Georgia Holidays – Tours & Adventure Travel Guide

PureTravel Says
“Georgia is a small land of less than 70,000 square kilometers (and 5.5 million people) but has a lot to offer the traveler. If you’re into undulating landscapes and mountainous topography, then Georgia will be your personal paradise. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Likhi Range towers through the country. If you enjoy horse trekking, mountain biking, fishing or trekking on foot, then Georgia may be your ideal holiday getaway.”

Highlights

Pony & Horse Riding - Most horse riding tours consist of riding in or near Tbilisi. There are local and foreign owned ranches where you’ll take day trips and stay in hotels. The horses in this area are often pure bred. You can also undertake horse-riding tours in the Caucasus Mountains. The horses here are different than those used in Tbilisi, as they are bred with the knowledge of riding on the trail. There are hotels available and often tour operators can set up camping too.

Trekking - Some of the best trekking in Georgia is Mount Kazbek at 5,047 meters high. This peak and others in the Caucasus range and Kazbegi region of Georgia lend themselves to some of the most spectacular hiking in this region of the world. You’ll wander over the 2,380-meter Jvary Pass and through upper plateau pastures. Trips to the base camp of Mount Kazbek first take you through 3,000-meter high passes and to the Gergeti Glacier. Other peaks (such as Mount Ortsveri), caves, gorges and mountain passes can all be accessed in this one area. Day long and half day long hikes in the area not only acclimatize you but also give you a chance to get some time in nature. Day or multi-day trips to the Tusheti and Khevsureti highlands, the Pirikita Alazani Gorge River or the capital city of Tbilisi can all be pre-arranged with a tour operator.

Mountain Biking - Mountain Biking in Georgia is an excellent way to see the country and to experience its truest and most rural cultures. The northeast Tusheti region of Georgia offers both great trekking and mountain biking. You’ll have to come here when the roads are accessible in the summertime. Either on bike or on foot, you’ll see former Fortresses and towers dotting the landscape. In the northern distance, Mount Kazbek beckons for a ride, and in certain times of year, it very well may be possible to access some routes here. Georgia has terrain for all sorts of adventure seekers, and finding a mountain biking destination is not difficult; finding a tour operator that takes you where you want to go may be, however.

Fishing - Georgia has many places to find fish, as there are plenty of rivers and streams gushing down the Caucasus Mountain range, where Mount Kazbek resides. The fish here cover everything from largemouth bass to crappie, from catfish to hybrid bass, from striped bass to bream and so forth. Fishing in certain recreational areas is permitted as long as you have itineraries and permits pre-booked with a tour operator.

Artifacts & Handiworks - Georgia is full of architectural and historical wonders. You’ll find some of the best displays of Georgian masterpieces held in the numerous museums in Tbilisi. If you wish to see culture and tradition alive and well, then jaunts through remote villages will show you how people have lived here for hundreds of years with not much change. The cordial people and exquisite cuisine will keep you coming back for more.

When To Go

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, ranges from humid subtropical to mild continental. The climate of Georgia changes from season to season due to the Siberian air masses from the east and subtropical air blowing off the Black Sea. The altitude of Georgia changes throughout the country, but generally speaking, the summers are hottest and the average temperature is around 13C year round. July and August average around 25C. The average annual rainfall is 568mm. May tends to be wet and January is the driest month.

Top Tips

• Some but few hiking and biking trails are marked in Georgia. It’s important to book your trekking adventures with a local specialist tour operator who can get you competent in-country guides.
• Georgia is a safe country. Approach people with kindness and gratitude rather than fuming over something trifling.
• Be sure that you acclimatize slowly to the mountains. Going up too quick can cause serious illness or even death. It has nothing to do with fitness and everything to do being smart.

Classic Itineraries

• Mount Kazbek
• Tbilisi
• Caucasus Mountains
• Pirikita Alazani Gorge River