2-Day Private Tour to Ancient Caves and Fortresses of Georgia from Tbilisi

Itinerary

Day 1: Tbilisi – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe

Pass By: Georgian Holidays, Tbilisi
Meet the guide and driver at a specified pickup location in Tbilisi and drive towards South Caucasus.

Stop At: Stalin Museum, Gori, Shida Kartli Region
Begin the tour with a visit to Joseph Stalin’s house/museum, dedicated to the life of the leader of Soviet Union. The museum consists of the house, where Stalin was born and spent the first four years of his life; an exposition building, where the leader’s personal items are presented, and his personal train carriage with interior.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Uplistsiche Cave Town, Gori, Shida Kartli Region
After an informative visit to the museum, drive to the ancient, rock-hewn cave town of Uplistsikhe, dating back to the 1st millennium BC. The town is identified as one of the oldest settlements in Georgia and is remarkable for the combination of Anatolian and Iranian cultures. The museum includes rock streets and squares, halls, secret tunnels, remains of ancient churches, and a museum building where valuable items that have been excavated in Uplistsikhe are presented.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Borjomi Central Park, Borjomi, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
After a lunch break in one of the nearby restaurants, continue to the Javakheti region.
The next stop is Borjomi, a town famous for its sparkling mineral waters. The artesian springs are fed by waters coming from glaciers and it rises to the surface without pumping. Enjoy a taste and walk through Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, one of the largest protected areas in Europe.
Continue and arrive in Akhaltsikhe town and have dinner at a local restaurant with traditional dishes. After dinner, check-in at the hotel and take a rest.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Hotel Lomsia or Hotel Gino Wellness Rabath in Akhaltsikhe

Day 2: Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia – Tsalka – Tbilisi

Stop At: Rabati Castle, Akhaltsikhe, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
After breakfast at the hotel, explore the Rabati Fortress Complex. The museum presents the major part of the cultural heritage of the Javakheti region, such as old manuscripts, archaeological exhibits, ethnographic material, collection of old carpets, rugs, and more. Rabati also includes an 18th-century castle, a mosque, and ruins of Islamic school.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Vardzia, Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Continue along the Mtkvari River gorge, enjoying the views of hilly landscape rich with old fortresses en route to Vardzia, a cave city dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Vardzia is carved into the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain, stretching along the 500-meter-wide cliff and consisting of 19 tiers. The Georgian Queen Tamar is credited for establishing a monastery in Vardzia during her reign in the 12th century. During its rise, the city contained numerous apartments, a throne room, and a large church with a bell tower.
Duration: 1 hour

Pass By: Paravani Lake, Ninotsminda, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
After this excursion, enjoy a picnic lunch with a hot trout barbeque near the site and drive back to Tbilisi via Tsalka, passing lakes Saghamo, Paravane, and Tsalka along the way.
The journey to the Javakheti region ends with an evening drop off at any hotel in Tbilisi.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.