Borjomi Rabati Vardzia Tour: Fortress and Cave City

Mineral springs, a medieval fortress, and a city carved into stone

A group tour from Kutaisi to three historical sites in southern Georgia: Borjomi Park, where you taste mineral water from natural springs; the medieval Rabati fortress, explored with a local guide who explains its history and structure; and Vardzia, a cave city built in the Middle Ages with over 500 rooms, most now ruins. English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle included. Entrance fees to each site are optional at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Borjomi, Rabati, and Vardzia

• Taste mineral water at Borjomi Park
• Walk in Borjomi Park
• Explore Rabati castle with guide
• Visit Vardzia cave city ruins

The experience

The day starts in Borjomi Park, where the mineral water that bears the region's name flows from natural springs. You taste it straight from the source: a refreshing stop that frames the landscape around it. From there, the route moves to Rabati, a medieval fortress where a local guide walks you through the structure and its history, explaining how the castle was built and what each section meant. The fortress sits layered with different periods, and the guide unpacks that complexity as you move through it.

Vardzia is the day's anchor: a cave city carved into the mountainside during the Middle Ages. What remains is a honeycomb of rooms (some intact, many empty ruins) that once housed over 500 spaces. Walking through them, you move between inhabited chambers and hollow stone, each one a fragment of how people lived centuries ago. The scale of it, the sheer number of carved rooms stacked into the cliff face, is what stays with you.

The tour runs 14 hours from pickup in Kutaisi, with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport throughout. Entrance fees to Borjomi Park, Rabati, and Vardzia are separate and chosen at checkout, so you decide which sites to enter and which to see from outside.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout the day.
• air-conditioned vehicle for transport between Kutaisi and all three sites.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 15.68

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Budget Georgia

Is this one for you?The tour departs from Kutaisi with hotel pickup included, so you don't need a car or arrange your own transport to reach these three sites spread across southern Georgia. The 14-hour day fits all three landmarks (the mineral springs, the fortress, and the cave city) into one route, which is what makes visiting them together possible without multiple bookings.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3).

What is Borjomi mineral water, and where does it come from?

Borjomi is Georgia's most famous mineral water, sourced from natural springs in Borjomi Park. On the tour, you taste it directly from the springs: a refreshing moment that shows why the water and the region share the same name.

What will I see inside Rabati fortress?

Rabati is a medieval castle with distinct sections built across different periods. A local guide explains the structure and history as you walk through it, pointing out how the fortress was constructed and what each part was used for.

How many cave rooms are in Vardzia, and are they all open to walk through?

Vardzia was built with over 500 rooms carved into the mountainside during the Middle Ages. Most are now ruins or empty chambers, and you walk through the cave city to see the scale of what remains: some rooms intact, others just stone walls and openings.

Does the tour include entrance fees to all three sites?

Entrance fees to Borjomi Park, Rabati, and Vardzia are optional and chosen at checkout. The tour price covers the guide, transport, and the route. You decide which sites to enter and which to view from outside.

How long is the full tour, and what time does it start from Kutaisi?

The tour runs 14 hours total from Kutaisi. A specific departure time is confirmed at checkout. The itinerary covers Borjomi Park, Rabati, and Vardzia with travel time between each stop.