Self-Launched Georgia & Armenia Adventure: Tbilisi to Yerevan

Fly into Tbilisi International Airport (TBS). Take the metro from the airport area or a cheap taxi (around £5–8) into the city centre. Check into your hostel or guesthouse in the Old Town. Spend the evening strolling Rustaveli Avenue or the atmospheric Abanotubani sulphur bath district. Meet fellow travellers over a local dinner of khachapuri and Georgian wine.

🚌Metro or shared taxi from airport to city centre (~£5–8)

🛏Fabrika Hostel or similar Old Town guesthouse (~£15–20/night)

• →Arrive and check into hostel in Tbilisi Old Town
• →Evening orientation stroll along Rustaveli Avenue and Abanotubani

Explore Tbilisi independently or join a free/low-cost walking tour (tip-based, bookable via GetYourGuide). Walk through the colourful balconied Old Town, ride the cable car up to Narikala Fortress for sweeping city views, then descend into the ancient Caravanserai. Cross the Peace Bridge to Rike Park. In the afternoon, consider a soak in one of the famous Abanotubani sulphur baths (~£5–10).

🚌Walking and cable car within the city

🛏Fabrika Hostel or similar Old Town guesthouse (~£15–20/night)

• →Free or tip-based walking tour of Tbilisi's Old Town districts
• →Cable car ride up to Narikala Fortress (£2–3)
• →Visit the Caravanserai historic trading post
• →Optional: sulphur bath soak in Abanotubani (~£5–10)

Take an early marshrutka (shared minibus) from Didube Bus Station to Stepantsminda (~3.5 hrs, £3–5). From the village, hire a shared 4WD jeep taxi up to the iconic Gergeti Trinity Church perched at 2,170m (~£5–8 per person shared). Explore the church with Mt Kazbegi as a dramatic backdrop. For a khinkali cooking experience, look for homestays or local family cooking sessions bookable via guesthouses in the area (~£10–15). Take an afternoon marshrutka or shared taxi to Gudauri (~1 hr, £3). Stop at the striking Soviet-era Friendship of Nations Monument.

🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi–Stepantsminda, shared 4WD jeep, marshrutka to Gudauri

🛏Guesthouse in Gudauri (~£15–20/night)

• →Marshrutka from Tbilisi Didube Station to Stepantsminda (~£3–5)
• →Shared 4WD jeep to Gergeti Trinity Church (~£5–8 shared)
• →Khinkali meat dumpling cooking experience with a local family (~£10–15)
• →Stop at the Friendship of Nations Monument
• →Overnight in Gudauri

Take a marshrutka from Gudauri back towards Gori (~2 hrs, £4–6). In Gori, visit the hilltop Gori Fortress for free panoramic views over the valley, or pay to enter the State Stalin Museum (~£3–5). Continue by local bus or shared taxi to the remarkable rock-carved city of Uplistsikhe (~£2–3 entry), one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. Then catch an afternoon marshrutka to Kutaisi (~2 hrs, £4–5). Evening orientation walk by the Rioni River.

🚌Marshrutkas: Gudauri–Gori, Gori–Uplistsikhe–Kutaisi

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi (~£15–20/night)

• →Visit Gori Fortress (free) or Stalin Museum (~£3–5)
• →Explore Uplistsikhe ancient cave city (~£3 entry)
• →Marshrutka onward to Kutaisi
• →Evening walk along the Rioni River

Join a shared day-trip minibus from Kutaisi to Martvili Canyon (~£5–8 return, bookable via your guesthouse or local agencies). At the canyon, pay for a short boat ride along the emerald gorge past cascading waterfalls (~£3–5). Grab lunch at a nearby village café. Return to Kutaisi in the afternoon. Optional: walk up to the UNESCO-listed Bagrati Cathedral for sweeping views over the city — free entry.

🚌Shared day-trip minibus to Martvili Canyon and back

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi (~£15–20/night)

• →Shared minibus day trip to Martvili Canyon (~£5–8 return)
• →Boat ride along the canyon gorge (~£3–5)
• →Lunch at a local village café
• →Optional visit to Bagrati Cathedral (free)

Catch a morning marshrutka from Kutaisi towards Tbilisi (~3 hrs, £4–5), stopping en route at Mtskheta — Georgia's ancient spiritual capital. Visit the magnificent Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site, small entry fee ~£1–2) and the Jvari Monastery perched dramatically above the river confluence. Grab lunch in Mtskheta's market stalls. Continue by marshrutka or local bus into Tbilisi for the evening.

🚌Marshrutka Kutaisi–Mtskheta, local taxi to Jvari, marshrutka to Tbilisi

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tbilisi (~£15–20/night)

• →Marshrutka Kutaisi to Mtskheta (~£4–5)
• →Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (~£1–2 entry)
• →Visit Jvari Monastery (free, short shared taxi ~£2–3)
• →Lunch from Mtskheta market stalls
• →Continue by marshrutka to Tbilisi

Use today to explore anything you missed in Tbilisi or simply soak in the atmosphere. The National Museum of Georgia is worth a visit (~£3). Explore the hip Marjanishvili district, browse Dry Bridge flea market for Soviet memorabilia, or take a day trip to David Gareja cave monastery complex (shared tour ~£15–20, bookable via GetYourGuide). Stock up on local churchkhela (walnut-grape candy), wine, and chacha brandy in the Old Town markets.

🚌Walking and metro within Tbilisi; optional shared day-trip van

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tbilisi (~£15–20/night)

• →Visit the National Museum of Georgia (~£3)
• →Browse Dry Bridge Flea Market (free)
• →Optional day trip to David Gareja Cave Monastery (~£15–20 shared tour)
• →Explore Marjanishvili district cafés and wine bars

Take a morning shared taxi from Tbilisi's Ortachala Bus Station to Yerevan (~5–6 hrs, £15–20). This is the most popular and affordable option for travellers — marshrutkas also run this route. The journey crosses the Georgian-Armenian border at Sadakhlo/Bagratashen. Arrive in Yerevan in the afternoon. Check into your hostel near Republic Square. Evening stroll along the cascading Cascade monument and enjoy Armenia's vibrant café culture.

🚌Shared taxi from Ortachala Bus Station, Tbilisi to Yerevan (~£15–20)

🛏Envoy Hostel Yerevan or similar (~£14–18/night)

• →Shared taxi or marshrutka Tbilisi to Yerevan (~£15–20)
• →Cross the Georgian-Armenian border
• →Check in and evening walk at the Cascade monument
• →Explore Republic Square and surrounding cafés

Explore Yerevan on foot or via a free walking tour (bookable on GetYourGuide, tip-based). Visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum at Tsitsernakaberd (~free/donation). Browse the Vernissage open-air market for traditional crafts on weekends. Visit the History Museum of Armenia at Republic Square (~£3). In the evening, head to the rooftop bars along the Northern Avenue for cold Armenian beer and views of Mount Ararat at sunset.

🚌Walking and metro within Yerevan

🛏Envoy Hostel Yerevan or similar (~£14–18/night)

• →Free walking tour of central Yerevan (tip-based, via GetYourGuide)
• →Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum (free/donation)
• →Vernissage flea and craft market (weekends)
• →History Museum of Armenia (~£3)
• →Sunset views of Mount Ararat from Northern Avenue

Book a shared day trip from Yerevan to Garni and Geghard (~£8–12 via local tour agencies or GetYourGuide). Visit the stunning 1st-century Garni Pagan Temple — the only Hellenistic colonnaded building in the former Soviet Union (~£2 entry). Continue to the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, partially carved into a cliff face (free). Back in Yerevan in the afternoon, seek out a traditional Armenian carpet weaving demonstration at the Megerian Carpet factory — free to visit and watch artisans at work.

🚌Shared minibus day trip from Yerevan

🛏Envoy Hostel Yerevan or similar (~£14–18/night)

• →Shared day trip to Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery (~£8–12)
• →Garni Pagan Temple (~£2 entry)
• →Geghard Monastery UNESCO site (free)
• →Armenian carpet weaving demonstration at Megerian Carpet factory (free)

Take a shared day tour (bookable locally or via GetYourGuide, ~£15–20) to Khor Virap monastery — dramatically set against Mount Ararat — and the incredible Noravank Canyon with its striking red-rock 13th-century monastery. Khor Virap is where St Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years, and the views of Ararat on a clear day are unforgettable. Noravank's ochre cliffs and twin-steeple church are one of Armenia's most photogenic spots. Return to Yerevan by late afternoon.

🚌Shared minibus day trip from Yerevan

🛏Envoy Hostel Yerevan or similar (~£14–18/night)

• →Shared day trip: Khor Virap Monastery (~£15–20 including Noravank)
• →Khor Virap Monastery with Ararat views (free entry)
• →Noravank Canyon and monastery (free entry)
• →Return to Yerevan late afternoon

Start the morning with a duduk masterclass — the ancient Armenian double-reed instrument recognised by UNESCO. Book via local music schools or cultural centres in Yerevan (~£10–15 for a group session). In the afternoon, take a marshrutka from Kilikia Bus Station to Lake Sevan (~1.5 hrs, £2–3) — one of the world's largest high-altitude freshwater lakes. Visit the Sevanavank monastery on the peninsula (free), walk the shoreline, and try fresh grilled trout from a lakeside restaurant. Return to Yerevan for a farewell dinner of Armenian dolma, lavash bread, and local wine.

🚌Marshrutka Yerevan–Lake Sevan and return (~£4–6 round trip)

🛏Envoy Hostel Yerevan or similar (~£14–18/night)

• →Duduk Armenian instrument masterclass (~£10–15)
• →Marshrutka to Lake Sevan (~£2–3 each way)
• →Visit Sevanavank Monastery (free)
• →Lakeside lunch of fresh grilled trout
• →Farewell dinner in Yerevan with Armenian dolma and wine

Transfer to Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) by taxi (~£8–12) or airport bus (~£1–2). If your flight allows, visit the Matenadaran manuscript museum in the morning (~£3) — one of the world's greatest repositories of ancient manuscripts. Safe travels!

🚌City bus or taxi to Zvartnots Airport (~£1–12 depending on option)

• →Optional morning visit to Matenadaran Manuscript Museum (~£3)
• →Transfer to Zvartnots International Airport