DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Tbilisi/Tbilisi |
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NOT INCLUDED |
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TOUR PRICE | 5295 GEL |
DEPOSIT | 1680 GEL |
Arrive in Tbilisi. Our driver will meet you at the airport and transfer to the hotel for check-in. After short rest start Tbilisi sightseeing tour. Start at Metekhi church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Take cable car to Narikala Fortress to enjoy breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Walk down to the district of Sulphur bath houses passing by the only mosque in Tbilisi. Stroll through the Sharden full of narrow streets with cozy cafés, wine tasting bars, souvenir shops, and breathe in the living past. Cross the Bridge of Peace to Rike Park. In the afternoon continue your tour by driving towards Mtskheta. Visit the Jvari monastery, and Svetitskhoveli monastery. Drive to Saguramo village and visit the old Marani (vineyard). Dinner at the vineyard premises (optional). Return to Tbilisi.
At 09:00 you will be met by our driver and guide at your hotel to start the journey to Kakheti, the cradle of Georgian winemaking. Beautiful road lies through Gombori pass (2 h, 100 km). On the way, in Vardisubani village we will visit a family that makes ‘qvevri’, traditional wine clay vessels. Continue to Telavi, the administrative and historic center of the region. We will see small charming streets of old Telavi and make a photo stop at the monument to King Irakli II. Continue to Schuchmann Château in Kisikhevi village. There explore private wine production facilities and have traditional lunch accompanied with finest wines produced from famous Georgian grapes Saperavi, Mtsvane, and Kisi. Drive to Alaverdi monastery, one of the most amazing Georgian historical sights, also famous for its own monastery wine production. Final stop for today is a private winery Twins Wine Cellar in Napareuli village. The premises of the winery include vast vineyard, museum of traditional Georgian winemaking in qvevri, and facilities for various workshops. Try yourself at baking Georgian bread puri, cooking national dessert churchkhela. An excellent round-up of the day will be tasting five different wines produced at Twins Winery.
Continue to explore the Alazani valley in Kakheti. After breakfast drive to to Gremi architectural complex, 16th century royal residence and the capital of Kakheti Kingdom. Gloomy and monumental, the Gremi castle is one of the most visited tourist points in Georgia. Drive to the Eniseli village to visit the Eniseli Bagrationi winery for tour and wine tasting. You will enjoy lunch at the restaurant on the top of the hill overlooking the Alazani valley. Continue to Kvareli, one of the major towns in Kakheti. Next stop will be at the unique Winery Khareba located in the tunnel carved out of the rock. Originally built for military purposes, today the tunnel is used to store Khareba’s finest wines. Wine tour and wine tasting. Short tour around the town, visiting the Kvareli
catsle. Drive to Tkhilistskaro village for overnight in the family run winery and guest house, where you will enjoy a traditional Kakhetian dinner, as well as some local wine.
In the morning stop at the local village and visit the local family producing cheese. Continue drive towards the Sighnaghi and make a stop in a local winery. Lunch at the winery premises. Continue to Sighnaghi, the city of love and the Royal Town, one of the crossroads of the Great Silk Road surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers. Visit the Pheasant’s Tears winery in Sighnaghi. Wine tour and dinner.
After breakfast drive to semi-desert area near Gareja. On the way stop at a local market to take some snacks. Arrive in David Gareja Monastery and start walking tour to the Lavra Cave Monastery, founded in the 6th century. The Lavra Monastery is an inhabited complex of caves with a courtyard, church and other buildings. Continue walking to Udabno (round walking trip may take up to 2 hours) where you can have some rest and enjoy the view of Azerbaijan from Georgian side. Udabno is famous for its wall-paintings, dating from the end of the 12th century. The thousand-year-old frescos at Udabno depict such scenes from the Bible like ‘The Last Supper’ and ‘The Exaltation of the Cross’. After some rest, walk down along another path. Drive back to Tbilisi.