sudarshansuresh7390

Hi everyone,

My wife and I have booked our first 11D/10N trip to Georgia from 11-21 May, 2024. I would love your advice/ opinions on our tentative itinerary. Sincere apologies in advance for the long post and thanks a ton!

DAY 1 - Arrive in Tbilisi at 11am - Explore Old Tbilisi - [Overnight Tbilisi]
DAY 2 - Explore Old Tbilisi - [Overnight Tbilisi]
DAY 3 - Explore Old Tbilisi - [Overnight Tbilisi]
DAY 4 - Rent car & self drive - Davit Gareji Monastery - Bodbe - Sighnaghi - [Overnight Sighnaghi]
DAY 5 - Explore Sighnaghi and surrounding areas - [Overnight Sighnaghi]
DAY 6 - Self drive - Sighnaghi to Stepantsminda (Stops - Tsinandali Estate, Telavi, Ikalto, Alaverdi Monastery, Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, Friendship Monument) - [Overnight Stepantsminda]
DAY 7 - Self drive to Trinity Church - Gergeti Glacier Hike (upto Altihut) - [Overnight Stepantsminda]
DAY 8 - Self drive to Juta OR Truso - Day hike Juta OR Truso Valley - [Overnight Stepantsminda]
DAY 9 - Self drive to Mtshketa - Visit monastery, cathedral, convent - self drive to Tbilisi - Explore evening in Tbilisi - [Overnight Tbilisi]
DAY 10 - Explore Marjanishvili Area - [Overnight Tbilisi]
DAY 11 - Explore half day Tbilisi - Depart for airport at 1pm

QUESTIONS -

1. TBILISI - Is 2.5 days + 1 day adequate/ too much time in Tbilisi on a 10 day trip?

2. CAR RENTAL - Is car rental through LOCALRENT.COM safe (with Super CDW)? Is it safe to self drive this route Tbilisi - Davit Gareji - Sighnaghi - Kazbegi - Mtshketa - Tbilisi? Do I need a Pajero (4X4) or is a Prius good for this route? I'm concerned about mileage.

3. SIGHNAGHI to KAZBEGI - Is this self drive (with above stops) safe and feasible to do in one day on Day 6?

4. KAZBEGI to TBILISI - Is it safe/ feasible/ worth it to drive this alternate route - Stepantsminda - Ananuri - Tianeti - Sabaduri Forest - Jvari Monastery? Is it a lot more scenic?

5. DURATION of stay - Are we doing too many/ too few days in any of these places? Any must visit places on this route that we have missed out on?

6. GENERAL - We are doing the self-drive option because we like the flexibility of travel/ stops, going off the beaten track etc. Day trips to all of these places seem to be quite hectic, with small stops and lots of travel. Is my understanding correct?

7. OTHER - Are any of these a must see on our first trip - Vardzia, Akhaltsikhe, Gori, Uplistsikhe? If yes, how to squeeze it in?

What we enjoy -
1. Scenery/ landscape - walks/ moderate hikes
2. Cultural experiences - food and wine, monuments
3. Small towns/ off the beaten track
4. Mid-range prices

Immensely grateful for any and all help!!!

shelemm

I spent 3 nights in Tbilisi. It is a fascinating city with many interesting and varied features. There is no such thing as spending too much time there! The reason to limit your time in Tbilisi is that there are so many other places in Georgia to see.

I am not sure there is any other city that has embraced 'shabby chic' as much as Tbilisi. No matter how dilapidated a structure is, it's pretty awesome what some creative application of paint can do. If this is not your thing, maybe you won't love it as much as I did.

I went only to Tbilisi and then took a 5 night 4x4 guided driving tour to the Svaneti (the reason for a guide and our going to Georgia). The roads in the Svaneti can be treacherous. That is NOT the case where you are going. On our way to the Svaneti, we stopped in Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe, Gori, and Kutaisi.

One of the best parts of Tbilisi is the area with the Orbellian baths. A stunning urban landscape. This area gets jammed with pedestrians as you get into the day, but at 7:30am was pretty much deserted, which is a fantastic time to be there. So I think bonus points for staying in or an easy walk to this area. You can visit before breakfast. Plus you'll probably want to go back. Not far form there, I also adored the Meidan Bazar, which is an antiques/souvenir shop located in a tunnel. Stunning.

There is a popular app that is the Georgian equivalent of Uber. Works flawlessly. I forget the name, though.

There is a book of walking tours that we used: Few Days Away, City Guide to Tbilisi by Stephen Stocks. This was very informative. With it, we found the 'hidden' bakery near the Toastmasters Statue plus explored other neighborhoods.

We did go to Fabrika one evening, a former sewing factory turned into a youth hostel and complex of bars and restaurants. It is quite the scene.

I generally can't imagine visiting more than three sites in a day, so your Day 6 seems implausible. Plus Google Maps tells me it amounts to 7 hours of pure driving to all those places. If you keep this itinerary, just realize you might start ditching certain sites as you go.

Generally, the Caucuses are for late rising and late staying up. Bakeries don't open until 10am at the earliest, but some stay open all evening.

I did not go to David Gareji Monastery, which looks amazing, but I do know that there's a main road that goes through territory disputed by Azerbaijan. I do not know exactly what the present situation is right now. This should not stop you from visiting, but please check the route you take. Also, there are other sites that are probably worth visiting very close by, so see if you can squeeze those in.

I am not a big proponent of the "must-see" idea of travel, so there is nothing that you are crazy for leaving out. Gori is only ok if it's on your way. Uplistsikhe is wonderful if it's on your way, though Davit Gareji is presumably an equivalent site. The others are a different trip entirely.

My other tip is to stay in guest houses. The food and the hospitality is off the charts.










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