13-Day Georgia Grand Tour from Kutaisi: Culture & Nature

13 daysPrivate ToursAll year roundStarting from €1,595 per person
Request This Tour or a Custom Version
Green alpine valley and hiking trail in the Svaneti highlands near Ushguli, Georgia

Overview

Thirteen days across Georgia, reaching the one region the shorter tours can't — Svaneti, the tower-village high country of the northwest. You settle into five bases: three nights in Kutaisi, two up in Mestia, two on the coast at Batumi, three in Tbilisi and two at Kazbegi.

It opens in Kutaisi with its monasteries and the Prometheus Cave, then climbs into Svaneti for Mestia and Ushguli, where stone towers stand beneath Georgia's highest peaks. Back down, you stop at Martvili Canyon en route to Batumi and the sea, ride the train east to Tbilisi — with a free day to spend as you like — and close with the Military Highway up to Kazbegi and the Gergeti church before the long drive back to Kutaisi.

It's the fullest of the loops — lowland churches, alpine towers, canyon, coast and Caucasus in one trip. A few mountain drives run long, but five settled bases and a free day keep it unhurried, and since it's yours alone, you set the pace.

Itinerary

You'll be met at Kutaisi International Airport and transferred to your hotel. Check-in is from 14:00. The rest of the day is free. Overnight stay in Kutaisi.

  • Arrival at Kutaisi International Airport;
  • Transfer to hotel and check-in;
  • Free time in Kutaisi;
  • Overnight stay in Kutaisi.

A day around Kutaisi and its monasteries. You'll start at Gelati, founded in the 12th century and on the UNESCO list, its churches lined inside with medieval mosaics and frescoes, then the smaller Motsameta, perched on a cliff above a river bend. Back in town, a short tour takes in the old streets and the lively Green Bazaar, where locals shop for produce, cheese and spices.

A morning underground at the Prometheus Cave near Kutaisi — a long run of lit chambers, stalactites and underground rivers — before the long climb into Svaneti, the remote highland region in Georgia's northwest. The road follows river valleys up into the mountains, growing wilder as you go, to Mestia, the region's main town, set among medieval Svan towers under the peaks.

A day out to Ushguli, a cluster of villages and one of the highest permanently inhabited places in Europe. The rough mountain road is half the experience, and at the top the stone towers stand under Mount Shkhara, Georgia's highest peak, with the little Lamaria church on the hillside above the village — a working chapel that has watched over Ushguli for centuries. Back in Mestia for the night.

You leave the mountains today and head for the coast. On the way down you'll stop at Martvili Canyon, a narrow gorge of green water where a short boat trip takes you through the middle of it, then carry on to Batumi, Georgia's Black Sea city, arriving in the evening.

A relaxed day on the coast. You'll start north of the city at the Batumi Botanical Garden, a hillside of plants from all over the world spread across a green headland above the sea. Back in town, you'll take in Europe Square and the Italianate Piazza, then head down to the water for the moving Ali and Nino statue, two steel figures that slide through each other by the shore, and the Alphabetic Tower nearby, its tall helix wrapped in the letters of the Georgian alphabet. From there it's a stroll along the seafront Batumi Boulevard and a ride up on the Argo cable car for the view over the city and the coast. The evening is free.

Check out of your hotel by 12:00 p.m. At 16:00 you'll be transferred to Batumi Railway Station for the 16:50 train to Tbilisi — a scenic ride of about four hours across the country, arriving at 20:50. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel for the night.

  • Check out of the hotel by 12:00 p.m.;
  • Transfer to Batumi Railway Station at 16:00;
  • Train from Batumi to Tbilisi (16:50–20:50);
  • Transfer to your hotel on arrival;
  • Overnight stay in Tbilisi.

The tour starts at Holy Trinity Cathedral — Sameba — one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, rising above the city. From there you'll visit the clifftop Metekhi church, perched above the river, then ride the cable car up to the Narikala fortress for the view over the whole of Tbilisi. Walking down from the fortress, you'll 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. Free evening in Tbilisi.

Today is a free day to enjoy Tbilisi at your own pace. You may choose to explore the Old Town further, visit museums, relax in the famous sulfur baths, or discover local cafés and restaurants.

Recommended places to visit in Tbilisi during your free day:

  • Mtatsminda Park – Located on a hill above the city, this park offers panoramic views over Tbilisi and a relaxed atmosphere with cafés and walking paths.
  • Bazaar on Orbeliani – A modern food and shopping complex where you can buy local products such as Georgian cheese, wine, spices, and traditional sweets.
  • Tbilisi Botanical Garden – A peaceful green space in the heart of the city, ideal for a walk among plants, waterfalls, and scenic viewpoints.
  • Georgian National Museum – A great place to learn more about the country's history, archaeology, and culture.
  • Dry Bridge Market – A famous open-air flea market where you can find antiques, Soviet memorabilia, old cameras, and unique souvenirs.
  • Rustaveli Avenue – Tbilisi's main boulevard, lined with historic buildings, theatres, cafés, and shops.
  • Old Tbilisi wine bars and souvenir shops – A perfect area to enjoy Georgian wine, local cuisine, and traditional handmade crafts.

North today, up the old Georgian Military Highway into the Caucasus. First stop is Mtskheta, Georgia's spiritual heart — the great Svetitskhoveli cathedral in the town, and Jvari monastery on the hill above it, both UNESCO sites. Then a pause at Ananuri, a fortress standing over the turquoise Jinvali reservoir. Further up you'll stop where the black and white Aragvi rivers meet, their two colours running side by side before they blend into one, and again at the Gudauri Panorama for the wide view back down the valley. From there the road climbs to Kazbegi, a small town under the snows of Mount Kazbek where the air changes completely.

The morning goes up to Gergeti Trinity, the lone church at 2,170 metres with Mount Kazbek behind it — best in the early light. Later you'll walk out to the Gveleti waterfalls, an easy hike of about an hour and a half there and back through the valley, and stop at the Dariali gorge near the Russian border, a dramatic cut in the mountains. Back in Kazbegi for the night.

You leave the mountains and head back west. First is Gori and its Stalin Museum, in the town where he was born — a place that has stayed largely unchanged since Soviet times, then Uplistsikhe, a town carved into the rock that goes back to the Iron Age, its halls and tunnels still climbing the hillside. You carry on to Kutaisi for your final night.

Check out of your hotel by 12:00 p.m. When it's time, we'll transfer you to Kutaisi International Airport for your departure.

  • Hotel check-out by 12:00 p.m.;
  • Transfer to Kutaisi International Airport;
  • Departure.

Accommodation

City
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic
Kutaisi (3 nights)
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic
Mestia (2 nights)
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic
Batumi (2 nights)
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic
Tbilisi (3 nights)
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic
Kazbegi (2 nights)
Premium
Mid-Range
Classic

Pricing

Classic

Starting from€1,595per person
1 Traveler€4,270
2 Travelers€2,375
3 Travelers€1,895
4 Travelers€1,595
Single Supplement€330
Book Now

Mid-Range

Starting from€1,795per person
1 Traveler€4,725
2 Travelers€2,575
3 Travelers€2,095
4 Travelers€1,795
Single Supplement€460
Book Now

Premium

Starting from€2,390per person
1 Traveler€5,875
2 Travelers€3,195
3 Travelers€2,695
4 Travelers€2,390
Single Supplement€895
Book Now

What's Included

  • Accommodation in double/twin rooms, with breakfast included;
  • Transfers as per the itinerary in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle, with an English-speaking guide driver;
  • Entrance fees as per itinerary;
  • Still water;
  • 1 lunch and 2 dinners.

What's Not Included

  • Full board;
  • Additional hotel expenses;
  • Travel insurance.

Book This Tour

Tell us whether you would like to book this tour as shown or adjust it to your travel dates, group size, comfort level, or interests.

Similar tours

14 days

Georgia Group Tour

Tbilisi International AirportTbilisiJvari MonasteryAnanuriStepantsmindaGori+10

A 14-day group tour through Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Gori and Uplistsikhe, Kutaisi, Batumi and Kakheti's wine country, with hotels, transport and a guide handled for you.

Explore Tour
€1,595Starting from · per personRequest this tour
€1,595Starting from · per personBook Now
Back to top