DAY 1
B, L, D included
After arriving at Tbilisi airport in the early morning, we have a short transfer to our 4-star boutique hotel, ideally set in the historic city centre. Having rested in our hotel rooms, we explore the city, partly on foot and partly with private transport. We start in the Botanical gardens and the fortress of Narikala, then walk down through the restored caravanserai area, with its carpet shops, traditional baths, mosque, synagogue and the 13th century Metekhi church.
DAY 2
B, L, D included
After a leisurely start to a day, we continue exploring historic Tbilisi, including the fabulous prehistoric gold displays in the National Museum. Later, we visit the outdoor ethnographic museum and have lunch under a vine trellis. Dinner is an introduction to Georgian cuisine with its emphasis on fresh herbs, walnut and plum sauces, cheese pies and lamb, baked with garlic and vegetables in clay pots.
DAY 3
B, L, D included
We set off by road, heading southeast into the steppe, a starkly beautiful area of dry hills, covered with flowering grasses in June and patrolled by short-toed eagles and Egyptian vultures. In the remotest part, we walk up to the Davit-Gareja monastery complex, founded in the mid 6th century, with churches built into the sandstone caves. Continuing east, our destination is the walled hilltop town of Signaghi, where we walk through cobbled lanes, lined with wooden balconied houses, to our small 4-star hotel. A wine tasting before dinner introduces us to the unique wine-making traditions of Georgia, entirely different to the rest of the world!
DAY 4
B, L, D included
In nearby Tsinandali, we visit the manor house museum dedicated to the Georgian Romantic poet Alexander Chavchavadze, then stroll round the fascinating market in Telavi. In a local house, we try our hand at making traditional Georgian bread and enjoy a particularly good lunch before visiting the frescoed 11th century Cathedral of St. George at Alaverdi and the Persian-influenced citadel of Gremi.
DAY 5
B, L, D included
Returning by road towards Tbilisi, we continue north on the celebrated Georgian Military Highway, pausing at the fortified 17th century church at Ananauri with its interesting Persian and pagan influenced carvings. The drive becomes increasingly beautiful as we access the high mountains and cross a pass to Kazbegi where we stay for 3 nights at a stylish 4-star hotel with an excellent restaurant and breath-taking mountain views.
DAY 6
B, L, D included
After a leisurely breakfast, 4WDs take us up through the forest to the wonderfully sited 14th century Sameba (Trinity) church, with magnificent views of the 5,033 m Mt. Kazbegi. There is an optional descending two hour walk, with delightful mountain flowers and views, followed by some free time to shop for woolly socks and wild sheepskin hats from the stalls on the square.
DAY 7
B, L, D included
We drive high up a side valley to commence our day’s walk from the village of Jutta. A path leads up into a wild and remote valley, filled with wildflowers (irises and fritillaries) and bounded at its head by the snow-covered peaks of Chaukhi mountain. Small herds of horses graze along the stream and lammergeiers and eagles often patrol overhead.
DAY 8
B, L, D included
As we drive back over the mountains, we pause to walk on the grassy tracks of the famous Cross Pass and at the splendidly sited 6th century church of Jvari. Continuing west to Kutaisi in central Georgia, we have the option of visiting the Stalin Museum in Gori before settling into our small 3-star hotel.
DAY 9
B, L, D included
After an early morning walk around Kutaisi to see the market, we set off into the high Caucasus. The scenery gets ever more spectacular as we climb into Svaneti, the wildest and most remote region of Georgia, in whose stone towers the country’s greatest treasures and icons were always hidden in times of invasion. We stay for 3 nights in a new small 4-star hotel. There may be time for an early evening walk along paths lined with yellow rhododendrons.
DAY 10
B, L, D included
This morning, weather permitting, we drive to high flower meadows, with panoramic views. We have a picnic overlooked by the 4,710 m twin peaks of Mt. Ushba, nicknamed the Matterhorn of the Caucasus. On returning to Mestia, we visit the excellent museum with icons and treasures from the local churches.
DAY 11
B, L, D included
4WDs take us even higher into the mountains to Ushguli, reputedly the highest permanently inhabited settlement in Europe at an altitude of 2,200 m, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with 11th century stone towers. We walk along a wide valley with (cloud permitting) fine views of Georgia’s highest mountain, 5,068 m Shkhara, and visit the frescoed mediaeval church of St. George before a farm lunch.
DAY 12
B, L, D included
We have an early start to drive (4.5 hours) back down through splendid mountain scenery to Kutaisi, staying tonight in the same comfortable central hotel. We visit the newly restored (partly Romanesque) Bagrat cathedral that dominates the town and have time to explore the architecturally interesting centre on foot.
DAY 13
B, L, D included
Heading back towards Tbilisi, we stop at Mtskheta, the town at the heart of Georgia’s spiritual identity, where the Royal family converted to Christianity in AD 337, to visit the vast 11th century cathedral. We stop for a lunch of grilled trout and reach the city by mid-afternoon to settle back into our boutique hotel in the historic centre.
DAY 14
An early morning transfer to the airport for flights home concludes our holiday.