Kakheti Private Tour: Rainbow Mountains, Gareji & Signagi

David Gareji Monastery sits in the middle of a landscape that looks like Mars.

This private day trip from Tbilisi takes you through Southern Kakheti's most distinctive sites: the Rainbow Mountains, the David Gareji Monastery Complex (a sixth-century pilgrimage site in a semi-desert landscape), and the town of Signagi overlooking the Alazani valley. Your guide leads the route, handles all transport in a private car with air-conditioning, and includes wine tasting at a family winery and fresh bread tasting. You can add lunch at the winery or extra wine tastings for an additional fee.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kakheti's highlights from Tbilisi

• Visit Bodbe Convent and St. Nino spring
• Explore David Gareja Monastery and Rainbow Mountains
• Stop at salt lake in semi-desert
• Snack on Kakheti bread and cheese
• Stroll Signagi's picturesque streets
• Wine tasting at family marani

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in Tbilisi and heads southeast into Kakheti. The drive takes you through the Gareji semi-desert and past salt lakes: the landscape shifts from green valleys into something otherworldly, which is why locals call the Rainbow Mountains Mars-like. You walk the colored rock formations and explore the terrain around them before moving to the David Gareji Monastery Complex, a sixth-century structure built into the cliffs. The monastery draws pilgrims from across the Orthodox world to visit the tomb of St. Nino and the healing spring dedicated to her. The site sits in the middle of that stark, pristine landscape, so the scale of the place and its isolation hit differently than a monastery in a town would.

From there, the route heads to Signagi, a walled town known as the City of Love for its steep, colorful streets and terraces that open onto the Alazani valley and the Caucasian mountains beyond. You stroll the old town, then stop at a family winery on the ancient city walls for wine tasting with that same valley view. A snack of fresh Kakheti bread and cheese rounds out the day. The bread comes from a village of traditional bakers, so it arrives warm and made that morning. If you book the option with winery lunch, that meal happens here instead of a quick stop. The return to Tbilisi takes the same route back, arriving after nine to eleven hours out.

Your guide is a live English speaker who knows the region and handles the driving. The car is private, so the pace and the stops are yours. You're not waiting for other groups or moving faster than you want to. Wine tastings beyond the one included cost extra, as do lunch arrangements and any add-ons like zip line, quad bikes or horseback riding in the area. Infants can sit on a lap or use a specialized infant seat. The tour suits all fitness levels, though comfortable shoes matter for walking the Rainbow Mountains.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tbilisi.
• transportation in a private car with air-conditioning and a live English-speaking guide.
• wine tasting at a family winery in Signagi.
• fresh bread and cheese tasting from traditional Kakheti bakers.

Options for this experience

2 options

One-Day Private TourGuide in English · 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Private tour: experience the highlights of Kakheti in a single day, with a professional guide who speaks English and a private door-to-door transfer. Wine tasting in Signagi is included. Pickup is included.

Private tour with winery lunchGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Natural winery: lunch and wine tasting at a private boutique winery. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (2 to 13 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 70

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Real Georgia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want to move at your own pace through Kakheti's most distinctive landscape and sites: the guide and car stay with you, so you control the stops and the timing instead of following a group schedule. Add the winery lunch option if you'd rather eat a full meal than snack between stops.

Traveler reviews

4.94★★★★★★★★★★

89 verified traveler reviews

5 ★84

4 ★5

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 13 years).

What is the David Gareji Monastery and why do pilgrims visit it?

David Gareji Monastery is a sixth-century complex built into cliffs in the Gareji semi-desert, famous as a pilgrimage site dedicated to St. Nino. Believers from around the Orthodox world come to visit the tomb of St. Nino and immerse themselves in the healing spring waters dedicated to her.

Can I add lunch or extra wine tastings to this tour?

Yes. One wine tasting is included at a family winery in Signagi. You can arrange additional wine tastings for an extra fee, and lunch at the winery is also available for an additional cost. Both are optional choices at checkout.

How long is the full day trip from Tbilisi?

The tour runs nine to eleven hours total, including hotel pickup and drop-off in Tbilisi, all driving, and time at each stop.

What are the Rainbow Mountains and what do you do there?

The Rainbow Mountains are colored rock formations in the Gareji semi-desert landscape that look Mars-like because of their stark, otherworldly appearance. You walk on them and explore the terrain around the formations.

Is this tour private, and does it include transportation from my hotel?

Yes, this is a private tour with a dedicated guide and car for your group only. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tbilisi are included, and the car is comfortable with air-conditioning.

What is Signagi known for, and what happens there?

Signagi is known as the City of Love for its romantic setting: steep, colorful streets and terraces perched above the Alazani valley with Caucasian mountain views. You stroll the old walled town and stop at a family winery on the ancient city walls for wine tasting with that valley view.