14 days in Georgia: the comprehensive two-week circuit

Overview

Two weeks in Georgia is close to the ideal amount of time for a first comprehensive visit. This itinerary covers every major region: the capital, the Greater Caucasus mountains (Kazbegi and Svaneti), the wine country, western Georgia’s cave and canyon landscape, the Black Sea coast, and the historic south. You will come home satisfied rather than frustrated.

A rental car is essential for this itinerary. Svaneti in particular requires it.

Days 1–2: Tbilisi

Arrive, settle in, and explore Tbilisi over two full days. Old Town, Mtskheta, sulfur baths, wine bars, museums, markets. See our 7-day itinerary for detailed Tbilisi programming.

Day 3: Kazbegi and the Caucasus

Full day trip north — Ananuri fortress, Gudauri, Gergeti Trinity Church hike (2 hours up, stunning). Return to Tbilisi.

Day 4: Drive to Kakheti — Telavi and Sighnaghi

Morning drive east to Kakheti (1.5 hours). Afternoon at Telavi and one or two winery visits in the Telavi area. Evening arrival in Sighnaghi. Overnight.

Day 5: Kakheti wine immersion

Full day in Kakheti wine country — winery visits in the morning (see our best wineries guide), and the afternoon at leisure in Sighnaghi. Evening at a wine bar in the town.

Book a Kakheti wine tour with 9 tastings

Day 6: David Gareja and drive west

Morning excursion to David Gareja — desert monastery complex and Rainbow Mountain (90-minute drive from Sighnaghi, 3-4 hours on site). Afternoon drive west via Gori. Overnight Gori or continue to Kutaisi.

Day 7: Kutaisi, Gelati, and caves

Morning at Gelati Monastery and Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi. Afternoon: Prometheus Cave (underground wonder) and either Okatse Canyon or Martvili Canyon (if going to Svaneti, Martvili is slightly on route).

Book the Kutaisi canyon and cave day tour

Day 8: Drive to Mestia — Svaneti

The drive from Kutaisi to Mestia (the main town of Svaneti) takes 4–5 hours on the new Enguri Highway. The road climbs from the subtropical lowlands of Imereti through forested gorges into the high mountain world of Svaneti.

Mestia is at 1,440m with medieval defensive towers (koshki) visible on every hilltop — the most distinctive architectural landscape in Georgia. Check in and rest; the drive alone is tiring.

Day 9: Mestia — towers and mountain views

Full day in and around Mestia. Morning: the Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography (extraordinary collection of medieval icons, gold items, and religious artifacts — some of the finest medieval art in the Caucasus). Afternoon: hike to the Hatsvali chairlift viewpoint above the town, or the 2-hour hike to Chalaadi Glacier.

Evening: kubdari (the Svan meat bread) for dinner — the local speciality that cannot be replicated outside Svaneti.

Day 10: Ushguli — highest inhabited village in Europe

The ultimate Svaneti day: the 45-minute drive from Mestia to Ushguli, a cluster of medieval tower villages at 2,200m — the highest permanently inhabited settlement in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The approach through the Upper Enguri Valley is extraordinary — glaciers ahead, ancient towers on every hillside, and the absolute silence of high mountain isolation. Allow at least 3 hours in Ushguli for exploring the towers, the small church, and the views toward Shkhara (5,193m, Georgia’s highest peak).

Return to Mestia. Overnight.

Day 11: Svaneti to Batumi

Drive from Mestia to Batumi via the Enguri Highway and the coast road — approximately 4–5 hours. The descent from the mountains to the subtropical Black Sea coast is dramatic: you go from snow and tower villages to palm trees and the sea in half a day.

Arrive Batumi by afternoon. Evening on the Batumi Boulevard.

Day 12: Batumi and Adjara

Full Batumi day — Old Town walking tour, the market, Piazza, the extraordinary botanical garden above the city, and beach time in summer. Adjaruli khachapuri for every meal. See our Batumi guide for recommendations.

Book a Batumi private guided walking tour

Day 13: Borjomi and Vardzia

Drive northeast from Batumi through the mountains to Akhaltsikhe (3 hours). Visit Rabati Castle briefly, then continue to Vardzia — the 12th-century cave monastery city carved into a volcanic cliff face. One of Georgia’s most dramatic historical sites.

Drive on to Borjomi (1 hour) for the afternoon — mineral springs park and a bath in the famous mineral water. Overnight Borjomi.

Day 14: Return to Tbilisi

Morning drive through the Borjomi Gorge back to Tbilisi (2.5 hours). Afternoon free for final shopping — Dezerter Bazaar for food, Wine Factory No. 1 for bottles. Evening departure.

Day-by-day food guide

Two weeks in Georgia allows following the country’s regional food cultures as you move through each landscape:

Days 1–2 (Tbilisi): Begin with the full capital experience — Dezerter Bazaar for orientation, a traditional restaurant for the complete Georgian spread, and the wine bar circuit on Day 2 evening. The combination of khinkali, khachapuri, pkhali, and amber wine is the essential opening meal. See our street food guide.

Day 3 (Kazbegi): Mountain food — cold-river trout, thicker mountain khinkali, bean dishes (lobiani) made with highland beans. If visiting April–May, chakapuli (fresh tarragon and spring lamb) may be on the menu.

Days 4–5 (Kakheti): The wine country food experience. Family winery lunches with Kakhetian amber wine in a courtyard are the defining meals of most Georgia trips. Sighnaghi in the evening for wine bar exploration. Buy bottles from winery visits at producer prices.

Day 6 (David Gareja and transit): A long driving day — pack from Kakheti market or eat simply on the road. The David Gareja monastery complex has basic cafe facilities. Dinner in Gori or on the road west.

Day 7 (Kutaisi/western Georgia): Imereti has its own food culture. Imeruli khachapuri (flat, with dry pressed cheese) is different from all regional variants. Gebzhalia (fresh Megrelian cheese with mint) and kupati sausages are the local specialities. After Prometheus Cave and canyons, dinner at a traditional Kutaisi restaurant.

Days 8–10 (Svaneti): Svan food is the most distinct regional cuisine in Georgia. Kubdari — the Svan meat bread with spiced pork or beef filling — is the essential dish and the best souvenir you can eat on site. The Svan salt (a spice blend of garlic, fenugreek, and dried herbs) is available to buy in Mestia. Eat breakfast at your guesthouse; Svan guesthouse breakfasts are often extraordinary. Ushguli has basic food facilities — bring supplies from Mestia for a day trip lunch.

Days 11–12 (Batumi/Adjara): Adjaruli khachapuri in its homeland — the boat-shaped bread with egg and butter is definitively better in Batumi than anywhere else. The Batumi covered market sells Adjaruli adjika (fresh herb and pepper paste) and local honey. Sea fish, fresh from the Black Sea that morning, at the harbour restaurants.

Day 13 (Borjomi/Vardzia): Drink the mineral water from the free springs in Borjomi park — it tastes of sulfur and minerals and is nothing like the bottled version. Vardzia has a basic cafe; pack a picnic lunch from Batumi or Borjomi market for the cliff-monastery exploration.

Day 14 (return to Tbilisi): The final Dezerter Bazaar visit — the morning for buying everything you couldn’t carry earlier. Churchkhela, vacuum-packed fresh cheese, dried spices, chili flakes. One last khachapuri from a neighbourhood bakery. One last glass of amber wine before the airport.

Adjustments for different interests

For wine-focused travellers: Extend Kakheti to 3 nights (Days 4–6), skip David Gareja or keep it as a half-day, and add a day in Kvareli for the northern Kakheti producers. See our wine lovers itinerary for the dedicated wine circuit.

For trekking-focused travellers: Base 4 nights in Svaneti (Days 8–11) rather than 3, and add the Mestia-to-Ushguli trek (2 days on foot rather than by car). The Chalaadi Glacier hike and the Hatsvali ridge trail can also be added with more time. See our trekking itinerary.

For adventure-focused travellers: Combine the canyon days with a multi-day Svaneti hiking base, and consider adding Tusheti (accessible July–September) as a replacement or addition for the Borjomi/Vardzia day. See our adventure itinerary.

For budget-conscious travellers: Replace the rental car with a combination of organised day tours (Kazbegi, Kakheti), marshrutka buses (Tbilisi to Kutaisi, Kutaisi to Batumi), and a shared Svaneti transfer. This reduces transport flexibility but cuts costs substantially. See our budget itinerary.

What to book in advance

A two-week trip requires more advance planning than a shorter visit:

1. Rental car: Book 3–4 weeks ahead in June–September. Specify 4WD/SUV for the Svaneti portion.
2. Mestia guesthouses: July–August books out completely. Book 4–6 weeks ahead. Ushguli accommodation (if staying overnight) books out fastest of all.
3. Kazbegi day tour: 3–7 days in advance in peak season.
4. Batumi accommodation: 2–3 weeks ahead for July–August. The Old Town fills quickly.
5. Borjomi accommodation: Less competitive but pre-book for peace of mind.
6. One Tbilisi wine bar dinner: Pheasant’s Tears or similar — book 3–5 days ahead for the best table times.

Practical notes

Rental car: Essential. Book 4WD for the Svaneti portion (Mestia–Ushguli road can be rough). Manual transmission common in Georgian rentals.

Svaneti road note: The Mestia–Ushguli road varies seasonally — it can be rough and requires 4WD in wet conditions or after snow. Check locally.

Accommodation: This itinerary uses overnight stays outside Tbilisi extensively. Pre-book Svaneti accommodation (guesthouses book up quickly in summer).

Budget: 150–250 GEL/day per person with car, including fuel across significant distances.

Best season: June–October for the complete circuit with Svaneti. April–May possible but Ushguli may be difficult. Winter dramatically limits the itinerary.

Related guides and resources

• Day trips from Tbilisi — mountain and wine country logistics
• Best wineries in Georgia — winery selection for the Kakheti days
• Prometheus Cave — western Georgia’s underground wonder
• Martvili Canyon — the Samegrelo canyon boat ride
• David Gareja guide — desert monastery complex logistics
• Getting around Georgia — rental car, marshrutka, and transport options
• Safety guide for Georgia — practical safety information for longer trips