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Mtskheta-Jvari + Gori-Uflistsikhe Tour: Exploring Ancient Historical Sites of Georgia from Tbilisi
4.9
46 Ratings
Mtskheta
Embark on a one-day tour from Tbilisi to explore Georgia’s oldest historical locations, take a trip to Uflistsikhe - a 3000-year-old city etched into the rock, also known as the ‘God’s Fortress’, check out the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mtskheta, and visit Joseph Stalin’s home and museum in Gori.
Embark on a one-day tour from Tbilisi to explore Georgia’s oldest historical locations, take a trip to Uflistsikhe - a 3000-year-old city etched into the rock, also known as the ‘God’s Fortress’, check out the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mtskheta, and visit Joseph Stalin’s home and museum in Gori.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Jvari Church - The tour begins at the Jvari Monastery, an ancient temple dating back to the 6th century, located near the historic capital of Mtskheta. Perched atop a high mountain, it offers stunning views of the surrounding area, where the turbulent waters of the Aragvi and Kura rivers meet. The temple draws thousands of visitors due to its…
- Jvari Church - The tour begins at the Jvari Monastery, an ancient temple dating back to the 6th century, located near the historic capital of Mtskheta. Perched atop a high mountain, it offers stunning views of the surrounding area, where the turbulent waters of the Aragvi and Kura rivers meet. The temple draws thousands of visitors due to its remarkable architecture, strategic location, and historical significance. The church’s name translates from Georgian as “the cross,” and its history will be shared during the visit.
- Mtskheta - The next stop is Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, which, like the Jvari Monastery, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inhabited for over 2500 years, it was once the capital of the early Kingdom of Iberia. This historic town is home to numerous ancient monuments, including the Pompey Bridge, a stone bridge over the Kura River built around 65 BC during the time of Pompey the Great, Bebris Castle from the 1st century, and the sacred Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the main Christian Orthodox Cathedral where Christ’s robe is believed to be buried.
- Uplistsiche Cave Town - The tour then proceeds to Uplistsikhe, “Fortress of God,” one of the world’s most ancient historical sites. This 3000-year-old cave city, carved into the rock, played a crucial role in Georgia’s history. Its uniqueness lies in its structure, preserving architectural and religious buildings from thousands of years ago. Today, 150 caves remain, some of which will be explored during the tour, including a cave tunnel, an ancient sun temple, the royal cave of King Tamara, a winery, a 6th-century church, a library, and an ancient pharmacy.
- Gori - The final stop is the city of Gori, the hometown of the renowned Georgian leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. The house-museum offers comprehensive information about Stalin’s life, showcasing his office, personal items such as his pipe, cigars, and telephone, as well as the house where he was born, a railway cabin, and more.
What's Included
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off
- Private transportation
- On-board WiFi
- Bottle of Water
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off
- Private transportation
- On-board WiFi
- Bottle of Water
What's Not Included
- Entrance fee to Stalin museum 5$ person
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fee to Stalin museum 5$ person
- Entrance fees
Location
Jvari Church
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(46 Ratings)
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Lena_w
Mar 15, 2025
Great day trio from Tbilisi - Gogi was a great guide and driver. His history discussion at each location was the perfect amount. He also knows where great bakeries are.
Review provided by Viator
Aleksei_r
Mar 9, 2025
Great trip to see some of... - Great trip to see some of the most ancient places in Georgia. Gogi was a wonderful guide, very attentive and interesting.
Review provided by Viator
Craig_m
Oct 20, 2024
Great private tour with a very knowledgeable local guide - Great private tour with Gogi. He was very knowledgeable with all of the sites and very patient with our child who enjoyed exploring the caves in Uplistsikhe.
Review provided by Viator
Nnegagala
May 28, 2024
One day tour worth going. - It takes entire day.
This day is full of views and history.
I had amazing experience entire days
Wear bright clothes for amazing pictures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Helenjen
Feb 12, 2024
Excellent tour with our great guide George! - Our guide picked us up on time from our hotel and we set out for Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia) and Jvari Monastery...the traffic in Tbilisi is a nightmare and George handled it well and safely! He provided lots of history and information about the sites we visited and was amenable to our request to omit Stalin's Museum and replace with a visit the The Chronicle of Georgia....thank you for that.....our favourite part of the tour and definitely worth seeing. The Caves of Uflistsikhe were disappointing, due to some rain, which made them a little slippy to clamber over and unfortunately after spending time in Cappadocia, a little disappointing, in comparison. Highly recommend you do this tour from Tbilisi and request George for an enjoyable day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wesley
Nov 13, 2023
George is the best guide ! - Excellent tour ! I went with George. It was a private tour. It was great because we covered a lot of places. George is very knowledgeable and professional. He picked me up right on time . Very good driver. He was very knowledgeable about history and culture in Georgia. I learned a lot . Highly recommend George as a tour guide. I had the best time !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariagilbertasantos
Nov 5, 2023
Very interesting visit - Very interesting and well documented visit. Our guide George was very available and friendly, always attentive to our questions.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Philippe
Oct 29, 2023
Varied tour and great guide - The tour goes through four various points of interest. I cannot comment on the last (Gori) which we skipped due to fatigue, but with the other three, you can get a great viewpoint in the oldest Christian site in Georgia, then visit what is maybe the most important church in orthodoxy, and then the ruins of an old village carved out of a mountain.
The guide who took care of us (Gogita) was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Upon arrival in the various sites, we were able to get a thorough explanation of the historical context surrounding the locations. He was also keen on making the trip as comfortable as could be - we asked him to drop us off at a specific restaurant after the day (which he agreed to), but that restaurant was closed. Far from leaving us stranded, he gave suggested a really nice replacement spot, and drove us there.
In short ; highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roberto_g
Oct 26, 2023
Diversified and well balanced tour to explore Georgia from Tbilisi - This was a very nice tour, interesting and well balanced. First we went to the Jvari monastery, on the top of the mountain, amazing. Thereafter the ancient capital, Mtskheta and its beautiful and very well maintained monastery. Newt stop was Gori and the Stalin Museum, a must for people like me who are interested in history. The last stop was a visit to the Uflistsikhe caves and citadel, testimony of a very ancient civilization that inhabited that area. The stop in the wine cellar for a wine tasting was excellent to close the journey, and 7 hours after departure we arrived back to the hotel in Tbilisi. The guide (Gogita) was perfect, provided useful information along the whole tour and was a very good driver as well.
Review provided by Viator
Suneeti_j
Mar 26, 2025
As it was raining... - As it was raining throughout the day it was cold windy it was a good tour however the guide could have explained all details in the warmth of the car and then taken us to show
We stood in the rain while he explained this tour can be avoided if you are not used to the cold
The good time to visit is September October
Review provided by Viator
