Georgian fairy tale 6.5

Georgian fairy tale

Route:

Tbilisi - Mtskheta - Gori - Uplistsikhe - Ananuri - Kazbegi - Kakheti - Tbilisi

Tour: 6 days / 5 nights

1 day

Arrival in Tbilisi

Transfer to the hotel.

And now it is a little about the capital. Tbilisi - Ancient Tiflis on coast of the Mtkvari, the capital of Georgia, her cultural, economic and political center, and madly interesting and many-sided city. Tbili in Georgian means "warm". Tbilisi has been founded on hot sulfuric springs. On a legend which locals so like to tell once the king Vakhtang Gorgasali has gone to a falconry, his bird has rushed for a pheasant, trying to escape in a reservoir, and both have immediately cooked in a hot spring. The inconsolable tsar has decided to immortalize roofing felts in the history of a favourite falcon, roofing felts was impressed with the rising fetid steam, but Tbilisi has arisen exactly here. Today terracotta domes of baths adjoin to modern business centers, but over all this the spirit of old Tbilisi still soars.

Excursion "Evening fires of Tbilisi" and a dinner at restaurant and also national songs and dancings.

Day 2.

Breakfast in hotel.

City-Tour across Tbilisi

Departure to the city for acquaintance with sights. We will begin acquaintance with the city with the Cathedral "Sameba" - a symbol of the Georgian revival, unity and immortality. He towers in the center of Tbilisi at top of the mountain of St. Ilya. "Sameba" in Russian means "Holy Trinity"

Further transition to a monument to the founder of the city of Tbilisi great Georgian governor Vakhtang Gorgasali. Gorgasali is a nickname, so the king was called in the war (Du Raz Gorgasali) and means "be more careful with the person, with the head of a wolf".

The temple Metekhi – walls of the temple are put in the classical Georgian equipment. Strike with the accuracy tesk of stones and their laying. From the metekhsky plateau the wonderful view of an old part of the city of Tbilisi opens.

Further on the elevator in several minutes we will appear in the fortress of Narikal where to us the intriguing fascinating views of this legendary capital of Georgia will open. Narikal's fortress – heart of the old city, it throughout 15 centuries together with the Metekhsky lock was the main military and defensive strengthening of the city. And of course here we will be met by "Mother of Georgia" with wine.

14:00 A lunch at the Georgian restaurant.

You will have an opportunity to feel old Tiflis's color. Ancient sulfuric baths are in the most ancient place of the city. All bathing rooms, lower than the level of the earth are also blocked by the semicircular arches.

Sioni's temple – has been put in the 6th century. Also the fact that his floor lies nearly three meters below than a pavement surface now demonstrates to respectable age of the temple. Also we have on the way a visit of the modern bridge - Mira Bridge from where fascinating views of modern Tbilisi open and colourful photos turn out.

20:00 A transfer for dinner in national restaurant in Tbilisi where waits for you the most tasty dishes and sound Georgian wine and also national songs and dancing.

Night in hotel.

Day 3.

Breakfast in hotel.

Excursion to the ancient capital of Georgia – Mtskheta and mountainous area Kazbegi.

Mtskheta – the most ancient, the city, the first capital of Georgia, a shower of this amazing country. Here you will have an opportunity to get acquainted with the Cathedral "Svetitskhoveli" (XI in). He, cathedral of 12 apostles. In his basis Heaton Gospoden is based. Thanks to this shrine Mtskheta call "the second Jerusalem".

We will visit Samtavriysky convent of St. Nino. Here the St. King Mirian and the St. queen Nana who have adopted Christianity together with all Georgia in 324 g are based.

We will rise in Jvari Monastery (V in) from where the fine panorama of the ancient capital opens (in Jerusalem there is a church with the same name). On a legend, this temple has been erected over the stub of that cedar exhaling fragrant oil (Miro) under which the educator of Georgia Saint Nino prayed.

14:00 A lunch at the Georgian restaurant

 Then continue the tour to the city of Gori.

Gori is located at the confluence of the Kura and Liakhi rivers in the picturesque Kartli Valley. From the south and west the city is surrounded by picturesque mountains. Despite the fact that in historical sources the city has been known since the VI century, the name of Joseph Dzhugashvili, better known as the "Father of the Peoples" of Comrade Stalin, who led the Soviet empire from 1925 to 1953, earned him worldwide fame. By the way, fellow countrymen of the great dictator

Revere and respect him. Even the main street is still named in his honor - Stalin's avenue. And the main attractions of the town are the Stalin House-Museum, built in the form of a marble sarcophagus and a huge bronze sculpture of Stalin, one of the few preserved in the world (on the main square of Gori).

At 10 km from Gori, on the bank of the Mtkvari  River, one of the rarest monuments in the world is the ancient city-fortress Uplistsikhe, carved into the volcanic rocks of the Kvernaki Range. It is first mentioned in the annals of the first century. BC. E., and its heyday reached by the IX-X century.

Uplistsikhe was a cult temple city, a major pagan center until Georgia adopted Christianity (IV century). There were all sorts of pagan rituals, sacrifices were made. Then here began to build Christian churches.

In the XIII century. As a result of the devastating invasion of Chingiz-Khan's hordes to Georgia, Uplistsikhe finally fell.

In the 19th century, Uplistsikhe was completely covered with a layer of earth and sand. It took a lot of work and extraordinary efforts of many specialists to excavate, clear, Strengthening, restoration and study of this outstanding monument in the history of Georgian culture, entered in the fund for the protection of UNESCO historical monuments.

4 day

Breakfast in the hotel.

Excursion to the mountainous region of Kazbegi.

 We leave for Stepantsminda. On the way we will take a look at the picturesque Ananuri fortress (XVI century), located above the river Aragua, as well as the amazing beauty of the Zhinvalskoe Reservoir. Passing the mountain resort of Gudauri (2200 meters above sea level), from where you can see a beautiful view of the Caucasus Mountains. This place can not leave a person indifferent. In addition, this place is in demand among fans of extreme sports. ATVs, horses and a spectacular paragliding flight - all this will help you to look at the mountain scenery and get unforgettable impressions. A stunning trip along the river of Tergi, through the cross pass (2,400 meters above sea level) will take us to Stepantsminda in the mountains of Kazbegi.

15:00 Lunch in the Georgian restaurant.

Visit to the Church of the Holy Trinity Gergeti (2,170 meters above sea level). In clear weather, a stunning, phantasmagoric view of one of the highest peaks of Georgia - Mount Kazbek (5147 meters above sea level) opens. We will get to the church with the help of special machines.

20:00 Transfer to dinner at the national restaurant in Tbilisi.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5.

Breakfast in Hotel.

Today we go to the homeland of wine and winemaking – Kakheti.

Kakheti – the most fertile region of Georgia and the homeland of the best wine in all former Soviet Union. Hectares of vineyards, a set of ancient temples and monasteries, sleepy small towns with tile roofs … sometimes begins to seem that it at all and not Georgia.

Today, more than 500 types of grapes grow in our amazing country, and Georgian wines are known for the unique properties and features, winemaking art here cardinally differs from the European.

Tsinandali museum

14:00 lunchtime.  

Visit of the wine museum in Khareba  where you will get acquainted with traditional Georgian methods of winemaking, tasting of wine.

Return to Tbilisi and gala dinner at national restaurant where you are waited by the most tasty dishes and sound Georgian wine.

Night in hotel.

Day 6

Breakfast in the hotel.

10.00 Free day and airport shuttle. Boarding for the flight. Happy returning home. And of course - I'll see you again Genatsvale!

Cost of the tour for each person:

• Two people - $ 743
• 3-4 people - $ 611
• 5-6 people - $ 505
• 7-10 people - $ 477
• 11-17 people - $ 430
• 18-40 people - $ 403

Cost for children:

• Up to 4 years old - free of charge
• 5-6 years - 50% discount
• 7-8 years old - 30% discount
• From 9 years - full price

The tour price includes:

• Transfer airport-hotel-airport
• Accommodation in a hotel in the prestigious district of Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Mestia.
• Gala dinner at a restaurant with a national folklore and dance program
• 3 meals a day: breakfast in the hotel, lunch (day-2-3-5) and dinner (day 2-5) in Georgian restaurants (lunch and dinner included in the menu)
• Transport services along the entire route
• Professional english-speaking guide
• Entrance tickets to the historical and cultural centers provided by the tour
• Wine tasting and other national drinks
• Special vehicles

The cost of the tour does not include air tickets.