From the capital of Georgia to the mountain peaks

In order to get better acquainted with Georgia you should visit its several parts and sights. As for the summer tourist season, local tour operators offer different thematic tours to foreign and local visitors: short tours in Tbilisi and its surroundings; cultural tours in different regions of Georgia; adventure tours; archaeological tours; wine tours, etc. According to tourist agencies, for foreign tourists each tour is identically interesting and they are very popular. As for the Georgian tourists, they prefer extreme and adventure tours.

Giorgi Khvedelidze (tour operator): ‘A foreign tourist first of all expresses interest in sightseeing in Tbilisi. We offer a short tour around Tbilisi that includes visiting the old town, going up to Mtatsminda, seeing Tbilisi National Museum where our cultural treasure is displayed and Ethnographic Museum. Foreign tourists are also interested in visiting the ancient city of Mtskheta that includes touring Svetitskhoveli, Jvari Monastery, Shio Mgvime Monastery Compound and Ananuri. We also offer our guests short tours to Signagi and Bodbe where they can see the city built by the end of the 18th century and a Monastery Compound of the same period.

As for cultural tours, we offer the gusts to visit Alexandre Chavchavadze’s  house in Tsinandali that includes surveying of the richest wine collection and tasting wine. Borjomi with its natural mineral waters and the Romanoff Palace that used to be Stalin’s summer residence, is another cultural tour. We also have long cultural tours within the frame of which we take our tourists to ancient Georgian capital Kutaisi where they can see unique 11th century Bagrati Temple that is protected by UNESCO. This tour also includes Vani, an ancient Colchis city where Colchis pottery, gold ornaments, bronze sculptures and other ancient artifacts were unearthed. After this the tourists go to Sataplia where a karstic cave with stalactites and stalagmites is located and where dinosaur footprints were discovered.

By the way the foreign tourists, including students, display special interest in archaeological tours that include visiting of Dmanisi excavations. The main interest of this tour is touring of the birthplace of the first European men and women. You can imagine how surprised they are when we tell them that in the deep layers of ruins remnants of ancient, extinct animals, such as gigantic ostrich, giraffe and saber-toothed tiger have been found.

We also have tours provisionally called – ‘In the wake of famous people’. For instance, following the route of Marco Polo in Georgia, including sights of Tbilisi, visiting Kakheti - cradle of wine where the tourists, besides wine will taste national Georgian dishes. The tour to Kazbegi (highland region) is another one. On their way the tourists will visit the 18th century monastery complex of Ananuri, spend the night in Gudauri or Kazbegi with a lot of mineral water springs and unforgettable view.’

Nana Sidamonidze (tour operator): ‘Unlike foreign tourists, the locals prefer extreme tours. For instance, we take tourists for rafting to Pasanauri where they go down to the Aragvi River cataracts. Riding on horseback to the mountains or sea-shore is included in the list of extreme tours. We can offer bicycle tours around Georgia that enables the tourists, besides visiting historical monuments, to witness the traditions of Georgian hospitality. They can also be taken for fishing or hunting after boar, pheasant, black grouse, partridge and mallard.

Foreign tourists are also offered so-called ‘Jeep-tours’ comprising driving from Manglisi to Bakuriani. By the way, the Israeli tourists who arrived in Georgia for a Jeep-tour, returned from Bakuriani some time ago and they are very contented. We have a longer Jeep-tour aimed at visiting Mestia, really high highland region.

We have an appropriate service for those who like gambling. For instance, those who cannot quench their thirst for gambling in their countries can try their luck in Georgia. Besides travelling to Tbilisi and Batumi, the Casino-tour includes accommodation at a 5-star hotel and excursion to the Georgian capital’.