Activities in Georgia
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Gergeti Glacier
If you're up for another 900m of ascent from Tsminda Sameba, this quite strenuous walk rewards with spectacular views. The path heads straight up the ridge behind the church; an alternative route, more protected on windy days, runs up the left flank of the ridge.
The two meet at a cairn at 2960m altitude, from where a path leads on up towards the left side of the Gergeti (Ortsveri) Glacier as it snakes its way down from Mt Kazbek. Head up here for about one hour for views of the glacier, then return. You'll need about nine hours to get up there from Kazbegi and down again the same day.
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Badagoni Tour
Badagoni specialises in wine and food tours but also offers a range of other trips in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
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Walking the Upper Mtkvari Valley
A network of fascinating walking trails has been opened up between Khertvisi and Vardzia, giving access to places like Tmogvi Castle, Vanis Qvabebi and the convent of Zeda (Upper) Vardzia with its 11th-century stone church. You'll notice information boards showing these routes and describing their features in English and Georgian as you travel along the valley.
Five routes of up to 8km are marked with yellow-and-black paint stripes and arrows in a project coordinated by the Swiss-based Foundation for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions. Guesthouses with hot-water bathrooms at Gelsunda, Tmogvi and Vardzia enable you to stay overnight and enjoy exploring this…
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Walk to the Cross
A moderately demanding half-day walk that many people do without a guide is up to the Cross, visible 900m above Mestia on the north side of the valley (actually just a single pole at research time). The views get better as you go, and from the Cross you can see the spectacular twin peaks of Mt Ushba (4710m), Georgia's toughest and most dangerous mountaineering challenge. From Mestia's central square walk 450m east along the main street then take the lane up to the left.
Take the uphill option at all junctions. You pass under an arch after about 350m, and after 150m more the street becomes a footpath: follow this up and after 800m it bends to the right across the hillside,…
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City Tours & Day Trips
Good local agents can take the organisational hassle out of any kind of activity, from a city tour to a hiking expedition, and good guides can open your eyes to things you'd otherwise never know.
A half-day Tbilisi city tour for up to five people with a good agency and a guide speaking English, German, French, Italian or Spanish costs around US$40 to US$70 per person. Day trips out of the city can cost from US$50 to US$120, while a four-day guided Caucasus trip with at least some hiking is typically between US$350 and US$650 per person.
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Walking
Walking routes are innumerable. Omalo to Shenakho and Shenakho to Diklo are two good short walks of a couple of hours each (one-way). A good route of about five days starts in Omalo or Shenakho, runs up the Pirikiti Alazani valley to Dartlo and Chesho, then crosses the 2900m Nakaicho Pass over to Verkhovani in the Gomtsari Alazani valley, and returns down the Gomtsari Alazani.
If you prefer to ride, horses are available in Omalo and Shenakho for between 35 GEL and 70 GEL per day.
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Walk to Ushguli
You can spend a lovely three days walking to Ushguli if you start by taking a jeep as far as Ipari (Nakipari on some maps), about 20km southeast of Mestia. From Ipari the first stage takes you to Adishi, where you can sleep at Zhora Kaldani's homestay. The second day is from Adishi to Iprari, where there are rooms at Ucha Margvelani's.
On the third day it's three or four hours' walk from Iprari to Ushguli.
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Trekking
The track up the Pirikiti Alazani valley beyond Chesho, through Parsma and Girevi, eventually leads to the 3431m Atsunta Pass, a very steep and demanding route over into Khevsure. It's a one-week trek all the way from Shenakho or Omalo to Shatili in Khevsureti.
If you prefer to ride, horses are available in Omalo and Shenakho for between 35 GEL and 70 GEL per day.
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Walk to Chalati Glacier
The walk to the Chalati Glacier is a lovely route, taking you out past Mestia's airstrip and up the Mestiachala valley. The last section is up through woods to the foot of the glacier. Watch out for rocks falling off the glacier in summer. This route is a nine- or 10-hour round-trip including stops. There is a border-guard checkpoint en route, so take your passport.
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Orbeliani Baths
The most impressive of the famed sulphur baths, the above-ground Orbeliani Baths, has a Central Asian feel to its blue-tile mosaic façade. Entry to the male or female communal pools here costs 2 GEL, while a very invigorating massage is 5 GEL; small private rooms are 10 GEL.
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Laguna Vere Pool
In the searing heat of the Tbilisi summer, a cooling splash can be just the thing. The open-air Laguna Vere Pool is popular with locals. It’s a mite antiquated but has a clean 50m by 25m pool. First-time visitors need to pay 5 GEL extra for a cursory medical inspection.
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Skiing
The ski season runs from late December to some time in March. The main runs are Kokhta I, 1.5km long with a chairlift (per ride 2 GEL), on the eastern edge of town, and Didveli, 1.8km with a cable car (3 GEL), to the south. You can ice-skate and snowmobile here too.
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Jomardi Club
Rafting is growing in popularity on rivers such as the Pshavis Aragvi, Tetri Aragvi, Mtkvari and Rioni. A day’s outing from Tbilisi can cost as little as US$20 per person. A recommended rafting outfit is Jomardi Club.
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Vake Swimming Pool & Fitness Club
Much luxurious and modern (and expensive) is the beautiful 50m indoor pool at Vake Swimming Pool & Fitness Club. The pool is heated to a constant 28°C. Admission includes use of a state-of-the-art fitness club.
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Hiking
The Bakuriani area is also good for picturesque walks in summer. The climate here is subalpine, with snow usually falling from December to the end of March, but it also has long, warm summers and high ultraviolet radiation.
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GeorgiCa Travel
Well-established, professional GeorgiCa offers a full range of cultural and adventure trips, and will happily construct tailor-made itineraries. Also offers trips combining Georgia with Armenia and/or Azerbaijan.
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Explore Georgia
This young company, headed by highly experienced mountain guide Nick Erkomaishvili, focuses on activity-based travel, including climbing, hiking, horse riding, bird-watching and archaeological tours.
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Eteri Jorjoliani
Most homestays can arrange guides and jeep transport. An experienced and well-recommended English-speaking guide here, both for hikes and for visits to Svaneti's churches, is Eteri Jorjoliani.
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pontoon-boat trips
At the visitors centre you can organise pontoon-boat trips on the lake. A two-hour trip costs between 10 GEL and 40 GEL per person depending on group size (maximum: 16 people).
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Europark
For water-slide excitement, there’s Europark, an aquapark in the Nadzaladevi district, offering 12 slides, four pools, palm trees and several cafés.
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Walks from Mazeri
Mazeri village, 1600m high in the Dolra valley, northwest of Mestia, is another fine base for walks. One spectacular day route is up to the Ushba Glacier and back.
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Levon Travel
A US-based outfit, Levon runs tours in Georgia and offers good deals on air tickets, especially to and from North America.
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Marina Tourist Center
The gleaming new Marina Tourist Center has an excellent 25m indoor pool and tennis courts.
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Swimming Pool & Spa
The good open-air pool at the Hotel Intourist Palace is open to nonguests, as is the hotel's excellent spa.
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Ski Rental
Skiing and snowboarding equipment is available for rent at around 25 GEL a day near the foot of the lifts.
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