Gudauri and Ananuri day tour: mountain fortress and ski resort

Celebrate Georgian culture with laughter, stories, and mountain adventures on a scenic day trip

A full-day guided tour from Tbilisi to the Caucasus mountains, visiting Ananuri fortress (a 16th–18th-century castle on the Aragvi River) and Gudauri ski resort, with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide included. The route passes Zhinvali Reservoir and stops for lunch featuring local khinkhali. You spend around 5 hours at Gudauri, where you can try activities like horse riding, snow biking or paragliding (extra cost). Winter roads can be difficult; the operator advises warm clothing and good sleep beforehand. Private tours drop you at your hotel; group tours end at Rose Revolution Square in Tbilisi.

Step-by-step itinerary

Gudauri and Ananuri full day tour

• Pick up from Tbilisi hotel
• Drive to Zhinvali Reservoir
• Visit Ananuri fortress
• Lunch stop with Khinkhali tasting
• Optional rafting experience (summer)
• Try paragliding in Gudauri (optional)
• Enjoy activities at Gudauri ski resort
• Return to Tbilisi and drop off

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your Tbilisi hotel and a long drive north into the Caucasus. Your guide fills the ride with stories about Georgia and sets a celebratory mood — this is not a silent transfer. You'll pass Zhinvali Reservoir, a hydroelectric lake formed by a dam built in 1986, before reaching Ananuri fortress. The castle sits on a foreland above the Aragvi River and dates to the 16th–18th centuries, when it served as the seat of the Eristavis (feudal dukes) who ruled the area. The fortress was the scene of numerous battles and remained in use until the early 19th century; in 2007 it made the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status. The setting is built for landscape photography — the fortress and reservoir together create the kind of view that justifies the long ride.

A lunch stop comes before you reach Gudauri, and the operator sources khinkhali (the Georgian dumpling) from the hills where the tradition originated, so you're eating it in its home region. In summer, rafting is available before lunch as an option. Then you arrive at Gudauri ski resort with around 5 hours to spend there. The resort offers skiing, horse riding, snow biking, and quad biking — or you can simply rest and take in the mountain air. Paragliding is available for an extra cost of approximately 100 USD, though the operator notes this is not their service and they cannot take responsibility for it. Winter travel on this route is demanding: roads can close, and the operator recommends taking everything warm you have and getting good sleep the night before. If snow blocks access to Gudauri itself, you'll spend the extra time at the ski resort instead.

The return to Tbilisi happens around 9–10 PM. If you booked a private tour, the driver drops you at your hotel (or at Kazbegi or Gudauri if that's where you're staying); if you booked a group tour, everyone returns to Rose Revolution Square in central Tbilisi. An air-conditioned vehicle and professional guide are included throughout.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Tbilisi.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• transportation to Ananuri fortress, Zhinvali Reservoir, and Gudauri ski resort.
• around 5 hours at the ski resort with access to activities like horse riding, snow biking, and quad biking.

Operated by Budget Friendly Tours FZE LLC

Is this one for you?Choose the private tour if you want the driver to drop you at your hotel or at Kazbegi or Gudauri at the end of the day; choose the group tour if you're staying in central Tbilisi and prefer to share the cost. Either way, the long drive is built into the experience — your guide's stories and the mood they set make the hours part of the trip itself, not something to endure.

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Top questions

What is Ananuri fortress and why is it worth the drive?

Ananuri is a 16th–18th-century castle that sits on the Aragvi River and was once the seat of the feudal dukes who ruled the area. It's known for its landscape photography — the fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir together create a striking view — and it made the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list in 2007.

How much time do I actually spend at Gudauri, and what can I do there?

You have around 5 hours at Gudauri ski resort. You can try skiing, horse riding, snow biking, or quad biking, or simply rest. Paragliding is available for an extra cost of approximately 100 USD, though it's not operated by the tour company.

Is this tour difficult in winter, and what should I prepare for?

Yes, winter roads in the Caucasus are challenging even for experienced drivers, and sometimes they close near Gudauri. The operator recommends taking all the warm clothing you have and getting good sleep the night before. If roads are blocked, you'll spend the extra time at the ski resort instead.

Where does the tour pick me up and drop me off?

Hotel pickup in Tbilisi is included. On a private tour, you're dropped at your hotel (or at Kazbegi or Gudauri if that's your destination); on a group tour, everyone returns to Rose Revolution Square in Tbilisi around 9–10 PM.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional English-speaking guide, and transportation to all stops. Lunch is not included in the tour price. Paragliding at Gudauri costs approximately 100 USD extra and is arranged separately.

What is khinkhali, and why does the tour stop for it?

Khinkhali is a Georgian dumpling traditionally made in the hills where you'll eat it. The operator sources it from the region where the tradition originated, so you're tasting it in its home area rather than in a city restaurant.