Self-Launched: Around Georgia in 8 Days
8 days · Georgia
Around Georgia charges £820
No-markup version: ~£306 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of Around Georgia's 8-day loop from Tbilisi — the same circuit through Kazbegi, Kakheti wine country, Mtskheta, Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi and Kutaisi, but built on marshrutka minibuses, shared taxis and cheap guesthouses. Georgia is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel independently: minibuses run to almost every town, guesthouses cost £12-20 a night, and a feast with wine rarely tops £12. You lose the guide and the pre-booked 4* hotels, but you keep every landmark, canyon and wine tasting, and spend roughly a third of the tour price. Note: Georgia's roads are slow — distances look short but travel takes longer than you expect.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tbilisi — Old Town on foot + supra welcome dinner
Tbilisi
Fly into Tbilisi (buses 37 or the airport train run to the centre for a few lari; a Bolt/Yandex taxi should be £5-8). Check into a hostel or small guesthouse in Sololaki or the Old Town. In the afternoon do the old-city walk yourself: Metekhi Church, the sulphur bath district (Abanotubani), Anchiskhati Basilica, the Bridge of Peace, and the Narikala fortress via the cable car. In the evening book a 'Georgian feast / supra with toastmaster' dinner experience through GetYourGuide or a local cooking studio (from about £25-35 including khinkali-making and wine) — the independent equivalent of the tour's Toastmaster's night, minus the 4* hotel.
🚌Airport bus 37 or train to city centre, £1-2; Bolt taxi £5-8. Walking + metro (0.50 lari/trip) in town.
🛏Hostel dorm or private guesthouse room in Old Town / Sololaki (£12-20 pp)
- →Self-guided Old Town walk: Metekhi, Abanotubani, Narikala cable car, Bridge of Peace
- →Bookable supra / toastmaster dinner with khinkali & khachapuri making (GetYourGuide or local studio)
Georgian Military Road to Kazbegi: Ananuri, Jvari Pass, Gergeti Trinity
Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)
Take a marshrutka to Kazbegi from Didube bus station (~10 lari, 3 hours, departures through the morning). If you want the full photo-stop itinerary — Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, the Friendship of Peoples observation deck on the Jvari Pass — the simplest independent option is to join a shared day tour/minivan from Tbilisi (GetYourGuide, ~£20-25) or split a private driver with other travellers. Overnight in Kazbegi rather than rushing back: guesthouses are cheap and the light on Mount Kazbek at dawn is worth it. Hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church in the late afternoon (~1.5 hrs up, or 6-8 lari by local taxi to the trailhead road).
🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi Didube–Kazbegi ~10 lari (£3); shared minivan day tour option ~£20-25; local taxi to Gergeti trailhead ~£2
🛏Family guesthouse in Stepantsminda (£15-20 pp with breakfast)
- →Ananuri Fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir viewpoint
- →Friendship of Peoples observation deck / Jvari Pass
- →Hike to Gergeti Trinity Church beneath Mount Kazbek
Kazbegi back to Tbilisi, then Kakheti wine country
Telavi / Sighnaghi, Kakheti
Return to Tbilisi by marshrutka (morning departures, ~10 lari). From Tbilisi's Samgori station take a marshrutka to Telavi over the Gombori Pass (~1.5-2 hrs, 6-8 lari). Base yourself in Telavi or Sighnaghi (guesthouses £15-20). Do a Tsinandali Estate visit (small entry fee) plus a wine tasting at a local winery — either Tsinandali/Shumi or, better value, a family qvevri winery in the Alazani Valley (~£8-15). End the day at Bodbe Monastery above Sighnaghi for the Alazani Valley view, then dinner at a Sighnaghi family restaurant overlooking the valley.
🚌Marshrutka Kazbegi–Tbilisi ~10 lari (£3); marshrutka Tbilisi Samgori–Telavi 6-8 lari (£2); local shared taxis for winery hops £3-5
🛏Guesthouse in Telavi or Sighnaghi (£15-20 pp incl. breakfast)
- →Gombori Pass drive to Kakheti
- →Tsinandali Estate house museum and botanical park
- →Qvevri wine tasting in the Alazani Valley
- →Bodbe Monastery and Sighnaghi old town viewpoint
Kakheti to Mtskheta and on to Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe
Bus back to Tbilisi (~2 hrs) and stop in Mtskheta en route — it's on the Tbilisi suburban marshrutka network, so hop off, see Jvari Monastery (6th century, on the hill above town) and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, then continue. From Tbilisi take a marshrutka or shared taxi south to Akhaltsikhe (~3.5-4 hrs, ~10-12 lari). In the late afternoon walk the restored Rabat Fortress complex in Akhaltsikhe — entry is only a couple of lari. Sleep in Akhaltsikhe rather than pushing further.
🚌Marshrutka Telavi–Tbilisi 6-8 lari; local bus/taxi to Mtskheta 2-3 lari; marshrutka Tbilisi–Akhaltsikhe 10-12 lari (£3-4)
🛏Guesthouse in Akhaltsikhe (£12-18 pp)
- →Mtskheta: Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
- →Rabat Fortress in Akhaltsikhe (evening light)
Borjomi springs and park, then Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Morning marshrutka to Borjomi (~45 min). Walk the Borjomi Central Park to the hot and cold mineral springs (small park entry fee) and taste the famous spring water straight from the source. Continue by marshrutka/shared taxi to Kutaisi (~3 hrs via Khashuri, 10-12 lari). Kutaisi is cheap and pleasant: wander the central square, the White Bridge and the Colchis Fountain in the evening.
🚌Marshrutka Akhaltsikhe–Borjomi ~4 lari; Borjomi–Kutaisi 10-12 lari (£3-4)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi old town (£12-18 pp)
- →Borjomi Historical Park and mineral springs walk
- →Evening stroll of central Kutaisi
Okatse Canyon trek + Prometheus or Sataplia Cave
Kutaisi
Take a marshrutka toward Khoni/Gordi and a shared taxi onward to Okatse Canyon (a Bolt out and back is also affordable if you split it — roughly £10-15 each way). Walk the skywalk trail along the canyon rim (~1.5-2 hrs). On the way back, add Prometheus Cave (biggest show cave in the region, entry ~£5) or Sataplia Cave and dinosaur footprints if the weather is dry. Evening: an Imeretian dinner — khachapuri Imeruli and pkhali — at a local tavern (£8-10).
🚌Marshrutka/shared taxi Kutaisi–Okatse return ~£8-12; entry fees ~£8 total
🛏Same Kutaisi guesthouse (£12-18 pp)
- →Okatse Canyon skywalk trek
- →Prometheus Cave or Sataplia Cave
- →Imeretian dinner in Kutaisi
Martvili Canyon and Vani, back to Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Morning marshrutka or shared taxi to Martvili Canyon (~1 hr) — the boardwalk over the turquoise gorge, plus a short boat ride if the water level allows (a few lari). Stop at the Vani archaeological museum (Colchian gold, small entry) on the way back. Then take the afternoon marshrutka/train from Kutaisi back to Tbilisi (~4-5 hrs, 12-15 lari by bus; Georgian Railways daytime train is comfortable and similar cost). Spend a last evening in Tbilisi with a glass of Saperavi.
🚌Shared taxi/marshrutka to Martvili ~£3; Kutaisi–Tbilisi bus or train 12-15 lari (£4)
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse in Tbilisi (£12-20 pp)
- →Martvili Canyon boardwalk and boat ride
- →Vani Archaeopolis museum
- →Last night out in Tbilisi
Departure from Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Final morning for the Dry Bridge flea market or the Dezerter Bazaar food market, then airport bus 37 or a Bolt taxi to Tbilisi airport. No airport transfer is needed on a group schedule — you leave on your own flight.
🚌Airport bus 37 or Bolt taxi, £1-8
🛏—
- →Dry Bridge market or Dezerter Bazaar
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. Around Georgia
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Around Georgia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£306 | £820 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £514 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Around Georgia-style trips? Check them out here.~£306
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched: Around Georgia in 8 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £306 per person for 8 days in Georgia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Around Georgia?+
Yes — Around Georgia charges around £820 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £306 — a saving of roughly £514 (63%) per person.
How long is the Georgia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Georgia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Georgia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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