Where we travel in Georgia

Ten regions within a day's drive of Tbilisi, each with a different reason to go. Here's how far they are and when to visit.

Tbilisi
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Kazbegi
Kakheti
Svaneti
Samtskhe-Javakheti
Tusheti
Imereti
Racha
Adjara

Carved blue wooden balconies above an old stone wall in Tbilisi

David Holt · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tbilisiთბილისი

Georgia's capital sits in the Mtkvari river gorge. Walk the old town, soak in the sulphur baths, and eat khinkali in Sololaki. Most of our trips start and end here, with hotel pickup included.

Best for: Food, architecture
Stay: 2 to 3 nights

Highlights

Narikala fortress and the cable car
Abanotubani sulphur baths
Sololaki's painted entrance halls
Dezerter Bazaar for spices and churchkhela

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Good time to go
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
August: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
September: Good time to go
October: Good time to go
November: Good time to go
December: Possible, with trade-offs

Trips here

Old Tbilisi and the sulphur baths

Jvari Monastery on a rocky hilltop above Mtskheta

Alexxx1979 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Mtskheta-Mtianetiმცხეთა-მთიანეთი

Georgia's old capital sits where the Aragvi meets the Mtkvari, 30 minutes from Tbilisi. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is in the town, Jvari Monastery on the hill above it, and the Georgian Military Road runs north past Ananuri.

Drive: 30 minutes
Best for: History, half days

Highlights

Jvari Monastery above the two rivers
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Ananuri fortress on the Zhinvali reservoir

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Good time to go
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
August: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
September: Good time to go
October: Good time to go
November: Good time to go
December: Possible, with trade-offs

Trips here

No fixed trip here yet. We plan private days on request.

A waterfall below the Chaukhi peaks in the Juta valley

David Talakhadze · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kazbegiყაზბეგი

Stepantsminda and Mount Kazbek, about 155 km north on the Georgian Military Road. Gergeti Trinity Church, the Truso and Juta valleys, and the Gveleti waterfall. Easy as a day trip, better with a night.

Drive: About 3 hours
Best for: Hiking, views

Highlights

Gergeti Trinity Church under Kazbek
Ananuri fortress on the way
Truso valley's mineral pools

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close
February: Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Possible, with trade-offs
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Good time to go
November: Possible, with trade-offs
December: Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close

Trips here

Kazbegi and Gergeti Trinity Church

Red-roofed houses of Sighnaghi above the Alazani valley

lumoplank · CC0

Kakhetiკახეთი

Georgia's main wine region, in the Alazani valley under the Caucasus. Qvevri winemaking here goes back thousands of years and is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Visit Sighnaghi, Telavi and Tsinandali.

Drive: About 2 hours
Best for: Wine, food

Highlights

Family marani with qvevri
Sighnaghi's town walls
Bodbe Monastery

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Good time to go
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
August: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
September: Good time to go, harvest
October: Good time to go, harvest
November: Good time to go
December: Possible, with trade-offs

Trips here

Kakheti qvevri wine day

Mestia's Svan towers at dusk below the Caucasus

Dmytro Balkhovitin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Svanetiსვანეთი

High mountain valleys in the northwest, known for medieval Svan towers, glaciers and Mount Ushba. Reach Mestia by road from Zugdidi or by a short flight from Tbilisi when the weather allows.

Travel: 9 hours by road
Best for: Trekking, villages

Highlights

Ushguli under Shkhara
Chalaadi glacier walk
Svan family towers in Mestia

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs, skiing
February: Possible, with trade-offs, skiing
March: Possible, with trade-offs, skiing
April: Closed or not recommended
May: Possible, with trade-offs
June: Good time to go
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Possible, with trade-offs
November: Closed or not recommended
December: Possible, with trade-offs, skiing

Trips here

Mestia and Ushguli, Upper Svaneti

Walls and towers of Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe

John Wagner · CC BY-SA 2.0

Samtskhe-Javakhetiსამცხე-ჯავახეთი

Southern Georgia's volcanic plateau and river canyons. Home to the Vardzia cave monastery, Rabati Castle, and the spa town of Borjomi, famous for its mineral water.

Drive: About 4 hours
Best for: History

Highlights

Vardzia cave city
Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe
Borjomi's mineral springs

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Good time to go
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Good time to go
November: Possible, with trade-offs
December: Possible, with trade-offs

Trips here

Vardzia cave city and Borjomi

Horses grazing in morning light at Upper Omalo, Tusheti

Moahim · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tushetiთუშეთი

A remote highland region reached by a single unpaved road over the Abano Pass, open roughly June to early October. Shepherd villages, stone towers and wide alpine meadows.

Drive: 7 hours, 4x4 only
Best for: Remote trips

Highlights

The Abano Pass at 2,826 m
Dartlo's slate-roofed houses
Tushetian guda cheese

When to go

January: Closed or not recommended, road closed
February: Closed or not recommended, road closed
March: Closed or not recommended, road closed
April: Closed or not recommended, road closed
May: Closed or not recommended, road closed
June: Possible, with trade-offs, road opening
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Possible, with trade-offs, road closing
November: Closed or not recommended, road closed
December: Closed or not recommended, road closed

Trips here

Tusheti by 4x4 over the Abano Pass

Forested cliffs of the Okatse canyon in Imereti

FingerWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0

Imeretiიმერეთი

Western Georgia's heartland, around Kutaisi. Gelati Monastery's gold mosaics, the limestone caves at Sataplia and Prometheus, and the Okatse canyon walkway hanging over the gorge. The cooking leans on walnuts and fresh herbs.

Drive: About 3.5 hours
Best for: Caves, monasteries

Highlights

Gelati Monastery, a UNESCO site
Prometheus Cave by boat
The Okatse canyon walkway

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Good time to go
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
August: Possible, with trade-offs, hot
September: Good time to go
October: Good time to go
November: Possible, with trade-offs
December: Possible, with trade-offs

Trips here

No fixed trip here yet. We plan private days on request.

Shaori lake with snowy Caucasus peaks behind, in Racha

G.N. · CC BY-SA 3.0

Rachaრაჭა

A quiet mountain valley on the upper Rioni that most itineraries skip. Nikortsminda's carved stone facade, Shaori lake under the Caucasus, and Khvanchkara, the semi-sweet red named after its village.

Drive: About 4.5 hours
Best for: Slow travel, wine

Highlights

Nikortsminda Cathedral's carved facade
Shaori lake
Khvanchkara tasting in Ambrolauri

When to go

January: Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes
February: Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Possible, with trade-offs
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Possible, with trade-offs
November: Possible, with trade-offs
December: Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes

Trips here

No fixed trip here yet. We plan private days on request.

Makhuntseti waterfall dropping into a green gorge in Adjara

Wojciech Biegun · CC BY-SA 3.0

Adjaraაჭარა

The Black Sea coast and the green hills behind it. Batumi's boulevard and old town, tea and citrus farms, and a winding road up into the Adjaran highlands for arched stone bridges and acharuli khachapuri where it was invented.

Travel: 6 hours by road, 5 by train
Best for: Sea, food

Highlights

Batumi Boulevard at sunset
Makhuntseti waterfall and Queen Tamar's bridge
Batumi Botanical Garden

When to go

January: Possible, with trade-offs
February: Possible, with trade-offs
March: Possible, with trade-offs
April: Possible, with trade-offs
May: Good time to go
June: Good time to go
July: Good time to go
August: Good time to go
September: Good time to go
October: Possible, with trade-offs
November: Possible, with trade-offs, rainy
December: Possible, with trade-offs, rainy

Trips here

No fixed trip here yet. We plan private days on request.

Best time to visit Georgia

May, June, September and October suit almost everywhere. Svaneti and Tusheti only open in summer, so book those first.

Travel conditions by region and month: good, possible with trade-offs, or closed and not recommended.
Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tbilisi	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs
Mtskheta-Mtianeti	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs
Kazbegi	Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close	Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs, pass may close
Kakheti	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Good time to go, harvest	Good time to go, harvest	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs
Svaneti	Possible, with trade-offs, skiing	Possible, with trade-offs, skiing	Possible, with trade-offs, skiing	Closed or not recommended	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Closed or not recommended	Possible, with trade-offs, skiing
Samtskhe-Javakheti	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs
Tusheti	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Possible, with trade-offs, road opening	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs, road closing	Closed or not recommended, road closed	Closed or not recommended, road closed
Imereti	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Possible, with trade-offs, hot	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs
Racha	Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes	Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Closed or not recommended, snow on the passes
Adjara	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Good time to go	Possible, with trade-offs	Possible, with trade-offs, rainy	Possible, with trade-offs, rainy

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