GEORGIA

TBILISI- ARRIVAL

Day 1: Arrival Transfer to the hotel. Check-in assistance.

Free day – Relax, familiarize yourself with fellow companions, explore the city at your pace.

Meals: Lunch , Dinner

DISCOVER TBILISI

Day 2: Breakfast at the hotel.

The day is spent witnessing the many fascinating secrets of Georgian history, vibrancy of art and culture. This charming blend of the 18^th and the 21^stcentury holds many delights. Besides its various medieval fortresses of prehistoric periods, the city offers something for everyone from – partyers, aficionados of art and architecture, gourmands, to shoppers.

Discover one of the tallest cathedrals in the world, The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi and the charming Metekhi Church built in the 13^th century, located in old Tbilisi on the bank of river Mtkvari. Ride up to Narikala Fortress in a cable car. This marvellous 4^th century ancient structure is seen from any point within Old Tbilisi.

Stroll through old districts of Tbilisi, well-known for its sulphur bathhouse district. Take a walk to the tiny river Legvtakhevi, with its picture-square waterfall and beautiful canyon. Explore Shardeni Street with its open air café-bars, trendy night clubs and art galleries and modern popular restaurants. Head towards the Georgian National Museum which houses unique collections and exhibitions that represent Georgian history, culture and art, as well as prehistoric periods. Stroll down Rustaveli to the centre of the city where many of the governmental, cultural and business facilities are located.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

TBILISI – MTSKHETA – ANANURI – GUDAURI

Day 3 : Breakfast at the hotel.

A dramatic drive into the sheer landscapes of the Caucasus Mountains takes us along the Georgian Military Highway. Running for some 220 kms from Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz in Russia, this follows the old trading route through the Terek Valley. We stop at Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia, you’ll see the 4th century Jvari Church and the impressive 12th century Svetitskoveli Cathedral, before continuing on to the fortress of Ananauri.

Located near the stunning Zhinvali reservoir, the largest reservoir in eastern Georgia, rests the Castle Complex of Ananuri. Hear tales of the feudal dynasty that ruled the area from the 13th century.

Later we drive towards the formidable Greater Caucasus snow-capped mountain range to the charming ski-resort Gudauri, located at an elevation of 2196 meters above sea level.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

GUDAURI – KAZBEGI – GERGETI – DARIALI GORGE – GUDAURI

Day 4 : Breakfast at the hotel.

We drive to the picturesque Kazbegi town, the postcard emblem of Georgia.The day is dedicated to exploring the Caucasus Mountains. We reach  heights of 2395 m on the Cross Pass and make a few stops to taste the various refreshing natural mineral waters.

We climb Mount Gergeti to the Holy Trinity Church for some magnificent views, perched 2,170 meters above sea level, this marvellous structure is situated under the Kazbegi Glacier (5047 m).

Finally, we drive to explore Dariali Gorge of River Terek and take a short hike to the delightful Gveleti Waterfalls.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

GUDAURI – GORI – UPLISTSIKHE – KUTAISI

Day 5 : Breakfast at the hotel.

Our drive this morning is to Gori – a small city where Stalin was born and  get an intimate peek into the life of this historic figure, from Gori we take a short drive to the fascinating and ancient Uplistsikhe Cave Complex, that dates back to the 1^st millennium BC.We continue driving west to the Imereti region and get to Kutaisi In Kutaisi where we acquaint ourselves with the two major Georgian architectural masterpieces of the Medieval Golden Age.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

KUTAISI – PROMETHEUS CAVE – MARTVILI CANYON – TBILISI

Day 6 : Breakfast at the hotel.

The drive gets exciting, via the Rikoti Pass and through the longest tunnel in Georgia (1,722 meters). The day is spent admiring the natural wonders of The Prometheus Caves and Martvili Canyon in the Samegrelo  region of western Georgia.

Be astounded with the impressive natural marvels of the Prometheus Cave, amongst the largest in the world with its stalagmites, petrified waterfalls, underground rivers, and lakes.Take a walk on the 1,600-meter route, or opt for a boat ride along the underground river.

From Prometheus we drive to another unique natural attraction – the Martvili Canyon, ; shaped by the flow of the river Abasha. 2.5 km long, 20-30 meters deep, this canyon has depths worth exploring in a boat ride. In the evening we return back to Tbilisi.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

TBILISI – SADAKHLO – SANAHIN – HAGHPAT – YEREVAN

Day 7 : Breakfast at the hotel.

We drive south to the Georgian – Armenian border, at  Sadakhlo  we are welcomed by a guide at the Armenian border

We proceed with the  self-drive journey on Armenian territory to the Lori region and visit the two major UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the province. Sanahin Monastery is situated on a small plateau at Debed River Canyon.           The scientific brilliance of the monastery’s architecture makes it a marvel quite unlike any other structure.The day offers various delightful photographic moments! In the evening we drive to Yerevan. Dinner at a traditional restaurant, is complemented by flavours of Armenian folk music.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

ARMENIA

EXPLORE YEREVAN

Day 8 : Breakfast at the hotel.

Discover one of the oldest cities of the world on foot. Founded in 782 BC, Yerevan is 2797 years old. Come explore the city’s inviting squares, fascinating museums and galleries, and charming theatres. Yerevan’s universities also hold many lessons for its visitors, as do its restaurants and parks that are renowned for their water, that you one simply must taste! Soak in the vibe of its hospitable people and of course the breath-taking view of the Holy Mount Ararat. Visit the Megerian Carpet Factory where one can observe and take part in the traditional Armenian rug weaving process. After lunch, explore Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, a delight for  history buffs.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

YEREVAN – ZVARTNOTS – YEREVAN

Day 9 : Breakfast at Hotel

Drive on a flat plain within the Ararat Plateau between Yerevan and Etchmiadzin in Armavir province to explore the ruins of Zvartnots. Built in the middle of the 7th century CE, this Cathedral has provided the architectural blueprint for many fine churches throughout the Caucasus leaving an enduring architectural influence in present day Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Eastern Turkey.We return to Yerevan, to get a taste of Armenian traditions, at the ArArAt Winery.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

YEREVAN – GARNI – HAVUTS TAR – GEGHARD – YEREVAN

Day 10 : Breakfast at the Hotel

One of the most beloved two sights in Armenia, are Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery. At a 45 minute drive from Yerevan, the temple of Garni , is the most famous temple preserved from Pagan times. This first century AD Greco-Roman ancient temple was dedicated to Mihr – the Sun God.

We then drive through the winding road with breath-taking views of the countryside to reach Geghard Monastery .This medieval monastery being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs has unbelievable cross stones which date back centuries. We explore another impressive UNESCO  World Heritage site is the walled Havuts Tar ruins of the 11th-13th century. Situated in the gorge of the river Azat, it can be seen from the Temple of Garni itself. Later that evening we drive back to Yerevan to hop out to discover the local food market, to savour various local Armenian flavours.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

YEREVAN – KHOR VIRAP – ARENI – NORAVANK – KARAHUNJ – GORIS

Day 11 : Breakfast at the Hotel

Feel that sublime connection between you and nature, as we self-drive to the southern regions of Armenia. The roads lead to the Khor-Virap Monastery that offers panoramic views of Mount Ararat – the national symbol of Armenia. We continue driving across the Vayots Dzor province to the charming wine country, Areni.

Known for its distinctive wine-making tradition we visit the winery and a degustation of sniff, swirl, smell, sip, swish and spit of these superb wines. Then comes a meal of authentic native cuisine and an Armenian barbeque at the local home. From Areni we drive to the Noravank monastery located in a narrow gorge of the river Amaghu, it has gorgeous view of the mountains. The last highlight of the day is Zorats Karer, or Karahunj – a prehistoric archaeological site, often referred to as the “Armenian Stonehenge”. Some scholars even claim that these megalithic structures served as an ancient astronomical observatory. From Karahunj we drive to Goris, a small town in Syunik province.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

GORIS – TATEV – ORBELIAN’S CARAVANSERAI – SEVAN – DILIJAN

Day 12 : Breakfast at the Hotel

We head to the 9^th century monastic complex of Tatev.Situated on a large basalt plateau, the monastery is known for the Wings of Tatev – a 5.7 km cableway between Tatev monastery and village Halidzor, the longest reversible aerial tramway in the world! From Tatev we drive to the north towards the pristine Lake Sevan , one of the world’s largest freshwater high-altitude lakes (1900 m). Driving further north we arrive into the spa town of Dilijan, Tavush province.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DILIJAN – SADAKHLO – TBILISI

Day 13 : Breakfast at Hotel

Today is our last day in Armenia and we spend it in this delightful town of Dilijian exploring the old centre and Sharambeyan Street full of handicraft stores, souvenir shops and historical buildings. We drive to Sadakhlo -the  Armenian and Georgian border crossing point, meet with the Georgian team and drive to Tbilisi. Our last evening in Tbilisi wraps up with a farewell dinner at a renowned Georgian restaurant accompanied with a delightful traditional folk show.

Meals : Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

GEORGIA

TBILISI – DEPARTURE

Day 14: Breakfast at Hotel

With an exchange of photos, numbers and promises to stay in touch, you make preparations for departure. After checking out, we get transferred to the airport.