Tour overview

This 9-day trip makes a loop through Georgia, starting and ending in Tbilisi. After a guided walk through the capital's Old Town, it heads west to Mtskheta, the former capital, to visit Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, then on to Kutaisi for a walking tour of its centre and market.

On the way to Kutaisi you stop at the Tserovani settlement, built for people displaced by the 2008 war, to visit the Ikorta enamel workshop, a social enterprise supporting women and young people, and meet the artists over a light lunch.

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The longest travel day takes you into Svaneti, the highest inhabited region of the Caucasus, for two nights in a guesthouse in Mestia, with a cheese-making and khachapuri class. A day trip goes to Ushguli, one of Europe's highest permanent settlements, known for its medieval towers, to visit Lamaria Church and hike with a picnic lunch. The trip then drops to the Black Sea, with a winery lunch and tasting in Adjara and two nights in Batumi, before returning to Tbilisi by public bus or train.

Groups are up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader. You stay in hotels and simple guesthouses, where hot water can be unreliable and bathrooms may be shared. Eight breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners are included.

Trip highlights

  • Tbilisi

    a walking tour of the Old Town, the Peace Bridge and Sioni Cathedral (Day 2)

  • Mtskheta

    Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Georgia's former capital (Day 3)

  • Tserovani

    meet the artists of the Ikorta enamel workshop and share a light lunch (Day 3)

  • Mestia

    learn to make Georgian cheese and khachapuri in the Svaneti mountains (Day 4)

  • Ushguli

    medieval watchtowers, Lamaria Church and a hike with a picnic lunch beneath Mount Shkhara (Day 5)

  • Adjara

    lunch and wine tasting at a local winery (Day 6)

  • Batumi

    a walk along the Black Sea boulevard and free time in the city (Day 7)

Your route

6 stops from Tbilisi to Batumi

9-day route: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Kutaisi – Mestia – Ushguli – Batumi – Tbilisi
  1. Tbilisi Days 1–2 & 8
  2. Mtskheta Day 3
  3. Kutaisi Day 3
  4. Mestia Days 4–5
  5. Ushguli Day 5
  6. Batumi Days 6–7

Why choose this tour

This trip covers a lot of Georgia in nine days: the capital, two former royal centres, the high Svaneti valleys and the Black Sea coast. It mixes sightseeing with food and community visits, including a cheese-making class, a winery lunch and a social enterprise in a settlement for displaced people.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Georgia who want the capital, mountains and coast
  • Travellers happy with simple guesthouses in the mountains
  • Food and wine lovers, with a cooking class and a winery lunch included
  • Travellers who like small groups of up to 12
Traditional houses with carved balconies in Tbilisi's Old Town, Georgia

Day-by-day itinerary

9 days from Tbilisi, Georgia to Tbilisi, Georgia

  1. Day 1 · Tbilisi Arrive in Tbilisi

    The trip starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, you could visit the Georgian National Museum or browse the art and crafts at the Dry Bridge flea market. In the evening, you could try khachapuri or khinkali with the group.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Tbilisi Tbilisi

    A walking tour of the Old Town passes the Baratashvili Bridge, the Gabriadze leaning clock tower, the Peace Bridge and Sioni Cathedral. The rest of the day is free. You could visit Narikala Fortress or the sulphur baths, or see a performance at the opera and ballet theatre.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Mtskheta, Tserovani, Kutaisi Mtskheta, Tserovani and Kutaisi

    Visit Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, the former capital. Continue to the Tserovani settlement, built for more than 8,000 people displaced by the 2008 war, to meet the artists at the Ikorta enamel workshop over a light lunch. In Kutaisi, a walking tour takes in City Hall, the Opera House and the Green Bazaar.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  4. Day 4 · Mestia Into Svaneti: Mestia

    A long travel day into Svaneti, the highest inhabited region of the Caucasus, known for its mountains and tower houses built between the 9th and 13th centuries. In Mestia, learn to make Georgian cheese and khachapuri, then settle into a local guesthouse.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Ushguli, Lamaria Church, Mestia Ushguli day trip

    Drive to Ushguli, a UNESCO-listed group of villages and one of the highest permanent settlements in Europe, with medieval watchtowers beneath Mount Shkhara. Visit Lamaria Church, then hike through the village with a picnic lunch. If you prefer, stay in the village to visit the museum or the ruins of Queen Tamar's Castle.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Adjara, Batumi Winery lunch and Batumi

    Drive to the Black Sea coast, stopping at a winery in Adjara to learn about Georgia's winemaking tradition, one of the oldest in the world, with lunch and a tasting. Continue to Batumi, where the evening is free.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  7. Day 7 · Batumi Batumi

    A short walking tour of Batumi with your leader, then the rest of the day is free. You could walk the seaside boulevard, see the musical fountains and the Ali and Nino statue lit up at night, visit the botanical garden or ride the cable car for views over the city.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Tbilisi Back to Tbilisi

    Travel back to Tbilisi with local people by long-distance bus or train. The rest of the day is free. You could walk through Rike Park and have a final dinner with the group.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Tbilisi Trip ends in Tbilisi

    The trip ends after breakfast in Tbilisi, with no activities planned, and you can leave at any time. Extra nights in Tbilisi can be arranged when you book.

    Meals
    Breakfast
A medieval Svan stone tower in the hills around Mestia, Georgia

Where you stay

  • Tbilisi (2 nights) Hotel
  • Kutaisi (1 night) Hotel
  • Mestia (2 nights) Guesthouse
  • Batumi (2 nights) Hotel
  • Tbilisi (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation — 8 nights hotels in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi and a guesthouse in Mestia
  • Meals 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners, including a winery lunch with tasting in Adjara
  • Transport private bus, public bus, train and taxi, with a public bus or train back to Tbilisi
  • Local leader throughout, with guided walks in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi
  • Activities Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the Ikorta workshop, the cheese-making and khachapuri class, and the Ushguli day trip with Lamaria Church

Not included

  • Flights to and from Tbilisi
  • Meals not listed
  • Optional activities and entry fees, such as museums, cable cars and the sulphur baths
  • Single room supplement (not available on the two guesthouse nights)
  • Travel insurance, visas and personal spending
Jvari Monastery on its hilltop above Mtskheta, Georgia

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You need a private bathroom every night — guesthouse rooms in Mestia may share facilities
  • You need a single room throughout — singles are not available for the two guesthouse nights
  • You dislike long travel days — the drive into Svaneti is long
  • You want most dinners included — two dinners are included
Aerial view of Batumi on the Black Sea coast, Georgia

Departures & prices

From £1,330 per person, twin share, tour only. 20 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

What is the guesthouse in Mestia like?

Clean and comfortable but simple. Hot water can be unreliable and bathrooms may be shared. Single rooms are not available for these two nights.

How do you travel around Georgia?

By private bus, public bus, train and taxi. The drive into Svaneti is long, and the return to Tbilisi is by public long-distance bus or train.

What meals are included?

Breakfast daily from Day 2, three lunches (Ikorta on Day 3, a picnic in Ushguli on Day 5 and the winery in Adjara on Day 6) and two dinners in Mestia.

Can I book a single room?

Yes, on request at extra cost for the hotel nights, but not for the two guesthouse nights in Mestia. Single prices are shown for each departure.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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