One day tours from Tbilisi are a great way to quickly and inexpensively discover Georgia’s most interesting parts. The country is relatively small, hence most places are easy to reach. Where should we go then?
Here comes a list of 12 one-day routes – many reachable by solitary travellers, but if you prefer to journey in groups, with guides – please contact me ahead of time, and I will organise for you an unforgettable Georgian adventure!
1. Tbilisi City Tour
The Georgian capital is filled with attractions worthy of note! It doesn’t take all that long to see them all – in our Tbilisi City Tour program you really must take a gondola cable car ride up to Narikala fortress with the St Michael orthodox church and statue of Mother Georgia (Kartlis Deda). You must also see Leghvtakhevi waterfall close to the National Botanical Garden, the 1500 year-old district of Abanotubani with its historic sulphur baths, the crooked clock tower, famous sculptures, the Dry Bridge bazaar, historical sites on Shot Rustaveli Alley, as well as the temples of Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary, Metekhi and Sioni (all three or only a selection). Best close the day in one of the cult wine bars and restaurants with an evening supra – a traditional feast, led by the toastmaster Tamada, who orates poetic monologues, richly embellished with plenty of Georgian wines. More info on this in the article 7 things you must do in Tbilisi.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: approx. 10 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 10.00, end: approx. 18.00, with 40 min lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 200 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: English speaking tour guide
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, wines
Registration: contact us
Once you complete our Tbilisi City Tour, you will be sure to ask “Where to next?”. There are numerous options open to us – seeing as Georgia is a mere 69,700 km² in area (1/4 of the UK), in a single day you can visit a number of interesting places suitable for fans of history, nature and adventures!
2. Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Tbilisi
A mere 12 km north of Tbilisi we will come across Mtskheta – the old capital of the Kartli Kingdom – Georgia’s religious epicentre, where in the year 337 Christianity was accepted as the state religion. The local attractions include there sacred sites added to the UNESCO list of heritage: Jvari temple (6th century AD), set up on a hillside, with glorious views of the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi, along with Georgia’s main cathedral – Svetitskhoveli (XI century) filled with many relics, as well as the convent of Samtavro (IV–XVI century), burial place of King Mirian, queen Nana and St Gabriel. Mtskheta is a fine place to purchase Georgian souvenirs – having visited the bazaars, it’s time for us to head on towards Gori. In Joseph Stalin’s birthplace, we ought to visit the museum dedicated to the man. From this very much Communist era town, it’s best to go exploring its natural surroundings. The ancient settlement of Uplistsikhe, carved out of local rock, is a great place to explore local histories and to relax while gazing at the meandering river Mtkvari.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 208 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 290 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
3. Tbilisi – Ananuri – Gudauri – Stepantsminda – Tbilisi
One of the main attractions in Georgia is the Georgian Military Road. This highland trail was used as far as the times of antiquity for military and trading purposes. Today it is used by heavy goods traffic as well as various travellers, and thus offers many surprising treasures. An hour of driving from Tbilisi will take us to the Zhinvali reservoir and its amazingly turquoise waters, then a little further on – the Ananuri fortress dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries AD. The road winds on ever upwards, to the resort town of Gudauri, where views from the monument of Georgian-Russian brotherhood, showing former Soviet republics and queen Tamar, are literally breathtaking. Some 35 km further on, we drive on to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi). This quiet town, surrounded with mighty rock summits, is famed for its 14th century church of Tsminda Sameba, at a height of 2170 m ASL. The views of Kazbek are unparalleled – dormant volcanos and the second highest mountain in Georgia (5033 m ASL).
Fot. Shutterstock Fot. Łukasz Babicz Fot. Shutterstock
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 308 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 390 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide ( 200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
4. Tbilisi – Dmanisi – Bolnisi – Tbilisi
The trip to Dmanisi is easy, especially for those interested in archeology and anthropology. For years, we have believed that modern Europeans come from homo erectus, which emerged from Africa about a million years ago. This theory was turned on its head through excavations in Dmanisi (approx. 100 south-west of Tbilisi) of 2002. As early as 1991, the Georgian archeologist David Lortkipanidze uncovered the remains of a previously unknown hominid close to the town of Dmanisi. A decade later, it was clear that homo georgicus lived in the Caucasus region some 1.8 million years ago – far earlier than our African cousin! Although scientists are not all in agreement about this “man from Dmanisi”, much points to him having been the ancestor of today’s European population. The local hominids named Zezva and Mzia can be seen in the Dmanisi Archeological Museum, this medieval town being also the site of finds of primitive tools and the tooth of a Pleistocene era rhinoceros can also lay claim to fame for having the monumental ruins of a fortress dating back to the 18th century. More info in my article The Man from Dmanisi. Returning to Tbilisi, it is worth detouring to the village of Bolnisi, established by German settlers, including the Sioni cathedral – one of the oldest churches in Georgia (5th century AD). It contains some of the oldest Georgian writings, etched into stone using the asomtavruli type format. The cathedral walls are decorated with unique crosses, symbols of Georgia and visible on its national flag.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 208 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 280 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tourguide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
5. Tbilisi – Bodbe – Sighnaghi – Tbilisi
Now we head towards the winemaking region of Kakheti! In Bodbe, we find the monastery of St George (9th century AD) – Georgian legend has it that this is the burial place of St Nino – a female monk from Cappadocia, who led to Georgia becoming a Christian state in 337. Once upon a time, the monastery was home to a theological school and a college of traditional crafts, along with one of the largest libraries in Georgia. Currently, Bodbe is the seat of Kakheti Bishops, along with a convent. The temples, surrounded by cypress trees and flowering gardens, were erected on a steep hillside, offering sweeping views of the Caucasian hills, the Alazani river valley and Sighnaghi a couple of kilometres further on – the city of love, reputedly the Georgian equivalent of Carcassonne. In Sighnaghi it is necessary to look in on the local branch of the National Museum, its collections including fantastic jewels and crafts from the stone age, as well as Georgian instruments and garments, and paintings by the primitive painter Niko Pirosmani. Passing various market stalls selling souvenirs, it is worth climbing the imposing city fortified walls built in 1762.
Fot. Shutterstock
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 220 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 290 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
6. Tbilisi – Gombori – Telavi – Tsinandali – Sighnaghi – Tbilisi
Kakheti, which has always been the largest and wealthiest part of Georgia, offers up a whole host of interesting delights. From Tbilisi we can travel down to the winemaking town of Telavi. This region is best known for its bazaar, selling not jus Georgian wines, but also renowned cheeses and churchkhela, spices, vegetables and fruits, meats, electronic goods, clothing, shoes… In a word: all your bric a brac. Telavi is also home to many interesting historical sites: a 900 year-old plane-tree and Batonistsikhe – the fortress and palace erected by Heraclius II, the last king of Kakheti. Furthermore, the town is picturesquely set on the slopes of Tsiv-Gombori Hill, a part of the Gombori Ridge which separates Kakheti from other parts of Georgia. The shorter route from Tbilisi leads along picturesque serpentine highways, taking us to more sites of historical interest: Udjarma fortress and the monastery pairing of Dzveli Shuamta and Akhali Shuamta. This route can also take us to Tsinandali, site of the house and museum of Alexander Chavchavadze, the initiator of the Georgian Romantic movement. Having toured the poet’s family environs, and sipped some samples from the museum winery, we ought to take a refreshing walk in the flowering garden, and then pop over to tour the above mentioned town of Sighnaghi.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 275 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 380 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
7. Tbilisi – Gurjaani – Gremi – Napareuli – Kvareli – Tbilisi
A perfect trail for those wishing to learn more about Georgian wines! We start in the town of Gurjaani – though it is one of the winemaking centres of the region, it is better known for its museums (local traditions and histories, as well as the one dedicated to Nato Vachnadze, a Georgian actress from the Soviet era), and known best of all for its mud volcanoes and historical centre for healing using mud therapies – Akhtala. Before we surrender to another wine spree, let us also visit Gremi, the former capital of Kakheti with its castle, St Archangels church (built in 1565) and the ancient bell tower with its own museum. From there, we go straight to the Twins Wine Cellar in the village of Napareuli. Tours include wine tasting sessions, introducing us to Kvareli – the most well known winemaking village in Kakheti has two wineries worthy of visiting: Khareba (wines kept in 14-kilometre long tunnels, previously used by the military) and Kindzmarauli Corporation (dating back to the 16th century AD, the winery building a faithful copy of the medieval castle which once stood there).
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 345 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 350 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tourguide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
8. Tbilisi – David Gareja – Udabno – Tbilisi
Off-roading trips, sacred sites and ethnographic mysteries – this all awaits us as we journey across the semi-desert of David Gareja! Located right on the border with Azerbaijan, it is famed for phenomenal views and the David Gareja monastery complex. According to legend, this temple carved partly out of rock was established by St David, one of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers, who established Christianity in Georgia. On the way back, having overcome some rough gravel roads, it is worth stopping in the ghost town of Udabno, where members of the Svans ethnic group were resettled during Soviet times. The residents of Svaneti, resettled forcibly, could not comfortably live on this semi-arid desert territory – some returned to their homelands, though others remained. Visiting a local restaurant is ample opportunity to learn move about their lives and listen to their moving songs, filled with longing for their native lands.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 270 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 290 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tourguide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
9. Tbilisi – Borjomi – Bakuriani – Tbilisi
Even those who do not know much about Georgia, certainly have heard about the legendary mineral waters from Borjomi. The flavours of this chloride-hydrogen-carbonate-sodium-calcium infused water, pumped from the volcanic depths of Georgia, are an acquired taste – in my opinion, the liquid “salt of this earth”, when sampled unfiltered right from its source, is warm and tastes like a poor cocktail of dissolved steel, aluminium and fermented eggs. One needn’t of course glug all this Mendeleev’s table all the way down, although it is worth the effort – health wise. The source can be found close to the entrance to the spa park, in which we can enjoy peace, fresh air and lush green spaces. This fashionable resort, popular as of the 19th century, features attractive horse-riding and hiking trails, while among its few sites of historical interest – the oriental style Mirza-Riza-Chan House and the tsarist palace of the Romanov dynasty (on the edges of town, in the district of Likani; the palace is not open to visitors). In Borjomi we can also ride the Kukushka, its famous narrow gauge railway line, which takes us to Bakuriani – a skiing resort in the shadow of the Mukheri volcano, renowned for its pretty botanical garden.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: 371 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 430 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, Polish tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
10. Rtveli – grape harvests
Georgian winemaking traditions go back at least 6000 years, and are added to the UNESCO list of world heritage. Wines here are made in a totally unique way – in clay qvevri amphoras. Georgians use grapes not only to make delicious wines, but also chacha (a local sort of moonshine), non-alcoholic juices and to sprinkle on Churchkhela (Georgian sweets) and a range of jams. One can confidently say that life here revolves around grapes – hence, it would be a sin not to take a closer look at local traditions – and there is no better way of doing this than taking part in rtveli – the autumnal grape collecting harvests. During a day-long trip to a given plantation, we will collect ripe fruits and prepare them for storing in qvevri amphoras. This involves some hard work in the open air, along with lots of fun. And for dessert – workshops in how to make Churchkhela and baking Georgian breads, followed by a sumptuous supra led by a tamada, a real toast master!
Let’s go together!
Route Length: depends on the plantation selected
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break – autumn season only)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: negotiable
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
11. Georgian supra and culinary workshops in Mtskheta
All one needs is a single supra – traditional Georgian feast with wine toasts and tables loaded with delicacies – to agree that Georgian cooking is an absolute delight. If someone were to try learning how to cook local dishes, there is nothing more straightforward – all you need do is come with me to Mtskheta and join in a day of culinary classes! Following a morning tour of local historical sites (optional) we go straight into a kitchen, to then spend a few good hours preparing the famous khinkali dumplings, khachapuri pancakes and other delicacies, which we will then of course devour during a supra, led by a tamada, served with Georgian wines and poetic toasts. More info here Supra feasts – a Georgian tradition.
Let’s go together!
Route Length: approx. 30km (car + on foot)
Timescales: 1 day (start: 8.30, end: approx. 9.00pm, with 40mins lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: negotiable
Inclusive of: Russian speaking driver (for 2/4/6/8/10/12/16 persons), petrol
Additional costs: entrance fees, transport, food, drink, English tour guide (200 GEL per day)
Registration: contact us
12. Alternative Tbilisi
Sightseeing Tbilisi, it is easy to imagine the city has many faces to show us – that somewhere nearby a whole other sort of life is being lived, the sort most tourists never get to experience. And this is the truest sort of truth! How to discover this alternative Tbilisi? Let us start with a metro ride to Sarajishvili station – from here we take a marshrutka or a taxi to the Chronicles of Georgia monument, which at first glance looks like a local sort of Stonehenge. Erected in 1985 on the shores of the Tbilisi reservoir, it was never actually finished. More traces of post-Soviet realities can be found in the district of Nutsubidze – a typical sort of housing estate where three buildings have been co-joined 14 floors up with a sky tunnel. This can be reached via a lift which needs… feeding a few tetri coins. And seeing as we are talking about feeding, we best then head off to Dezerter Bazaar, the biggest such market in town, serving fantastic street food representing different parts of Georgia. Following this culinary journey, we head off to the cult, graffiti-covered Fabrika, where local young people meet to drink beer, talk and listen to alternative sounds. We follow this bit of post-Soviet brutalism with some bohemian aesthetics – exploring the central district of Sololaki, along streets such as Machabeli, Leonidze, Asatiani and Kikodze, we will see Artdeco town houses from the early 20th century, featuring lovely staircases and mosaics. From there, it is only a few steps to the Gvino Underground wine bar – to taste organic wines from local producers as a fitting end to our encounter with Tbilisi avant-garde!
Let’s go together!
Route Length: approx. 10 km
Timescales: 1 day (start: 10.00am, end: approx. 6.00pm, with 1 hour lunch break)
Meeting point: collection and drop off from hotel or else at a pre-agreed spot
Price: 200 GEL for a group of up to 16 persons/day
Inclusive of: English speaking tour guide
Additional costs: entrance fees, public transport, food, drink
Registration: contact us
Which of these trips appeals to you the most? Comment below, especially if you have other ideas of trips around Georgia.
The information contained herein is advisory in context and does not represent a firm offer in the legal sense.