6-Day Explore Georgia Independently Along the Silk Road
6 days · Georgia
Georgian Holidays LLC charges £840
No-markup version: ~£468 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of Georgian Holidays' 6-day Great Silk Road loop from Tbilisi: capital city highlights, ancient cave town Uplistsikhe, UNESCO-listed Gelati and Mtskheta, the Prometheus karst caves, and a Kakheti wine-tasting day in Sighnaghi. You cover the same ground using Georgia's cheap and comfortable marshrutka minibuses and trains, staying in Tbilisi hostels and Kutaisi guesthouses, and booking guides or tastings only where they add value. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Tbilisi old town on foot
Tbilisi
Start your own walking tour of the old town around 10:00. Work through the essentials: Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba), the Metekhi plateau viewpoint, then ride the Rike-Narikala aerial cable car (about 2.5 GEL with a Metromoney card) up to Narikala fortress. Walk down past the Tbilisi Mosque and Botanical Garden entrance, the Legvtakhevi (Fig Ravine) waterfall and the brick-domed Sulfur Bathhouse district. Finish at Anchiskhati Basilica, the quirky Gabriadze clock tower and the Golden Treasury in the National Museum (entry about 15 GEL, closed Mondays). Stop for khinkali and a coffee around Maidan square, Shardeni or King Erekle II Street. Cross the Bridge of Peace at dusk. If you want context, a GetYourGuide old-town walking tour costs roughly £15-20.
🚌Metro from airport or city arrival point (~1 GEL with Metromoney card); all day 1 sights on foot plus cable car
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in the old town (dorm £8-14, private room £20-30)
- →Self-guided old town walk
- →Narikala cable car
- →Sulfur bath district
- →National Museum Golden Treasury
- →Bridge of Peace
Uplistsikhe caves and on to Kutaisi via Gori
Gori / Kutaisi
Take an early marshrutka or shared taxi from Tbilisi's Didube station to Gori (about 45-60 minutes, 3-4 GEL). From Gori, a taxi to Uplistsikhe cave town is around 15-20 GEL return, or hop the local bus. Entry to Uplistsikhe is roughly 10 GEL. Optional: the Stalin House-Museum in Gori (about 10 GEL) and the medieval Gori fortress (free). Continue from Gori to Kutaisi by marshrutka (about 2.5 hours, 10-12 GEL) via the Rikoti tunnels. If timing is tight, skip Gelati today and do it tomorrow with the city sights, or take a taxi up to Gelati Monastery (UNESCO-listed, free entry) before checking in. Evening stroll along Kutaisi's White Bridge and central park.
🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi-Gori (~3-4 GEL) + taxi to Uplistsikhe (~8 GEL shared) + marshrutka Gori-Kutaisi (~10-12 GEL)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in central Kutaisi (£12-22)
- →Uplistsikhe cave town
- →Gori fortress and Stalin museum (optional)
- →Gelati Monastery (UNESCO)
- →Kutaisi evening walk
Kutaisi city and Vani archaeology
Kutaisi
Morning at Bagrati Cathedral (11th century, free) for city views, then walk the historic district: Agmashenebeli Square, the Opera house and drama theatre, and the charmingly odd fountain by the Colchis fountain. Take a local bus or cheap taxi to the Vani Archaeological Complex (about 30 minutes out of town, entry a few GEL) to see the ancient Colchian site and small museum. Lunch at a small local cafe — khachapuri and lobio for under 10 GEL. Afternoon option: the natural sulfur pools at Geiser, reachable by taxi. In the evening join a free-ish walking orientation or simply eat at a family-run restaurant near the centre.
🚌Local bus/taxi to Vani (~5-10 GEL each way); city centre on foot
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in central Kutaisi (£12-22)
- →Bagrati Cathedral
- →Kutaisi historic district walk
- →Vani Archaeological Complex
- →Geiser sulfur pools (optional)
Prometheus Caves and Mtskheta back to Tbilisi
Tskaltubo / Mtskheta / Tbilisi
Head to the Prometheus karst caves near Tskaltubo — a taxi from Kutaisi is about 20-25 GEL each way, or shared minibus to Tskaltubo then a short taxi. Entry is around 20 GEL including the 300m underground boat ride when water levels allow. Then take a marshrutka back to Tbilisi (about 3.5 hours, 12-15 GEL) and stop off at Mtskheta on the way in (local bus or marshrutka from Tbilisi's Didube, 2 GEL). Visit the UNESCO-listed Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, browse the souvenir stalls outside, and climb to Jvari Monastery for the classic river confluence view if you have daylight. Arrive back in Tbilisi for a late dinner.
🚌Taxi to Prometheus Caves (~10-12 GEL shared), marshrutka Kutaisi-Tbilisi (~12-15 GEL), local bus to Mtskheta (~2 GEL)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Tbilisi old town (£8-14 dorm, £20-30 private)
- →Prometheus karst caves and boat ride
- →Mtskheta old town
- →Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
- →Jvari Monastery viewpoint (optional)
Kakheti wine region day trip to Sighnaghi
Kakheti / Sighnaghi
Day trip east to Kakheti. Take a marshrutka from Tbilisi's Samgori station to Sighnaghi (about 2 hours, 8 GEL). Book a wine tasting in advance directly with Giuaani or another qvevri winery near Manavi/Sighnaghi — tastings of 3-5 wines typically run 25-40 GEL and often include a walk through the qvevri cellar. A GetYourGuide Kakheti wine-tour day trip including transport and one tasting costs roughly £35-45 if you'd rather not navigate buses. Visit the Sighnaghi Museum of Archaeology, Ethnography and Arts (about 5 GEL) and its balcony overlooking the Alazani River Valley, walk the town walls, then stop at Bodbe Monastery on the way out (taxi from Sighnaghi about 10-15 GEL return, or 30 minutes on foot). Return to Tbilisi by late marshrutka.
🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi-Sighnaghi (~8 GEL each way), local taxi to Bodbe (~5-7 GEL each way)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Tbilisi old town (£8-14 dorm, £20-30 private)
- →Qvevri wine tasting at a Kakheti winery
- →Sighnaghi museum and Alazani valley view
- →Sighnaghi town walls
- →Bodbe Monastery
Markets, sulfur baths and departure
Tbilisi
Slow morning: browse the Dry Bridge flea market for Soviet-era trinkets, pick up churchkhela and spices at the Dezerter Bazaar, and if you didn't do it on day 1, book a private sulfur bath room at the Abanotubani bathhouses (about 50-80 GEL for a private room). Grab a final lunch of khachapuri. To reach the airport, take bus 337 from the city centre for 1 GEL or a Bolt taxi for roughly 25-35 GEL — far cheaper than the operator's $45 private transfer. Evening flights allow a farewell supra if you're staying on.
🚌City bus 337 to airport (~1 GEL) or Bolt taxi (~25-35 GEL)
🛏None (departure day) — extra night in hostel £8-14 if needed
- →Dry Bridge flea market
- →Dezerter Bazaar food market
- →Sulfur bathhouse (optional)
- →Airport transfer by bus or Bolt
Self-launched vs. Georgian Holidays LLC
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Georgian Holidays LLC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£468 | £840 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £372 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Georgian Holidays LLC-style trips? Check them out here.~£468
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does 6-Day Explore Georgia Independently Along the Silk Road cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £468 per person for 6 days in Georgia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Georgian Holidays LLC?+
Yes — Georgian Holidays LLC charges around £840 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £468 — a saving of roughly £372 (44%) per person.
How long is the Georgia trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Georgia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Georgia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.