Assemble at Cochin international airport @ 02.30 am and Air Arabia flight departs to Sharjah at 05.35. Later, I connected the flight to Tbilisi at 9.20 hrs and arrived at Tbilisi International Airport at 12.50 hrs. Welcome to Georgia, The Jewel of the Caucasus. Georgia, a country at the intersection of Europe and Asia, is a former Soviet republic that’s home to Caucasus Mountain villages. Tbilisi, Georgia's vibrant capital is where history and modernity harmoniously converge. Upon arrival, you will meet our representative at Tbilisi Airport, Georgia. Later transfer to hotel. Free time for leisure.
Traditional Georgian Dinner with Folk music & dances
Evening you will transfer to Ethno Tsiskvili restaurant for a local Georgian dinner with classic Georgian traditional dance performances. Ethno Tsiskvili is created by the natural waterfall and an old water mill, pure Georgian bricks, and preserved rock in the interior to shape an unforgettable impression on guests. Its main mission is to spread centuries-old Georgian history and hospitality, revive ancient traditional cuisine and share Georgian culture by promoting national folk music and dances every evening. Vintage Georgian balconies, traditional pottery, and various medieval items allow guests from around the world to imagine ancient Georgia. Later transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at a hotel in Tbilisi.
Overnight stay : Tbilisi Clock Hotel or similar in Tbilisi
Meal Plan : Breakfast on board, Lunch, and Dinner at restaurants.
Day 2
TBILISI - KUTAISI
Martvili Canyon and Gori Tour
After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to Kutaisi. Kutaisi is one of the oldest towns in the world. It is located in the central part of Georgia, Its location and history attracts visitors. Nowadays Kutaisi is the third largest town in Georgia and one of the most popular tourist destinations. The premium tourist attraction in Georgia country is a region near Kutaisi city with mesmerizing canyons – Okatse and Martvili. They are located in different places and offer a different experience. Martvili Canyon is a good canyon full of water and small waterfalls. Martvili is famous for its splendid fall foliage and is one of the best places to visit in Georgia. Martvili Canyon used to be a bathing place for the Georgian noble family. Well-preserved remains of a characteristic Megrelian two-story mill operational in the 18th and 19th centuries can be seen in canyon proximity. Later you can walk over the massive rocks in Okatse Canyon and stroll through the air bridge with a unique panorama of the surrounding area. The canyon reaches 100 meters in its deepest point portraying the vast view over the area. The trail from the canyon passes through the royal Dadiani historic forests which are 780 meters in length. This path has two natural bridges that you’ll cross along the way, fifty steps made from limestone boulders, and three viewing platforms from which to soak in nature’s splendor.
Visit Joseph Stalin’s House and Museum in Gori
Later proceed to Gori - Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and is located at the confluence of two rivers, the Mtkvari and the Liakhvi. Gori is the fifth most populous city in Georgia. Its name comes from the Georgian word gora, meaning "heap", "hill", or "mountain". Here we will visit the Stalin Museum and his childhood home, where he was born, and his railroad car and other authentic items he used in his time. The Joseph Stalin Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics. The main corpus of the complex is a large palazzo in Stalinist Gothic style, begun in 1951 ostensibly as a museum of the history of socialism, but clearly intended to become a memorial to Stalin, who died in 1953. The exhibits are divided into six halls in roughly chronological order, and contain many items actually or allegedly owned by Stalin, including some of his office furniture, his personal effects, and gifts made to him over the years. There are also many illustrations by way of documentation, photographs, paintings and newspaper articles. The display concludes with one of twelve copies of the death mask of Stalin taken shortly after his death. Then returning to Kutaisi. Check in to Kutaisi hotel.
Overnight stay : Kutaisi Inn or similar in Kutaisi
Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3
KUTAISI - TBILISI
Visit Sataplia and footprints of dinosaurs
After breakfast check out the hotel and return to Tbilisi. On the way, we proceed to Sataplia to see the footprints of dinosaurs. The cave is a smaller version of Prometheus cave. The Sataplia caves are located in West Georgia. The caves and place are named after Mt. Sataplia, the former wild bee habitat area, at an extinct volcano, nowadays a natural reserve. This place has preserved a prehistoric nature with wooden relics, labyrinths of karst caves , and fossilized tracks of dinosaurs that lived there in the Mesozoic era, 160 mln years ago. There are only 3 places where you can find such traces of dinosaurs in the CIS: one in Ravat Gorge in Tajikistan, another on the Sataplia Mount in Georgia and the third one is Khodja-pil in Turkmenistan. The complex features Dinosaur Park along with small museum preserves of 120-million-year-old fossilized Herbivorous and Raptor dinosaur footprints of different epochs and of course, the lightened-up cave full of eye-catching stalactites and stalagmites which culminates in an underground river. Sataplia dinosaurs are called “Sataplia Zaurus” and are different from European dinosaurs. The reserve is surrounded by tall and thick, Colchis Forest and has a couple of panoramic lookout points.
Mtskheta Tour
Mtskheta was one of the first cities in Georgia and is the former capital. It was one of the first regions to accept Christianity and is therefore regarded as a Holy City by the Orthodox Church. It is only about 20 km from Tbilisi and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.Here we visit Jvari Monastery, which is standing on the top of the hill and overlooks to Mtskheta and to the confluence of two rivers –Mtkvari and Aragvi. Jvari Monastery- VI century church and monastery, located in the east of Mtskheta, at the mouth of the river Mtkvari and Aragvi, on the rocky mountain peak. Jvari Monastery is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List..Upon adoption of Christianity, King Mirian raised a high wooden cross on this territory, which was worshiped by other Caucasian Christian nations. Guaram, the leader of Kartli, built a small church next to the cross nowadays known as "a small cross' '. At the end of VII and VII century, Guaram's son - Step Mom I built a big temple next to a small cathedral, nowadays known as Jvari monastery. The wooden cross got covered up by a temple.The Mtskheta church of Jvari is the first sample of the cross-shaped type churches, it is a new thing in the architecture.
Other structures around the monastery (tower, fence) are much older. On the facades of the temple, we can see religious and historical persons, there are old inscriptions too. And proceed to Svetitkshoveli cathedral - Known as the burial site of the claimed Christ's mantle, Svetitskhoveli has long been one of the principal Georgian Orthodox churches and is among the most venerated places of worship in the region. Throughout the centuries, the cathedral served as the burial place for kings. The present cross-in-square structure was completed between 1010 and 1029 by the medieval Georgian architect Arsukisdze, although the site itself dates back to the early fourth century. The exterior architecture of the cathedral is a well-preserved example of typical decorations of the 11th century. This is the second largest cathedral in Georgia.
Later we will return to Tbilisi.
Overnight stay : Tbilisi Clock Hotel or similar in Tbilisi
Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 4
TBILISI CITY TOUR
After the breakfast we will transfer to visit the Chronicle of Georgia. The Chronicles of Georgia consist of gigantic pillars. The top parts are decorated with scenes of the history of Georgia, mainly with the kings and queens who reigned over the country. The lower parts portray the life of Jesus. The monument was created by Zurab Tsereteli, a Georgian sculptor. The construction started in 1985 but it’s still partially incomplete. It must have taken ages (and huge ladders) to create a monument of this size! Behind the rock pillars is a small chapel and when you walk around it, you’ll have an amazing panoramic view over the Tbilisi Sea and some of the suburbs in the city. “Discovering the Chronicle of Georgia, a hidden gem in Tbilisi” made it not such a hidden gem anymore. It’s an impressive monument, not only because of its sheer size and the surrounding views but also because of the decorative scenes on the huge pillars. The place has a very special vibe to it! Later you will drive back to the center of the city and go to Mtatsminda Park to ride the Funicular to the top of the mountain, where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the whole city before heading back to your hotel to spend a night and refresh for the following day. Here we will visit Peace of Bridge.
Visit Peace of Bridge
Later we visited The Bridge of Peace. The Bridge of Peace is a bow-shaped pedestrian bridge, a steel and glass construction illuminated with numerous LEDs, over the Kura River, linking the Rike Park with Old town in central Tbilisi. So, the footbridge was installed to join the old to the new, a link from the past to the present. It could be viewed as a symbolic connection of the tempestuous days of history, to the present, more settled days .
Later, we will proceed to the Tbilisi tour. The first place to visit will be a Holy Trinity cathedral, one of the largest orthodox cathedrals in the world. Tour continues to Metekhi church and the monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Walk down to the Rike Park and Cross the Peace Bridge. Take a cable car from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and statue of Mother Georgia standing above the old Tbilisi. Walk down to the district of Sulphur Baths passing by the only mosque in Tbilisi. Stroll through the Meidan Square, an area full of narrow streets paved with cobble -stone and packed with cozy cafés, wine-tasting bars, souvenir shops where you can breathe in the living past. Explore the Old Town with its cobbled streets, ancient churches, and colorful wooden houses. And a visit to Wine shop to buy the famous Georgian wines as Georgia is known as the cradle of wine.
Later we will return to Tbilisi. Upon arrival, you will transfer to the Gala Dinner restaurant. Gala dinner with traditional dance. Later we returned to the hotel. Overnight stay at a hotel in Tbilisi.
Overnight stay : Tbilisi Clock Hotel or similar in Tbilisi
Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5
TBILISI - COCHIN
Free time for shopping
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Free time for leisure and shopping Dry Bridge Flea Market and Meidan Bazaar and other places. Shopping is an integral part of a memorable vacation – apart from beautiful memories that you will cherish of the beautiful country, Georgia, bringing back cute souvenirs that will remind you of the good times spent here, is equally important. It’s the time to say goodbye to all the new friends you have made. We hope you take back happy memories of your visit to Georgia, the cradle of wine. We would like you to spare a few minutes of your time to write and tell us how you enjoyed your tour and any suggestions you may have for the future. Later we proceeded to Tbilisi Airport. The flight departs at 17.20 hrs and arrives at Sharjah International Airport at 20.25 hrs. Later connect flight at 21.45 hrs.
Day 6
BACK HOME
Arrive Kochi International Airport at 03.15 hrs with sweet memories of Benny’s Royal Tour’s Enchanting Georgia Tour.
