Private Wine Tour in Kakheti: Tastings & Medieval Monasteries

Kakheti's wine cellars, monastery ruins, and the Silk Road capital in one day

A private wine tour of Georgia's Kakheti region combines tastings at several wineries with visits to two Shuamta monasteries and the medieval ruins of Gremi, the 16th-century capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti. The tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, a live guide in English or Russian, and access to Winery Khareba's unique 7.7-kilometer tunnel carved into the Caucasus mountains, where over 25,000 bottles age at a constant 12–14°C. The day runs 9 to 10 hours and suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kakheti Monasteries and Wineries

• Visit Dzveli Shuamta Monastery
• Visit Akhali Shuamta Monastery
• Explore Gremi, former Kakheti capital
• Tour Winery Khareba wine cellar
• Taste wines at Winery Khareba

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel and heads to Shuamta, where two monastery complexes sit 7 kilometers outside Telavi. Dzveli Shuamta (Old Shuamta) holds a 5th-century basilica, one of Georgia's most distinctive examples of early Christian architecture, alongside a 17th-century domed church and a 7th-century stone chapel built from cobblestones and hewn stone. Akhali Shuamta (New Shuamta), built in the 16th century by the wife of King Levan II, features a brick church decorated with original paintings and a bell-tower; the complex was later restored by King Irakli II. Both sites sit in the landscape where the Kingdom of Kakheti once ruled, and the guide walks you through the architectural details and the history that shaped them.

From there, the route moves to Telavi, the capital of the Kakheti region, and then to Gremi—the medieval capital that functioned as a thriving trading post on the Silk Road until Persian armies razed it in 1615. The ruins stand as a reminder of the 16th and 17th centuries when Gremi was the seat of the Kakheti kings. After Gremi's destruction, the capital shifted to Telavi, where it remains today. You'll see the fortress and understand why this location mattered so much to the kingdom's power and commerce.

The centerpiece is Winery Khareba's tunnel system in Kvareli, in the Alazani Valley. Carved into the Caucasus mountains and opened in 1962, the tunnel stretches 7.7 kilometers—a network of 2 main tunnels and 13 interconnecting 500-meter passages. Inside, over 25,000 bottles of Khareba's premium wines age in conditions the mountain itself provides: a steady 12–14°C and 70% humidity, the ideal environment for wine preservation. You walk through the tunnel, taste wines directly from the cellar, and learn how Georgian winemakers use clay vessels and traditional methods that go back centuries. The on-site shop lets you buy bottles aged in the tunnel itself. Bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle keep you comfortable throughout the 9 to 10 hours, and the guide explains the winemaking process and the history at each stop.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup.
• a live guide in English or Russian.
• wine tastings at several local wineries.
• access to Winery Khareba's 7.7-kilometer tunnel carved into the Caucasus mountains.
• bottled water.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TripsInGeo

Is this one for you?Pickup from your hotel means you don't need a car or arrange separate transfers between the monasteries, Telavi, Gremi, and the Khareba winery tunnel—the guide and driver handle the route and timing, so you can focus on the wine and the history without navigating yourself.

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Top questions

What is Shuamta monastery and why are there two of them?

Shuamta is actually two separate monastic complexes near Telavi. Dzveli Shuamta (Old Shuamta) dates to the 5th century and contains a basilica considered one of Georgia's most important examples of early Christian architecture, plus two smaller churches from the 7th and 17th centuries; it was abandoned in the 16th century. Akhali Shuamta (New Shuamta) was built later by the wife of King Levan II in the 16th century and features a brick church with original painted decorations and a bell-tower. Both are stops on the tour.

What is the Khareba wine tunnel and how long is it?

Winery Khareba's tunnel is a 7.7-kilometer network carved into the Caucasus mountains near Kvareli, consisting of 2 main tunnels and 13 interconnecting 500-meter passages. Opened in 1962, it stores over 25,000 bottles of premium Kakheti wines in conditions the mountain naturally provides—a constant 12–14°C and 70% humidity—ideal for aging. You walk through the tunnel, taste wines, and can buy bottles directly from the cellar shop.

What was Gremi and why is it in ruins?

Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th and 17th centuries and a major trading town on the Silk Road. It was founded by King Levan of Kakheti and served as the royal residence until 1615, when armies of the Persian Shah Abbas I destroyed it. The town never recovered, and the kings of Kakheti moved their capital to Telavi in the mid-17th century. The ruins are a stop on the tour.

How long does the tour take and what's included?

The tour runs 9 to 10 hours and includes private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup, a live guide in English or Russian, bottled water, and all fees and taxes. Wine tastings at local wineries and access to the Khareba tunnel are part of the experience.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the wineries?

No. The tour includes private transportation throughout the day, so you're picked up from your hotel and driven to each stop—the monasteries, Telavi, Gremi, and the Khareba winery tunnel. You don't need a car or arrange separate transfers.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit or have mobility concerns?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the air-conditioned vehicle traveling between sites. At each stop—the monasteries, Gremi, and the wine tunnel—you walk at your own pace to see the sites and taste wines. Infants can sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available if needed.