Kakheti: Wine tasting & Sighnaghi tour with local guide

Summary

Walk cobbled streets, taste Kakheti wine, and share stories in Sighnaghi

You’ll taste fresh shoti bread straight from a village oven, sip local wines in Sighnaghi’s cozy cafés, wander Bodbe Monastery’s peaceful gardens, and hear stories that linger long after you leave Kakheti. With hotel pickup and a local guide who feels more like a friend than a host, this day trip is Georgia at its most welcoming.

What’s the experience like?

“Try this,” our guide Nino grinned, handing me a piece of warm shoti bread straight from the bakery oven. It was still steaming, soft inside but with that crackly crust — I swear I could smell the wood smoke on my fingers for hours after. We’d barely left Tbilisi and already I felt like someone’s guest instead of a tourist. The cheese was salty and crumbly, not what I expected, but perfect with the bread. Nino told us it’s just called “cheese” here — no fancy names needed.

The drive through Kakheti went by in a blur of green hills and those little roadside stalls selling fruit in jars. At Bodbe Monastery, the air was thick with incense and something sweet from the gardens (roses maybe?). We watched a group of women lighting candles near St. Nino’s tomb — some crying quietly, others just sitting in silence. It felt like we’d stumbled into someone else’s story for a minute. The nuns were out tending to the garden; one waved at us without saying anything. There’s this view over Alazani Valley that kind of sneaks up on you when you turn a corner — I didn’t even try to take a photo because it wouldn’t have worked.

Sighnaghi is all pastel balconies and winding cobblestones — honestly, it looks almost too pretty to be real. Nino pointed out the old city wall (apparently one of the longest in Europe?) and told us about couples coming here to get married at any hour. We stopped for homemade wine — Saperavi, dark as ink — in a tiny café where an old man argued with his grandson about how much to pour us (“not enough!” he said). By then my head was spinning a little from all the stories and tastes more than the wine itself. The day trip from Tbilisi to Kakheti is supposed to be about wine tasting, but it’s really about people letting you into their lives for an afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Kakheti Wine and Cultural Tour

• KTW Wine Factory tasting
• Visit Bodbe Monastery and garden
• Explore Sighnaghi town and walls

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included for this Kakheti wine tour?

Yes, private transportation with hotel or apartment pickup is included.

Do we visit Bodbe Monastery during the day trip?

Yes, Bodbe Monastery is one of the main stops on this tour.

Will there be wine tasting on this Kakheti tour?

Yes, you’ll enjoy wine tasting at KTW Wine Factory in Kakheti.

Is lunch or food included on this experience?

You’ll taste traditional Georgian bread and cheese during a bakery visit.

How far is Sighnaghi from Tbilisi?

Sighnaghi is about 2 hours’ drive from Tbilisi by private car.

Are there guides or locals leading the tour?

A local guide accompanies you throughout the day trip.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation with pickup and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in Tbilisi, guided visits to Bodbe Monastery and Sighnaghi, traditional bread and cheese tasting at a village bakery (with a baking masterclass), wine tasting at KTW Wine Factory, plus 24/7 online support if you need anything along the way before heading back home in the evening.