Who this itinerary is for
For those who’ve already seen Tbilisi and the Military Highway, and want the other side of Georgia — the green west. Ten days in a loop that leaves Tbilisi and returns to it, through Borjomi National Park, the canyons of the Imereti region, mountainous Svaneti and the Black Sea coast at Batumi. It’s not a lazy itinerary: there are days with 4–5 hours of travel and some easy mountain walking. In return you get the greatest variety that fits in a single trip — from mineral water and forest to 4,000-metre peaks and the Riviera.
Day by day
Day 1: Tbilisi → Gori → Borjomi
Morning: head west. Stop at Uplistsikhe — an ancient cave city carved into the rock, one of Georgia’s oldest settlements (first millennium BC), about 10 km from Gori. For those interested — also the Stalin museum in Gori itself.
Afternoon: continue to Borjomi (an hour and a half). Check-in and a walk through the central park — drinking mineral water straight from the spring (warm and salty — not for everyone), a cable car to the plateau and a Ferris wheel with views over the valley.
Tip: bring an empty bottle — filling it at the spring is part of the experience, even if the taste surprises you.
Day 2: Borjomi → Kutaisi
Morning: the Romanov Palace in Likani and the Green Monastery in the forest — a 9th-century building among the trees. For nature lovers: a short entry into Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.
Afternoon: a trip to Kutaisi (about two and a half hours). Kutaisi is the west’s unofficial capital — quiet, green and an excellent base for the next 3 days. Evening on the White Bridge over the Rioni River.
Day 3: Kutaisi — Gelati, Bagrati and caves
Morning: the Gelati monastery — a 12th-century UNESCO site, frescoes and mosaics. Then Bagrati Cathedral on the hill, with views over the city.
Afternoon: the Prometheus Cave — a lit stalactite cave with an orderly path and an underground boat, or the Sataplia reserve with dinosaur footprints and a smaller cave.
Evening: the Green Market — the local bazaar: cheeses, churchkhela, spices. A meal in the center.
Tip: the Prometheus Cave is cool (14 °C) all year — bring a layer even in summer.
Day 4: The Imereti canyons — Martvili and Okatse
Morning: the Martvili Canyon — a short boat ride over emerald water between rock walls and forest. One of the prettiest images of the west.
Afternoon: the Okatse Canyon and its walkway over the abyss, or the nearby Kinchkha waterfall. Back to Kutaisi for the night.
Tip: the canyons require closed shoes, and the paths get slippery after rain — check the forecast.
Day 5: Kutaisi → Zugdidi → Mestia (Svaneti)
Morning: head north. A possible stop in Zugdidi — the Dadiani Palace and a botanical garden. From there the road climbs to Svaneti.
Afternoon: the road to Mestia is part of the experience — the turquoise Enguri reservoir, bridges and peaks beginning to appear. Arrival in Mestia after about 4–5 hours of total travel. First night among the Svaneti towers.
Tip: the road to Svaneti is improved but winding — anyone who gets carsick should bring medication.
Day 6: Mestia — towers, museum and glacier
Morning: a walk through Mestia among the medieval Svan towers (koshki), and a visit to the History and Ethnography Museum — impressive icons and manuscripts.
Afternoon: a cable car to Hatsvali for a panoramic view, or an easy hike to the Chalaadi glacier — about 3 hours round trip through the forest.
Tip: the weather in Svaneti changes fast — layers and a rain jacket even on a clear day.
Day 7: Mestia → Ushguli → Mestia
A whole day to Ushguli — one of Europe’s highest inhabited villages (2,100 m), a UNESCO site, against the backdrop of the Shkhara summit (5,193 m). The road is demanding (about 2 hours each way by 4x4) but the scenery — stone towers over glaciers — is the high point of the itinerary.
Tip: the road to Ushguli needs a high vehicle; hire a local 4x4 in Mestia rather than driving a regular car.
Day 8: Mestia → Batumi
A long travel day (about 6 hours) — down from the mountains to the Black Sea. The scenery changes from snowy peaks to a subtropical zone with tea plantations and citrus groves. Arrival in Batumi toward the afternoon — check-in and a first meal on the boulevard.
Tip: start early (before 09:00) — the descent from Svaneti is slow, and Batumi is worth reaching in daylight.
Day 9: Batumi — boulevard, old town and botanical garden
Morning: Batumi’s Botanical Garden, north of the city — one of the most beautiful in the area, on a cliff above the sea. Then the boulevard and the moving Ali and Nino statue.
Afternoon: the old town — the Italian Piazza, the Georgian Alphabet Tower and the Argo cable car for a view from above. Evening on the boulevard with fresh fish.
Tip: in summer Batumi is busy and humid; spring and autumn are more pleasant and cheaper too.
Day 10: Batumi → Tbilisi
A last morning on the beach or a café in the old town. Back to Tbilisi — on the fast train (about 5 hours, comfortable and cheap), by domestic flight (about 50 minutes, seasonal) or driving (about 6 hours on the highway). End of the loop.
Tip: the Batumi–Tbilisi fast train is excellent — book a seat in the upper carriage ahead of time for the views.
Transport along the itinerary
| Leg | Recommended mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The whole loop | Driver-guide / rental car | The flexibility is worth it on the mountain stretches |
| To Svaneti | 4x4 / local driver | The road winds; for Ushguli a high vehicle is mandatory |
| Batumi → Tbilisi | Fast train | ~5 hours, comfortable and cheap — an alternative to driving |
| Within the cities | Bolt | Available in Kutaisi and Batumi |
Tip: a rental car is convenient for Borjomi–Kutaisi, but for Svaneti a local driver who knows the road is better.
Estimated budget (for a couple, 9 nights)
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (9 nights, 3-star) | €450–700 |
| Food | €330–500 |
| Driver / car / train | €650–1000 |
| Entries + canyons + 4x4 to Ushguli | €130–200 |
Hotels in Kutaisi | Hotels in Mestia | Hotels in Batumi | Tours and canyons
GULITRAVEL tip: the logistically hard stretch is Svaneti (days 5–8). Book a local driver-guide or 4x4 there — it’s the difference between an itinerary that flows and one that gets stuck on a mountain road.