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Vardzia, Rabati, and Borjomi: Exquisite Georgian Tour of Heritage Sites and Natural Beauty
4.3
122 Ratings
T'bilisi
Explore the exquisite heritage sites of Vardzia and Rabati Castle, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Borjomi, a picturesque resort town in Georgia.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Vardzia - Vardzia is a cave site in southern Georgia dating back to 12th century, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the Mtkvari River. Excavations have shown that the area of Vardzia was inhabited even earlier during the Bronze Age. There you can find bell tower, main church, cave dwellings, rooms, chapels, pharmacy and wine cellars. Beyond the bell tower the complex rises to nineteen tiers, with steps leading to a cemetery. Infrastructure includes access tunnels, water facilities, and provision for defence. Vardzia has been submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a Cultural Site.
What's Included
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
- Guided by a professional
- Comfortable in-vehicle air conditioning
- Live on-board commentary
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Admission fee in Borjomi Park. 5 GEL per person.
- Admission fee in Vardzia Complex. 17 GEL per person.
- Admission fee in Rabati Fortress. 18 GEL per person.
Additional Information
Vardzia is a historic cave city situated on the southern side of Georgia, dating back to the 12th century. It’s carved into the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain, bordering the Mtkvari River on its left. Archaeological digs have revealed that the Vardzia region had been settled even earlier, during the Bronze Age. The site is home to a bell tower, main church, cave homes, rooms, chapels, a pharmacy, and wine cellars. The infrastructure features access tunnels, water supply systems, and defence structures. Vardzia is on the path to being recognized as a Cultural Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Located in Akhaltsikhe is Rabati Castle, a 13th-century medieval fortress complex designed in an Asian style. The diverse cultural influences that have shaped it over the centuries are evident in its architecture.
Nestled in the heart of south-central Georgia is Borjomi, a scenic resort town bordering the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. The town is renowned for its mineral water, which is Georgia’s top export.
- No minimum age required
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Dress code is smart casual
- No health restrictions
Location
44 Kote Afkhazi St
Kote Afkhazi Street
Tour starts from the joint of Meidan square and Metekhi bridge,and the main clock located in the heart of old Tbilisi town. There, you can find CitySightseeing Tbilisi office and our mini bus-stop.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(122 Ratings)
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_k4477la
Aug 8, 2024
Unforgettable experiences - Comfortable transportation, punctuality and a competent Guide are key to a good journey and positive emotions. Thanks to the guide named Stepan for the easy information and opportunity to learn a little more about beautiful Georgia! We'll be coming back. Love, from Baku❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Альбина
Aug 5, 2024
Interesting and educational trip - The trip was interesting and well organized. The restaurant had delicious food and beautiful views! Special THANKS to our guide Anna! Anna is attentive, positive and friendly, evidently not only knows the history of her country, but also loves it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Miguelangel_g
Aug 3, 2024
Nice and interesting - Very good experience. The tour was better than expected. The minibus was modern, clean and property maintained. Driver was very professional. Our guide, Giorgi, was professional and nice. He did more than expected to make out experience unforgettable. Thank you.
Review provided by Viator
Cruiser02194246310
Jul 17, 2024
. - 15.07.2024 We had a trip to Vardzia and Borjomi. Guide Anna, a professional in her field, was with us: she knew Russian and English perfectly, gave an interesting tour, answered questions. Our group was multi-ethnic, with us Arabs, Syrians, Hindus, found common ground with everyone, told us many interesting things about their country, about the history of the state. The tour itself is very rich and interesting. The day went by unnoticed. Stunning views of nature-eyes can't be taken away. Borjomi is a beautiful park but time was short, although Anya tried very hard to show us everything!
Ann respect 👍
Review provided by Tripadvisor
855evan
Jul 9, 2024
Anna the Best tour guide and beautiful and hospitable country - Anna was a lovely and patient Tour guide
The trip was so good, we saw the beauty and got to know the history of Georgia 🇬🇪
I definitely recommend this excursion
Anna is an asset to your company
Love Anna
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion464085
Jul 8, 2024
Stunning Georgia - The structure of the tour is interesting, saw real mountain Georgia. But the most important contribution was made by guide Anna - she communicated consistently in both English and Russian. She's very structured and interesting, and she's one of the best guides we've ever had to deal with.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samiak9934pc
Jul 6, 2024
Great experience with WST - - I have experienced the best service and recommendation for tailored private tour to Georgia Country. This was lead by Teko a tour specialist and manager who oversaw all the trips schedules and activities.
- I highly recommend the following tour guides because they provide an outstanding experience to the visited destinations with wealth of informations. It tried Natia for two private tours and she is definitely great choice for the information she shares at each stop but also any other City recommendations. Ana and Galina, and Tao are all tour guides who I had for public tours but definitely will try for private ones as well.
- One of the best aspects of the tours especially the private ones, is the drivers and the safe clean comfortable van. Most drivers are great, but by far, the best driver you can have for private tour is Giorgi! He is excellent driver, very polite, very Georgian, and constantly checking on guest needs.
- Highly recommend tours for private tours and must do are : 1) Uplistsikhe, Joseph Stalin’s Museum in Gori and Borjomi- mineral spring. 2)Vardzia- cave, Rabati - castle. 3)Kutaisi, Martvili Canyon
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oanad739
Jun 28, 2024
Amazing views - Amazing views! Long trip by bus bit it worth it. The guide was excellent (Geo).
The Vardzia caves long circuit was performed even by the oldest one (72 with asthma, 66 with knee problems). It was not easy but Vardzia and Rabati in tge sunset we’re highlights
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D776hqannaa
Jun 24, 2024
Best tour - One of the best tours I’ve been on! What made it great was our guide, Stepan! He was so thoughtful, informative, and organized. Absolutely must see tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Claudle_l
Jul 19, 2024
Good activity, bad guide - Overall, we enjoyed the places we saw, the driver was nice, he drove safely, and the vehicle was comfortable. That being said, it was unfortunate that our guide lacked leadership; we were constantly waiting for certain individuals, and the pace of the tour was slow. Indeed, while it was supposed to take 12 hours, it took us 15 hours - with a “lunch” at 5 p.m. He also lacked enthusiasm: he seemed bored by the tour, sat down on every occasion, gave superfluous information and answered our questions succinctly without going in-depth on any subject — barely any information was learned. In addition, questions asked and answered in Russian and English were never translated for the benefit of the group. Finally, he lacked professionalism: to be honest, he looked like he was on a date with one of the tourists, and seemed to be more interested in this date (and her friends) than the rest of the group.
While the concept, the structure and the organization of the tour were good, we felt that the delivery did not meet our expectations for the price of the tour.
Review provided by Viator
