7-day Georgia private jeep tour: Mountains, coast and glaciers

A week in a 4x4 crosses five mountain passes and ends at glaciers most visitors never reach.

A 7-day private jeep tour from Tbilisi takes small groups (1 to 4 travelers) through Georgia's interior on a single itinerary: Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the first two days, then south to Vardzia's 13th-century cave town and the Black Sea resort of Batumi, north into the high Caucasus to Mestia and Ushguli, and back through Georgia's largest cave system to Kutaisi before returning to the capital. A professional English-speaking driver-guide pilots a comfortable air-conditioned 4x4 the entire route. Accommodation in guesthouses and small hotels, plus breakfast and dinner, are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tbilisi to Bakuriani via Gori and Borjomi

• Visit Jvari Monastery
• Explore Ancient Capital of Georgia
• Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
• Optional visit to Joseph Stalin Museum
• See most ancient historical sight
• Visit Borjomi park and taste mineral water

Day 2: Bakuriani to Vardzia via Tabatskuri

• Drive to 2,500mt above sea level
• Visit Tabatskuri Lake
• Explore 10th century fortress
• Tour 13th century cave town Vardzia

Day 3: Vardzia to Batumi via Akhaltsikhe and Goderdzi Pass

• Visit Akhaltsikhe fortress
• Optional visit to 8th century monastery
• Drive Goderdzi Pass at 2,000mt ASL
• Visit Green Lake
• Ride Soviet time cable car
• See Makhuntseti Waterfall

Day 4: Batumi to Mestia

• Visit Batumi park
• See Enguri Water Reservoir

Day 5: Mestia to Ushguli

• Visit Ski Resort and ride cable car
• Visit 9th century monastery

Day 6: Ushguli to Kutaisi

• Drive via Latpari Pass at 2,500mt ASL
• Visit biggest cave in Georgia
• Walking tour of Kutaisi

Day 7: Kutaisi to Tbilisi

• Visit 11th century UNESCO site
• Visit Kutaisi agricultural market
• See Katskhi Pillar Monastery
• Visit Monument of Chronicles of Georgia

The experience

The tour runs as a fixed seven-day loop, not a flexible itinerary you customize. You start in Tbilisi, drive south through Gori (the ancient capital) to the Borjomi gorge and the mountain town of Bakuriani, then continue into the high country: Tabatskuri Lake sits at 2,500 meters, and from there the route descends to Vardzia, a 13th-century fortress carved into the cliff face. The second half swings west to Batumi on the Black Sea coast, then climbs back into the central Caucasus to Mestia and Ushguli, two villages built around 9th-century monasteries in terrain where roads are rough and the altitude demands a capable vehicle. The return crosses Latpari Pass at 2,500 meters before dropping into Kutaisi to visit Georgia's largest cave and a working agricultural market, then heads back to Tbilisi.

The driver-guide speaks English (Italian available depending on the option) and stays with the group for all seven days. The 4x4 is air-conditioned and built for the terrain. Fuel and all taxes are included in the price. Six nights of accommodation run through guesthouses in the mountain villages and three-star hotels in the larger towns, with breakfast and dinner provided each day. Lunch is not included, so you eat at stops along the route. The tour is intense (long driving days, high altitude, rough roads in places), and the operator notes it is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century UNESCO site, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, an 11th-century UNESCO cathedral in Mtskheta, are both on the first day. The Joseph Stalin Museum in Gori is optional. Goderdzi Pass, Green Lake, a Soviet-era cable car, and Makhuntseti Waterfall appear on the third day heading toward Batumi. In the high mountains, you visit the Mestia ski resort by cable car and walk to a 9th-century monastery in Ushguli. Katskhi Pillar Monastery and the Monument of Chronicles of Georgia round out the final stretch before Tbilisi.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking driver-guide for all seven days.
• private air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle.
• six nights accommodation in guesthouses and three-star hotels.
• breakfast and dinner daily.
• all fuel, taxes and handling charges.

Options for this experience

4 options

Group of 4 people on the tourUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:00Price is per person for a group of 4 on the tour; pickup is included

Group of 3 people on the tourUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:00Price is per person for a group of 3 on the tour; pickup is included

Group of 2 people on the tourUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:00Price is per person for a group of 2 on the tour; pickup is included

1 PersonUp to 1 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:00Jeep tour; pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (20 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 19 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Traffic Travel LLC

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private Jeep tour through Georgia's high passes and remote mountain valleys. You'll reach places like Ushguli and Mestia that day-trippers skip, but you follow a fixed seven-day route at the operator's pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 19 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4).

What is Vardzia and why does the tour spend a night there?

Vardzia is a 13th-century cave town carved into a cliff face in southern Georgia, one of the country's most distinctive historical sites. The tour reaches it on day two and stays overnight nearby, giving you time to explore the fortress and the surrounding landscape without rushing.

How high do the mountain passes go on this tour?

Latpari Pass reaches 2,500 meters above sea level, as does Tabatskuri Lake. Goderdzi Pass sits at 2,000 meters. The altitude is significant, and the operator notes the tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

What happens in Mestia and Ushguli, the villages in the high Caucasus?

Mestia and Ushguli are mountain villages in the central Caucasus where you stay in family guesthouses. In Mestia, the tour includes a visit to the ski resort and a ride on the cable car. In Ushguli, you visit a 9th-century monastery. Both villages sit at high altitude and are reached by rough mountain roads.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. Breakfast and dinner are provided at your accommodation each day, but you eat lunch at stops along the route, choosing from local restaurants and cafes where the driver stops.

Can I choose which days to travel or do I have to follow the full seven-day itinerary?

The tour runs as a fixed seven-day loop from Tbilisi and back. The itinerary does not change. You travel all seven days on the route described. The operator does offer the tour for groups of one to four travelers, so you can book as a solo traveler, a pair, or a small family.

What is the largest cave in Georgia and when do we visit it?

Georgia's largest cave is on day six, on the drive from Ushguli back toward Kutaisi. The tour includes a visit inside before continuing to Kutaisi for an overnight stay and a walking tour of the city.