Ancient Mtskheta and Cave Uplistsikhe

What to expect

Religious path of Georgia. Jvari and Svetitskhoveli Churches
The tour begins with a visit to the Jvari Church (5th-6th century). This place on top of the mountain offers wonderful views of the valleys of the Kura and Aragvi rivers. Here, everyone can feel the special energy of antiquity - in pre-Christian times, a pagan altar was located on this land, and a huge tree grew, from the wood of which the first cross in the history of Georgia was erected. Next, we will move to the center of ancient Georgia and be presented with a magnificent panorama of the Svetitskhoveli Church (11th century), the church where Georgian kings were crowned, mourned, and where their remains rest.

Carved in the rock Uplistsikhe
We will drive on a modern highway, through the city of Gori, the center of the ancient province of Georgia - Shida Kartli, where you will see grandiose monuments of the Stalin era, including his museum, which can be visited if desired. At the end of our journey, we will reach the ancient cave city, one of the first in Georgia. The rock-hewn Uplistsikhe emerged at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC, it experienced several rises and falls and was finally abandoned in the 19th century. Today, it is a multilayer archaeological site, one of the most important monuments of Georgian culture, which is worth visiting for all travelers who want to better understand the ancient history of Georgian land.

Who is this tour suitable for

The walk will be informative and not tiring for both adults and children from 12 years old. Important note: the city of Uplistsikhe is located on a cliff above the Kura River, the route to it involves steep ascents and descents - visiting the city will be difficult for elderly people and people with musculoskeletal problems.