Svaneti & Black Sea/ 10 days – 495$

Svaneti & Black Sea/ 10 days – 495$

Wild and mysterious, Svaneti is an ancient land in the Caucasus, so remote that it was never tamed by any ruler. Svaneti is a land of legend, where mountains and people are indivisible and live the noble life of Caucasian knights, and where the towers stand as a symbol of Svaneti’s eternal freedom and unimaginable beauty. Svaneti’s emblem is the koshki (stone tower).  In the past, the towers were symbols of the strength of the family. They were used for self-defense as well.

Day 1: Arriav to Tbilisi. Tbilisi city tour
Day 2: Tbilisi-Gori-Uplistsikhee-Museum of Stalinizm-Kutaisi
Day 3: Kutaisi-Mestia
Day 4:  Mestia-Ushguli-Mestia
Day 5: Mestia-Batumi
Day 6: Batumi
Day 7: Batumi-Mtskheta-Tbilisi
Day 8: Tbilisi-Kakheti-Tbilisi
Day 9: Transfer to the airport

Day 1 – Arrival to Tbilisi. Transfer to the hotel.

Arriaval to Tbilisi. Early check in, rest and breakfast. Tbilisi City Tour. Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. It was founded in the 5th century by Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Georgian King of Kartli (Iberia), and made into a capital in the 6th century. Located strategically at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and lying along the historic Silk Road routes, Tbilisi has often been a point of contention between various rival powers and empires. We will visit: National Museum Of Georgia, see main avenue Rustaveli, it’s architecture and Freedom Square.   Metekhi church (XIIIc); Abanot-ubani (natural sulphur springs, bath; Narikala Fortress, Sioni Church (VII c) and Anchiskhati Church (VI c). Dinner with folk program. Overnight.

Day 2: Tbilisi-Gori-Uplistsikhe-Museum of   Stalinizm-Kutaisi

After the breakfast, drive to Gori - city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli. Gori was an important military stronghold in the Middle Ages and maintains a strategic importance due to its location on the principal highway connecting eastern and western parts of Georgia. The territory of Gori has been populated since the early Bronze Age. According to the medieval Georgian chronicles, the city of Gori was founded by King David IV.

Visit in the Museum of Stalinism (additional option). Museum includes memorial house of birth of Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), Soviet statesman and politician and exposition building with tower and Stalin’s personal rail car with interior which was used when he travelled to Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam conferences. Museum is home to Stalin’s personal effects, Kremlin cabinet, manuscripts, gifts and presents from various countries of the world, mask taken from his face after Stalin’s death, paintings.

After Gori, visit in Uplistsikhe -the unique monument of Georgian culture. It  is situated on a rocky massif in 15 km eastwards to the town Gori on the left bank of the river Mtkvari (Kura). The monument attracts our attention from afar with its whimsical image, giving rise to various legends. Written sources keep a great deal of information about it, but they describe only a part of the history of this beautiful monument. Uplistsikhe was built in the beginning of the first millennium BC and it differed from other towns with its functional purposes. It was the temple town in the whole East Georgia. Town has streets, squares, water draining ducts, various constructions, secret tunnel leading to river Mtkvari, a fence….Today the fortified town is an outdoors museum. Drive to Kutaisi – one of the most ancient cities in Georgia. Kutaisi was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. Archeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the kingdom of Colchis as early as the second millennium BC.

Arriving to Kutaisi, check-in, dinner.

Day 3: Kutaisi-Mestia

Breakfast. Kutaisi is one of the most beautiful and ancient Georgian cities situated in West Georgia on both banks of the picturesque Rioni river.The river Rioni is mentioned in the myths of the Golden Fleece as local residents used to extract gold there. Visit Bagrati Cathedral 11th centuryUNESCO‘s World Heritage Site, the cross-omed, tri-conch Cathedral located on the top of Ukimerioni Hill. Gelati Monastery Complex (UNESCO) once a major centre of enlightenment in Georgia, founded by King Davit Aghmashenebeli (David the Builder) in 1106 that represents the flourishing medieval architecture in Georgia. The karstic cave of  Sataplia features spectacular stalactites and stalagmites and is 890 meters long, 10 m high and 12 m wide. Thereal traces of ancient reptiles printed in huge stones are clearly visible on the Dinosaur Plateau nearby. Drive to Mestia. The Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia is an exceptional example of mountain scenery with medieval-type villages and tower-houses. Its characteristic landscape is formed by small settlements with a natural environment of gorges and alpine valleys and a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. During the numerous raids of various invaders, the kings of Georgia hid sacred treasure and valuable manuscripts in Svaneti. Here embossed icons, relief crosses and the oldest Georgian manuscripts of the Bible are preserved. The most notable feature of the settlements in this corner of Georgia is the abundance of towers, especially in Mestia  Check in. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4:  Mestia-Ushguli-Mestia

Breakfast at the hotel. Svaneti sightseeing, excursion to Ushguli (by 4X4). Proceed to Ushguli (2200 m) and visit the tower of Love (12thc.) en route. Ushguli and generally the whole Upper Svaneti region is a  UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the abundance of towers, Ushguli is also famous for the view of the highest mountain in Georgia –Mt. Shkhara (5068 m.). Return to Mestia. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Mestia-Batumi

Breakfast at the hotel, drive to black sea embankment direction. We will go to the main city of Ajara Region Batumi.  Excursion around Batumi. This relaxed tour focuses on visiting the main city highlights: The famous Miracle Park and Boulevard are the pride of Batumi –  Alphabet tower, Batumi lighthouse, Fountain Chacha Tower, Ali and Nino moving sculpture  are located exactly in Miracle Park. The statue of Neptune in front of Batumi Drama Theater in the city of Batumi was erected in 2010. The statue and its fountain is a copy of the Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza del Nettuno in the town of Bologna in Italy. The original sculpture was completed by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna in 1567. The Medea monumentin Batumi was designed by Davit Khmaladze and erected in Europe Square in 2007. In Greek mythology, Medea was a daughter of King Aieti , the king of Kolkheti in present day western Georgia. Medea helped Jason to steal the legendary Golden Fleece Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Batumi.

Day 6: Batumi

Breakfast. Free day in Batumi. Dinner. Overnight.

Day 7: Batumi-Mtskheta-Tbilisi

After breakfast we will drive to Tbilisi . On the way we will stop  in  Mtskheta – the ancient capital of Georgia and the important religious center. It is situated at the convergence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers. There are a number of very significant archaeological and religious monuments in and around the town: Jvari Monastery (6th c.) – standing on the rocky mountaintop, with its architectural forms and decorative elements, Jvari is harmoniously connected with the landscape and overlooks Mtskheta; Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th c. unesco) – a grandiose cathedral of cross-dome design, known as the burial site of Christ’s mantle and one of the major Orthodox Georgian temples. After that we will have dinner in Tbilisi. Overnight.

Day 8: Tbilisi-Kakheti-Tbilisi

Breakfast. Today we are going to Kakheti . It will be a fascinating journey to the eastern part of Georgia to enjoy the mountain scenery, picturesque villages, ancient temples and life of the locals. Tasting unique Georgian wines and an acquaintance with the secrets of winemakers is a special zest of this tour to Kakheti. Exploring Kakheti province you will visit town of Sighnaghi, Sighnaghi History and Ethnography Museum, Bodbe Nunnery and have a taste of variety of traditional dishes and famous wines.

A Royal town Signagi surrounded with defense wall, one of the biggest fortifying walls in Georgia. In 1770 King Heraclius II put Sighnaghi in the list of towns. A view from the town wall allows visitors to look over the Gombori range, where you can view Alazani Valley and the great Caucasus mountains in the distance.

Bodbe Convent, where the relics of virgin St.Nino of Cappadocia, Equal to the Apostles and enlightener of Georgia reposed, is situated in eastern Georgia (Kakheti), two kilometers south of the city of Sighnaghi, in a picturesque place, at the feet of the Great Caucasian Range. The convent has a miraculous view of the Alazani Valley and the snow-capped mountains of Caucasus.

Wine house in Gurjaani produces its own vintage wine (Kvevri). You will be invited to join a true feast with wine degustation and Kakhetian supra (feast).

Return to Tbilisi. Overnight.

 Day 9:  Transfer

Departure From Tbilisi Air Port.

PRICE INCLUDES

• Transfers and Transportation according to the program.
• Accommodation in 3*/4* hotels with breakfasts
• H/B:  8 breakfasts and 8 dinners including the dinner with folk program and dinner in  wine cellar
• Entrance fees to the museums and places listed in program
• Wine degustations listed in program
• Jeeps Mestia- Ushguli-Mestia
• English speaking guide