5 days in Georgia: Tbilisi, Kazbegi and Kakheti

Overview

Five days lets you reach Georgia’s three essential experiences: the cultural and culinary depth of Tbilisi, the mountain grandeur of Kazbegi and the Greater Caucasus, and the wine country of Kakheti. This is the most popular itinerary structure for first-time visitors, and for good reason — it gives a complete picture of the country without rushing.

This itinerary works without a rental car; organised day tours handle the mountain and wine country logistics efficiently.

Day 1: Tbilisi arrival and Old Town

Arrive in Tbilisi (fly into Tbilisi International Airport — TBS). Take a Bolt or pre-booked airport transfer into the city (approximately 15–20 minutes, 25–40 GEL).

Check into your accommodation in the Old Town or Vera neighbourhood. Spend the afternoon orienting yourself in the Old Town: the Narikala Fortress for the panoramic view, the sulfur bath district of Abanotubani, and the riverside walk along Rike Park.

Evening: the essential Tbilisi welcome meal. Find a traditional Georgian restaurant and order the full Georgian spread — khinkali, khachapuri, pkhali, badrijani, and a pitcher of local wine. This first meal will set the tone for everything that follows.

Day 2: Tbilisi deep dive

A full day in Tbilisi. Morning at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta (30-minute marshrutka from Didube) combined with Jvari Monastery for the panoramic views. Return to Tbilisi for lunch.

Afternoon in Tbilisi: the Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Avenue for context on the country’s history and archaeology, then the sulfur baths at Abanotubani for an hour of rejuvenation. See our thermal baths guide.

Evening: natural wine bar crawl. Start at Vino Underground, continue to G.Vino, finish at Pheasant’s Tears. Our wine tasting in Tbilisi guide has everything you need.

Day 3: Kazbegi day trip

An early start — most Kazbegi tours depart Tbilisi at 08:30–09:00. The 3-hour drive north on the Georgian Military Highway passes through spectacular gorge country. Stop at Ananuri fortress (30 minutes) before continuing up to Gudauri and over the Jvari Pass.

Arrive in Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) mid-morning. The central activity is the 2-hour hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170m — steep but manageable, with escalating views of Mount Kazbek (5,047m) above and the Terek Valley below. Allow 2 hours for the ascent and 1.5 hours down.

Lunch at one of Kazbegi’s restaurants: fresh trout from the mountain rivers, khinkali, and local bean dishes are the local highlights.

Return to Tbilisi arriving early evening.

Book your Kazbegi, Gudauri, and Ananuri day trip

Day 4: Kakheti wine country

Another early morning departure — Kakheti wine tours typically depart at 09:00. The drive east through the Alazani Valley to Georgia’s wine country takes 1.5–2 hours.

A good Kakheti day includes: a visit to one or two family wineries for qvevri cellar tours and tastings, lunch at a local family restaurant with a spread of Kakhetian dishes, and an afternoon in Sighnaghi — the walled wine town perched above the Alazani Valley with views toward the Caucasus.

Return to Tbilisi in the evening with bottles of wine.

Book your Kakheti wine tour with 9 tastings

Day 5: Tbilisi leisure and departure

A relaxed final day for shopping, eating, and absorbing the city. Visit the Dezerter Bazaar market in the morning for fresh produce and the churchkhela, cheese, and spice shopping that didn’t happen earlier in the trip.

Afternoon at Wine Factory No. 1 on Kostava Street for selecting bottles to take home. A final coffee at one of Vera’s excellent independent cafes.

Bolt to the airport or to the Tbilisi central train station if departing by overnight train (e.g., to Batumi, Kutaisi, or Yerevan).

Practical notes

Transport: Day tours (booked in advance online) handle all logistics for Kazbegi and Kakheti. Bolt for city transport. Marshrutka for Mtskheta (1 GEL from Didube Metro).

Budget: Mid-range daily spend approximately 120–200 GEL/day (€40–70) including accommodation, meals, tours, and activities.

Best time: April–October for mountain access. The Kazbegi trip is possible year-round but the Gergeti Trinity hike may require crampons in winter.

Accommodation: 2–3 nights in Tbilisi at the start and end; the day trips mean no overnight stays outside the capital.

The food and wine experience across 5 days

A specific food-and-wine itinerary runs parallel to the geographical one:

Day 1 evening: The introductory Georgian meal — every essential dish tried in one sitting. Khinkali (order mountain-style, at least 6 per person), Imeruli khachapuri, badrijani nigvzit (aubergine with walnut paste), pkhali (walnut-herb compressed vegetables), and a pitcher of amber wine or red Saperavi.

Day 2: Mtskheta’s roadside restaurants on the way back serve excellent traditional khinkali in the Pasanauri style if you time the return. The evening wine bar circuit covers the natural wine spectrum: ask at each bar for a recommendation you haven’t tried before.

Day 3 (Kazbegi): Mountain food — trout from the Terek River (often served whole, grilled simply with herbs), khinkali in the mountain style (the versions in Kazbegi restaurants are genuinely larger and more rustic than Tbilisi equivalents), and tkemali (sour plum sauce) alongside grilled meat.

Day 4 (Kakheti): The Kakheti wine tour typically includes a family lunch — Kakhetian dishes with the family’s own wine, served in their courtyard or cellar. This is the most authentic Georgian meal of the trip. Buy bottles from the wineries you visit rather than from shops.

Day 5: Dezerter Bazaar is the closing food experience. The spice section sells khmeli suneli and utskho suneli (blue fenugreek) — both essential Georgian spices unavailable outside the country. Buy churchkhela in multiple flavours. A jar of fresh matsoni yogurt to eat with honey on the way to the airport is a 5-GEL luxury.

Extending to 7 days

Five days is enough to understand Georgia; seven days begins to know it. The two additions that make the most sense:

Add Batumi and the Black Sea (days 5–6 before departure): The overnight train from Tbilisi to Batumi (departing ~23:00, arriving ~05:00) covers transport and accommodation simultaneously. One day in Batumi — Botanical Garden, Old Town, Black Sea beach — then overnight train back to Tbilisi for departure.

Add western Georgia canyons (replace one Tbilisi day with a western Georgia day trip): The Kutaisi cave and canyon circuit (Prometheus Cave, Okatse Canyon, Martvili Canyon) makes an excellent one-day excursion from Tbilisi by car or organised tour. See our 7-day itinerary for the extended version.

What to book in advance

For this itinerary, book the following before arriving:

1. Kazbegi day tour (most popular tours sell out in peak season)
2. Kakheti wine tour with tastings (capacity-limited)
3. Tbilisi sulfur bath private room (book 1–2 days ahead for weekends)
4. One restaurant reservation for the opening or closing dinner (Pheasant’s Tears Tbilisi or similar)

Everything else (transport, markets, wine bars) can be arranged on arrival.

Related guides

• Day trips from Tbilisi — complete guide to the Kazbegi and Kakheti logistics
• Wine tasting in Tbilisi — the wine bar circuit in detail
• Street food in Tbilisi — markets and bakeries for the food dimension
• Best thermal baths in Georgia — the sulfur baths in detail
• Georgian supra feast guide — cultural background for the food experience