Georgia Road Trip: How To Explore Georgia The Country

Georgia. How many times have you heard this name and instantly thought of the US state of Georgia? Yes, even I was guilty of the same until I started seeing people visiting a small Caucasian country in Eastern Europe. What the heck is this place was my exact reaction when back in 2015 I discovered there is a country named Georgia in Europe! Pardon me for my poor geography but I was blown away after learning about the history and culture that surrounds this small gem of a country. Fast forward to 2018, I was ready packing my bags and heading to for an ultimate Georgia road trip.

Surrounded by the Caucasus mountain range and filled with Russians, Arab, and Ottoman culture, Georgia the country has everything to offer. From centuries-old churches, castles to long-lived and revived culinary culture and heritage. Not on many people’s radar, the country is gradually making efforts to get a spot on the world tourism map.

Georgia the country is not very big in size and the best way to explore the beauty it has to offer is definitely by doing a Georgia road trip! There is so much to stop and enjoy in the middle of nowhere, which you will completely miss if you’re going with a tour agency. The roads towards the mountainous regions might not be your favorite to drive on but take my words; the pit stops along the way in a Georgia road trip are better and beautiful than the actual destinations.

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I went on a five days Georgia road trip with my best friend. Here I everything we did on the roads together…

Georgia Road Trip Stop #1 – Tbilisi

The capital city of Tbilisi in Georgia is a whole different experience to live. The city has so much to offer that it requires a minimum of three days to live and enjoy Tbilisi. From old churches, historic Sulphur Baths to a modern buzzing with life district of Rustaveli Avenue, you will never be short of any activity to do in Tbilisi. We spent the first two days in Tbilisiexploring all the main touristy spots and left the remaining of the city to be explored on our final day in Georgia after returning from the road trip.

To learn more about everything to see, do and eat in Tbilisi, read my complete article on How To Spend A Day In Tbilisi or check out some fun tours from Tbilisi

Georgia Road Trip Stop #2 – Ananuri

Not more than an hour and a half drive away from Tbilisi, Ananuri is a short and popular pit stop before reaching to the Stepantsminda region on Georgia. The pit stop is actually a small flea market near the old church which overlooks the beautiful river flowing by. The church is believed to be standing there from many centuries. There is a lot of history hidden inside the abandoned church. It was also used as a hiding place for the locals of the surrounding areas during the Soviet war. The Ananuripit stop is a mandatory stop for tourists visiting Stepantsminda from Tbilisi.

Nearing our ascent on to the mountains after Ananuri begins a dramatic road ride straight out of a fairytale! With natural water springs flowing from the mountains on one side and a panoramic view of the gorgeous green fields and distant mountains on the other, the road to our next destination was absolutely breathtaking!

Feel free to stop anywhere to encounter views like this…

This is the beauty of a Georgia Road Trip!

Georgia Road Trip Stop #3 – Gaudauri

And as the Georgia Road trip begins to mesmerize you, the next pits stop on the way to Kazbegi will be ready to blow you away. Gaudauri, a very small town on the top of a mountain is famous for paragliding. There is perhaps nothing much to do there except for enjoying the views of the valley from the mountain top and seeing the other mountains in the surrounding. Gaudauri is also a winter wonderland with a winter ski resort which can be reached by a cable car. However, as I visited Gaugauri during September, the ski resort was closed. But nonetheless, I enjoyed my short stop at Gaudauri by paragliding under the sun in the beautiful green mountains of Georgia.

Note: You can book for paragliding beforehand by searching the companies doing adventure activities in the area or you can just show up there and then. There are many operators doing paragliding in Gaudauri and they don’t mind taking in people without a booking too.

Georgia Road Trip Stop #4 – Kazbegi

After completing an almost three and a half hour’s journey from Tbilisi in one day, our final stop for the day was the town of Kazbegi in Stepantsminda region. The small mountain town is just 10km away from the Russian border. The most anticipated activity to do in Kazbegi is hiking to the Trinity Church on Mt. Kazbegi. The other alternative is to hire a driver with a car who will drive you all the way up to the mountain in $20. The views of the small town of Kazbegi from the mountaintop are nothing short of spectacular!

The snowcapped peak of Mt. Kazbegi can be reached by two days trek, however, that was not a part of my plan. The other activities to do in Kazbegi include dining in one of the small local cafes to get a perfect vibe of the Georgian culture. The other highly recommended activity is to go on a night stroll along the small roads of the town. The cold breeze and deserted streets of Kazbegi is everything you will need after a long day ride of your Georgia road trip.

Related: Check Out My Guide On How To Spend One Day In Kazbegi

Georgia Road Trip Stop #5 – Borjomi

Borjomi is one of those cities in Georgia, which is often overlooked by tourists. The road trip ride from Kazbegi to Borjomi is a long one as it takes nearly four to five hours of driving without any pit stops on the way. But it is absolutely irresistible to ignore the natural beauty of Georgia so a pit stop by the river flowing from the mountain was a definite thing for me! While road tripping in Georgia, you will come across many lonely rivers to sit and enjoy the scenic views. That’s exactly what I did next because who can ignore views like this…

Then we continued our journey towards Borjomi, which also got a bit boring as soon as we hit the highway. However, reaching Borjomi I realized it is a well-developed modern city with luxury hotels and resorts like Crowne Plaza Borjomi and Borjomi Palace Hotel. The biggest attraction in Borjomi is the Borjomi Central Park, which is home to one of the biggest natural water springs in Georgia. The central park is also home to a mineral water spa and a lush green forest. The mineral water spa can be reached by a few kilometers hike through a forest.

I wasn’t very keen for the hike after a very long ride but did it anyway. That turned out to be one of my best decisions though! The serenity and calmness of the forest was everything my body and mind needed at that time! If visiting the Borjomi Central Park do not think twice before hiking through the forest in the park! The nightlife in Borjomi is also quite buzzing with live singing and karaoke happening in the cafes and restaurants till late hours of the night.

Check Some Interesting Fun Tours To Borjumi

Georgia Road Trip Stop #6 – Bakuriani Ski Resort

Waking up the next morning to misty rainy weather in Borjomi, we continued our Georgia road trip towards our next pit stop destination, Bakuriani Ski Resort. Located at an extremely picturesque two hours’ drive away from Borjomi, the Bakuriani Ski Resort is ideal to visit during the winter season. However, even in September, the place was equally cold and beautiful. The main resort can be reached after three stops of the cable car on top of the mountain. But during our visit due to heavy rain and fog, the cable car operations were restricted to only the first stop. Nonetheless, the views of the lush green forest from there were absolutely mind-blowing!

Also, did I tell you that the journey from Borjomi to Bakuriani have views like these…

Georgia Road Trip Stop #7 – Gori

Gori was our next pit stop on the way back to Tbilisi. The city of Gori is popular for its association with the greatest Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. Being the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, the main city hall has the Joseph Stalin Museum, which is built around his house where he used to stay. The exhibits in the museum include some of his office furniture, personal accessories, and gifts given to him over the years. The outside of the museum has a parked railway carriage which was originally used by Stalin for his voyages to Persia. There is also a fort on the top of the cliff in Gori, however, we restricted our visit to the museum only before continuing our Georgia road trip back to Tbilisi.

Here Are Some Day Trips & Tours To Take In Gori

Spending the night in Tbilisi and exploring the nightlife there, our final destination of the Georgia road trip was Signagi.

Georgia Road Trip Stop #8 – Signagi

Signagi also was known as the ‘City of Love’ in Georgia is apart of the easternmost region of Kakheti.  Signagi serves as a popular tourist destination due to its location at the heart of Georgia’s wine-growing regions. The fairytale town also has picturesque landscapes, pastel houses, and narrow, cobblestone streets. Signagi is situated on a steep hill, which overlooks the vast Alazani Valley, with the Caucasus Mountains visible at a distance. When visiting Signagi, wine tasting is a must-do activity.

Loved This Georgia Road Trip? Here Is More On The Most Scenic Roads Trips In Europe

We stopped for lunch and wine tasting at the Kakhetian House Vakirelebi, where you can also make your own traditional Georgian bread and a dessert for lunch. The restaurant cum vineyard also offers spectacular views of the Caucasus mountain range from the dining hall. Located just a 2km away from the town of Signagiis the monastery of St. Nino, who was the first person to bring Christianity in Georgia. The open-air garden at the monastery also offers a panoramic view of Azerbaijan and the surrounding mountains.

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After visiting the monastery, we started the final leg of our Georgia road trip directly from Signagi to the Tbilisi International Airport. that marked the completion of our road trip journey around the gem of Eastern Europe, Georgia.

Georgia is an incredibly cheap European country. Check out this post to know more cheap European destinations to visit.

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