrain and unpaved villages. There is one downside to it: it’s very small. There’s seats for three passengers but it’s really most comfortable with two, with one person sprawling over the narrow back seat. It’s a solid two stars for comfort – built for adventures, not cruising. If that’s the sort of thing that appeals to you, your small group is welcome aboard.
What if you have a bigger group than would fit in the Highlander? That’s not a problem – I’ve led tours for large groups on many occasions. I can hire a minivan in case of a 5-6 person group, but beyond that, I usually hire a minibus and driver. In such cases, I’ll negotiate costs separately and keep you informed transparently of the expenses involved.
Adventure is my main philosophy as a guide, and indeed as a human. If it’s not going to be at least somewhat interesting for me, personally, I have a hard time putting my heart into it. That’s why, while I do my utmost to take care of my client’s safety and valued time, I like leaving certain elements of the unexpected in my trips – rather than planning a trip down to the minute, I prefer when ideas spontaneously occur when we’re already underway, when an interesting-looking path or pile of stones distracts my group from its objectives and takes us in new directions, when we decide to go to a place where even I have never been before. If that’s what you love yourself as a traveler – you’re my kind of client. Let’s plan something together and design your adventure in Georgia.
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The Highlander up near the sacred Kaloubani shrine near Tokhliauri, Kakheti.
The Jimny on the trail towards Akhalchala, Lechkhumi.
The Jimny on the road to Udabno, Kakheti.
The Highlander at Manavi Fortress, Kakheti.
The Jimny on the way to visiting Chapala fortress in Lower Kartli.
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