Georgia Hiking Trip
Basic travel information
Rising on the European-Asian border, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains hide diverse nature as well as unique, indigenous cultures. Georgia, an ancient Caucasian civilized state, offers not only great mountain scenery but also exotic traditions, interesting history and delicious food culture.
In Georgia, we make day trips near the 5,000-meter peaks of the Upper Caucasus in the Kazbeg region. In addition, we will explore the country’s historical sights, World Heritage Sites and food and wine culture in Tbilisi, Mtskheta and the Kakhet region, comfortably with full board.
Itinerary
DAY 1 – FLIGHTS TO TBILISI
Flights from Helsinki-Vantaa to the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL ASTORIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 2 – TBILISI
Arrival in Tbilisi after midnight and transfer to the hotel. A city tour of Tbilisi on foot after breakfast. Already in the 400s Share. The established Georgian capital offers much to see for those interested in history and architecture. In the evening, a local welcome dinner. Overnight in Tbilisi. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
TBILISI CITY TOUR
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL ASTORIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 3 – TBILISI – MTSKHETA – ANAURI – KAZBEGI
After breakfast we leave north of Tbilisi, towards the Caucasus mountains. Along the way, we will visit the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, now known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the 16th-century historic fortress of Anauri. We arrive in the area of Mount Kazbegi, the small town of Stepantsminda (1700m mpy) surrounded by mountains. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
HIKING
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL PORTA CAUCASIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 4 – KAZBEGI
The object of our first day of hiking is Gerget Church (2150m above sea level), located above the small town of Stepantsminda, or Kazbeg, where we do about 1.5 hours of hiking from Stepantsminda. One of the most photographed sights in Georgia, the church offers great views of the Caucasus Mountains and the highest peak in the region, Kazbeg (5047m). We descend back to the city, from where we make another 1-2h hiking trip north of the city in Darial Canyon in the afternoon. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
HIKING
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL PORTA CAUCASIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 5 – KAZBEGI, CHAUKHI
The program of the second day of hiking includes driving off-road vehicles to the village of Juta (2100m) and about 3-5 hours of hiking trail in the scenically beautiful mountains of Chaukh, at an altitude of 2100-2500m. Return to the hotel at the end of the afternoon, dinner and overnight. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
HIKING
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL PORTA CAUCASIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 6 – KAZBEGI – TRUSO – TBILISI
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive to the Truson Valley, where there is another 2-3 hour hiking trip. After a picnic lunch we leave the Caucasus mountains behind and drive back to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
HIKING
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL ASTORIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 7 – TBILISI – SIGHNAGHI – TBILISI
We take a day trip from Tbilisi to the Georgian wine-producing region of Kakhet. We explore the monastery of the village of Bodbe and the historic town of Sighnagh. The excursion is crowned by lunch and wine tasting at a local restaurant. Return to Tbilisi at the end of the afternoon. Joint farewell dinner. (UNDER)
ACTIVITIES
DAY TRIP
ACCOMMODATION IN
HOTEL ASTORIA OR SIMILAR
DAY 8 – TBILISI – HELSINKI
Early awakening, transfer to the airport and return flights from Georgia to Finland.
MEALS: (A) BREAKFAST (L) LUNCH (I) DINNER
Additional information
We fly to Georgia on scheduled flights of Ukraine International Airlines / Turkish Airlines. The airline has the right to change its schedules, so do not book any connecting flights until you have received your flight tickets.
Group size: 10-16 people
The price of the trip includes
- The price of the trip includes flights to
- Airport transfers
- Accommodations
- Excursions mentioned in the itinerary
- Entrance fees for guided tours
- Services of a Finnish-speaking tour guide and an English-speaking local guide
- Meals and airport taxes mentioned in the itinerary
The price of the trip does not include
- Travel insurance
- Visas
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Food drinks
- Personal expenses
- Local airport taxes or possible exit fees not included in the ticket price
- Office expenses 10 € / person
Preparation:
There are no actual fitness requirements for the trip, but the program is designed for anyone interested in hiking. On the way, you will be in good general condition and packing smartly, but the better your physical condition, the more you will get out of the day trip. Day trips are carried in the mountains at high altitudes, but day trips are quite short and include rest breaks. Most of our hiking groups consist of first-time and basic Finns, young to retirees. We recommend that you go for regular walks, for example, because the better your physical condition, the more you enjoy hiking.
Typical hiking day:
Luggage is stored in the accommodation, so on hiking days you only need to carry your own daypack with the necessary accessories for the day, such as a bottle of water, sun fat, a camera, a wallet and a small snack. In mountainous areas, the weather fluctuates unpredictably and the temperature can drop quite low in the evening. It is good to have warm clothes with you on the trip, even though you usually manage to wear clothes during the day.
Country information:
Finns do not need a visa to Georgia. A valid passport is required.
Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for travelers to Georgia, as well as checking the validity of your basic vaccinations.
Georgia speaks its own language and also has its own alphabet system. Proficiency in English is not common, while Russian, as a legacy of the Soviet era, is still quite widely spoken.
The currency of Georgia is Lari (GEL). The local currency cannot be changed before traveling in Finland. It is worth bringing euros for the trip, which can be exchanged for local currency at currency exchange points. Local currency can also be withdrawn in major cities from ATMs that recognize the most common international credit cards. Credit card payments are rare in Georgia.
Georgia’s climate is mostly subtropical, but it varies greatly by surface shape. Winters are cold in the area and snowy in the mountains, while summers are warm and quite dry.
Top culture is typical of Georgia. It is polite to wait for waiters and hotel bag carriers. It is a good idea to reserve approx. 5 € / person / day for local guides ‘and drivers’ drinks.
