Best of Georgia/5 days – 260$

Best of Georgia/5 days – 260$

The beautiful and diverse country of Georgia with rich history, beautiful cities, breathtaking landscapes and welcoming people. If you enjoy warm hospitality, good food, exploring history and culture, then a visit to Georgia is a must.

Program:

Day 1:  Arrival to Georgia. Tbilisi city tour
Day 2 : Tbilisi – Kazbegi-Tbilisi
Day 3:  Tbilisi – Borjomi-Khertvisi-Vardzia-Rabat-Akhaltsikhe
Day 4 :  Akhaltsikhe-Uplistsikhe- Mtskheta-Tbilisi
Day 5 : Departure from Georgia

Program Details:

Day 1:  Arrival to Georgia. Tbilisi city tour

Transfer from Tbilisi airport to a hotel, check-in. Breakfast.   Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia. Founded in the 5th century by Vakhtang Gorgasali , the monarch of Georgia’s precursor Kingdom of Iberia.  Tbilisi is the city where you desire to walk and enjoy its special atmosphere, marveling harmonious combination of pretty old buildings and the modern ones. Each guest of the city would like to visit the most famous attractions. One of the paramount places is the sulfur baths of Tbilisi. Abanotubani is a district of sulfur baths. Abanotubani is the place, where according to legend, King Vakhtang Gorgasali’s falcon fell, leading to the discovery of the hot springs and, subsequently the founding of a new capital.  Sulfur baths have become an integral part of the traditions and culture of Georgia. They are built in the style of oriental architecture (mostly Persian) with a large basement room which looks like a low building with a dome and a small turret. Narikala Fortress-also called the mother fortress of Tbilisi,  is an ancient symbol of Tbilisi’s defence. The fortress was established in the 4th century. Statue ‘The Mother of Georgia’– the statue is located outside of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, and can be seen for miles around. While the statue is named The Mother of Georgia she is also referred to as Kartilis Deda and is located on top of Sololaki Mountain. The view of Metekhi church (XIII c), with the equestrian statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali below it, is one of the most widespread images of Tbilisi.  Having crossed Metekhi bridge , we will find ourselves on a street named after French traveler Jean Chardin. You will pass by picturesque narrow streets and see the Sioni Cathedral – One of the oldest and certainly  one of the most famous temple of Georgia. The erection of the cathedral was completed in the first half of VII century. During its long history the temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Anchiskhati Basilica of Saint Mary – the oldest church in Tbilisi, dating back to the early period of Georgian Christianity in the sixth century. Its design differs from the typical later temples. There are magnificent frescoes inside, some dating back almost 400 years. Rustaveli Avenue & Liberty Square – formerly known as Golovin Street, Rustaveli Avenue is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The Avenue starts at Freedom Square and extends for about 1.5 km in length. Rustaveli is often considered as the main thoroughfare of Tbilisi due to a large number of governmental, public, cultural, and business buildings that are located along or near the Avenue. The Parliament of Georgia, Kashveti Church, the Georgian National Museum, the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Rustaveli State Academic Theater, the Rustaveli Museum, and the Georgian Academy of Sciences, among others, are all located on Rustaveli.  Rustaveli Avenue is also a historic place where the protests of Georgian against soviet regime took place. In 1989, tens of thousands of Georgians gathered before the House of Government on Rustaveli Avenue. An attack by the Soviet spetsnaz forces killed many protesters in the April 9 tragedy. Visit in National Museum. Georgian National Museum maps the development of Georgia’s material culture from the Bronze Age to the early 20th century. The Treasury holds a stunning collection of intricate jewellery and artefacts wrought in gold and silver, dating back thousands of years. Dinner. Overnight

 Day 2:  Tbilisi – Kazbegi-Tbilisi

Breackfast. Today we will have a trip across Georgian Military Highway in the South Caucasus. It is one of the most spectacular roads in this region, with the jagged snow-capped Caucasus Mountains, rippling emerald-green hills and valleys, wandering sheep, and ancient cathedrals, monuments, and fortresses still keeping vigil. The Georgian Military Highway is the historical road leading north from Tbilisi into the Caucasus Mountains. It passes the spectacular Ananuri fortress, then climbs the sides of the dramatic Aragvi River Valley, then over the Jvari Pass (2395m) and down into Kazbegi (1700m). Surrounded by gigantic mountains, Kazbegi is a picturesque settlement overlooked by one of the biggest peak –Mount Kazbek (5047m) – one of the six 5000 metre peaks of the Caucasus. The Sameba Church in Gergeti is beautifully situated on the hill above the town and provides splendid views of Mt. Kazbek. The region, with its many valleys and peaks is one of the most popular walking destinations in Georgia. The nearby Chaukhi Mountains provide superb rock-climbing, with numerous routes. The Gudauri ski resort located just the other side of the Cross Pass on the southern slopes of the Caucasus offers the best skiing and heli-skiing in the Caucasus. Return to Tbilisi. Dinner. Overnight.

 Day 3 :  Tbilisi – Borjomi-Khertvisi-Vardzia-Rabat-Akhaltsikhe

 Breakfast. Check-out. Departure to Akhaltsikhe  but first we are going to visit the town of Borjomi – the most popular resort which Is famous for it’s  mineral waters. We are going to take a walk on the alleys of the Borjomi Park, also our tourists will have a chance to taste real Borjomi right from the spring. This water has an amazing ability to cure lots of diseases including: digesting tract and renal diseases, also it helps with the metabolism problems and cholecystitis .
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is the oldest and the largest of the protected areas in Georgia. This unique nature preserve, located in central Georgia on the right bank of the river Mtkvari, encompasses 76,000 ha of land and stretches across parts of the Tori, Imereti and Samtskhe regions. With its exceptional location and climate, the park is famous for its diverse forests, flora and fauna. And Borjomi mineral water with its curing qualities is known in the world as the Queen of mineral waters.

Akhaltsikhe/Fortress Rabat

Akhaltsikhe is one of the oldest towns of Georgia. In historical sources it is mentioned from XII century. In XIII-XIV centuries it is a political centre of Samtskhe Saatabago. In 1629-1828 it became part of the Ottoman empire as a capital of Akhaltsikhe vilayet and a seat of Pasha. It used to be the most important centre of prisoner slave trade. Historical part of the town was built on the rocky mount. It is called Rabat that means a settlement of merchants and artisans. On the territory of Rabat is located the fortress of Sargis Jakeli, church of St.Marina, palace of Pashas of Akhaltsikhe, Ottoman mosque (1752), Karavan Sarai, baths. On the territory of Rabat today operates local history museum. Museum of Samtskhe Javakheti (visit)…is situated on the territory of Rabat compound. It is a host to the following: ancient manuscripts, epigraphic, archeological, numismatic, ethnographic materials, photo documents, holdings of manuscripts and old printed books. Special significance have expositions of the Georgian lapidary specimens and carpets and rugs.

Khertvisi is a medieval fortress on the border of Samtskhe and Javakheti, it stands on the strategically important venue, at the confluence of rivers Paravani and Mtkvari, on the high rocky mountain. Khertvisi fortress comes across in historical sources from XI century. In 1578-1829 Khertvisi fortress was the seat  of Ottoman garrison and administrative centre. It is noted with big space and a number of utility rooms. It has an unaccessible citadel, court, church. The fortress was supplied with water through a tunnel.

The cave city of Vardzia (1156-1203) in Javakheti, is a cultural symbol with a special place in the hearts of Georgians. King Giorgi III built a fortification here in the 12th century, and his daughter, Queen Tamar, established a monastery that grew into a virtual holy city housing perhaps 2000 monks, renowned as a spiritual bastion of Georgia. When completed this underground fortress extended 13 levels and contained 6000 apartments, a throne room and a large church with an external bell tower. It is assumed that the only access to this stronghold was via a hidden tunnel whose entrance was near the banks of Mtkvari river. The outside slope of the mountain was covered with fertile terraces, suitable for cultivation, for which an intricate system of irrigation was designed. With such defenses, natural and man made, the place must have been all but impregnable to human forces. Alas, the glorious days of Vardzia didn’t last for very long. Though safe from the Mongols, mother nature was a different story altogether. In 1283, only a century after its construction, a devastating earthquake literally ripped the place apart. The quake shattered the mountain slope and destroyed more than two-thirds of the city, exposing the hidden innards of the remainder. Return to Akhaltsikhe. Dinner. Overnight.

Day 4 : Akhaltsikhe-Uplistsikhe-Mtskheta-Tbilisi

Breakfast. Check out. Departure to Tbilisi. On the way we will visit the cave city Uplistsikhe from the 1^st millennium BC. And Mtskheta - Georgia‘s ancient capital, a little town about 20 km to the north of Tbilisi. It is home to a number of very important Georgian religious sites and functions to this day as a kind of spiritual heart of Georgia. It was in Mtskheta that Georgia adopted Christianity in the 4th century (year 326).

Major Highlights:

Jvari Church . VIth-century Jvari Church, is actually located not far from Mtskheta on a hill, above the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The star attraction in Mtskheta is the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, an enormous church originally built in the 4th century and rebuilt in the 11th century. The cathedral’s most incredible claim extends to Jesus Christ, whose robe,  brought to Mtskheta from Jerusalem following his crucifixion, is said to be stored here.

Dinner d with folk program and overnight in Tbilisi.

Day 5: Departure from Georgia

Early breakfast. Check out. Transfer to the airport. Departure from Tbilisi.

PRICE INCLUDES

• Transfers and Transportation according to the program.
• Accommodation in 3*/4* hotels with breakfasts;
• H/B:  4 breakfasts and 4 dinners including the dinner with folk program
• Entrance fees to the museums and places listed in program
• Jeeps in Kazbegi
• English speaking guide