Things to do in Kakheti

Explore Kakheti, the wine region of Georgia, located in the eastern part of the country. Kakheti wine region is an excellent place to visit beautiful sightseeings, try delicious local food, listen to traditional folk songs, study how Georgian wine is made, and have wine degustation. Your first stop is village Badiauri, where guests are welcome to see a local bakery and taste delicious Georgian bread, cheese, and Chacha (Georgian Vodka). The second stop is Bodbe Convent. According to the legend, it is built on the burial place of Saint Nino. A Saint for Georgians who converted their religion into Christianity. The site is very spiritual and has impressive views for taking beautiful pictures. Then go to Sighnaghi, known as "The City of Love." You will have a walking tour in Sighnaghin and discover " The Great Wall of Georgia." After the walking tour, you can join lunch with a beautiful view of Alazani Valley, and try traditional Georgian food. The fourth site of the day is Khareba Winery, the largest of Georgia's wine cellars. Khareba is a unique place with perfect storage conditions for wine, 7.7 kilometers of tunnels, and galleries that maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees 0C. Listen to traditional Georgian folk songs, have a walking tour in the tunnel, explore the ethnographic museum, get information on how Georgians make wine, and finish it with wine degustation. The last place to visit during the day is Corporation Kindzmarauli. The winery's history dates back to 1533 and produced wine exclusively for the royal family for much of its history. You have a tour in the winery and wine degustation for four different wines.

Visit two of Armenia’s ancient monasteries and the town of Alaverdi on this small group tour from Tbilisi. Cross over the border with your experienced guide who will take you through the highlights of Northern Armenia in just 1 day.   Depart at 9:00 AM sharp for a 1.5-hour trip across the Georgian-Armenian boarder. Almost immediately you’ll start to notice changes in the landscape—the fields will become rocky mountains and the scenery takes on a certain apocalyptic touch, due to the many abandoned Soviet mines and factories. Your first stop is the fortified monastery of Akhtala, where you can marvel at the beautifully preserved frescoes and learn about the thrilling history of this Georgian-Armenian creation.   Then, you’ll reach the UNESCO-listed monastery complex of Haghpat, where you’ll learn about the Armenian stone crosses and the mystical poet Sayat-Nova. The next stop is a small authentic restaurant by the river, where you can try authentic Armenian cuisine. Travel another 30 minutes to the center of the town of Alaverdi, famous for being the hometown of MIG fighter jet engineer Mikoyan, and the 10th century monastery of Sanahin. Arrive back in Tbilisi by around 6:00 PM after a full and fascinating day.

Immerse yourself in Georgian history and culture on a guided day trip from Tbilisi. Visit the impressive David Gareja Monastery and Rainbow Mountains. Explore the mountainous region and visit a stunning salt lake. The first place where you can stop to stock up on snacks for the trip. The second stop is at a salty lake, where you have an outstanding possibility to take some nice pictures. After the lake, we continue driving through Udabno Village, which translated as a desert. The area where you will be traveling is the only semidesert Georgia has, and it's more than amazing to see how diverse Georgian nature is. You will start walking toward the famous Rainbow Mountains at the end of the drive. The most impressive feature of the landscape is the mineral-rich sedimentary rock, which looks like it’s been painted with brightly colored stripes. It’s possible to hike through the Rainbow Mountains, which astonish visitors with their colors. You will walk through the Rainbow Mountains, take many mesmerizing pictures, and prepare for the David Gareji Lavra historical tour. David Gareji Monastery Complex is one of the most spiritual places in the country. You will hear the stories of the monastery, do a bit of hiking and see a Georgian soldier at the border of Georgia and Azerbaijan. It’s believed that St. David chose this isolated location because he wanted his Disciples to lead a life of holiness independent from the rest of society. After David Gareji Lavra, you will return to Tbilisi and finish the tour at 5 pm.

Explore the rainbow mountains of Eastern Georgia on this guided 4-wheel drive safari tour. Feel like Indiana Jones as you speed through the colorful mountains and visit the David Gareja Lavra monastery complex, as well as the St. John the Baptist cave monastery. Departing from Tbilisi, start your journey with a low-difficulty 1-hour walk among the colorful hills around the Mravaltskaro lake. This is one of the best places in Georgia for bird watching, and specialists from all over the world come here during the season. If you don't want to hike, you can just enjoy the beauty of the area and snap some great photos.  Next, head to the monastery of St. John the Baptist, a cave monastery founded in the 6th century in the desert. Get acquainted with the lives of the monks who live here and visit the church and tower which are built in the cave. You can even see the border with Azerbaijan from the tower.  Finally, head to the first monastery in the desert, David Gareja Lavra. On the way back to Tbilisi, stop for lunch at an oasis club restaurant and enjoy a tasting of various Georgian wines.

Armenia, with its distinctive culture, its beautiful rocky mountains and ancient history is a must-see when traveling in the Caucasus region. Discover the beauty of Northern Armenia on this day trip from Tbilisi, with your tour starting at 9:00AM, after which you will head for the border. From here the landscape will begin to change, as you drive through the narrow gorges of the Debed River in between the high rocky mountains. The time seems to stand still in this part of the country, with its typical Soviet cars and huge copper factories built in the middle of the mountains, the scenery is full of bizarre beauty. The tour includes several main sightseeing objects of Northern Armenia, such as the historic Lori region, the fortified monastery of Akhtala, a unique example of wonderfully preserved frescoes from the 11th century and the two UNESCO protected monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat. The history of the two monasteries in Alaverdi is connected by a legend of father and son and you can see many similarities, but also differences in their architecture. Both places are known for their beautiful architecture and the unique hachkars, as well as the stone crosses, a signature of Armenian art. Before heading back to Tbilisi you can taste authentic Armenian food in a traditional restaurant by the river.

Discover the pleasant tastes of Kakheti, in the wine region of Georgia. Kakheti is one of the ancient hearths of wine and wine-growing, where wine cultivation started 8,000 years ago. 75% of the grape varieties in Georgia are grown in this region. Visit first Sighnaghi, which is a one-hour drive from Tbilisi. On the way, there will be a short stop for rest and tasting of Kakhetian hot bread, which is baked in the traditional way in the bakery named "Tone". You can also taste cheese and Georgian strong alcohol, also known as Chacha. Upon arrival, learn about the history of the city and visit the local sights. Take the free time to take pictures on the city wall and tower. The next stop is for dinner at a Kakhetian restaurant. Make sure to fill up, as you definitely need to gain strength and prepare for further wine tastings. For wine tasting, you will visit two large wineries in Kvareli. There will be a degustation in the sum of 6 sorts of wine and a short excursion in factories with local guides. Get acquainted with traditional and European methods of making Kakhetian wine. See the ethnographic corners and the wine production process in the factory. Take the option to have masterclasses in making Bread and Churchkhela by yourself.

Departing from the center of Tbilisi, embark on a full-day tour to visit the sunniest regions of Georgia. The eastern region of Kakheti is Georgia’s premier wine-producing area, where almost everywhere you go you’ll be invited to drink a glass of traditional amber wine. Along the way, make a stop at the village of Badiauri where you can learn how to bake traditional Georgian bread and can even try to do it by yourself. For those that love cheese, there are many cheeses in Georgia which you can try accompanied by hot, fresh, crusty bread. Next up, visit the Bodbe Monastery, one of the most important religious sites in Georgia. Today there is a nunnery where the monastery used to be, and the St. George Cathedral, part of the monastery, which holds the remains of St. Nino. There is also a new cathedral built, using much of the same construction methods used to make the most famous cathedrals in Georgia centuries ago. You'll then arrive to Sighnaghi, known as the town of love. There your guide will tell the legend that happened in this city many centuries ago as you walk along the cobbled streets of the city, climb the fortress wall, and visit one of the towers. There is also a local market where you can try and buy Georgian spices, sweets, sauces and much more. Finally, it's time to go to a winery to taste Georgian wine. There are so many different wines, and you are bound to find something that you like. Your local guide will also tell you the secrets of making wine and how to drink it.

Taste some of the best wines in Georgia during this full-day visit to the Kakheti wine region around Tbilisi. On your visit, learn about the traditional Georgian method of making wine in clay vessels and taste the wines at several wineries. Stop in the ancient town of Sighnaghi surrounded by an impressive wall and backed by the Caucasus Mountains. A traditional Georgian lunch in a family-owned winery completes this full-day experience. This tour will start and finish in Tbilisi, and will take you on a journey through the wineries of the Kakheti region. Visit Sighani, the town of love and take in the Caucasus Mountains and the Alazani Valley. Then enjoy wine tasting at Okro's boutique winery, where you will try wine as well as chacha (Georgian grape vodka). Next, enjoy lunch at an authentic family museum and wine cellar in Velistsikhe, accompanied with homemade wines, of course. After lunch, head to the Khareba winery, which is built into a Soviet-era bomb shelter near the town of Kvareli, for more wine-tasting and churchkela (traditional Georgian dessert). Finally, pass the 16th-century architectural complex of Gremi Monastery on the return to Tbilisi, with the option to visit if you wish.

In the morning, the guide and driver will pick you up from your accommodation in Tbilisi (if you choose the private option). Then, head to the desert where the main complex David Gareja lavra is located via the Kakhetian highway. The complex was established in the 6th century AD by one of the 13 Assyrian monks and expanded through the centuries. Here, have a tour of the rainbow mountains and monastery. On your way to Sighnaghi, you’ll visit the Bodbe monastery. The monastery is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Georgia, due to its association with St. Nino, the 4th-century female evangelist in Georgia. In Sighnaghi, a small town surrounded by 18th-century defensive walls and remnants of fortifications, take a relaxing walk in the town, explore the defensive wall and fortifications, and enjoy the views of Alazani Valley. In the evening, drive back to your place of stay or Europe Square in Tbilisi.

Departure from Tbilisi early in the morning and head East. On the way make a short stop at Badiauri village. Here you can watch the process of how Georgian bread is baked in special ovens. From Badiauri, continue on towards the Bodbe monastery. Bodbe is considered as one of the most important monasteries in Georgia, as here lies the grave of St. Nino who brought Christianity to Georgia in the middle of the 4th Century. Finally, arrive at the small, charming city of Sighnaghi that promises stunning views of the great Caucasus mountains and of the River Alazani valley. It is a walled town with remnants of 18th-century fortifications. You can climb the watchtowers to get a magnificent view. In Sighnaghi you will enjoy a Georgian wine tasting.