Mtskheta Uplistsikhe Gori tour: Georgia history highlights

Walk the path from ancient Georgia to Christianity in one day

A nine-hour small-group tour of Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe and Gori traces Georgia's religious and cultural turning points from the Bronze Age through the Middle Ages. You'll climb to Jvari Monastery, a sixth-century temple with views over the confluence of two rivers; explore Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the patriarchal seat of the Georgian Orthodox Church and burial place of Christian relics; and descend into the cave city of Uplistsikhe to walk the stone labyrinths where pre-Christian Georgians lived and worshipped. The Stalin Museum in Gori is optional. Museum entries and lunch at a local restaurant are paid separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Jvari Monastery1h · entry included
2. Joseph Stalin Museum1h

Explore Mtskheta, Jvari, Uplistsikhe, and Gori

• Walk through historic literary sites
• Visit Jvari Monastery and view panorama
• Tour Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta
• Explore Uplistsikhe cave city
• Optional visit to Stalin Museum in Gori

The experience

The tour starts at Jvari Monastery, a sixth-century temple perched above Mtskheta where the Aragva and Kura rivers meet. From there you descend into the town itself to visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the patriarchal cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The cathedral holds the tunic of Jesus Christ and the mantle of Elijah the Prophet, relics that anchor the site's spiritual weight in Georgian history. You'll learn the events and figures tied to the building: the saints buried there, the moments that shaped the church's role in the nation.

The second leg takes you northwest to Uplistsikhe, a cave city carved into stone at the end of the second millennium BC. Walking through the living quarters and utility rooms, you move through the material world of pre-Christian Georgia: the trade routes to Urartu and Media, the religious practices, the everyday life embedded in rock. The site sits above the Kura Valley, and the panorama frames the landscape these people inhabited. A local restaurant nearby serves regional food if you want to eat there. That meal is on your own bill.

If the group wants to add it, the tour can include a stop at the Stalin Museum in Gori, his birthplace. The museum holds his personal belongings, furniture and a preserved sculpture. A museum guide conducts the visit. This is optional and costs extra. The whole day runs nine hours with a live guide speaking English or Russian.

What’s included

• Guide service in English or Russian.
• comfortable transport.
• specialized infant seats available for children from age one.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (1 to 10 years)

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish and Russian

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.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by ushba travel

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see both pre-Christian and Christian-era Georgia in one day, with a guide speaking English or Russian.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 10 years).

What is Jvari Monastery and why does the tour start there?

Jvari is a sixth-century temple built on a hilltop above Mtskheta at the confluence of the Aragva and Kura rivers. The tour begins there because the view frames the town below and the historical landscape, and the walk down connects the early Christian monument to the cathedral and city it overlooks.

What will I see inside Svetitskhoveli Cathedral?

Svetitskhoveli is the patriarchal cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Inside are the tunic of Jesus Christ and the mantle of Elijah the Prophet, as well as the relics of Saint Andrew the First-Called. The guide explains the cathedral's history and the significance of these relics to Georgian Christianity.

What is Uplistsikhe and how old is it?

Uplistsikhe is a cave city carved into stone at the end of the second millennium BC, making it one of Georgia's oldest inhabited settlements. You walk through carved rooms (homes, storage spaces, ritual chambers) to understand how pre-Christian Georgians lived, worshipped and traded with neighboring ancient states.

Is the Stalin Museum included, or do I have to pay extra?

The Stalin Museum in Gori is optional and added only if the group requests it. If you choose to visit, the entry ticket costs extra and is paid separately. A museum guide conducts the tour of the exhibits.

Does the tour include lunch?

The tour passes a local restaurant near Uplistsikhe where you can eat regional Georgian food, but the meal is not included and you pay for it yourself if you choose to stop there.