Azerbaijan and Georgia Explorer

In the morning, meet your guide and fellow group members to begin your sightseeing tour of Baku.

Start with Martyrs’ Lane (locally known as Shehidler Khiyabany), where you can enjoy panoramic views over Baku’s coastline from the hilltop memorial. Continue to Icheri Sheher, the historic old city, where you will visit the Shirvanshah’s Palace and the Maiden Tower (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), as well as the Caravanserai, the Museum of Miniature Books, and the main market square filled with art studios and souvenir shops. Afterwards, explore modern Baku with a walk along Nizami Street and Fountain Square.

Following a lunch break, depart for Gobustan to visit the Petroglyphs Museum and the surrounding archaeological site, featuring rock carvings dating back to approximately 10,000 BC. The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also see the famous mud volcanoes of the Gobustan Reserve, which is home to nearly half of the world’s known mud volcanoes.

Return to Baku in the evening and enjoy a welcome dinner at a traditional local restaurant. Duration of sightseeing tour: 10-11 hours

• Breakfast / Dinner
• Radisson Hotel Baku
• 150 km

After breakfast, drive to the Absheron Peninsula to visit Ateshgah in the village of Surakhany. Historically, Zoroastrians from India traveled long distances to worship at this sacred fire temple, where natural flames emerged from the ground. Continue back to Baku to visit the iconic Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, a striking architectural landmark designed by Zaha Hadid.

The afternoon is free at leisure. Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours

• Breakfast
• Radisson Hotel Baku
• 50 km

In the morning, we depart for Sheki. On the way, we will stop at the Diri Baba Mausoleum in Maraza village before continuing to Shamakhi to visit the historic Juma Mosque, restored in 2013.

Weather permitting, we will then enjoy a scenic drive through the Girdimanchay River Canyon to the 5th-century village of Lahij (also known as Lagich/Lahich). This culturally rich mountain village is known for its cobblestone streets, traditional workshops, and craftsmanship, including jewellery, copperware, carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools. It also preserves an ancient water supply and sewage system.

Continue to Sheki, a charming medieval town set in a lush mountainous region, famous for its traditional baklava and relaxed atmosphere. Arrival in Sheki is expected at approximately 19:00. Duration of sightseeing tour: 10-11 hours

• Breakfast
• Shekhi Palace
• 340 km

• Breakfast / Lunch
• Schuchmann Wines Château & SPA
• 180 km

This is a free day to relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities, including nature walks, vineyards, gym access, and the outdoor swimming pool. The hotel also offers culinary masterclasses in traditional Georgian cuisine, as well as a wine tasting room where you can sample Schuchmann wines (wine tour and tasting are included in your stay). Please note that a relaxing massage is included in your package and is available by advance reservation. If you would like to book it, kindly let us know your preferred time.

Optional Group Tour to Telavi (departure at 10:00)
Discover Telavi, the capital of the Kakheti region, where you will visit local families and experience authentic Georgian hospitality, wine, and cheese traditions. A delicious family-style lunch is included (vegetarian option available). Experiences include: family hospitality, museum visit, traditional wine amphoras, wine tasting, cheese tasting, and local lunch. In Telavi, step back in time at the Royal Castle History Museum “Batonistsikhe,” originally built in the 17th century. Continue to the Kbilashvili family workshop, where qvevri (traditional clay wine vessels) have been handcrafted for generations. Here you will see the production process and enjoy a wine tasting. Next, visit a family-owned boutique cheese cellar, where you will learn about local cheese-making traditions and taste five varieties of artisanal cheese, followed by a homemade lunch hosted by the family. Finish with a short walk through old Telavi, including a stop at the monument to King Erekle II and the 800-year-old plane tree. Duration: 6–7 hours. Driving distance: 25 km. Price: $90 per person (includes museum entrance, wine tasting, cheese tasting, and lunch).

• Breakfast
• Schuchmann Wines Château & SPA
• 25 km

After a relaxing day at the Wine Resort, we will continue exploring the Kakheti region at 10:00 with a visit to the Tsinandali Estate, once the residence of the Georgian dukes. The estate features a beautiful landscaped park, a museum, and a historic wine cellar that belonged to Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, a prominent 19th-century poet and public figure.

For lunch, we will be welcomed by a local family for a traditional Georgian feast, complete with heartfelt toasts and genuine local hospitality—an authentic cultural experience. After enjoying our hosts’ hospitality, we will continue to the picturesque royal town of Sighnaghi, known as the “City of Love.” The town is surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers and once served as an important stop along the Silk Road.

We will also visit the Bodbe Convent, believed to be the burial site of St. Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.

In the late afternoon, we will depart for Tbilisi, arriving at approximately 18:30–19:30.

• Breakfast / Lunch
• Rooms Hotel
• 160 km

After breakfast, we will begin a sightseeing tour of Tbilisi. Start at Metekhi Church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of the city. Continue to Narikala Fortress, where you will enjoy spectacular panoramic views over Tbilisi. Descend on foot past Tbilisi’s only mosque and into the historic sulphur bath district. From there, continue your walk through the Sharden area, a charming network of narrow streets filled with cozy cafés, wine bars, and souvenir shops, offering a true atmosphere of Old Tbilisi. Visit Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the iconic clock tower of the Rezo Gabriadze Theatre. Cross the Bridge of Peace and arrive at Rike Park.

After a couple of hours of free time at leisure, return to the hotel and meet the group for a welcome dinner to Georgia, departing by bus at 19:00. Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours

• Breakfast / Dinner
• Rooms Hotel
• 5 km

Today we will explore the northern part of Georgia. Our first stop will be Jvari Monastery, a masterpiece of early medieval architecture, beautifully located on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers.

Continue to Mtskheta (UNESCO World Heritage Site), one of the oldest cities in Georgia and the former capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC. Here we will visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the main cathedral of Mtskheta and one of the most sacred sites in the country, believed to house the robe of Christ.

We will then drive over the Cross Pass and stop at the Soviet-era “People’s Friendship” viewpoint, offering dramatic views over the deep Caucasus gorges.

In Kazbegi, we will change to 4x4 vehicles and ascend to Gergeti Holy Trinity Church, located at 2,170 meters above sea level, where we will enjoy breathtaking views of Mount Kazbeg.

In the late afternoon, we will continue to Gudauri and arrive at the hotel at approximately 19:00 for overnight. Duration of sightseeing tour: 10-11 hours

• Breakfast / Lunch
• Marco Polo
• 210 km

Drive to the Ananuri Architectural Complex, the former residence of the Argveti dukes. This historic fortress ensemble, featuring churches and defensive towers from the 16th–17th centuries, sits dramatically above the turquoise waters of the Jinvali Reservoir, offering some of the most picturesque views in the region.

Continue to the remarkable cave city of Uplistsikhe, an ancient rock-hewn settlement dating back to the Hellenistic period. The site is known for its unique blend of architectural styles carved directly into the cliffs, reflecting both pagan traditions and early Christian influence.

Proceed to Gori, the birthplace of Stalin. Here you will visit the Stalin Museum, a Soviet-era museum largely preserved in its original 1957 form. The exhibition includes over 60,000 artifacts, Stalin’s preserved childhood home, and the armored train used for his wartime travel to major Allied conferences.

After the museum visit, you will say goodbye to your guide and group and continue your journey with a new guide and driver. The next leg of the trip takes you toward Kutaisi, where you will arrive in the evening. Duration of sightseeing tour: 11-12 hours

• Breakfast / Lunch
• Grand Opera
• 320 km

After breakfast, visit the spectacular Prometheus Cave Natural Monument, where you can admire an impressive underground world of stalactites, stalagmites, and illuminated rock formations shaped over millions of years.

Continue to the majestic Enguri Dam, one of Georgia’s most remarkable engineering achievements and among the world’s tallest concrete arch dams. A short stop here offers a chance to appreciate its scale and the dramatic scenery surrounding it.

The journey then follows the dramatic Enguri Gorge as you ascend toward the remote and captivating region of Svaneti. This mountainous area is home to the proud Svans, an ancient ethnic group known for their distinct traditions, language, and resilient mountain culture.

Svaneti is famously called the “Country of a Thousand Towers,” where medieval defensive towers once protected families, livestock, and churches from invaders and natural threats. Many of these stone structures date from the 10th to 14th centuries and still define the dramatic landscape.

Arrive in Mestia, the heart of Upper Svaneti, where traditional stone houses and iconic watchtowers still stand. Here, you will visit a traditional Svan dwelling (“machubi”) and a defensive tower (“koshki”), offering a glimpse into the region’s unique highland lifestyle and architecture. Duration of the sightseeing: 8-9 hours

• Breakfast
• Old House Mestia
• 280 km

• Breakfast
• Old House Mestia
• 110 km

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and visit the Mestia Ethnographic Museum, which offers a rich collection of Svaneti cultural heritage, including ancient icons, traditional jewelry, weaponry, and household items that reflect the region’s unique mountain lifestyle.

After bidding farewell to Svaneti, continue your journey toward the stunning Martvili Canyon. Here, you will enter the gorge on foot and explore its turquoise waters from specially designed viewing platforms and bridges, where the color of the water shifts beautifully with the light and depth of the canyon—an ideal spot for photography and memorable views. After the visit, continue on to Kutaisi for overnight accommodation. Duration of sightseeing tour: 7–8 hours

• Breakfast
• Grand Opera
• 225 km

After check-out, begin your exploration of Kutaisi, the capital of the Imereti region and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Georgia. Visit the iconic Bagrati Cathedral, an 11th-century architectural landmark dramatically located on a hilltop with sweeping views over the city. Continue walking through both the old and new parts of Kutaisi city center, including a stop at Kutaisi Central Park, known for its shaded paths and outdoor sculptures, and the lively Colchis Fountain, one of the city’s modern landmarks. Proceed to the Kutaisi Drama Theatre, an elegant historic cultural building, and then visit the traditional Green Bazaar Kutaisi, where locals sell dried and fresh fruits, nuts, spices, homemade jams, and other regional specialties. Continue to Okros Chardakhi, the former residence of the Imereti kings, notable for its centuries-old plane tree. If time allows, visit the Kutaisi Holy Annunciation Temple and the historic Kutaisi Synagogue, if you are interested.

In the afternoon, depart for Tbilisi (approximately 3 hours 30 minutes). Free evening upon arrival in the capital. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6–7 hours

• Breakfast
• Rooms Hotel
• 220 km

Check-out of the hotel by noon. Free time until your transfer to Tbilisi International Airport. Departure. End of Azerbaijan and Georgia Group Tour.

• Breakfast
• Private Transfe