Group tour in Caucasus

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia – Caucasus tour 12 days

Duration: 12 days & 11 nights

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival (D)

• Arrival in Baku. 

• Meet with driver and transfer to the hotel. You can check in after 14:00. 

• Welcome dinner.

• Overnight in Baku.

Day 2: Gobustan - Baku city tour (B/L)

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Meet with driver and guide at 9:00 

• Excursion to Gobustan National Park. Situated in East Azerbaijan. Gobustan is a culturally significant landscape of myriad rock carvings. Over 6000 petroglyphs have been discovered here together; that’s not all - there are also many ancient caves and archaeological sites within the reserve. Incredibly, some have been dated to as early as the 18th century BC. 

• Sightseeing tour of Baku

• Lunch break

• Visit the panorama of the city of Baku Bay and the Upland Park. 

• old city *Icheri sheher-the inner city*. It was called the inner after the oil boom of the middle of the XIX century when the city stopped to hold in defense walls and left its limit.

• Shirvanshah's Palace, the symbol of Baku city The Maiden Tower

• Evening walks along the central streets of the city and updated fountain square, shopping.

• Overnight in Baku

Day 3: Baku – Shemakha – Sheki (B/D)

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Meet with driver and guide at 9:00 

• drive to Shamakhi district. Visit the town of Shemakha, Diri Baba Tomb and Yeddi Gumbez. Shemakha was the capital of the Shirvan Kingdom for several centuries. Yeddi Gumbaz (The Seven Cupolas) Mausoleum is the burial place for members of the royal families of the Shirvan shahs.

• Then drive to village Sheki 

• Dinner at the local restaurant. 

• Free time. 

• Overnight in Sheki.

Day 4: Sheki – Lagodekhi –Family winery -Culinary master class - Tbilisi (B/L)

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Meet with driver and guide at 9:00 

• Explore Sheki - one of the most famous and ancient places of Azerbaijan. 

• We’ll start our Sheki tour by visiting the 18th century Khan's summer palace with magnificent frescoes and exquisite stained-glass work. 

• Sheki History Museum is famous for artifacts from several periods. 

• Then continue to drive to the Azerbaijan Georgia border in Lagodekhi. 

• Border formalities, transport and guide change

• Georgia

• Continue the tour to a traditional local winery, where you will enjoy the soul of Georgian hospitality. Here you will taste different varieties of wines and chachas, included traditional Kakhetian cuisine, will have culinary masterclass with lunch

• Drive to Tbilisi. 

• Overnight in Tbilisi 

Day 5: Tbilisi sightseeing tour (B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide in the morning at 10:00

• Tour will start from the Parliament of Georgia

• Freedom Square 

• Sololaki streets with the buildings that keep secrets and mysteries

• The Bridge of Piece, a steel and glass construction illuminated with numerous LEDs, over the Kura River

• The Rike cable car to Narikala Fortress. Enjoying the wonderful views of Tbilisi from the ropeway

• Lunch break

• Narikala Historical Fortress, which is one of the most interesting and impressive monuments in Tbilisi. The history of this ancient fortress dates back to the 4th century 

• Sulfur baths - Chreli Abano— the place, where according to a legend the King of Iberia, Vakhtang Gorgasali’s falcon fell, leading to a discovery of the hot springs and, subsequently, to the founding of new capital

• Waterfall in the heart of old Tbilisi

• Free evening 

Day 6: Tbilisi – Ananuri – Gudauri - Stepantsminda – Tbilisi (B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide and driver at 9:00

• Start tour to mountain region

• Kazbegi National Park is located on the northern slopes of the mighty Caucasus range, and its protected area covers a total of over 8,700 hectares. At 5,047 meters above sea level, Kazbegi Mountain (or Mkinvartsveri) is the third highest mountain in Georgia.

• Georgian Military Road

• Zhinvali reservoir 

• Ananuri complex, a former residence of Argveti Dukes

• Lunch break

• Gudauri Friendship monument, also known as Gudauri Panorama 

• Gergeti Trinity church. You can see one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – the mountain Kazbegi at 5047m. Enjoy breathtaking views, take pictures breathe fresh air, and collect lots of emotions

• Master Class of Georgian Khinkali

• Drive back to Tbilisi.

Day 7: Tbilisi – Mtskheta - Jvari Monastery- Uplistsikhe – Kutaisi (B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide and driver at 9:00

• Svetitskhoveli Cathedral - the main patriarchal cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the burial of many kings of Georgia. 

• Jvari Monastery a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period. From its hilltop site you can enjoy views of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers

• Visit Uplistsikhe - a rock-hewn town, one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus and a city center. 

• Lunch break

• Arrive in Kutaisi. 

• Overnight in Kutaisi

Day 8: Sataplia national reserve – Sevsamora winery -Tbilisi (B/D)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide and driver at 10:00

• We will drive to Sataplia Managed Reserve, we will walk in a unique Kolkheti forest and pass the place where the footprints of Herbivorous and Raptor dinosaurs of different epochs were found, we will arrive at the karst cave and will walk in several underground halls. 

• On the way to Tbilisi visit Sevasamora winery. Marani Sevsamora is producing Bio – Organic wines with traditional methods in qvevri, as well as classical wines. 

• Farewell dinner with folk show

• Transfer to the hotel.

Day 9. Tbilisi ►Georgia Armenia border ► Dilijan► Sevanavank ►Yerevan (B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Check out 

• Meeting with guide and driver and go to the Georgia and Armenia border Sadakhlo

• Border crossing formalities 

• Meet with Armenian Guide and Driver

• Dilijan walking tour rich with unique cultural monuments 

• One of the most prominent examples of medieval Armenian architecture – Sevanavank Monastery, being built at the hilltop it offers magnificent panoramic views of the azure Sevan - the pearl of Armenia

• Sevanavank lake 

• Lunch stops with tasty fish Sevan trout 

• Through the picturesque mountain’s arrival in Yerevan 

• Check in the hotel 

• Overnight in Yerevan 

Day 10. Yerevan - Garni - Geghard – Yerevan(B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide and driver

• Yerevan walking tour 

• Famous Cascade, consists of 5 hillside terraces connected with 572 steps, most famous monument, connecting downtown and upper residential areas via a large staircase

• Dancing fountains

• Geghard - the half of the monastic complex is indeed cut from granite monolith. The other half consists of natural grottoes and caves which were used as cells. The monastery was founded (presumably) in the 4 th century. The interiors of the temples and cells richly decorated with ornaments and bas-reliefs, the tombs of aristocratic families and other masterpieces of underground architecture have brought Geghard the glory of one of the most significant historical monuments, designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.

• The Garni fortress is one of the clearest evidences of the centuries-old culture of the pre-Christian period of Armenia

• Symphony of Rock Stones. The object is a gorge, the rocks of which consist of huge basalt pillars hanging above the ground at a height of about 50 meters. Their special shape in the form of hexagons and vertical arrangement are very reminiscent of organ pipes, and therefore the monument received several names - “Stone Organ”, “Basalt Organ”, but is better known as “Symphony of Stones”

• Lunch break with master class of baking Armenian lavash in local family 

• Coming back to Yerevan 

• Overnight in Yerevan 

Day 11. Yerevan -Ararat -Khor Virap -Noravank (B/L)

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Meeting with guide and driver 

• The expanses of the Ararat Valley

• On the banks of the Araks River, Khor Virap monastery, not far from the border with Turkey, from the walls of which we will see the biblical Mount Ararat

• Noravank Monastery Complex - the pearl of Armenian religious architecture

• We will pass by the village of Areni, which is famous for its wines, the pride of the winemakers of the village of Areni, the cave where an ancient winery and the oldest shoe were found maybe Cinderella

• Lunch break

• Wine degustation 

• Arrival to Yerevan 

Day 12:  Departure(B)

• Check out from the hotel and transfer to the Airport.  

Per person price in 1999 Euro

Price includes:

• Transfers

• Transportation Comfortable: A/C Vehicle, 4 WD vehicles for Ushguli and Cross viewpoint

• Accommodation in Double/Twin rooms: 

• Hotels:

• Tbilisi: Heritage Hotel and Suites 4*, Ramada by Windham 4* KMM 4* or similar

• Kutaisi: Terrace Kutaisi 3+ or similar

• Yerevan:

• Professional Guide Service 

• Catering service: 

• Breakfast at the hotels 

• 8 Lunches

• 3 Dinners

• Entrance fees according to the itinerary

• Bottle of water per person per day

• Company supports 24/7

Prices exclude: 

• International flights

• Travel insurance

• Full board (lunches and dinners);

• Hotel charges for additional services;

• Tips are not included, but would be appreciated;

For booking send a request on:

info@violetways.com

+995 551 87 11 87

Discover Georgia's real Soul Through Local Eyes!