Georgia - the heart of the ancient Silk Road

Situated at the heart of the Silk Road, Georgia stretches from the peaks of the Caucasus mountains to the shores of the Black Sea. For a small country (one fifth the size of Germany) Georgia packs a serious punch. This is a land of mountain-top churches, snow-armoured peaks, subtropical forests, polyphonic music and bountiful vineyards. Not to mention incredible feasts and world-beating hospitality.

A country steeped in myth and legend, this is where Prometheus was chained to Mount Caucasus and Jason and his Argonauts sailed in search of the Golden Fleece. Not to mention Marco Polo, who described Georgia as a nation of handsome warriors skilled in archery and courageous on the battlefield. What more could you want?

An Immersive Georgia Tour

On this immersive small-group Georgia tour you’ll travel to some of the most hidden, spectacular sights of Georgia; from the charismatic capital, Tbilisi, to the Kist villages and vineyards of the east and the subtropical hills of the west. This is a chance to experience the real Georgia, not just dash through the country on a tick-box tour. You’ll dine with artists and politicians, meet silkworm farmers, visit hidden churches, spend time with a conservationist and enjoy a dizzying array of local food and wine. This is about people as much as place: we want you to feel the soul of Georgia, and fall for it as much as we have.

Georgia, off the Beaten Path

On this thrilling 13-day small group tour you’ll travel far off Georgia’s well-trodden tourist trail. You’ll visit small, family-run wineries, walk through the Pankisi Gorge with a Kist guide, explore the stunning, little-visited highlands of Racha and witness the extraordinary spectacle of thousands of raptors migrating across the Adjaran hills. There’ll be wine, feasting, music, art, wonderful churches, soul-reviving walks and much, much more.

To book your place, email us here.

Day 1
Start point: Your home
Destination: Tbilisi, Georgia
Flights arrive in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, at various times of the day. We will collect you from the airport and whisk you to your stylish 4* hotel in the heart of old Tbilisi.
As everyone will be touching down at different times, the rest of the day is yours to relax, recover and explore a bit of Tbilisi at your own pace.
Day 2
Start point: Tbilisi
Destination: Tbilisi
After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you’ll meet your guide and spend the day exploring Tbilisi. Destroyed and rebuilt twenty-six times, the city’s turbulent history is written in its Persian-influenced architecture, its Armenian churches and its Arabic street names. Today, over thirty years after the fall of the Soviet Union, much of the old city is in a sad state of disrepair - yet it remains a place of undeniable charm and romance, its history etched in its crumbling squares and cobbled alleys. Tolstoy, Pushkin, Lermontov, Gorki and Fitzroy Maclean are just some of the luminaries who have been beguiled by the city’s beauty and history.
You’ll walk up to the 4th century Narikala Fortress - whose ruins dominate Tbilisi’s skyline - peer into the beautifully painted entrance halls of 19th century Armenian merchant’s houses, climb cobbled streets beneath ornate wooden balconies and admire the gilded interiors of Orthodox churches.
Lunch will be in a fantastic restaurant in the old city.
For those who feel energetic enough, there’s the chance to spend a few hours nosing around the National Museum. Situated in a grand building on Rustaveli Avenue, this impressive museum displays a wealth of pre-Christian gold, including 2000-year-old ornaments from the Kingdom of Colchis, home of the legendary golden fleece.
This afternoon you’ll also be visiting the private house of a well-known Georgian artist, having tea with them and learning about the amazing story of their house (featured in Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road TV series) and family.
Tonight, after some time to relax, you’re off for a welcome supra at one of our favourite Tbilisi restaurants. Georgian food, like its architecture, is a medley of influences, and justly famous. It’s also a direct reflection of the people’s legendary – and seemingly boundless – sense of hospitality. This is, after all, a nation where guests are exalted as ‘gifts from God.’ By now you’ll understand why people rave about Georgia’s food, wine and hospitality. You are in the same hotel tonight.
Day 3
Start point: Tbilisi
Destination: Kakheti
After another wonderful breakfast you’ll drive a few hours north-east towards the Pankisi Gorge, folded into the foothills of the magnificent High Caucasus range. The gorge is home to around 10,000 Kist people, ethnic Chechens who settled here from the 13th century onwards, following the Mongol invasions to the north. Today’s Kists are Sunni Muslims and, despite assimilating to Georgian culture, have proudly kept their own customs and traditions. Here you’ll have lunch with a Kist family, visit the mosque, then go for an afternoon stroll with a local guide to learn more about this place and its people.
At around 5 p.m. you’ll drive a short distance to a charming hotel and winery, where you’ll enjoy a night in the shadow of the mountains. Supper will be at the hotel.
Day 4
Start point: Kakheti
Destination: Sighnaghi, Kakheti
This morning, after breakfast, you’ll head a short distance to one of the best food markets in Georgia. Here you can see, try and buy the most fantastic array of locally grown and made produce, everything from churchkela to fantastic home-made sunflower oil, herb-infused salts and homemade wine. We adore this place!
From here you’ll head south to Sighnaghi, stopping on the way at Ikalto monastery, founded by one of the 13 Assyrian fathers in the 6th century.
You’ll have a light lunch in Sighnaghi, a beautiful fortified town whose houses are clustered within the walls of its 18th century fortifications, built at the time of Persian, Ottoman and Dagestani invasions. The views from the town are spectacular, down across the wide expanses of the Alazani Valley and across to the peaks of the High Caucasus.
Tonight you’ll stay in a lovely little boutique hotel, owned by old friends of ours, just outside Sighnaghi. Supper will be at a good restaurant in town.
Day 5
Start point: Sighnaghi, Kakheti
Destination: Sighnaghi, Kakheti
After a fabulous breakfast at your hotel, you’ll spend the rest of the day exploring Sighnaghi and the surrounding area. After some time to explore the town’s old walls and winding cobbled streets, you’ll drive a few miles to Bodbe Monastery, the burial place of Georgia’s beloved St Nino. Built in the 9th century, it still bears the pockmarks of bullets fired by Soviet soldiers.
From here it’s a short drive to a nearby village where you’ll meet a herbalist, apothecary and silkworm farmer. A serious bon viveur, this effervescent lady is one of the last people in Georgia to farm silkworms and produce silk, and will show you her silk production.
A light lunch will be at a very good restaurant in Sighnaghi, run by friends of ours.
Tonight you’ll have supper at a famous restaurant in town, beloved of Yotam Ottolenghi. Expect a riot of unknown flavours and herbs, all paired with delicious, locally-grown natural wines. We love this restaurant, and have been going there for the last twelve years. Antonia’s first visit here was whilst filming with Jess Hynes and Hugh Bonneville, and ended with Jess dancing on the tables!
Tonight you’ll be in the same hotel.
Day 6
Start point: Sighnaghi, Kakheti
Destination: Ateni
This morning, after breakfast, you’ll head west to the town of Gori, the place of Stalin’s birth. On the way you’ll stop at the Tserovani Displaced People’s Camp, which houses 8,000 of the 26,000 Georgians displaced when Russia invaded South Ossetia in 2008. Here you’ll be shown around by one of the residents and visit a social enterprise which employs internally displaced women.
From here, it’s around a one and a half hour drive on to Gori, where you’ll both visit the famous (and somewhat controversial) Stalin museum, and also go on a short walking tour around the town, led by a local guide, who is keen to make people in Gori think more critically about Stalin (who was born here) and their history.
Tonight you’ll be staying in a small, really lovely guesthouse in the hills south of Gori. The owner is both an art historian and a former high-ranking politician, and now runs a winery and guesthouse. You’ll have supper with him and his family, and sample some of his natural wines.
Day 7
Start point: Ateni
Destination: Ateni
After a lavish breakfast at your guesthouse, your host will lead you on a morning walk (about 2.5 hours) in the surrounding village and (low) hills, including a visit to a beautiful old church. This is an easy walk, but for those who’d rather miss this, there’s the option to relax at the guesthouse. You’ll have a picnic lunch. This afternoon you’ll visit nearby Uplistsikhe, an ancient rock-hewn cave town dating back to the early Iron Age. It’s a fascinating, beautiful sight.
Tonight you’ll be staying at the same guesthouse, and will enjoy another delicious feast of locally-produced food and wine.
Day 8
Start point: Ateni
Destination: Racha
After a final breakfast at your guesthouse, you’ll be heading north-west towards the lush, little-visited highlands of Racha. This is a wonderful three-hour drive, winding up towards the white peaks of the Caucasus mountains. On the way you’ll stop at a 17th century wine cellar, as well as pausing to admire Shaori lake. At this time of year the forests surrounding the lake will be ablaze with autumn colour.
From the lake it’s an hour north-east to Oni, in the highlands of Racha, where you’ll be based for the next two days at a beautiful family-run guest house belonging to an artist and his family. Everything here is hand crafted and lovingly made. Supper will be at the guesthouse.
Day 9
Start point: Racha
Destination: Racha
Today, after another legendary Georgian breakfast, you’ll spend the day exploring some of Racha. This stunning highland area, hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus ranges, features on few itineraries, yet has so much to offer in the way of landscape, nature and culture.
You’ll visit the rather haunting, but very beautiful, ruins of Stalin’s former summer dacha, go for an easy walk in the hills and then enjoy an evening of food and wine-tasting at a local, family-run winery. This will be a day that ticks all the boxes - history, beautiful landscape, food, wine and wonderful hospitality. Tonight you’ll be in the same guesthouse.
Day 10
Start point: Racha
Destination: Kutaisi
You’re heading for Kutaisi today, the old capital of the Kingdom of Colchis (of Jason and the Argonauts fame). This is just over 2 hours’ driving in total, again through some gorgeous highland landscapes. On the way you’ll stop at the fantastic 11th century St Nicholas’ cathedral at Nikortsminda, whose interior is rich with frescoes dating back to the 17th century.
Lunch will be on the way.
Just outside Kutaisi, if you have the appetite for a second church today, we’ll whip in to marvel at the beautiful UNESCO-listed Gelati monastery. This perches in the hills just outside the city, and is decorated with incredible frescoes.
Tonight you’ll be in the 4* Grand Opera hotel in Kutaisi, and supper will be at one of the best restaurants in town.
Day 11
Start point: Kutaisi
Destination: Batumi
This morning you’ll spend a few hours exploring Kutaisi, once the capital of several historic Georgian kingdoms. Perhaps our favourite place here is the produce market, one of the most colourful in Georgia, and packed with locally-produced cheese, meat, spices, nuts, wines and vegetables.
From Kutaisi, it’s an hour’s drive north-west to the Samegrelo region, where you’ll have a walk and a swim (if you like) in the stunning Martvili canyon area, before stopping for lunch at a family run winery.
After lunch it’s a 2 hour drive south-west to Batumi, now Georgia's second city (recently having eclipsed Kutaisi). Perched on the shores of the Black Sea, Batumi is a booming resort city, with some fairly bonkers modern architecture, as well as a charming old town. Here you’ll check in to the small, stylish Hotel Bloom (in the Old town) and enjoy supper at a very good restaurant. For those who wish, there’s the chance for an evening swim in the Black Sea.
Day 12
Start point: Batumi
Destination: Batumi
This morning you’ll be travelling around 25 minutes from Batumi to a viewpoint in the hills, to witness the incredible spectacle of the autumn raptor migration. From the end of August until October each year, hundreds of thousands of raptors - along with other migrating birds - pass through the ‘Batumi bottleneck’, the most important flyway in the West Palearctic. More than a million birds of prey pass through here each year, with tens of thousands of Honey buzzards known to pass through here on single days. We’ll be going to the viewpoint with a local conservationist, then going for a short walk along a ridge. Some of the birds you’ll see this morning include Steppe eagles, Black Kites, Honey buzzards, Levant sparrowhawks and Pallid harriers.
After this, you’ll return to Batumi and enjoy lunch in the city’s vibrant fish market.
This afternoon, you can either choose to relax on the beach, explore the city, or visit the lush Botanical gardens.
A final, farewell supper will be at a very good restaurant in Batumi. You’ll be staying in the same hotel tonight.
Day 13
Start point: Batumi, Georgia
Destination: Your home
Turkish Airlines flights to Istanbul depart Batumi mid-morning. We will take you to the airport in time for your flight home. Or you can always choose to stay on for a day or two of relaxation on the beach.
2024: Monday September 23rd to Saturday 5th October, 2024
2025: Monday September 22nd to Saturday October 4th, 2025
We are delighted to be launching our 2024 and 2025 dates for this new trip, and look forward to hearing from you if you’d like to reserve one of the limited places.
The trip cost is £4,560 per person. Please see below re. what’s included. There are no single supplement charges or hidden costs.
We do not book international flights but can connect you with a trusted flight booking agent who can help with this.
INCLUDED
Accommodation in carefully chosen, stylish, high-quality hotels and homestays.
(Please note there are NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT CHARGES.)
All breakfasts, lunches and suppers, plus quite a bit of wine! (This is Georgia, after all).
A number of bespoke, one-off experiences such as meeting artists, silkworm farmers and politicians.
Several wine-tasting experiences.
Local airport transfers.
All land travel costs.
A professional, knowledgeable, FUN English-speaking local guide, hand-picked by us. One of the Silk Road Adventures directors, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, will also be joining for part of the trip in 2024. An author and broadcaster, Antonia has been working and travelling in Georgia since 2011. As well as producing the Georgia episode of Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure TV series, she’s written and reported about Georgia for The Telegraph, The Guardian and BBC Radio 4.
Travel in a VIP a/c minibus
Detailed information packs and personalized travel apps - one after you sign up and another before you depart.
Friendly, personal advice and support from Silk Road Adventures throughout.
NOT INCLUDED
International Flights
Guide and driver gratuities
Personal spending money for alcohol or souvenirs
Your personal travel insurance
Where will we be staying?
We’ll be staying in a mix of places – from four star hotels in Tbilisi and Kutaisi, to stylish, boutique hotels in Sighnaghi and Batumi, to a lovely homestay in Racha. We choose all our hotels very carefully, taking style, location, comfort and sustainability into account.
What size of group will it be?
Our group sizes are always small, allowing for an intimate experience of the cultures we meet along our path. On this trip we won’t have more than ten guests, plus the local guides and drivers. We usually find groups are made of like-minded people, both male and female, from a wide age range. Many of our guests become firm friends with us and each other, and travel together with us again, and again…
What will the weather be like?
The weather should still be lovely and warm and sunny. But have no fear, we will supply you with a detailed packing list after you’ve signed up.
I’m a solo traveller – is this for me?
Yes. Around 30% percent of our clients travel alone as part of our group. We don’t charge single supplements to solo travellers – see below.
What kit do I need to bring?
We will provide you with an information pack after signing up for this trip, and this will detail any particular equipment we think either necessary or useful.
What vehicles will we be travelling in?
You will be travelling in a small, comfortable a/c minibus.
How much are flights?
This is a moving feast! It depends on where you are travelling from and how you want to get there. From London, it can be as little as £300 return to Tbilisi / Batumi. Expect to pay around £500 though.
What will the food be like?
Absolutely out of this world. Georgian food is justly world-famous, an absolute feast of locally-produced deliciousness. Prepare to be wowed.
Will I have to share a room?
Not unless you want to!
How fit do I need to be?
Not very – although there are options to swim and walk, you can also opt to simply relax instead. However, there is a fairly long day on your feet in Tbilisi, so you do need to be happy to be on your feet for two to three hours at a time. But this isn’t a boot camp, it’s your holiday, so if you’d prefer to repair to the hotel for a Negroni, then that’s up to you.
Is it a guaranteed departure?
As soon as we have five bookings on this trip, it is a guaranteed departure. We will let you know when we reach this.
Is this really for me?
If you love adventure, new places, friendly people, wild landscapes, history and culture then yes, this trip is for you.