Discover The Caucasus
(11 days)
Day 1: TBILISI – Arrive in Tbilisi. Transfer in hotel. Overnight in Tbilisi hotel.
Day 2: TBILISI – City tour in Tbilisi. Visit Sameba (Holy Trinity Cathedral) – the largest religious building in Georgia and South Caucasus. Called as “Millennium Building”. Visit Metekhi church of Holy Virgin, located on the left bank of the river Mtkvari. On the cliff plateau (5th – 13th c). Abanotubani – the Sulphur Baths Tbilisi was named after the natural sulphur springs in this area. Narikala Castle, an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi. The fortress was established in the 4th century. Royal palace was resided here. Visit of the Art Museum of Georgia. Dinner in Georgian Restaurant. Visit Anchiskhati Basilica and Sioni Cathedral,the oldest surviving Georgian Orthodox churches in Tbilisi. Built in the 5th-6th centuries. Walk on the street Rustaveli. Dinner and overnight in Tbilisi hotel.
Day 3: TBILISI / MTSKHETA / KAZBEGUI – Departure to Mtskheta- the capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd century BC – 5th century AD. Visit of Svetitskhoveli, Georgian Orthodox cathedral, known as the burial site of Christ’s mantle. Built in the 11 th century. It is the second largest church building in the country and is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit of Jvari Monastery Georgian Orthodox monastery of the 6th century (UNESCO World Heritage site). It stands on the rocky mountaintop at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. The rout continues to Stepantsminda which is known for its scenic location in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, and is a center for trekkers and mountain climbing. Visit of Gergeti Trinity Church, situated on the right bank of the river Chkheri (the left tributary of the river Terek), at an elevation of 2170 meters, under Mount Kazbegi. The Church was built in the 14th century, and is the only cross-cupola church in Khevi province. Stop Ananuri, a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Georgia. Built in the 17 th century. It comprises a tower, small church, big temple and a bell-tower. It overlooks the artificial reservoir of Zhinvali. Dinner and overnight in Kazbegui.
Day 4: KAZBEGUI – In the morning climb to visit the Trinity Church which is 2000 m. at the foot of Mount Kazbek. (Walking tour – 2h al / rt,). Afternoon discover the Trusso valley with its mineral waters and lake, medieval villages abandoned and especially surprising nature of the Caucasus. Picnic during hiking. Night and dinner in Kazbegui
Day 5: KAZBEGUI / GORI / KUTAISI – Depart to Imerethi, region situated on the west of Georgia. Stop in. We will continue route to Gori and visit of rock-town of Uplistsikhe, identified by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia (possibility visit museum of Stalin in Gori). Departure to Kutaisi. Dinner and overnight in Kutaisi.
Day 6: KOUTAISSI / NIKORTSMINDA / KOUTAISSI: Morning drive to discover the mountainous Ratcha region. Visit of monastery of XI s. on the road visit the monastic complex of Guelati recognized by UNESCO, built by King David the Builder in the twelfth century and was considered for a long time as the intellectual center of the kingdom. It houses the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin whose apse is decorated with a rare Byzantine mosaic of the twelfth century and frescoes of the sixteenth century. Picnic lunch on the road. Departure for the mountainous region of Ratcha Visit the Nikortsminda church, rich in frescoes and fascinating ornaments of the vine and grapes. Back to Kutaisi. Dinner and overnight in Kutaisi.
Day 7: KUTAISI / GELATI / MESTIA – Visit of Monastery of Gelati. It contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas. Depart to Mestia, located in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. It`s a highland town let in northwest Georgia, at an elevation of 1.500 meters in the Caucasus Mountains. Dinner and overnight in Mestia
Day 8 : MESTIA / USHGULI/MESTIA – Visit Svaneti History-Ethnography Museum (Mestia, Svaneti) The Museum situates in the regional center of Svaneti Mestia and was established in 1936 as a Local Museum. Collections of the Svaneti Museum are: archaeological collections, engraved and painted icons, manuscripts, armor, metalwork, wooden ethnographical objects. Trip to Ushguli. A community of villages located at the head of the Enguri gorge in Upper Svaneti. Altitude claims for Ushguli villages vary from 2086 to 2200 metre and it is sometimes referred to as the highest village in Europe. The Ushguli Chapel located on a hilltop near the village dates back to the twelfth century. Optional Horse-riding trail in Ushguli. Return to Mestia. Dinner and overnight in Mestia.
Day 9: MESTIA – In the morning, hike in the valley of Mestiachala and discover the surprising birth of the river and the Ushba glacier. Picnic. Back, dinner and night in Mestia. Dinner and overnight in Mestia.
Day 10 : MESTIA / ZUGDIDI / KOUTAISI – Departure to Zugdidi and visit of Dadiani Palace Museum (Zugdidi, Samegrelo region). Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles, dukes and princes, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo. Today the museum exhibits to 41000 rare specimens of Georgian national culture. Also here is exhibited one of the three death masks of Napoleon. Lunch in Zugdidi. Visit Prometheus cave near Kutaisi. It is considered one of the oldest in the world and was left untouched for a very long time, so that it could preserve the ancient plants and landscapes. Prometheus cave is one of the biggest and most beautiful cave in Europe. Return, dinner and overnight in Kutaisi.
Day 11: KOUTAISI / TBILISI – In the morning return to Tbilisi. On the way visit the church of Ubissa built X s. Arrival, night and dinner in Tbilisi. Diner and overnight in hotel in Tbilisi.
Day 12: TBILISI – Transfer to airport and departure from Tbilisi.
