Take Me To Caucasus
About this tour
13 Days-Three countries combo tour: Azerbaijan, Georgia ,Armenia
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Baku, Azerbaijan to Old City Baku, Bakı, Azerbaijan
Arrival Baku Welcome To Baku - Pick-up from the airport and your adventure begins! Meet to your guide at the airport. On the way to the hotel you can buy SIM card and exchange money. Check in to the hotel.
Day 2: Qobustan, Azerbaijan to Fire mountain, Azerbaijan
Baku-Gobustan National park-Mud Volcanos-Fire Temple-Fire Mountain 10:00 Travel to Gobustan National park. Today you will visit petroglyphs at Gobustan National Park and the mud volcanos, they are two of the most interesting things to see in Azerbaijan. It’s not oil or tar bubbling up from the earth as you might imagine, but mud – thick, gooey, cold mud. More than half the world’s mud volcanoes – about 300 in total – are found in Azerbaijan, and some of them are here in Gobustan. The museum contains interactive displays that explain the meaning of the carvings as well as a more general exhibition to help you understand the context of Gobustan. 13:00 Travel to Mud Volcanos 1 hour road 15:00 Today you will visit Atashgah Fire-Worshippers’ Temple (XVII c.) 30 minutes road. Temple is located within Bakuin Surakhany Village. The historical roots of the monument go back to the days when Azerbaijan state was only taking shape and establishing itself, and Zoroastrism, was a dominant religion in the country. Continiou way to Yanar Dag fire mountain. 30 minutes road. Yanar Dag, situated on the Absheron Peninsula some 25 kilometers northeast of the capital city Baku, It is a 116-meter hill with a continuous natural gas fire eruption, which jets out into the air three meters high from a porous sandstone layer. 19:00 Back to hotel
Day 3: Shamakhi, Azerbaijan to Gebele, Azerbaijan
Baku--Shamakhi-Lahij-Gabala Overnight Gabala city hotel 10:00 we will enroute Maraza-Shamakhi - Lahij (3 hours road) and take photo stops on the most picturesque places in the mountains and continue to Lahij mountain settlementof national handicraft. After lunch, we will take a panoramic tour to Lahij Historical - Ethnographic Reserve (IV-XIX c.), traditional village is home to people who speaks Tat Persian that famouswith their handicraft center and architecture of streets and apartment houses of the ancient mountain settlement. Proceed to Gabala 1 hours road 19:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 4: Sheki, Azerbaijan to Lagodekhi Customs, Matsimi, Georgia
Gabala - Sheki - Border Crossing to Lagodekhi (Georgia) 300 km 19:00 Today we will visit Sheki Khans Palace, medieval fortress and local bazaar/1 hour road/ After lunch we will drive to Azerbaijan - Georgia Border / 2 hours road/. It will take around one hour to process immigration clearance in both side and border crossing. 14:30 at the Border 18:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 5: Kvareli Wine Cave, ყვარელი, Georgia to David Gareji monastery, Udabno, Georgia
Good Mood = Good Food & wine tour, Telavi-Alaverdi-Davit Gareji -Tbilisi 250 km Let’s dedicate a day to the art of wine & the food - an unforgettable experience Kakheti, it is the cradle of wine. In order to fully understand the importance of wine to this country, we’ve got to time travel for a little. Now, imagine life 8000 years ago - this is the time when people still used just stone and bone tools. Meanwhile in a small village of mountainous country, Georgian stone-age farmers were creating a magical liquid, also known as wine 10:00 visit Erekle fortress & museum and 800 years old tree in Telavi. 13:00 visit Alaverdi Monasteri ( 30 minutes road from Telavi) 14:00 trip to David Gareji, rainbow hills. (2.30 hours road), 18:00 Trip to Tbilisi
Day 6: Tbilisi, Georgia
Tbilisi city tour The city that will stay in your mind and heart forever! 10:00 Tbilisi city tour. While in Tbilisi, you should definitely visit the most well-known and popular tourist attraction in the city – “Meidan”. This place sweeps you off from your feet and throws you back to the middle ages, while being in the present at the same time. This is one of the oldest parts of the city, colorful, old houses from medieval ages, narrow cobblestone streets with cute cafes and shops all around make you want to stay there forever and explore every little detail of the new world you’ve just teleported into! Leghvtakhevi Canyon and Waterfall, Churchkhela Shop. Narikala castle is another Gem of Tbilisi. The castle dates back as far as 4th century. The stunning castle overlooks river “Mtkvari”, colorful, old houses and lovely streets of Tbilisi. Wine cellar with delicious liquids send by God. The famous Gogirdi Thermal Spas are located in one of the oldest part of the city, “Abanotubani”. The place itself is very interesting with its history and sightseeing. Cute shops for tourists are also all around! We will visit the Bridge of Peace. This bridge is considered one of the modern architectural sights of Tbilisi. Mtatsminda funicular-Visit Bombora Park which is located on a hill in the western part of the city. This is the best place to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Further tourists are waiting for the descent on the funicular. 18:00 Back to hotel
Day 7: Gudauri, Georgia to Gergeti Trinity Church, Oni, Georgia
Ananuri – Gudauri – Kazbegi 180km 10:00 Departure from Tbilisi to Kazbegi. 12:00 visit Ananuri fortress .Ananuri Castle - Ancient castle and a church with the view of the blue lake and mountains - a must see place. You will have a trip to Jinvali Water Reservoir - Turquoise colored still water with the greenest and most gorgeous mountains - here it is, relaxation you’ve been looking for all over the place. Black & white Aragvi river meeting place. 14:00 Gudauri, Lunch. Gorgeous Gudauri - true gem of Georgia! Outrageous landscape perfectly mixed with tourist infrastructure: this is the Mecca of the modern- day mountain snow experience! This pearl of Caucasus Mountains is righteously considered as equal quality resort as one of Europe’sfinest. Great to look at it from the sky. Travertines - The day keeps getting more and more exciting - See the wonderful travertines of Georgia. 17:00 Today jeep tour to the Gergeti temple, located at an altitude of 2,170 m at the foot of Kazbegi, along the Georgian Military Highway. Gergeti - This picturesque place is an endless valley of pleasure - both metaphorically and literally. With a tiny church built in XIV century on top of it and breathtaking view of Mkinvartsveri, Gergeti creates an out-of-this-world atmosphere. 19:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 8: Uplistsikhe, Kvakhvreli, Georgia to Katskhi Column, Katskhi, Georgia
Kazbegi-Uphlistsikhe- Katskhi 330 km Visit if you want to see something so earthy and yet so heavenly. 10:00 Travel to Uplistsikhe (3 hours road) which translates to 'Fortress of the Lord', is an ancient rock-hewn town which played a significant role in Georgian history over a period of approximately 3,000 years."Architecture Design" magazine presented the readers the 115 wonders, places p distinguished by landscape, culture and aesthetic characteristics.The world's 115 fairy-tale settlements are from all over the world. The list includes the oldest, beautiful, Georgian, cave town historical town - Uplistsikhe. 15:00 travel to Katskhi Katskhi pillar - Katskhi Pillar is out-of-this-world experience that you should definitely give a try. Unbelievable 40 meters high stone pillar standing in the middle of the valley with a church on the top. Unfortunately, it’s forbidden to go up there as it is allowed only for monks. The oldest cable cars in Chiatura (Soviet memories) - The cable cars have been in the city since forever! They are used mainly by workers and for the purpose to transfer coal to one place, to another. You will be able to see and maybe travel in them, too! You can’t really believe yourself when you step in a temple in a cave. Gorgeous temple built in between stalactites and stalagmites in a cave is a sightseeing that you can probably only see in Georgia. 18:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 9: Chiatura, Georgia to Vardzia, Gogasheni, Georgia
Katskhi - Akhaltsikhe -Vardzia 230km Spend the day travelling through time - explore Georgia’s oldest and most interesting places! 10:00 Trip to Varzia. 12:00 Visit Rabati Castle, it is a fortress built in the 9th century. The fortress has been destroyed and seized by enemies many times, as a result, the place has become a dwelling for different cultures and religions, which you can sense deeply absorbed in the walls of the fortress. The first mosque in Rabati was built by Ottomans in 1752. In 2012, a reconstruction of the fortress took place and it became like a small town. Rabati is not only a historical monument, but a cultural city center, too. You can see the church, mosque, synagogue, museum, park, various tourist shops, and hotels while traveling back in time and feeling like you’re a resident of an ancient town. 14:30 (1.20 hours road) Your exploration continues in Vardzia, which is another gem of Samtskhe-Javakheti. Dating back to the 12th century, it’s a cave city that stretches along the cliff for approximately about 500 meters, and is up to nineteen tiers. There, you can see the church of the dormition dating back to 1180, the golden age of Queen Tamar, and aged paintings on the wall. A fascinating fact about the place is that five monks still live in the mountain, and every morning at 7 am they ring the church bell in the high arch. The cave city is wonder waiting to be explored by you. 18:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 10: Dilijan, Armenia to Lake Sevan, Armenia
Varzia - Dilijan- Sevan Lake 230 km The most wonderful time of the year in the most wonderful place of the world 10:00 You take a trip to Georgia board /about 1 hour/. Please note that while border crossing procedure usually goes fast, there is a chance that the border procedure will be delayed up to several hours. 13:00 Travel to Dilijan (2.30 hours road). Onyour way you will visit Dilijan. 17:00 Later travel to Lake Sevan (30 minutes road), which is the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region. 18:00 checkin the hotel.
Day 11: Alaverdi, Armenia to Yerevan, Armenia
Sevan -Sanahin monastery-Gaghpat-Yerevan 11:00 Travel to Alaverdi region ( 2.30 hours road). 14:30 Visit The sister Medieval monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat.HAGHPAT MONASTERY is the most picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site in Armenia. 16:30 Travel Back to Hotel
Day 12: Symphony of Stones, Garni, Armenia to Garni, Armenia
Garni-Geghrad-Symphony of stones-Yerevan 11:00 Visit Sevanavak monastery. In the morning we will drive East of Armenia.(1 hour road) On the way we will have a short stop near pagan Garni temple from the 1st century AD, which along with Geghard monastery was included in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. We will continue our way to a unique medieval monastery of Geghard( 15 minutes road), which was partially carvedout of the adjacent mountain. Later Symphony of Stones (15 minutes road). Tasting and take part in making Armenian bread lavash 17:00 Travel to Yerevan ( 45 minutes road), 18:00 Checkin the hotel
Day 13: Yerevan, Armenia to Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia
Yerevan -Republic square -Victory park and Mother Armenia-City panorama view –Opera house –Genocide monument-Genocide muzeum-Blue Mosque-Cascade complex 12:00 Checkout the hotel. Will start Yerevan tour with the Republic Square, the sightseeing of Opera and Ballet building, the Parliament and Residency of the President of Armenia, State University, Mother Armenia Monument,panoramic view of the city and acquaintance with the Center of the city. Republic Square is the central town square in Yerevan and consists of two sections. The square is surrounded by five majorbuildings built in pink and yellow tufa in the neoclassical style with extensive use of Armenian motifs. History museum of Armenia is located on Republic Square. 16:00 It is important to note that Cascade does not merely refer to this colossal stairway. The whole district,or rather the “patio”, that lies behind Yerevan’s chief architect Alexander Tamanian’s statue, is the very Cascade we know. It is from that wide hallway-patio that you get the feeling of what Cascade is all about – modern art. During World War I, the troops of the Ottoman Turkey carried out a great crime – the massacre killings. Intentional extermination of Armenians by the Turks began in 1915 and had lasted for several years (some facts point that it was until 1923). During this time, more than 1,5 million people of the Armenian nation were killed (it was about 2 million Armenians in total residing on the territory of the Ottoman Empire at that time). The remained half million fled trying to look for a newrefuge in other countries. Vernisage Market. Transfer to airport
What's included
Includes: -Accommodation 12 nights -Transfers & transportation 13 days -12 lunches -Entrance fees -Wine tasting 3 times -Master classes in making local cuisine -Daily water 1 l per person -All taxes You will cover about 3000 km totally
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Baku, Azerbaijan to Old City Baku, Bakı, Azerbaijan