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Two ancient Caucasus kingdoms — Georgia and Armenia — overland in eleven unhurried days, well off the tourist trail. We travel by scenic train and private vehicle from 3,000-year-old Kutaisi and the eerie Soviet ghost town of Tskaltubo to the cliff-carved cave city of Vardzia, then cross into Armenia for Yerevan's café culture, the sacred monastery of Khor Virap beneath Mount Ararat, a forest hike to hidden monasteries in Dilijan, and a night on the turquoise shore of Lake Sevan — all with two wine tastings, a Molokan family lunch and a hands-on dolma cooking session along the way.
Gamarjoba — welcome to Georgia! Arrive in Tbilisi and settle in. Tonight we gather for a welcome Georgian supper where our team talks you through the journey ahead over khachapuri and a glass of wine.
A full day to fall for Tbilisi. We wander the cobbled old town beneath its carved wooden balconies, ride the cable car up to Narikala Fortress for the view over the rooftops, and — if you fancy it — soak in the domed sulphur baths of the Abanotubani quarter. The afternoon is free for the cafés and wine bars of Rustaveli and Fabrika.
We take the train west to Kutaisi — one of the world's oldest cities at over 3,000 years old, tied to the legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece. An afternoon orientation walk takes in the lively Mtsvane Bazaar and a ride on the Soviet-era aerial cable car for sweeping views, before a home-cooked dinner at our family-run guesthouse.
This morning we explore Tskaltubo — an eerily beautiful ghost town of abandoned Soviet spa sanatoriums, all grand staircases, peeling frescoes and silence. Then to a family winery to taste Georgian wine made the ancient way in buried clay qvevri. The afternoon is free in Kutaisi for the Gelati and Bagrati cathedrals.
We drive south, pausing in leafy Borjomi to walk to its famously fizzy mineral springs. Continuing to Akhaltsikhe, we arrive at the honey-coloured Rabati Castle — a beautifully restored 9th-century fortress that wraps churches, a mosque and a citadel into one remarkable complex.
A morning at the astonishing cave city of Vardzia — nineteen tiers of tunnels, chapels and frescoed churches carved half a kilometre into the cliff in the 12th century. Then we cross the border into Armenia and arrive in characterful Gyumri for an evening stroll with our team.
After a relaxed morning and a visit to Gyumri's inclusive community bakery, we take the train to Yerevan — Armenia's warm, café-loving capital, framed on clear days by the snow-capped pyramid of Mount Ararat. An orientation walk on arrival, then the evening is yours.
A morning city tour with a local guide through one of the world's oldest cities, founded in 782 BC. Later we join local women at an ethnographic house for a hands-on dolma cooking demonstration — then sit down together to enjoy the feast we've made. The afternoon is free for the Cascade complex or Vernissage market.
We drive to Khor Virap, Armenia's most sacred monastery, set dramatically beneath Mount Ararat. Then to the village of Fioletovo to share a home-cooked lunch with a Molokan family and learn about their traditions, before reaching the leafy mountain town of Dilijan — and an evening tasting of Armenian wine.
A gentle forest hike in Dilijan National Park links two secluded 13th-century monasteries slowly being swallowed by the trees. Then on to Lake Sevan — one of the world's great high-altitude lakes, all turquoise water and clear mountain air. We stay lakeside at a lodge run by a local NGO: swim, relax, and watch the light change over the water.
This morning we climb to Sevanavank Monastery on its peninsula above the lake — one of the most photographed views in all Armenia. Then back to Yerevan for a free afternoon, and a farewell dinner tonight to toast the journey and everyone on it.
Our adventure ends after breakfast this morning. We'll arrange your transfer to Zvartnots Airport — or, if you'd like to keep exploring Armenia, just say the word and we'll help you extend.
Our team has led small-group adventures across Asia, East Africa, the Caucasus and South America since 2006. We know the routes we run inside out — and we run them personally.
Never more than 12 people on this tour. Small groups move differently — you get into places larger groups can't, spend more time in the moment and actually get to know the people you're travelling with.
You book your own flights, so you have full flexibility over your dates, airline and route. We're always happy to advise on the best connections — just ask when you enquire.
No booking engine. Enquire and our team will be in touch within 24 hours to discuss everything personally — and to tailor the trip around your schedule and what matters most to you.
