The Most Epic 18-Day Road Trip Itinerary For Georgia

Georgia is the country that stole my heart, because of the ultimate feeling of freedom and adventure that a road trip through this impressive country offers. I’m in love with the vibrant capital city Tbilisi, the delicious authentic cuisine, the locally produced wines, the ancient cathedrals, churches and cave cities, the stunning nature with the breathtaking Caucasus mountain range and the welcoming Georgian people with their own culture and traditions. It’s not a very large country, making it the ideal destination for an epic road trip. You want to hire a 4WD car, as this allows you to go anywhere you want and visit the best places Georgia has to offer. In this post I share my ultimate 18-day road trip itinerary for Georgia with you, so you won’t miss anything!

Day 1-2: Tbilisi

Tbilisi is the lively and vibrant capital of Georgia, with more than one million people living there (one third of the entire population). The old and new parts contradict and at the same time complement each other well. The city’s history is well preserved in the picturesque Old Town with quaint colorful houses and wooden pillared balconies, the iconic sulfur baths and the 17^th century Narikala Fortress. However, Tbilisi doesn’t stand still. The new and 87 meters tall Holy Trinity Cathedral was built in 2004, the Tbilisi Peace Bridge is one of the modern symbols of the city and the cable cars take you up the hill in no time.

The evening takes you to enjoy the marvelous restaurants and nightlife. Try delicious Georgian cuisine in one of the many tavernas and accompany it with locally produced wine. Afterwards, enjoy Tbilisi’s raw nightlife with a large underground techno scene.

Day 3: Drive via David Gareja to Sighnaghi

Get your 4WD car in Tbilisi and head out of town. The first day on the road is immediately one of the highlights of your trip. It’s also a long day, so make sure you start early and are well rested.

David Gareja is an ancient and remote cave monastery complex near the border with Azerbaijan. Among other things, it includes wine cellars, houses, churches and frescoes. Even more remarkable, however, is that some monks still live there. And although David Gareja is a must see in itself, the road to it is incredible as well.

Go south from Tbilisi to Rustavi, a former soviet and industrial town, and head land inwards from there. Use Google Maps and Maps.me for navigation, and don’t forget to download the maps beforehand if you need to use them offline.

The asphalt from the main road quickly turns into dirt roads and open fields. You drive through a semi desert landscape with views as far as the eye can see. No man’s land without any roads, just the tracks of the cars that passed before you. And then, when you start to doubt your navigation skills, the holy monastery lies before you. It makes you wonder how people live there. The drive from Tbilisi to David Gareja takes approximately two to three hours. Enjoy every minute of it, because it’s truly extraordinary.

Visit the Lavra monastery and hike up the hill to see the Udabno caves. It’s a circular route and expect to spend at least two to three hours here.

After you’ve seen the complex, make your way to your next destination: Sighnaghi. Google Maps sends you via Tbilisi if you navigate to Sighnaghi. Instead, follow the road to Udabno towards Sagaredzjo (the შ 172) and take the main road (S5) from there.

Day 4-5: Kakheti (Sighnaghi)

A steep road with lots of U-turns brings you to Sighnaghi. Many villages in the area are dilapidated, but Sighnaghi is fully renovated. Now it’s one of the most attractive towns in Georgia with a somewhat Tuscan feel to it. It’s located on a hilltop overlooking the wide Alazani valley. On the horizon you spot the first snowy peaks of the Caucasus. This lovely and touristy town only takes a couple of hours to see, but it’s also the best base to explore the Kakheti region in which it is located.

Kakheti is the wine region of the country. Make sure to visit one of the many wineries, explore the sights in the valley and reserve a day for hiking in the Lagodekhi National Park.

Day 6: Military Highway

The Military Highway is a mountain road crossing the Caucasus from Tbilisi in Georgia to Vladikavkaz in Russia. The highway is 208 kilometers in length. There is only one word to best describe this road: epic. Historic towns and castles, lakes, winding mountain roads and the great Caucasus mountains.

Start in Sighnaghi early in the morning as you’re looking at a full day of driving. Sights include the former capital of Georgia Mtskheta, the turquoise Zhinvali water reservoir and the notable Ananuri Castle, the ski resort Gudauri, the friendship monument between the Soviet Union and Georgia, the highest point of the route at the Jvari Pass (almost 2400 meters above sea level) and finally your base for the region, Stepantsminda. Read my entire post about the Military Highway here!

Day 7-8: Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)

Stepantsminda lies in the Kazbegi national park, high up in the Greater Caucasus and almost at the border with Russia. It is located at the foot of Mt. Kazbek, the third-highest mountain in Georgia with an incredible 5054 meters in height. When you look up from the village, you see the silhouette of the peak and one of the most famous attractions in the entire country: the Gergeti Trinity Church. Although Stepantsminda itself is not particularly beautiful, there are plenty of guesthouses and the village serves as an ideal base to explore the area of Kazbegi.

Some must-sees are the Gergeti Trinity Church, the hike to the Gergeti glacier and the Truso Valley. Other options to see or do near Stepantsminda include Juta, the Dariali Gorge, several waterfalls and paragliding. Spend at least two days exploring Kazbegi to see the highlights, or longer if you have the time. There’s plenty to do here!

Day 9: Drive via Gori to Vardzia

Today you drive from Stepantsminda to the cave city of Vardzia, via the city of Gori. A total of approximately 400 kilometers. First you have to go back almost the entire Military Highway. At Mtskheta you turn right to Gori.

Gori is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin and there is a very interesting museum about him, located next to his old home. This museum idolizes Stalin and ignores the horrible parts of his past. This feels dubious, especially since Gori was bombed in 2008 by Russia. It’s a controversial museum to say the least, but worth a stop if you’re interested.

Via the forestry area of Borjomi, a great place for rafting, you drive further to Akhaltsikhe. This is where you leave the main road into the dramatic wilderness that is the valley in which Vardzia is located. The road follows the winding Mtkvari River through narrow darkred canyons and fresh green hills. Find a place to sleep in this mystical valley (I recommend Guesthouse Mtkvari), so you can visit Vardzia in the morning to beat the daytrip crowds from Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi.

Day 10: Vardzia

The ancient cave city of Vardzia is a not-to-miss highlight in Georgia. This holy city, built in the 12^th century, once housed more than 2000 monks in at least 400 rooms, 13 churches and 25 wine cellars. These different rooms are connected with a complex tunnel system and divided over 13 floors.

When you are finished exploring this magnificent place, which will most likely take a couple of hours, use the rest of the day to see some other sights in the valley. Go, for instance, to the hot springs, Tmgovi Castle and Khertvisi Fortress. It’s possible to drive up to Khertvisi Fortress with a 4×4, although the road is in very bad shape. Caution is needed and I can’t guarantee you won’t get a flat tire.

Day 11: Drive via Rabati Castle to Batumi

Drive back through the beautiful valley to the Rabati Castle, a medieval fortress built in the 9^th century. It looks very new, however, because it’s been comprehensively renovated in 2011. It feels somewhat like a chaotic collection of different buildings and parts, but fascinating to see nonetheless.

From Rabati Castle, there are two possible routes to Batumi. The first one is the შ 1 road via Khulo. This road is not in good shape, and only possible with a 4WD car and good weather. The main road goes via Borjomi (S8) and Kutaisi (E60) to Batumi (E70). This is the faster option.  

Day 12-13: Batumi

Batumi is a mixture between Las Vegas and a touristy beach town, only a lot smaller. And the beaches are actually not that great either. It feels unreal, because it’s a completely different vibe than other places in Georgia. But if you want to enjoy some beach time, this is the place to be.

Day 14-15: Svaneti (Mestia)

I saved the best for last: the Svaneti region, also called “the roof of Europe”. This mystical and ancient land is the highest permanently inhabited region of the Caucasus and Europe. It is home to the Svan people with their own distinct culture and language.

Your first stop in this region is Mestia, a somewhat touristy town where the paved road ends. Save one day for hiking to the Holy Cross and Koruldi Lakes or to the Chalaadi glacier. I hiked to the Holy Cross and Koruldi Lakes, and it sincerely was the most beautiful and the toughest hike I ever did. The continuous 360 degrees views of the Caucasus mountain peaks are simply breathtaking.

Day 16-17: Svaneti (Ushguli)

Outside the town of Mestia, the road gets worse and travelers grow thin. Most travelers who go beyond Mestia travel to UNESCO World Heritage listed Ushguli, including yourself. Ushguli is a community of four ancient villages near the foot of Georgia’s highest mountain, Mt. Shkhara. The highest village of Ushguli is located at 2100 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest permanently inhabited settlement of Europe. It’s a two-hour drive from Mestia to Ushguli and you definitely need a 4×4.

An amazing off-road drive is from Ushguli to the Shkhara glacier, defying rivers and glaciers on the way. Horse riding is also a great way to explore the Svaneti region and traditionally the primary method of transportation in the area. Therefore it’s possible to rent a horse with a guide in almost every village.

Day 18: Back to Tbilisi

There are two ways to drive from Ushguli to Tbilisi, the easy and the hard way. The easy option is to drive back to Mestia, and travel via Zugdidi and Kutaisi to Tbilisi. It is possible to drive this route in one full day, which takes approximately 9,5 hours excluding stops.

Furthermore, the hard-but-beautiful way is to take the Zagar pass from Svaneti. The Zagar pass is an unpaved mountain pass at an elevation of 2620 meter above sea level. You definitely need a 4×4 for this. If you are an experienced driver and up for a challenge I would definitely consider taking the beautiful Zagar pass. This route takes you via Lentekhi and Kutaisi to Tbilisi.

And that’s it, we’re back where we started! For me this road trip itinerary in Georgia was the adventure of a lifetime. I hope the same goes for you.

Budget For Traveling Through Georgia

As you can read in my Top 10 Budget Travel Destinations, Georgia is very cheap. I spent around US$200 per week, including staying in private double rooms, excursions such as paragliding and eating out at least twice a day. That’s less than US$30 per day. I also negotiated a good deal for renting a Toyota 4 Runner at GSS Car Rental in Tbilisi. I really recommend them, as the car and their service were excellent.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this road trip itinerary in Georgia, I gladly answer them. Or do you have some additions? Let me know! I definitely want to go back one day, so I really want to learn about more awesome places in this wonderful country. If you want to read more, make sure to check out my other Georgia posts.