Armenia and Georgia: A Toast Across the Caucasus

Day 1: Welcome to Armenia!

Welcome to Armenia! From the second your feet hit the tarmac in Yerevan, we’ve got you covered – our driver will be waiting to whisk you straight to your hotel. No stress, no hassle, just sit back and take in your first glimpses of this lesser-visited country. Wedged between Europe and Asia, Yerevan has a surprisingly European vibe that’ll instantly put you at ease and soothe those new-trip jitters.

Once you’ve had a chance to settle in, it’s time to meet your Explorer crew over a welcome dinner. No need to feel shy – soon you’ll be clinking glasses and sharing your excitement for the journey ahead, feeling like a tight-knit team who’ve been travelling together for years.

Accommodation: Tufenkian Heritage hotel (or similar), Yerevan, Armenia
Included: Dinner

Day 2: Day One In Yerevan

Your first full day in Yerevan is ready to knock your socks off! Known as the Pink City, Yerevan’s volcanic stone buildings cast a glow that makes the whole place feel like you’re strolling around with rose-tinted glasses. 

You’ll hop right into it with a morning walk to visit some of the stand-out highlights. A stroll around Republic Square and the majestic Opera House serves as a great introduction into all the city has to offer. 

The rest of the day is all about getting hands-on, diving into a carpet-weaving workshop and learning how to work the loom like a local. Workshop? More like work out!

To truly kick off your expertise in Armenian history, you’ll spend a curiosity-fuelled afternoon exploring two important museums, before you’re ready to venture off on your own for dinner. (Of course, if you want a restaurant rec, your local guide knows all the best spots, so ask away!)

Accommodation: Tufenkian Heritage hotel (or similar), Yerevan, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Zvartnots and Wine

More Armenian history awaits today, but don’t worry, it’s all googly-eyed amazement! Like the 7th century Zvartnots temple, whose grandeur makes it easy to see why it’s earned a spot on the UNESCO list. Or Etchmiadzin, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic faith, built way back in 303 AD.

If you’re itching to get your hands dirty again, lunch-time’s dolma masterclass is for you. You’ll see these yummy stuffed grape leaves all over the Caucasus, and soon, you’ll be rolling them like a pro. And just when you think the day’s peaked, we’ve got a little surprise for you. We’ll just say this: Armenia’s wine scene is seriously overlooked, but not by you…

Afterwards, you’ll sate your newly found curiosity about Armenian winemaking alongside one local family. In their winery, you’ll learn about the techniques passed down through generations and get all your questions! answered.

Accommodation: Tufenkian Heritage hotel (or similar), Yerevan, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Bread & Tradition

Kick off the day at Geghard Monastery, where the views aren’t the only things that’ll leave you speechless – just wait ‘til you hear the acoustics! This cliffside monastery is home to mysterious echoes that bounce around like a natural sound system, and nobody quite knows why. 

Ready for some doughy goodness? Good, because lunch comes with a side of lavash-making, as you’ll learn to make this UNESCO-listed bread under the careful tutelage of a master. It’s soft, stretchy and oh-so-satisfying.

Your hands-on crash course into Armenian culture continues at a local guesthouse in Yerevan. Step straight into the land’s family traditions, complete with women dressed in colourful Taraz costumes, folk music, age-old rituals and the ultimate local welcome: bread and salt. Between songs, stories and ceremonial touches, you’ll get an intimate look at the customs that still shape life here today. 

Then, the evening is yours. Chase down one last glass of Armenian wine with your explorer crew, wander Yerevan after dark, or retire early before tomorrow’s adventures.

Accommodation: Tufenkian Heritage hotel (or similar), Yerevan, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Khor Virap Monastery & Ancient Wine Origins

Good morning, Khor Virap! Today, you’ll stand at the closest point to the legendary Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark is said to have landed. With the biblical mountain towering in the background, you’ll explore Khor Virap Monastery, where Saint Gregory the Illuminator spent 14 years imprisoned in a deep underground pit. Yikes!

From there, it’s off to Noravank, a 13th-century monastery tucked against fiery red cliffs. This place takes it up a notch – and when you discover the way to the second story, you’ll see we mean that literally! This two-story monastery was designed by the architect and national treasure Momik, which has made it a superstar attraction in Armenia.

You’ve already had a taste of Armenia’s winemaking heritage but today, we have something even more impressive up our sleeves, as you head to the world’s oldest winery at Areni. Dating back to 6100 BC, this place is where winemaking first began. Cheers to that!

Accommodation: Tufenkian Heritage hotel (or similar), Yerevan, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Lake Sevan

You’re off to a strong start today with a visit to one of the world’s richest ancient manuscript depositories, where you’ll find centuries-old texts, intricate miniatures and a genuine treasure trove of ancient knowledge.

Then, it’s time to swap parchment for pints. At Armenia’s original craft brewery,  you’ll learn about the country’s growing beer scene through a guided tasting of local brews before cranking up the altitude at Lake Sevan, the “Blue Pearl of Armenia”. 

You’ll wrap up the day in Dilijan, also known as “Armenian Switzerland”. After breathing in that fresh mountain air all day long, we bet you’ll sleep like a log in the true-to-the-region boutiquey hotel we’ve picked out for you. 

Accommodation: Toon Armenia (or similar), Dilijan, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Dilijan

Waking to an alpine morning, it’s time to unlock the secrets of “Armenian Switzerland”! Start out with a wander through its historic centre, where old-world vibes meet forest-fringed streets. You won’t be able to resist snapping a thousand selfies as you explore. 

Lake Parz, on the other hand, makes you want to whisper just to keep the peace. This spot is loved among the locals, so some people-watching is in order. As the sun hits the lake just right and your fellow Explorers’ laughter echoes through the trees, you may close your eyes and think, “Yep, this is the life!”

Your journey towards the border continues with a quick stop in Fioletovo, a Russian village in Armenia, where the local Molokan community will share the head-spinning story of how they hold on to their customs and live their daily lives, stories best shared over cups of steaming samovar tea.

Accommodation: Tufenkian Avan Dzoraget Hotel (or similar), Alaverdi/Dzoraget, Armenia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Goodbye Armenia, Hello Georgia!

It’s your final spin through Armenia, and there’s one last monastery to add to your collection. Perched high above the Debed Canyon, you’ll discover Haghpat, a medieval, UNESCO-listed stunner. By now, you already know what Armenia is all about, and Haghpat ties it all together: dramatic landscapes, monasteries to remember and people who make hospitality feel effortless.

After one last coffee with your Armenian guide, it’s time for heartfelt goodbyes and a seamless border swap. Georgia’s up next, and your new guide will be waiting to greet you on the other side.

Then, it’s off to Tbilisi with no time to dwell. You’ll dive headfirst into a walking tour that cuts through the city’s layered personality, from the stately facades of Rustaveli Avenue and Kostava Street to the creaking balconies and hidden courtyards of Sololaki. Art Nouveau details, old wooden houses, grand architecture and lived-in chaos all collide here to form the unique atmosphere of Georgia’s capital, and you’re already swimming in it.

Accommodation: Qarvasla Hotel (or similar), Tbilisi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: The Many Sides of Georgia

Today, you dig straight into Georgia’s layered past: the sacred, the complicated and the seriously delicious. For the sacred, it’s Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, two UNESCO-listed churches right at the core of Georgia’s Christian identity. Think ancient stonework, candlelit corners and enough history packed into the walls to make your head spin.

It’s a sharp turn into Soviet history at the Stalin Museum in Gori. You’ll walk through the former leader’s childhood home, personal belongings and even his private railway carriage. It’s a strange, fascinating glimpse into the personal life of one of history’s most divisive figures.

By evening, things soften considerably in the Tana Valley. Warmly welcomed by Nika Vacheishvili and his family, you’ll get properly acquainted with Georgia’s winemaking traditions before settling in for a long, home-cooked dinner right in the middle of the vineyards. No stress, no hurry, not a bad way to end a jam-packed day.

Accommodation: Nika Vacheishvili’s Wine Cellar and Guesthouse (or similar), Ateni, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Dzalisi

The day starts underground… or, more accurately, deep in Georgia’s past. At the ancient ruins of Dzalisi, you’ll wander through the remains of Roman-style baths and surprisingly well-preserved mosaics featuring Dionysus and Ariadne, which have survived here since the 2nd century like it’s no big deal.

From these crumbling ruins, the mood shifts to royal polish at Château Mukhrani. Once the estate of Georgian nobility, it’s now all stately green grounds, elegant halls and a chandelier-lit lunch that’ll tip you right into the finer side of Georgian hospitality.

Then it’s back on the road and up into the mountains. At the Gudauri Viewpoint, the Caucasus puts on a full-scale performance: sky-reaching peaks, plunging Devil’s Valley and the kind of scenery that makes everyone suddenly reach for their camera at the exact same moment. Group photo, anyone?

Accommodation: Melodia Hotel (or similar), Kazbegi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11: Mountains & Monasteries

Today, you and your fellow Explorers head further into the mountains. The road winds up to Gergeti Trinity Church, a 14th-century monastery dramatically planted on the slopes of Mount Kazbegi. Between the weathered stone carvings and the looming Caucasus backdrop, it’s hard to know where to look first. On a clear day, you might even catch sight of the legendary peak where Amirani, Georgia’s answer to Prometheus, was supposedly chained for eternity. 

As you take in the views, the history and the legends, lunch comes in the form of mountain-style khinkali at a local family café. Expect steaming dumplings and warm flavours to fuel you up for the rest of today’s journey.  

The adventure rolls on through the cliffs of the Dariali Gorge to the peace-inducing Dariali Monastic Complex, a story-book scene seemingly made for you to stop for a moment’s reflection before returning to Kazbegi for the night. What dreams your slumber will bring on tonight!

Accommodation: Melodia Hotel (or similar), Kazbegi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Into Wine Country

After days of high altitudes and mountain views, the road now drops you into Kakheti, Georgia’s wine country, where life seems to revolve around vineyards, long lunches and treating guests to unforgettable meals. Your first stop is the 19th-century Tsinandali Estate, once home to Prince Alexander Chavchavadze. Walk through elegant gardens and historic winery spaces. Does that bygone aristocratic life not look dangerously appealing?

No time for coronations, you’re on to Telavi, where cobbled streets, old balconies and one enormous, ancient plane tree quietly remind you this region has history going back centuries.

By evening, things get properly local at the Togonidze family vineyard in nearby Shalauri village. Here, natural wines are still made the traditional qvevri way, buried in clay vessels with minimal intervention until it’s time to raise a glass. Expect generous pours of Saperavi, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane, followed by a home-cooked dinner that somehow keeps expanding every time you worry it might be over.

Accommodation: Melodia Hotel (or similar), Kazbegi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13: A Taste of Kakheti

Your final day in Kakheti comes with flour on your hands and smoke in the air. At a local organic farm, hostess Khatuna pulls you straight into her world of home cooking. You may learn how to make Chakapuli, the herby slow-cooked stew Georgians wait all year for, or maybe Mtsvadi, skewered meat grilled on grapevine sticks from the family vineyard. Who knows! You’ll just have to wait and see what’s on the menu! 

Between chopping, stirring and barbecuing, you’ll hear stories about local family traditions and why every Georgian meal somehow turns into a small celebration of its own.

Then comes the best part: sitting down to eat the feast you helped prepare, paired with house wines and one last long Kakhetian lunch before the drive to Tbilisi. It’s bellies full, new friendships made all around.

Accommodation: Qarvasla Hotel (or similar), Tbilisi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 14: Tbilisi

The day begins with one of Georgia’s most beautiful cultural traditions at the Georgian Calligraphers Association. Guided by professionals, you’ll learn the flowing strokes and intricate forms of the unique 33-letter Georgian alphabet, a writing system that feels more like an art form. As ink meets paper, you’ll discover the craftsmanship that has shaped Georgian identity for centuries.

The afternoon is yours to enjoy Tbilisi at your own pace before the whole Explorer crew comes together for a memorable farewell dinner at Barbarestan. 

This celebrated family-run restaurant revives extraordinary 19th-century recipes in an inviting setting oozing with Georgian character. It’s a bittersweet feast, as you and your fellow Explorers share standout dishes like rabbit wrapped in ham, pumpkin patties or cherry soup with mint, all paired with traditional qvevri wines for one final taste of Georgia’s bold culinary heritage and one final night of belly-laughs and camaraderie. Raise a glass to the end of your amazing shared adventure! 

Accommodation: Qarvasla Hotel (or similar), Tbilisi, Georgia
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 15: Farewell Friends!

Your final morning has finally arrived, and it’s time to say your goodbyes. Over breakfast, be sure to swap contact details with your fellow Explorers and maybe even make a few plans for that next adventure together. When it’s time to head out, your driver will get you to the airport with plenty of time to spare, so no rushing through security. Until next time, Explorers!

Included: Breakfast