Highlights of Azerbaijan & Georgia
Highlights of Azerbaijan & Georgia
Highlights of Azerbaijan & Georgia
10 Days Starting in Baku and ending in Tbilisi
Visiting: Baku, Qobustan/ Baku, Caucasus Mountains / Lahij , Sheki, Telavi , Gudauri, Gudauri / Stepantsminda , Tbilisi
Tour operator:
Tour code:
KFSB
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
Spend 10-days in Azerbaijan and Georgia, where historical old towns and monasteries sit comfortably alongside towering skyscrapers,or against draw-dropping scenery of the Caucasus mountains. Discover warmth and pride among the ostensible austerity of Azerbaijan culture, then cross into Georgia to devour medieval ruins and traditional wines alike. Visit one of Europe's largest open-air rock museums, enjoy a hearty home-cooked lunch with a local Kakheti family and hike to the iconic Gergeti Trinity Church. From cities to mountains, this trip guarantees encounters that will stay with you forever.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Baku
Location: Baku
Accommodation: Hotel
Welcome to Azerbaijan! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Why not seek some traditional local fare with the group after the meeting and join your leader for a night walk around Baku.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Qobustan/ Baku
Location: Qobustan/ Baku
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
In the morning, drive to Qobustan, a national reserve and World Heritage site that functions as an open-air archaeological museum. Stop on the way to check out the bubbling mud volcanoes first and then continue to Qobustan. Here lie some well-preserved rock petroglyphs dating back as far as BC 12th century, as well as a Roman inscription notable as the easternmost of its kind. Return to Baku in the afternoon and explore Baku’s UNESCO World Cultural Site - the walled old Town and learn about its history and legends on a guided walking tour. Finish in the Old Market Square and enjoy exploring the old city of Baku. The evening is yours to spend. If you’re searching for somewhere to eat, ask your leader to point you in the direction of Nizami Street, where local restaurants line this busy boulevard. Perhaps order some lavangi – walnuts, dried fruit and onions stuffed inside chicken and roasted to create a tantalising fusion of flavours.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 3: Caucasus Mountains / Lahij
Location: Caucasus Mountains / Lahij
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, leave Baku and drive through a dry landscape that gives way to a densely forested mountain area, stopping en route in Shamakhi to check out one of the oldest Mosques of Azerbaijan - Juma (Friday) Mosque, then continue to your destination today, the village of Lahij, a stunning traditional village of Tats people. Explore its cobbled streets, stone houses and visit a copper workshop and get to know some local folk over a cup of tea. Enjoy a yogurt master class later on and bunk down in a guesthouse in Lahij tonight.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Sheki
Location: Sheki
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast, head to Nij village, a settlement of the Udi people who are the direct descendants of ancient Caucasian Albanians. Most the world’s surviving Udi people call Nij home, giving the community a unique culture.Take a stroll in the village with your leader and visit an unassuming site of a significant church. The Albanian Church (as it’s known colloquially) is a source of pride and heritage for the local Udi community. Continue to Sheki afterwards and enjoy a free evening.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Sheki
Location: Sheki
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Visit the Palace of Shaki Khans first in the morning. The walls inside the palace are painted with scenes of hunting and war and feature impressive stained glass. Afterwards, check out a workshop where shebeke – stained glass windows made with no glue or nails – are produced by masters. Then get on a local public bus to Kish to visit the pointed spires of a church that is among the oldest in Christendom, believed to be around 1700 years old. Try Azerbaijan’s national dish – Piti for lunch – a stew made of lamb, sheep fat, chickpeas, onions, chestnuts, saffron and spices, and is guaranteed to be full of exciting flavors. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to discover Sheki. Why not explore the impressive traditional architecture on foot. It’s easy enough to stop for tea and some local halva (made with sugar, hazelnuts, coriander and rice flour grinned in a watermill) if you get tired.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Telavi
Location: Telavi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
After breakfast at the hotel, take a walk with your leader through the Sheki market. It’s a good idea to stock up on snacks for the journey to come, so maybe grab some halva, nuts and dried fruit. Continue to Lagodekhi on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border. Travel through the beautiful green valleys of the Kakheti region to Gremi, a complex that includes a castle and church from the 16th century. Spend some time here and then hit the road again, stopping at a traditional Georgian wine producer where the ancient, UNESCO-listed qvevri method is still used and enjoy lunch here. Continue to Telavi to your accommodation for the evening – a locally-owned family hotel.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 7: Gudauri
Location: Gudauri
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
In the morning, wander through the raucous local farmers market in Telavi, where butchers carve up fresh meat and vendors offload piles of spices, then visit Tsinandalia, a historic estate and winery once owned by noted Georgian poet Alexander Chavchavadze. In 1814, aristocrat Chavchavadze was the first to bottle wine produced using the qvevri method. Tour the complex, which consists of a memorial house, European-style landscaped garden, a traditional winery, wine cellar, hotel and cafe. Continue to UNESCO listed Alaverdi Cathedral that dates back to 6th century. Afterwards, a stunning drive into the mountains up the renowned Georgian Military Highway, which eventually leads to the Georgia–Russia border. Tonight, enjoy an included dinner and spend the night in lofty Gudauri.
Included Activities:
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Day 8: Gudauri / Stepantsminda
Location: Gudauri / Stepantsminda
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Follow the Tergi River on a drive to Stepantsminda (formerly known as Kazbegi). Explore this mountain village then take a 2.5-hour hike through beautiful valleys and woodlands to the iconic Gergeti Trinity Church (2170 m). This 14th-century church sits at the base of the second-highest volcanic summit in the Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi (5047 m) – and weather permitting you may catch a glimpse of this frosty behemoth. The image of the pointed spires of the isolated church against the mountains is truly breathtaking, and a great place to practice your photography skills. Drive back to Gudauri for an included dinner.
Included Activities:
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Day 9: Tbilisi
Location: Tbilisi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Make the drive to the capital of Tbilisi (approximately 3 hours), sure to be a slight shock to the system after the peace of the mountains. Get into the swing of things with an orientation walk with your leader. Spend the rest of the daytime as you wish, perhaps grabbing a khachapuri (bread stuffed with salty cheese) to snack on while you wander. In the evening, regroup and head out for dinner with your fellow travellers and leader. This is a good chance to munch down on khinkali, Georgia’s famous dumplings. Make sure to ask your leader about the polite way to eat them – it involves sucking out the juice and leaving the pinched bit of dough where the edges of the delicious parcel have joined on the plate.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 10: Tbilisi
Location: Tbilisi
Meals Included: breaksfast
Your trip comes to an end today after breakfast. Want to spend more time in this gorgeous city? We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
Optional Activities:
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What's Included
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Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (3 nights) -
Baku - Leader-led night city walk
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Qobustan - Petroglyphs
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Baku - Old City Walking Tour
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Lahic - Yoghurt Making Master Class
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Lahic - Copper workshop visit
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Shamakhi - Juma Mosque
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Nij - Udin village visit
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Kish - Church
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Kish - Village Visit
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Sheki - Shebeke workshop visit
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Included Activities
- Baku - Caravanserai
- Baku - Shirvan Shah Palace
- Baku - Old City Walking Tour
- Baku - Maiden's Tower
- Qobustan - Petroglyphs
- Shamakhi - Yoghurt making
- Lahic - Copper workshop visit
- Baku - Absheron Peninsula Tour
- Sheki - Khan's Palace
- Nidj - Udin village visit
- Kish - Church
- Kish - Village Visit
- Sheki - Shebeke workshop visit
- Sheki - Bazaar
- Kvareli - Lunch with a Local Family
- Kakheti- Gremi Complex
- Kakheti- Tsinandali Estate Visit
- Kakheti- Telavi Fresh Produce Market Visit
- Telavi - Alaverdi Cathedral
- Stepantsminda - Gergeti Trinity Church Hike
- Tbilisi - Metekhi Church
- Tbilisi - Orientation Walk
Transport
- There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. Windy roads, rough surfaces and cramped conditions make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort.
Accommodation
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
- Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. Please note there is a chance of potential changes to the itinerary due to heavy rain, flooding and snow at higher altitudes, which often affect roads and bridges, making travel difficult or impossible (particularly in remote areas).
- 3. Please be advised that due to current border crossing restrictions for different Caucasus nationalities, your Trip Leader may be from nearby region. Your leader will have in-depth knowledge and extensive travel experience throughout the Caucasus. Local guides from Azerbaijan and Georgia are represented throughout the itinerary to ensure you receive a diverse and uniquely local range of perspectives.
Mode of Transport
- There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. Windy roads, rough surfaces and cramped conditions make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
There’s so much to see in this part of the world and we don't want you to miss anything. The itinerary is densely packed, but there will be the odd free afternoon or evening to explore at your own pace. Please read the itinerary carefully to determine if this will suit you.
Some of the best scenery in the region is found on foot. So, while this trip doesn't require a high level of fitness, it’s essential to be at least moderately fit if you want to partake in all activities. Make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes with good support.
This trip has a strong historical focus and is perfect for anyone with an interest in the Caucasus region. Even if you know nothing about the area, you’re bound to find yourself fascinated by the various political and social machinations that have shaped the area.
If you enjoy experiencing new food, good wine and breathtaking scenery then this is the right trip for you, keep in mind that altitudes can be high (over 2000m) so even in summer a sweater is a good idea.
If you would like to further explore the region, please check out our 20-day trip 'Azerbaijan & Georgia Experience' (trip code:KFSGC). -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions