Georgia : A Backpacker’s Paradise

Georgia was the second stop of my Caucasus tour and hands down my favorite country. Georgia has it all: city life, stunning landscapes, wineries, history, backpacking trails, you name it. I spent 7 days here, but honestly, I could’ve done two-weeks. Before coming to Georgia, you have to decide which route you want to take – the backpacking one, party life, historical tour, or a mix of all, especially if you’re limited on time. Here are my top recommendations for Georgia if you have a week or so to spare.

1) Kazbegi

Kazbegi is a region located in north-eastern Georgia, which is roughly 3 hours from Tbilisi. Kazbegi is home to Gergeti Trinity Church, one of the most iconic places in the country. Most travelers do a day trip here, which includes a visit to Ananuri Fortified Castle, Russian Georgian Friendship Monument, Gergeti, and a hike to a waterfall. Not to mention, you’ll have one of the most scenic drives ever en route to all of these places.

The route to the Gergeti Trinity Church is stunning, and if you have a good driver, he/she will make several stops along the way for you to take photos.

After visiting the church, you’ll go for a hike up a waterfall, which takes an hour.

2) Go Trekking!

No trip to Georgia is complete without a hike. The premier trails are located in the western part of the country, which takes nearly a day to get to, so keep in mind if you decide to do this, you’ll lose two days just in transit. Given my time constraints, I decided to go trekking in the Gergeti area, and it did not disappoint.

I trekked through the abandoned village of Ketrisi, which is located near the Russian border. The entire hike took roughly 8 hours. Make sure you bring your rain coat! The weather in the mountains is quite unpredictable.

3) Wine Tasting in Kakheti

Kakheti is Georgia’s foremost wine region. It produces nearly three-quarters of the country’s wine grapes, which are grown on land that has been dedicated to viticulture for thousands of years.

I highly recommend a wine tour, even if you aren’t a fan of wine. Georgia is one of the oldest wine producing countries on earth, and the history behind the production is very interesting. Moreover, Georgians still maintain the same traditional wine making procedures they’ve practiced for thousands for years.

One of the great things about Georgian wine is that all of it is organic and made without preservatives, additives or herbicides. Many locals claim, and I can attest to this myself, that the lack of chemicals really does produce a better tasting wine. And, the lack of chemicals reduces your chances of a hangover.

4) Eat as Much Georgian Food as Possible!

Georgian food is excellent! I am a tough critic when it comes to food, but Georgia passed with flying colors. Nearly everything I had was delicious, and truthfully speaking, it was some of the best cuisine I’ve ever had. There are two dishes you absolutely must try : khachapuri, which is a warm boat-shaped yeast bread stuffed with multiple different kinds of cheese and an egg in the center; and Khinkali, which are Georgian meat-filled dumplings.

One of the things I enjoyed was making fresh bread with a local family. After baking the bread, we had it with figs, fresh cheese, and tomatoes, an usual combination but very delicious.

There is absolutely no reason any tourist coming to Georgia should be eating McDonald’s with the quality of food here, it is that good 🙂

5) Get Lost in Tbilisi

Tbilisi is a neat city; you’ll find a lot of digital nomads here due to the low cost of living, hipsters, established professionals, and hardcore backpackers. There is enough here to keep you entertained for days, and for the most part, it is a pretty walkable city.

I enjoyed the Old City the most, here you can take a cable car up and get an overall view of the city. I didn’t go with a particular itinerary in Tbilisi; I just wandered around the city soaking it all in. However, like most European cities, Tbilisi has free walkings tours daily if you want something more structured.

Getting Around Georgia

Transportation in Georgia is pretty cheap. You can use the Bolt app, which is similar to Uber or you can take mini vans, which locals call “marshrutka.” These buses normally fit about 15 people and will take you all over the country for a fraction of what it would cost in a taxi. No need for reservations, just show up before departure time (one hour is good) and buy your ticket. It’s first come, first serve, so the van could leave early if they fill up before departure time.

Overall Thoughts?

Great vacation spot! I highly recommend you put Georgia on your priority list of countries to visit. It is definitely a hidden-gem, but to fully enjoy it, it’s probably best to visit avoid the winter time if you want to go hiking. 9/10 🙂