Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti & Mtskheta – 6 Days in Georgia

The morning is a private guided tour of the old city. Walk the historic lanes of Old Tbilisi and through the sulphur bath district, where brick domes rise out of the pavement over the hot springs that gave the city its name. Take the cable car up to Narikala Fortress for the panoramic view over the river and rooftops, then walk down to the Bridge of Peace, a curving glass-and-steel footbridge over the Mtkvari river.

After lunch, drive south-west to Dashbashi Canyon, a deep green gorge with waterfalls and walking paths. Its star is the Diamond Bridge, a glass-bottomed bridge 240 metres long strung across the canyon, with a diamond-shaped glass structure in the middle. Walk the scenic paths for photographs before returning to Tbilisi for the night.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6–7 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~2 hrs each way to the canyon · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 9:30 AM): Old Tbilisi lanes and the sulphur bath district, about 1.5 hrs.

• Late morning: Cable car to Narikala Fortress and viewpoint, about 1 hr. Walk down to the Bridge of Peace, about 30 min.

• Noon: Lunch in Tbilisi (own cost), about 1 hr.

• Afternoon: Drive to Dashbashi Canyon, about 2 hrs. Diamond Bridge and canyon paths, about 2 hrs.

• Evening: Drive back to Tbilisi, about 2 hrs. Dinner (own cost).

Travel for the day

• City tour by private car and on foot; Tbilisi → Dashbashi Canyon ~2 hrs by private car, and the same back.

Tips & what to carry

• The Diamond Bridge has a glass floor; if you are uneasy with heights, the canyon paths give great views too.

• Paths at Dashbashi have steps and can be muddy after rain. Wear shoes with good grip.

• Extra activities at the canyon (zip line, swings) are paid locally.

• A private sulphur bath room in Abanotubani is a relaxing way to end the evening (own cost, book ahead).

Included today

• Full-day private city and canyon tour, entry tickets, private transfers

Overnight: Tbilisi

Check out after breakfast and set off on one of the most scenic drives in Georgia, the Georgian Military Highway, winding through valleys and along rivers into the Greater Caucasus. Your first stop is Ananuri Fortress, a 17th-century stronghold with two churches overlooking the turquoise Zhinvali Reservoir. The road then climbs to Gudauri, a ski resort town at around 2,200 metres with wide mountain views.

In Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) you take a 4WD up to the legendary Gergeti Trinity Church, a 14th-century stone church alone on a ridge beneath the snow cap of Mount Kazbek. Tonight you stay up in the mountains, which means you get the church and the peaks in the quiet evening light, after the day-trippers have gone back to Tbilisi.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3 hrs driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 9:00 AM): Check out and drive north on the Georgian Military Highway. Ananuri Fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir, about 1 hr.

• Late morning: Gudauri viewpoints, about 45 min.

• Noon: Arrive in Kazbegi. Lunch (own cost), about 1 hr.

• Afternoon: 4WD ride to the Gergeti Trinity Church, about 20 min each way, and 1 hr at the church.

• Evening: Check in at your Kazbegi hotel. Sunset over Mount Kazbek.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel or in Stepantsminda (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Tbilisi → Kazbegi ~3 hrs by private vehicle with stops; Kazbegi → Gergeti Church ~20 min by 4x4.

Tips & what to carry

• Carry a light jacket; weather in the mountains can change quickly, even in summer. Nights are cold.

• At Gergeti Church women should cover their heads and wear skirts (wraps are lent at the door); men should wear trousers.

• The highway can close for snow or landslides in winter; the plan may change on the day.

• Pack a small overnight bag; you are back in Tbilisi tomorrow night.

Included today

• Full-day private excursion, all sightseeing, private vehicle

Overnight: Kazbegi

A long but rewarding day. After breakfast, check out and head down from the mountains and east to Kakheti, Georgia's famous wine region. Your first stop is Bodbe Monastery, a peaceful hilltop complex among cypress trees, where Saint Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia, is buried. Then comes Sighnaghi, often called the City of Love, with cobbled streets, carved wooden balconies and old town walls looking out over the Alazani Valley to the Caucasus.

Later, visit a local winery for a wine degustation, tasting traditional qvevri wines made in clay vessels buried in the ground, a method that goes back some 8,000 years and is on UNESCO's heritage list. You return to Tbilisi in the evening.

At a glance: Time needed: ~4 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~6–7 hrs driving in total · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 8:00 AM): Check out. Drive Kazbegi → Kakheti, about 4–4.5 hrs with a coffee break.

• Noon: Bodbe Monastery, about 45 min.

• Early afternoon: Sighnaghi: town walls, viewpoints and lunch (own cost), about 2 hrs.

• Afternoon: Wine degustation at a local winery, about 1 hr.

• Evening: Drive back to Tbilisi, about 2 hrs, and check in. Dinner (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Kazbegi → Kakheti ~4–4.5 hrs; Sighnaghi → Tbilisi ~2 hrs, by private car with a local guide.

Tips & what to carry

• Try the Saperavi red, Georgia's most celebrated local wine.

• This is the longest driving day of the trip. Keep water, snacks and motion-sickness tablets handy.

• Bodbe asks women to cover heads and wear skirts, and men to wear trousers.

• If you do not drink alcohol, ask for grape juice; wineries are happy to oblige.

Included today

• Private day trip to Kakheti region, wine tasting session, local guide, private transfers

Overnight: Tbilisi

Today goes back to Georgia's beginnings. Mtskheta, just north of Tbilisi, was the ancient capital and remains one of the most spiritual places in the country. Start at Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century church high on a hill above the meeting of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, with a view straight down to the town. Then visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 11th century, where the robe of Christ is said to be buried.

Continue west to Uplistsikhe, an ancient rock-hewn town carved into the cliffs above the river. Wander through its tunnels, caves and halls, which served as homes, temples and a theatre for well over two thousand years, and imagine the Silk Road caravans that once stopped here.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3 hrs driving in total · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 9:30 AM): Drive to Jvari Monastery, about 30 min. Allow 45 min.

• Late morning: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Mtskheta old town, about 1.5 hrs.

• Noon: Lunch in Mtskheta (own cost), about 1 hr.

• Afternoon: Drive to Uplistsikhe, about 1 hr 15 min. Cave town, allow about 1.5 hrs.

• Evening: Drive back to Tbilisi, about 1 hr 15 min. Free evening and dinner (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Tbilisi → Mtskheta ~30 min; Mtskheta → Uplistsikhe ~1 hr 15 min; Uplistsikhe → Tbilisi ~1 hr 15 min, by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Bring comfortable shoes; Uplistsikhe involves uneven paths and stone steps.

• There is almost no shade at Uplistsikhe. Carry a cap and water in summer.

• Churches ask for covered heads and skirts for women and trousers for men.

• Mtskheta's main street has good stalls for churchkhela and Georgian honey.

Included today

• Private guided day tour, entry tickets, private transfers

Overnight: Tbilisi

Enjoy a final breakfast in Tbilisi and spend the morning at leisure. Depending on your flight time, sit at a café along the Mtkvari River, or browse the Dry Bridge Market, an open-air flea market of Soviet-era badges, old cameras, paintings and handmade crafts.

Later, your private transfer takes you to Tbilisi International Airport for your flight home.

At a glance: Time needed: ~2 hrs free time, flight permitting · Travel: ~30 min airport transfer · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast. Dry Bridge Market or a riverside café, about 1.5–2 hrs.

• Noon: Check out (usually by 12:00 noon).

• Departure: Private transfer to Tbilisi International Airport, about 30 min, reaching at least 3 hrs before an international flight.

Travel for the day

• Tbilisi hotel → Tbilisi Airport ~30 min by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Georgian honey and wine make great last-minute gifts and are easily available at the airport's duty-free section.

• The Dry Bridge Market is busiest on weekends; bargain politely.

• Spend leftover lari before you fly; it is hard to change in India.

Included today

• Private airport transfer