Cultural Landscapes of Georgia

In the late evening, board your overnight flight from London Gatwick to Tbilisi.

Arrive into Tbilisi airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Tbilisi's Old Town. Enjoy a morning at leisure to recuperate after your flight and then strike out with your guide for an introductory tour of Tbilisi. Pass the Sulfur Bathhouse en route to lunch, then after eating take a walking tour of the Old Town. Highlights include Liberty Square, Rustaveli Avenue and the Opera & Ballet Theatre. Try out the Metro to get to Rike Park, and then ascend by cable car to the Narikala Fortress for incredible views over the city. (B,L)

Enjoy a free day to explore Tbilisi at your leisure. Perhaps tour some of the museums or the Vake area, or strike out for the central market to witness bustling trade taking place. (B)

Transfer to Mtskheta, the religious capital of Georgia. Visit the city's three spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli, Samtarvo Monastery and Jvari Church. From Mtskheta, head north along the Georgian Military Highway into the Caucasus Mountains. Stop for lunch in Ananuri, with its amazing complex of 16th-17th century churches and towers. Press on to Kazbegi where you will check into your hotel and enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure to relax or explore. (B,L)

Taking a morning tour of the small town of Kazbegi, and then head up either by 4WD or on foot (a challenging hike) to Gergeti Holy Trinity Church, perched at an elevation of 2170m. Have lunch with a local family and then drive towards the Russian border for dramatic views of the Dariali gorge and the chance to hike to Gveleti waterfall. (B,L)

Descend from the high Caucasus to the award-winning vineyard of Chateau Mukhrani, near Mtskheta. Stop here for lunch and wine-tasting, and then head west to Gori, the birthplace of Stalin. Visit the Stalin museum and then move on the the cave-city of Uplistsikhe. This astonishing site was inhabited for nearly 2000 years before the Mongolians arrived in the 14th century, and was a major trading point on the Silk Road. Explore and then head onwards to Kutaisi, Georgia's third most populous city, where you will spend the next two nights. (B,L)

Undertake a morning walking tour of central Kutaisi, with a stop at the Green Bazaar where you can browse the stalls. In the late morning, you will be driven to Gelati Monastery in the hills north-east of the city. From Gelati, head to Tskhaltubo for lunch and then press on to Kumistavi ("Prometheus") Cave. This is the largest cave in Georgia, and you can delve underground and walk a 1600m route that comprises a mere 10% of the entire cave system! After resurfacing, head back to Kutaisi and enjoy the rest of the afternoon and the evening at leisure. (B,L)

Make your way back to Tbilisi with several stops along the way. First is Bagrati Cathedral above Kutaisi, which offers spectacular views over the city. Get back into the car and drive to Chiatura, a working mining town that provides a fantastic contrast to the earlier sights you will have seen. Enjoy lunch and a brief walk here, and perhaps a ride in one of the ageing cable cars, then return to Tbilisi via Korbouli and Ali. Upon return to the capital, you will be driven straight to the airport for your evening flight home. (B,L)