Finishing off the Caucasus

We loved Uzbekistan so much we decided to give some other countries in that area a try but Covid got in the way.

Day 1: Baku arrive and rest in afternoon

Arrival in Baku. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel for check-in after 14:00. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Baku

At 10:00 meet your guide and start the sightseeing tour in Baku. Visit Martyrs Lane, known as ‘Shehidler Khiyabany’ among locals. When you walk through the Alley of the Martyrs, you will find a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. Move to Icheri Sheher, the old part of the city. Visit Shirvan Shahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, Maiden Tower, and the main market square, which has numerous art studios and souvenir stalls. Continue touring new Baku by exploring Nizami Street and Fountain Square. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be the visit to the iconic Center.
In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3: Baku – Absheron Peninsula – Gobustan – Baku

Today you will visit the area of the Greater Baku and Absheron peninsula.
The first stop is at Yanardag Mountain, also known as Burning Hill, where natural gas has been ablaze for hundreds of years. Continue to the Ateshgah Fire Temple, located in the village of Surakhany. Zoroastrians from India travel thousands of kilometers to Ateshgah to worship the fire coming out of the earth. After lunch, drive to Gobustan National Park to visit the Petroglyph Museum and explore rock carvings dating back to 10,000 BC. The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Weather permitting, drive to the mud volcanoes in Gobustan Reserve (change of vehicle). Gobustan is home to almost half of the world’s mud volcanoes. Return to Baku in the evening.

Day 4: Baku – Shamakhi – Lahij – Sheki

In the morning, depart Baku and drive to Sheki. On the way, stop at Diri Baba Mausoleum in the village of Maraza. Continue to Shamakhi to visit the historical Juma Mosque, which was restored in 2013. Weather permitting, a scenic drive through Girdimanchay River Canyon to visit Lahij* (Lahich) will follow. Lahich, an ancient village with charming cobbled sidewalks, is famous for its medieval water supply and sewage systems, as well as its traditional jewelry, copperware, carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools workshops. This quaint, 5th-century corner of the Caucasus Mountains is rich in historical and architectural value. Continue driving to Sheki for an evening arrival.

Day 5: Sheki – Georgian border – Kvareli – Telavi

At 08:30, after breakfast and hotel check-out, visit the colourful Sheki Bazaar. Here, you can find virtually everything you may want to eat, including local fruits and berries, spices, freshly-baked bread, honey, cheeses, and Sheki sweets. Continue to the Sheki Khans Palace, which is surrounded by medieval fortress walls, and then explore the handicrafts workshops and the famous caravanserai. Depart Sheki and head towards the border with Georgia (115 km, ~2 h). Cross the border and start exploring the eastern part of Georgia, which is famous for its viticulture and winemaking traditions. The first stop will be the Khareba Winery, near the town of Kvareli. On the way there, enjoy the picturesque landscapes of vineyards and wine-producing villages. Khareba’s unique wine cellar is in a tunnel carved out of the rock. Originally built for military purposes, today the tunnel is used to store Kakheti’s finest wines. Enjoy a winery tour and a tasting session.

Day 6: Telavi – Tsinandali – Sighnaghi – Bodbe – Tbilisi

After breakfast, take a short walk through the charming streets of Old Telavi, stopping for photos at the monument to Erekli II and the giant plane tree that is more than 900 years old. Then continue exploring the Kakheti Region by visiting Tsinandali Palace, the former residence of Georgian dukes. Prince Chavchavadze, a 19th century public figure and poet, turned the Estate into what it is today, with a beautiful English-style garden, a museum, and a wine cellar. The next stop is Sighnaghi, the Royal Town and “City of Love”. This city, surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers, was an important trading centre on the Great Silk Road. Continue to Bodbe Convent – according to legend, this is the burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century. Since 1889, following a decree by Tsar Alexander III of Russia, Bodbe Convent functions as a nunnery. Arrive in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.

Day 7: Tbilisi – City Tour

Breakfast, followed by a sightseeing tour of Tbilisi. Start at Metekhi Church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Visit Narikala Fortress to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Walk past Tbilisi’s only mosque, down to the sulphur bath housedistrict. Enjoy a stroll through the Sharden area, which is full of narrow streets with cozy cafés, wine bars, and souvenir shops, and breathe in the history of Old Tbilisi. Also visit Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the famous Rezo Gabriadze Theatre’s clock tower, before crossing the Bridge of Peace to Rike Park.
In the evening, visit a local restaurant for a traditional dinner with a folklore show.

Day 8: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Tbilisi

After breakfast, drive to Mtskheta, one of the oldest towns and the cultural and religious centre of Georgia. Mtskheta was the capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the third century BC. Visit Jvari Church, a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period, overlooking the confluence of Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers from a hilltop, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral which may be translated as “The Life-giving pillar”. Svetitskhoveli is the main cathedral of Mtskheta and a sacred place where the robe of Christ is being kept. Continue to Gori and visit the Stalin Museum. Explore the cave town Uplistsikhe, dating back to Hellenistic Period and notable for unique combination of various styles of rock-cut cultures and the co-existence of pagan and Christian architecture. Drive back to Tbilisi for overnight.

Day 9: Tbilisi – Free Day

Breakfast. Free day in Tbilisi (guide and transportation are not provided). Overnight at the hotel.
Otherwise, we suggest the following activities and places to visit in the city:
• Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Avenue – to visit the “Archaeological Treasury” exhibition;
• National Gallery on Rustaveli Avenue – to see the works of the famous Georgian artists Niko Pirosmani, David Kakabadze, and Lado Gudiashvili;
• Tbilisi flea market at Dry Bridge – where you can find antiquities (many of which are from the Soviet era), paintings by local artists, and handmade Georgian souvenirs;
• David Agmashenebeli Avenue – a recently-renovated pedestrian street full of historical buildings that have beautiful facades in the art nouveau, pseudo gothic, and classicist styles, with a mix of typical Georgian ornamentation and balconies. All along the street there are plenty of cozy art cafés, galleries, shops, and wine bars;
• Dezertirebi Bazaar – which sells local, natural products including Georgian sweets (such as churchkhela); various types of dried fruits, nuts, and spices; and Georgian cheeses;
• Funicular railway to Mtatsminda Mountain – which offers a beautiful view of Tbilisi;
• Wander in Sololaki – a neighborhood full of art nouveau houses;

Day 10: Tbilisi – Armenian border – Haghpat – Lake Sevan – Sevanavank – Yerevan

Breakfast. Meet your driver at the hotel after breakfast to transfer to the Georgian-Armenian border point, Sadakhlo-Bagratashen. Cross the border and meet your Armenian guide and driver to start the journey to the land of ancient traditions and the ancient churches. Drive to the Lori region and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Haghpat Monastery. This stunning example of traditional Armenian architecture was erected between the 10th and 13th centuries. Standing on a hillside, Haghpat beautifully overlooks the Debed River Canyon. The monastery’s location was chosen to protect the peace and seclusion of the monks. Drive through Dilijan to Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-mountain freshwater lakes in the world. The lake’s coastline is rich with dense woods, white cliff faces, mountain steppes, and Alpine meadows. Visit Sevanavank Monastery, which is situated at the lake and is surrounded by mountains. Reach Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, in the evening.

Day 11: Yerevan – Etchmiadzin – Yerevan

In the morning, drive out of the city to Etchmiadzin, the Holy See of Armenia and the residence of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church – the Catholicos of All Armenians. Return to explore Yerevan, the oldest capital city in the South Caucasus. Yerevan is known as the Pink City and attracts visitors with its humble yet splendid landscapes. Our first stop in Yerevan will be at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex on Tsitsernakaberd Hill. Next, visit the Cascade Monument, one of the main symbols of the city. The mega scale staircase is 118 meters high and has 572 steps. From the top of the monument, enjoy a breathtaking city view that includes the Opera House, Mount Ararat, Swan Lake, Republic Square, and Abovyan Avenue, all of which we’ll see as we walk the streets of Yerevan. In the evening, visit traditional Armenian restaurant for a firewall dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Yerevan – free day

Free day in Yerevan to explore.

Day 13: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Areni cave – Noravank – Yerevan

At 08:00, we will head to Khor Virap Monastery. According to the legend, St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Baptist of Armenia, had been kept in the basement here for 13 years for disseminating of Christianity until King Tradt decided to adopt the new religion. The monastery’s location allows you to enjoy the best views of Mount Ararat. Drive to Noravank Complex situated on a ledge of a deep winding gorge. Noravank stands amidst the bizarrely shaped, precipitous red cliffs. Continue to Areni Cave complex, where in 2008, the earliest shoe in the world was found. Depart back to Yerevan. On the way, stop in Areni for wine tasting. Arrive in Yerevan at around 18:00.

Day 14: Yerevan – Garni – Symphony of Stones – Geghard – Yerevan

Depart Yerevan and drive to Garni, the only pagan temple in Armenia that survived the introduction of Christianity in the 4th century. Descend Garni Gorge to explore a monumental rock formation called Symphony of Stones. Next stop is the monastery complex called Geghard (“spear”). The beautiful landscape of Geghard is framed by towering cliffs. Decorative art cut into the rocks reflects and explains Medieval development in this part of the world. The complex appeared in the 4th century around the sacred spring inside of the cave. Return to Yerevan. You will have a free afternoon to explore more of Yerevan (Ararat Brandy Factory, Matenadaran manuscripts museum, History Museum, or the souvenirs market “Vernisage”.

Day 15: Yerevan – departure

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Free time till transfer to Yerevan International Airport. End of Caucasus Essentials Tour.