Luxury Georgia Tour: Tbilisi, Signagi, Borjomi – 8 days (GE-09)

Our guide will be waiting at the airport in Tbilisi today to welcome you to the Georgian capital and transfer you to your city centre hotel. The time is yours to settle in and explore your immediate surroundings from the conveniently situated Wyndham Grand property. This upscale hotel is located a stone’s throw from Rustaveli Avenue, which is Tbilisi’s modern commercial thoroughfare, where you’ll find an abundance of shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. (Dinner)

The Georgian capital is where you’ll start your adventure. We’ll get our first look close to the Old Town from the 8th century Methekhi Church, situated beside the River Kura which winds through the city. Characterful buildings cling to the steep slopes that rise up from its banks. A cable car connects the lower part of the city to Narikala Fortress and we’ll climb to this impressive 4th century castle and enjoy the panoramic views from its terraces. The Old Town boasts many ancient religious buildings, so we’ll tour a few of these to help you appreciate Tbilisi’s long history: the 6th century Antchiskhati church, the 7th century Sioni Cathedral and the city’s synagogue. Closer to the hotel, we’ll visit the treasures on display at the Georgian National Museum. There’s just time to stroll along Rustaveli Avenue before dinner. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Tbilisi.

Georgia has been a winemaking nation for thousands of years and in the Kakheti region, that tradition is alive and well. One of the prettiest of the wine-making towns is undoubtedly Signagi. We’ll walk its fortifications from tower to tower - there are 29 of them in total. From the wall the views of the surrounding countryside are breathtaking and so make sure you have your camera handy. There are several wineries in the centre of town and you’ll have the opportunity to taste Georgian wine in the company of a local family. Just a couple of kilometres outside Signagi is Bodbe. There, we’ll tour the Monastery of St Nino, a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex built in the 9th century and extensively renovated and altered since then. It’s dedicated to St Nino, a 4th century female evangelist whose relics are kept here. Surrounded by cypress trees and overlooking the Alazani Valley, its bucolic setting makes this a popular tourist destination. Late in the afternoon, we’ll drive you back to Tbilisi. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Tbilisi.

Today, it’s time to see something of the Georgian countryside; a two and a half hour drive gets us to Borjomi. This is a well-established resort town known for its mineral water, which is Georgia’s top export. These mineral springs have also encouraged the development of health and wellness tourism, with many spas littered throughout the town. You’ll check in to the Crowne Plaza, a high end hotel which offers treatments in its own spa. Located close to the Borjomi Central Park, you might prefer to head straight out and explore some of the surrounding area, strolling along the park’s tree-lined paths or beside the River Mtkvari. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Borjomi.

Today we’ve scheduled a hike in the magnificent Borjomi Ckharagauli National Park. Its forested slopes provide the verdant backdrop to a super walk that leads to Alpine meadows, steep sided river gorges, craggy peaks and scenic overlooks. There are a number of trails that criss-cross the national park and we’ll choose one that’s appropriate for the group and the weather conditions. Rest assured, your guide will lead you somewhere beautiful. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Borjomi.

Borjomi’s such a pretty place that it would be a shame to rush a visit, so we’ve built in a free day today so that you can explore at your own pace. One of the things we recommend is riding the cable car up the hill. There’s an old Ferris wheel up here and also a great view back down to the town. Train buffs won’t be able to resist a jaunt on the Kukushka train. This scenic narrow gauge railway links Borjomi to the ski resort village of Bakuriani and passes through gorgeous countryside along the way. Of course, you might prefer to make the most of the natural springs and book a spa treatment or visit a mineral-rich pool for a soak. We’ll leave it up to you but our guide is happy to make suggestions if you’d like. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Borjomi.

Today we retrace our steps back to the Georgian capital. There’s still plenty to see and do in Tbilisi. One of the essential experiences we recommend is to soak in one of the city’s thermal baths. One of the most impressive is Chreli Abano, easy to find once you reach the Abanotubani because of its colourful tiled façade - even if you don’t plan to take a dip it’s worth detouring to this place to grab a photo. The Old Town is also full of café terraces that are the ideal place to unwind and let your mind wander back to your personal highlights of the past few days or socialise with the new friends with whom you’ve shared this memorable journey. In the evening we have arranged a dinner in a traditional restaurant accompanied by folk dancing and singing performance. Breakfast and dinner; overnight in Tbilisi.

It’s been a pleasure showing you what Georgia has to offer but now it’s time for you to return home. Our representative will get you to the airport in good time for your flight. Bon voyage and see you again soon. (Breakfast)