Location highlights from this tour
The 13-Day Private Azerbaijan & Georgia Tour is a 13-day, 12-night journey from Baku to Tbilisi, for one to four travelers. It covers Baku, Gobustan and the Ateshgah fire temple, the Silk Road town of Sheki, the wine country of Kakheti, Tbilisi, the Georgian Military Highway to Mount Kazbek, Borjomi, Rabati and the cave city of Vardzia, with four UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the way.
The tour runs from east to west for a practical reason: under Azerbaijan's current border rules, foreign visitors can leave the country by land but cannot normally enter it by road, so you fly into Baku, cross into Georgia on foot at Lagodekhi and fly home from Tbilisi. A separate vehicle and English-speaking guide serve you in each country, and your Georgian guide waits on the far side of the border. We reconfirm the border rules before departure.
You stay three nights in Baku, one in Sheki, two in Telavi, four in Tbilisi — two before Kazbegi, one after Kazbegi and one after Vardzia — one in Kazbegi and one in Akhaltsikhe. The days are full but the walks are short, and the longest drives, on Days 4, 10 and 12, are 5 to 6.5 hours. May, June, September and October are the best months; July and August are hot in Baku and Tbilisi.
Good to know: expect cobbled streets, stairs, uneven rock and tunnels — notably at Uplistsikhe and Vardzia — so comfortable shoes with good grip are best. Churches, monasteries and mosques are active places of worship; cover shoulders and knees, and bring a light scarf. Some museums and sights close on certain weekdays, so for your start day we may keep the same places but change the order of the stops.
The tour starts in Icherisheher, Baku's walled Old City and a UNESCO site, with its narrow lanes, the Maiden Tower rising above the rooftops, and the Shirvanshahs' Palace, the seat of the region's medieval rulers. From there you drive out to the Heydar Aliyev Center, a flowing white building by the architect Zaha Hadid that has become one of Baku's best-known modern landmarks, before returning to walk the newer part of the city — Fountains Square, the seafront Baku Boulevard along the Caspian, and the view up to the three glass Flame Towers that have come to define the skyline. The day ends with a dinner of Azerbaijani food in the Old City.
A day of the strange and the ancient south of the city. Gobustan National Park, a UNESCO site, holds thousands of rock carvings going back some 40,000 years, scratched onto a hillside of bare stone. Nearby are the mud volcanoes, small cones that bubble and hiss with cold gray mud rather than lava, and there are two ways to see them: the new Mud Volcanoes Complex, which has a safe, comfortable road but fewer volcanoes, or the traditional site, which has more volcanoes and more dramatic scenery but is reached by a dusty, bumpy ride in a Soviet-era Niva vehicle. In the afternoon you visit Ateshgah, a walled fire temple built around a natural gas flame that has drawn Zoroastrian, Hindu and Sikh pilgrims for centuries, and Ramana Fortress, a medieval fortress among the traditional stone houses of a village on the Absheron peninsula, known for its authentic local atmosphere. Back to Baku for the night.
West today, into the foothills of the Greater Caucasus. On the way you'll stop in Shamakhi, once the capital of a medieval khanate, for the Juma Mosque, before continuing to Sheki, a town of caravanserais and craftsmen tucked into the hills. In Sheki you visit the Khan's Palace, a small 18th-century summer residence with stained-glass windows and painted walls that took no nails to build, added to the UNESCO list in 2019, and the old stone caravanserai that once sheltered Silk Road traders — many now converted into hotels, including some where you may be staying tonight.
This morning you leave Azerbaijan after a stop at Sheki Bazaar, a lively market of fresh produce, spices and sweets.
It is about two hours to the Balakan–Lagodekhi border crossing between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Your Azerbaijani vehicle drops you at the checkpoint and the crossing is on foot: you clear Azerbaijani exit control, walk the approximately 300 meters between the two posts with your luggage, and complete Georgian entry control on the other side, where your Georgian guide and vehicle are waiting.
Queues vary, so the day allows extra time.
You then drive into Kakheti, Georgia's wine region, to a winery near Kvareli for lunch and a tasting of local wines, before settling into Telavi for two nights.
The day starts with a walk through Telavi: the old town, the giant 900-year-old plane tree and Batonistsikhe, the walled palace of the kings of Kakheti, with the rooms of King Erekle II and a small museum. Then out to Tsinandali Estate, the 19th-century home and park of Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, where Georgia's first European-style wines were bottled and the cellar still holds bottles from the 1800s.
After the house and gardens you stop at a family winery for lunch and a tasting, with the chance to see a qvevri, the buried clay vessel used for traditional Georgian winemaking, and the afternoon ends back in Telavi.
You leave Telavi and drive along the Alazani Valley to Sighnaghi, the small walled town known as the City of Love, with its cobbled streets, wooden balconies and long views over the valley to the Caucasus. Nearby is Bodbe, a convent on a hillside and the burial place of St. Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.
From there it is a straightforward drive to Tbilisi, where you arrive in the early afternoon, with the rest of the day free.
The tour starts at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Sameba, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, rising above the city. From there you visit the clifftop Metekhi Church above the river, then ride the cable car up to Narikala Fortress for the view over Tbilisi.
Walking down from the fortress, you pass through Abanotubani, the district of brick-domed sulfur bathhouses the city was built on and named after, then wander the Old Town lanes to the leaning clock tower of the Rezo Gabriadze Theatre and cross the glass Peace Bridge. The rest of the day is free.
North today, up the Georgian Military Highway into the Caucasus. The first stop is Mtskheta, Georgia's old capital and spiritual heart: Jvari Monastery on the hill above the meeting of two rivers, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the town below, both on the UNESCO list.
Then a pause at Ananuri, a fortress and its churches standing over Jinvali Reservoir, and a stop for lunch on the way. Further up you stop where the Black and White Aragvi rivers meet, their two colors running side by side before they blend, and again at Gudauri Panorama.
The road crosses the Jvari Pass at 2,379 meters and drops to Stepantsminda, usually called Kazbegi, below Mount Kazbek.
The morning starts with a short drive up to Gergeti Trinity Church, the lone 14th-century church at 2,170 meters with Mount Kazbek behind it. You then leave the mountains the way you came, with a stop for lunch in the valley, and turn west of Mtskheta to Uplistsikhe, a town carved into the rock above the Mtkvari River that goes back to the Iron Age, its halls, wine cellars and theater still climbing the hillside.
From there it is approximately an hour and a half back to Tbilisi for the night.
Today you leave the capital and head southwest into the Lesser Caucasus. The first stop is Borjomi, the spa town known for its mineral water, with a short walk through the riverside park, where you can taste the water at the spring.
After lunch you continue to Akhaltsikhe, where Rabati Castle, a restored fortress complex with a mosque, a church and a museum inside its walls, overlooks the old town. You spend the night in Akhaltsikhe, close to Vardzia, which you visit tomorrow.
An early start for the drive south to Vardzia, a cave monastery carved into a cliff above the Mtkvari River in the 12th and 13th centuries, once home to hundreds of monks across its churches, cells and tunnels.
You have time to explore it before the long drive back to Tbilisi, with a lunch stop on the way, arriving in the evening for your last night in Georgia.
Access to parts of Vardzia can change after rockfalls; we check the current access before departure, and your guide adjusts the visit if a section is closed.
Sheraton Baku Intourist stands by the seafront in the centre of Baku, within easy reach of the Old City, the Maiden Tower and the Flame Towers. Its rooms look out over gardens or the Caspian Sea. The hotel has the ABAKUZ Restaurant and the ABAKUZ Lounge & Terrace, a wellness centre offering massages and spa treatments, and a fitness centre open 24 hours a day.
Boutique 19 Hotel occupies a heritage building on Aziz Aliyev Street in the historic centre of Baku, combining period architecture with contemporary comfort. Guests can dine at Sabah Restaurant, enjoy a drink at Bade Wine Bar and relax at Damda Pool & Lounge.
Radisson Hotel Baku stands by the seafront at Azadlig Avenue 1, close to Baku Boulevard. Its 255 rooms include Superior and Junior rooms as well as studios and apartments with a kitchenette. The hotel has the all-day Lagom restaurant and bar, a fitness centre open 24 hours a day and flexible meeting spaces.
Mövenpick Winter Park Baku is a 4-star hotel in the Nasimi district, close to the centre of Baku, with Nizami Street, Winter Park and the Old City within walking distance. The 15th-floor restaurant offers views of the city and the sea, and there is a 24-hour lobby bar. Guests can use the fitness centre, sauna and massage services.
Shah Palace Hotel is a 4-star hotel inside Baku's historic Old City (Icherisheher), a short walk from Icheri Sheher metro station. Its classic-style rooms and traditional decoration are arranged around a central atrium with arched galleries. The hotel has a restaurant, a fitness room, a sauna and Wi-Fi.
Midway Park Hotel is in Baku, close to Nizami Street and the Baku City Circuit. The hotel has a restaurant serving a breakfast buffet, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour front desk.
Set within the legendary 19th-century Tsinandali Estate, this Radisson Collection property is the pinnacle of luxury in Georgia's wine country. Surrounded by historic gardens, a renowned wine cellar, and the Caucasus foothills, it offers an unforgettable blend of heritage, wine culture, and world-class hospitality.
A modern and comfortable hotel set amid the lush greenery of the Tsinandali area in Kakheti. Park Hotel Tsinandali offers a peaceful retreat with well-appointed rooms, a lovely garden terrace, and easy access to the region's famous wineries and historic estates.
A vineyard hotel in the village of Ruispiri, a few kilometres from Telavi, welcoming guests since 2018. Hotel Arge has its own wine cellar for tastings, an outdoor pool and a garden restaurant, with most rooms opening onto balconies that look out over the Alazani Valley and the Greater Caucasus.
A design-forward boutique hotel housed in a converted Soviet-era publishing house on the banks of the Mtkvari River. Rooms Hotel Tbilisi is a cultural landmark in its own right, blending industrial-chic aesthetics with warm Georgian hospitality, a vibrant lobby bar, and a celebrated restaurant.
A colorful and contemporary hotel right on Tbilisi's main Rustaveli Avenue. Ibis Styles Tbilisi Center offers reliable international-standard comfort with a playful design, complimentary breakfast, and an unbeatable central location for exploring the capital.
A cheerful budget-friendly hotel tucked into the winding streets of Tbilisi's Old Town. Ginger Hotel offers clean, comfortable rooms with a warm atmosphere and friendly staff, making it a great-value base for travelers who want to be in the heart of the action.
A design masterpiece set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kazbek. Rooms Hotel Kazbegi is one of Georgia's most iconic luxury retreats, offering floor-to-ceiling mountain views, a crackling fireplace lounge, an indoor pool, and a spa — the ultimate mountain escape.
A comfortable mid-range hotel in the heart of Stepantsminda with warm hospitality and mountain views. Northgate Hotel provides a cozy retreat after a day of Caucasus adventures, with a welcoming restaurant serving hearty Georgian cuisine and well-appointed rooms.
A budget-friendly guesthouse-style hotel in Stepantsminda offering simple, clean rooms and genuine Georgian warmth. Hotel Horizon is perfect for travelers who want to explore the Kazbegi region without breaking the bank, with home-cooked meals and a friendly atmosphere.
A modern wellness hotel right beside the historic Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe. Hotel Gino features an indoor pool, sauna, and full wellness center, making it ideal for relaxation after exploring the Vardzia cave monastery and the dramatic landscapes of southern Georgia.
A premium boutique inn offering luxurious Junior Suite rooms just steps from the magnificent Rabati Castle. Akhaltsikhe Inn combines elegant interiors with stunning views of the historic fortress and surrounding valley, providing the finest accommodation in this ancient southern Georgian town.
A friendly and affordable hotel in Akhaltsikhe offering clean, comfortable rooms and genuine southern Georgian hospitality. Hotel Beni is a great-value base for exploring Rabati Castle, the Vardzia cave city, and the scenic Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
Cancellation: 30 days or more before the tour, you lose the deposit; 15–29 days before, 50% of the tour cost; 7–14 days before, 80%; less than 7 days before, 100%.
Payment by bank transfer or online with Visa, MasterCard or American Express (2.5% card fee).
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