Borjomi & Bakuriani Day Trip Private Tour with Guide

A full day in the Borjomi valley and mountain resort, from monastery to ski slopes

A private full-day tour from Tbilisi to the Borjomi valley and Bakuriani ski resort, with an English-speaking guide and hotel pickup. You visit the 9th-century Green Monastery built from green-tinged stones, walk through Borjomi Central Park to taste the mineral waters, ride the narrow-gauge "Kukushka" railway through the gorge, and explore Bakuriani at 1,700 meters elevation in the Trialeti Range.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Borjomi and Bakuriani highlights

• Visit Green Monastery of St. George
• Walk in Borjomi Central Park
• See Borjomi-Bakuriani railway and Borjomi Gorge
• Explore Bakuriani ski resort

The experience

The tour leaves Tbilisi with a private driver and guide, heading south into the Borjomi valley. Your first stop is the Mtsvane (Green) Monastery, built between the 9th and 10th centuries 13 kilometers from the town of Borjomi. The church stands out for its construction from special green-colored stones, some darker and some lighter, which give the building its distinctive appearance. From there you move into Borjomi Central Park, where the town's mineral springs flow through landscaped grounds. You can taste the water directly and see why Borjomi became known as a resort destination.

The centerpiece of the day is the ride on the narrow-gauge "Kukushka" railway, which connects Borjomi to Bakuriani and is listed in Georgia's intangible cultural heritage. The train winds through the Borjomi Gorge, passing through coniferous forest and revealing the landscape that changes as you climb. Bakuriani sits at 1,700 meters on the northern slope of the Trialeti Range, about 30 kilometers from Borjomi. The resort town has a transitional climate between maritime and continental zones, with cold winters and long summers. You have time to walk around the town, see Mount Kohta (the highest peak used for skiing at around 2,200 meters), and understand why the area draws both winter sports enthusiasts and summer visitors.

The full day runs about ten hours from pickup to return. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water provided, and your guide speaks English throughout. The pace allows you to spend real time at each stop rather than rushing through. The railway journey alone gives you a sense of the terrain and the scale of the valley. Lunch is not included, so you'll eat in Borjomi or Bakuriani at your own cost.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your Tbilisi hotel.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• bottled water throughout the tour.
• air-conditioned vehicle.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Travel To Georgia

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine the monastery, mineral park, and narrow-gauge railway in one trip with a private vehicle. You'll move between sites on your own schedule rather than following fixed group timings.

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Top questions

What is the Green Monastery and why does it look different from other churches?

The Mtsvane (Green) Monastery was built between the 9th and 10th centuries in the Borjomi valley and is constructed from special stones with a green tint (some darker, some lighter), which give the entire building its unusual coloring. It sits 13 kilometers from the town of Borjomi and is one of the oldest structures you visit on the tour.

How does the Kukushka railway work and what do you see from it?

The "Kukushka" is a narrow-gauge electrified railway that connects Borjomi to Bakuriani, listed in Georgia's intangible cultural heritage. The train winds through the Borjomi Gorge, passing through coniferous forest as it climbs from the valley floor to Bakuriani at 1,700 meters elevation, giving you a close view of the landscape and terrain you cannot see from a car.

What is Bakuriani like and why is it worth visiting in the summer?

Bakuriani is a resort town at 1,700 meters elevation on the northern slope of the Trialeti Range, surrounded by spruce forests and with a transitional climate that brings long, warm summers and cold, snowy winters. In summer, the cool mountain air and forest trails make it a destination for hiking and family holidays, separate from its winter skiing season.

Can I taste the mineral water in Borjomi Central Park?

Yes. Borjomi Central Park is built around the town's natural mineral springs, and you can taste the water directly from the park's fountains and springs. The mineral water is one of Borjomi's defining features and has made it a resort town for over a century.