Terra Nova Collective
Kazbegi's Peaks & Monasteries
In heart of the High Caucasus, visit the Gergeti Church, which stands watch beneath snow-capped Mount Kazbek on the border with Russia, and hike to Gveleti Waterfalls.
Georgia
Monasteries, Wine Valleys & Caucasus Peaks
- Duration
- 8 days
- Trip style
- Nature/ Hiking
- Effort
- Stress-free
- Region
- Central Asia
Georgia is where old monasteries cling to cliffs, wine flows like water, and the Caucasus Mountains rise above green valleys dotted with stone towers and apricot trees
A one-week journey from the cobbled streets of Tbilisi to the peaks of Kazbegi and the vineyards of Kakheti where Europe and Asia meet over wine, mountains, and centuries of tradition
Wedged between the Black Sea and the snowy Caucasus, Georgia has been a crossroads of empires for over two millennia. Orthodox churches overlook Soviet mosaics; medieval watchtowers share skylines with brutalist relics and modern glass bridges.
This week-long trip around Tbilisi takes you through the country’s spiritual and natural heart. Wander the capital’s crooked streets and bathhouses before tracing the Georgian Military Highway north to the mountains of Kazbegi, where ancient monasteries perch on misty peaks. Then, head east into Kakheti, Georgia’s wine country, where 8,000 years of winemaking heritage still survives in clay qvevri buried underground.
Highlights
Kakheti, Birthplace of Wine
Authentic Georgian hospitality in rolling ancient vineyards that have been fermenting grapes since the Bronze Age offering incredible wine tastings in beautiful vineyards.
Tbilisi's contrasts
Where Persian baths meet Art Nouveau balconies and churches share courtyards with Soviet monuments, Tbilisi has a mesmerizing beauty.
The route
Day 1: Arrive in Tbilisi / Old Town, Narikala and sulphur baths
Day 2: Mtskheta day trip from Tbilisi / Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Day 3: Tbilisi → Kazbegi / Georgian Military Highway, Ananuri and Gudauri
Day 4: Kazbegi → Tbilisi / Gergeti Trinity Church and return to the capital
Day 5: Tbilisi / markets, old mansions and modern creative districts
Day 6: Tbilisi → Kakheti / Sighnaghi / monasteries, vineyards and natural wine country
Day 7: Kakheti → Tbilisi / Bodbe, Tsinandali and final wine-country stops before returning to the city
Start the journey
The first part of the day-by-day route, free to read.
Day 1: Tbilisi: Cobbles, Baths & Balconies
Arrive in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital straddling the Kura River. The city feels like a living palimpsest, with Persian fortresses, Orthodox cathedrals, and Soviet mosaics all within a few minutes’ walk.
Start with the Old Town, winding through alleys of crumbling pastel houses and wrought-iron balconies. Visit the Narikala Fortress for views across the city, and descend to the Abanotubani neighbourhood sulphur baths, where warm mineral pools have soothed travellers since the Silk Road era. See logistical considerations for how to navigate the baths.
In the evening, dine at Stamba, Shavi Lomi, Alubali, Keto & Kote, or Iasamani, for modern Georgian cuisine and a glass of amber wine, the country’s signature style, fermented with grape skins in earthenware pots.
Get the full Georgia itinerary
- The rest of the day-by-day route, 6 more detailed entries
- Where to stay, by budget
- Where to eat and drink
- Practical reminders and cautions
- Ways to shorten or extend the trip
- 14 photos from the trip
- A direct line to the traveller who led it
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Open the full itineraryFrom travellers on this trip
“Driving the Military Highway really did feel like stepping through Georgia’s past, from ancient fortresses to Soviet mosaics, as well as its present, with Russian commerce lorries winding down arduous roads for trade and Chinese construction sites working on infrastructure mega projects, all surrounded by unreal mountains.”
“Kakheti was my favourite part, the light, the vineyards, and the local community sense that wine here isn’t just a drink, it’s a cultural asset that’s been part of the history for 8,000 years. The staff at Schuchmann Wines Chateau defiantly exemplify this.”
“The food alone was worth the trip, khinkali and khachapuri for days on end is something I could've kept going with, especially given the slight variations between places, and the fact that people treated every meal like a celebration”
