Vardzia cave monastery tour from Tbilisi: 13 levels, 500 rooms

Walk through 500 rooms carved into a single cliff face

A full-day small-group tour from Tbilisi to three landmark sites: the cave monastery of Vardzia (a 12th-century fortress carved 50 meters deep into rock with 13 levels and over 500 chambers), the Borjomi gorge with its famous mineral water source and cable car views, and the medieval fortress of Rabat where Christian and Muslim architecture meet. A live guide in English or Russian leads the route and explains the history at each stop.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Borjomi, Rabat, and Vardzia

• Travel through gorge to Borjomi
• Walk around Borjomi city center
• Visit Borjomi park and monument
• Climb cable car for views
• Taste mineral water at source
• Visit medieval fortress Rabat
• Explore Rabat palace halls
• Learn about Rabat and Akhaltsikhe
• Travel to cave complex Vardzia
• See panorama of Khertvisi fortress
• Explore Vardzia cave monastery

The experience

You start from Tbilisi and travel south through the Borjomi gorge, a road the guide describes as it unfolds. In Borjomi itself, you walk the city center, visit the park where the Russian imperial family once rested, see the Prometheus monument and a waterfall, then ride the cable car up to a plateau overlooking the valley. The guide explains the archaeology of the mineral water that made Borjomi famous, and you taste it straight from the source. The water is still mined in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park below.

Rabat, the fortress at Akhaltsikhe, comes next. It sits at the old crossroads between Christian and Muslim worlds, and the guide walks you through the palace halls decorated in Georgian style, explaining how the fortress functioned as a transit point and what its name and foundation mean in Georgia's story. The scale and ornamentation are the point. The guide helps you read what the building itself says about the cultures that built it.

Vardzia is the centerpiece. The cave monastery rises eight floors high and runs 50 meters back into the rock, with 13 levels connected by secret passages. You explore churches, chapels, residential cells, pantries, baths, refectories, treasuries and libraries. The guide takes you through the layout and explains what each space was for and how the complex functioned as a fortress monastery in the 12th century. On the way there, you see the Khertvisi fortress in the distance, perfectly preserved on its own ridge. The tour includes a stop at a restaurant, though meals are separate.

What’s included

• Comfortable transportation.
• a live guide in English or Russian.
• entry to Vardzia, Borjomi and Rabat.
• the cable car ride in Borjomi.
• access to taste the mineral water at the source.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to1h before

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

GroupUp to 7 · max 5 per booking

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 14

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by ushba travel

Is this one for you?The day runs 14 hours with substantial walking through each site, so it suits travelers with a full schedule and steady energy for exploring on foot. Small groups stay under a size that lets the guide linger at each stop, which matters when you're reading the layout of a 500-room fortress carved into rock.

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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 happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How much walking is involved on this tour?

The day includes walking through Borjomi's city center and park, a cable car ride to the plateau, exploration of Rabat's halls and passages, and extensive walking through all 13 levels of Vardzia's cave complex. The terrain is mostly paved or carved stone, and the guide adjusts the pace to the group.

What is Vardzia and why was it built?

Vardzia is a 12th-century cave monastery: a fortress carved into a single cliff face with over 500 rooms across 13 levels, built 50 meters deep into the rock. It served as both a religious center and a defensive stronghold, with churches, living quarters, storage and water systems all integrated into the stone. The guide explains its purpose and how it was used throughout Georgian history.

Can I taste the Borjomi mineral water?

Yes. The tour includes a stop at the source in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park where the famous mineral water is mined, and you can taste it directly from the spring. The guide discusses the archaeology and history of the water before you sample it.

Is lunch included?

The tour makes a stop at a restaurant, but meals are not included in the price. You order and pay separately.