Akhaltsikhe - Vardzia. Great Heritage of Georgia
About this experience
To see the great historical monuments in southern Georgia without paying a huge amount to a guide for a long trip from Tbilisi and back, I suggest you to budget-friendly reach the city of Akhaltsikhe on your own, where I will meet you and take you on an exciting tour of the beauties of my historical and cultural region Meskheti.
Program
This tour includes visiting the ancient fortresses of Rabati and Khertvisi, the cave city of Vardzia, the monasteries of Zemo-Vardzia and Vanis Kvabebi, which are an integral part of Georgia's medieval history.
I will meet you at the agreed place in Akhaltsikhe and take you to my guesthouse, where before embarking on the journey, you can leave your excess luggage, have a snack, and taste the local plum vodka.
On the way from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia, which passes through the picturesque gorge of the Kura River, I will tell you about the history of the Meskheti region as an integral part of Georgia's history, about the culture and customs of my people. You will learn how life in Georgia was during the times of the two great empires - Ottoman and Persian. You will learn about the origin and significance of medieval monuments. Along the way, there will also be places where you can try Georgian cuisine.
- First, we will visit the cave city of Vardzia.
- Then we will head to the female monastery Zemo-Vardzia.
- On the way to the monastery of Vanis Kvabebi, you can take a dip in the thermal pool.
- Then we will stop at the fortress of Khertvisi.
- And on our way back to Akhaltsikhe, we will visit the fortress of Rabati.
- Place and time for lunch - at your discretion.
Organizational Details
- You can reach the city of Akhaltsikhe from Tbilisi by minibus from the Didube bus station, departing from 8:00 with a 20-30 minute interval. The ticket price is 15 lari, travel time is 2.5-3 hours.
- Breakfast at the guesthouse and vodka tasting are not included in the price.
- Entrance tickets to the fortresses are additionally paid: 18 lari - adults, 15 lari - students, 12 lari - schoolchildren, and lunch.
Vladimir
October 1, 2024
This is the best guide in my life. Everything was wonderful.
Mikhail
August 10, 2024
I turned to Rezo because he offers a tour starting in Akhaltsikhe. Staying overnight in Akhaltsikhe and going to Vardzia in the morning is a way to enjoy the tour much more than if you first spend 5-6 hours in the car, then a couple of hours moving intensively in Vardzia (otherwise it's simply impos...
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Valentin
August 20, 2023
I really enjoyed the tour with Rezo, it was very soulful and interesting! Vardzia is definitely worth visiting, one of the most fascinating places in Georgia. Special thanks to Rezo for the great photos!
