Georgia roadtrip: 9-day itinerary
Here it comes - an overview of our trip with all details, tips and recommendations you might need! You can also find all the other information on Georgian food, what to see in Tbilisi and the Caucasus here.
Overall, we spent 7 full days and 7 nights in Georgia + 2 days for travel there and back. I would say it is fairly enough to see a big chunk of the country if you like moving as much as we do. We stayed every night in a different place and this is how we managed to cover so many places, but if you’d rather spend more time in one place, you can still have yourself a very nice time.
I would highly recommend Georgia to anyone who’s up for an adventure but not necessarily to someone looking for a chilled vacation. It is a developing country with all its charms but also inconveniences, the language barrier might sometimes be challenging and the travelling options rather courageous. The mountains are absolutely breathtaking and if I were to go again - I would choose this time of the year again (end of September, beginning of October) without hesitation.
Moving around
There are numerous transportation options to choose from if you want to see a bit of the country, with the most popular one being local marshrutkas - routed shared taxicabs. They are relatively cheap and connect most of the bigger cities and popular destinations but unfortunately, usually don’t follow a set timetable. They leave only after reaching their capacity, so you never really know when you’ll arrive to your destination. And while I do understand how this might be exciting for some, we do enjoy our independence while exploring a new country.
Renting a car in Georgia is very easy and affordable if you’re not on a very tight budget. We used cars4rent company highly praised in the Internet and were very happy with our choice. They have a big selection of different types of cars, including 4x4, and the customer service is very friendly and helpful (even in case of problems or accidents which unfortunately we were unlucky to experience!).
We did not see people hitch-hiking (locals or tourists) so I’m not sure if it’s a thing in Georgia.
Practical Info
Taxi from the airport to the city centre shouldn’t cost you more than 30 GEL. We did agree to an outrageous 100 GEL when we landed there at 4 am so don’t make the same mistake.
It is best (most convenient and cheapest) to buy a Georgian SIM card. You can do it everywhere at the airport 24/7 and it won’t cost you more than 30 GEL for 20 GB of data. Georgian cellular network is absolutely amazing and you are sure to have very good connection anywhere you go.
You can also exchange or withdraw money at the airport. These services are also available 24/7. Believe me, you want to do it right away as most of the time you can pay only in cash everywhere in Georgia (even for the car rental or accommodation).
If you land as early as we did (4 am) and would like to drop off your luggage while exploring the city, we found affordable and very convenient lockers right on the Liberty Square. 1 locker was enough to fit both of our backpacks (hand-luggage size) and cost us only 5 GEL for 4 hours. You can find more info and the address here.
Electrical sockets are European.
Tap water is drinkable in most places in Georgia so there’s no need to buy tones of plastic bottles! Carry your reusable one.
Young people in Tbilisi or Kutaisi will speak English, some of your hosts found on Booking.com or Airbnb too. But most of the time Russian (or Georgian, obviously) will be the only way to communicate so make sure you carry a dictionary or learn a few basic words.
Driving around Georgia is easy and most of the main roads are completely accessible. However, if you plan to visit the mountains, a 4x4 is highly recommended.
Cost
In general, Georgia is much cheaper than any European country but being a tourist, you will most probably overpay for certain things, like anywhere else in the world. Overall, flights were surprisingly the most expensive part of our budget (one-third of our overall spendings, even though we travelled outside of high season), while accommodation was surprisingly cheap (even 10£ per night for the 2 of us). Food is generally of the same quality and price anywhere you go (8£ for a very big spread for 2) but we would recommend eating at your guesthouses if offered - the portions are much more generous and well, home-cooked of course!
day 1: London - Tbilisi
There aren’t many direct flights between London and Tbilisi so we chose an option with layover in Warsaw (LOT Polish Airlines). This is a very convenient connection leaving London on Saturday in the afternoon and landing in Tbilisi very early in the morning (4 am to be precise, so a strong coffee or two are highly recommend!).
day 2: Tbilisi
Arriving to Tbilisi so early in the morning is a perfect opportunity to see an empty city - something, I’m always very excited about. As I mentioned before, you can drop off your heavier luggage in the lockers next to the Liberty Square and head for your first khachapuri for breakfast right next to it too - Samikitno restaurants is open 24/7 and serves traditional Georgian cuisine.
I’ve written more about where to go and what to see in Tbilisi here.
day 3: Ananuri + Stepantsminda
In the morning the day after discovering Tbilisi and getting a well-deserved good night of sleep in this charming little hotel, our car has been brought to us and we set off north to catch a view of Mount Kazbegi from Stepantsminda. We stopped to see the monastery in Ananuri on our way there but were rather disappointed seeing that it’s mostly a touristic destination.
Stepantsminda was charming and the weather beautiful - the hike up to the monastery is splendid and not very challenging with very rewarding views at the end!
day 4: Katskhi
Hidden in the western region of Imereti, the village of Katskhi is primarily known for the peculiar natural limestone pillar with a monastery located just on top of it - also known as the most isolated church in the world. We stayed for the night in a pleasant Airbnb just 30 minutes away from the pillar and took a walk to see the church - very impressive indeed!
This region is also known for the city of Chiatura - the manganese production centre and its cablecar system.
day 5: Ushguli
We came back to the Caucasus this time on the other side of South Osetia in the beautiful region of Svaneti. A highlight of our trip - Ushguli is one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe and the landscape is absolutely breathtaking. It’s a challenging route between Katskhi and Ushguli and one you should not try to pass without a very sturdy 4x4 (otherwise you can drive around from Kutaisi to Mestia and take a minibus to Ushguli).
Ushguli was one of the most incredible places we’ve ever seen, especially at night when the sky is uninterrupted with city lights and you can even see the milky way!
day 6: Mestia
The capital of Svaneti region and a more touristic destination, Mestia is located only 1-hour drive from Ushguli. - you will most probably pass by is visiting this part of Georgia. The village is charming and beautifully surrounded by the mountains which gives plenty of hiking possibilities. There’s also a cablecar taking you up the hill from where you can enjoy a calm walk down back to Mestia.
day 7: Okatse Canyon + Kutaisi
Okatse Canyon is yet another famous destination not far from Kutaisi but not a must-see in my opinion. It’s a nice walk on a suspended path with a dramatic see-through bridge at the end which is quite impressive indeed but can be crossed off the list if you don’t have time. From there, it’s an easy and fast drive to the second biggest city in Georgia where we spend a pleasant evening wandering around.
day 8: Kutaisi + Tbilisi
On our last day in Tbilisi we were lucky enough to take part in Tbilisoba - an annual October festival which celebrates the diversity and history of Tbilisi. Fr this occasion, the Old Town is decorated with international flags and lined with vendors selling food and drinks or showcasing different regional products and in there’s music and different performances taking place in the evening. We had our last tase of khachapuri and were ready to say goodbye to Georgia - at least for now!
day 9: Tbilisi - London
Back the same way: Tbilisi - Warsaw - London with LOT Polish Airlines.
