Christian Georgia — Pilgrimage and Sacred Heritage in 8 Days

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8 days

All Months

€1,590

€1590 per person8 days / 7 nightsPrivate or group · coach, guide and chaplaincy arrangementsPrivate, two travellers; parish and church groups of 20–40 are quoted per group

The route of a parish pilgrimage: Mtskheta, Bodbe, Davit Gareji, Gergeti under Kazbek, Gelati in Kutaisi, Vardzia and the Catholic villages of Meskheti, with a place for Mass every day.

The route

Vardzia Cave City — Day Trip

Akhaltsikhe

Why this tour

—The whole sacred geography of Georgia in one journey, not a stop on the way to Armenia
—A named place for Mass or Liturgy every day: the Cathedral of the Assumption and Sts Peter and Paul in Tbilisi, the Catholic communities of Kutaisi and Akhaltsikhe, the Catholic villages of Meskheti, and open-air celebrations at Gergeti or Bodbe by permission
—An Orthodox encounter: Sunday Liturgy with polyphonic chant at Svetitskhoveli or Sameba, a meeting with the nuns of Bodbe or Samtavro
—Hotels named in the programme, full board from the first dinner to the last breakfast, headsets for the guide
—For parishes: the accompanying priest travels free from 20 paying pilgrims; the programme is drafted with your diocesan pilgrimage service or its licensed partner operator
—Departures can follow the feasts: Ninooba 1 June, Svetitskhovloba 14 October, Giorgoba 23 November

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival in Tbilisi; evening walk in the old town: Sioni (St Nino's cross), Anchiskhati, Metekhi; welcome dinner.

Day 2Mtskheta: Jvari, Svetitskhoveli, Samtavro; Shio-Mgvime. Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tbilisi.

Day 3Davit Gareji Lavra; afternoon Bodbe and Sighnaghi; night in Kakheti (Lenten or festive supra with a family).

Day 4Alaverdi, Ikalto, Nekresi; return towards Tbilisi via the Gombori pass; Mass at Sts Peter and Paul.

Day 5Georgian Military Highway: Ananuri, Gudauri, Gergeti Trinity church under Mount Kazbek (4×4). Night in Stepantsminda.

Day 6West to Kutaisi: Gelati (UNESCO, 1106), Motsameta; Mass with the Catholic community of Kutaisi; night in Kutaisi.

Day 7Vardzia cave monastery (part of the complex closed for repairs in 2026), Sapara; the Catholic villages of Meskheti and the Benedictine sisters of Akhaltsikhe; night in Akhaltsikhe or Borjomi.

Day 8Sameba cathedral in Tbilisi, time at the market for icons and enamel; transfer to the airport.

Route map

Map: OpenStreetMap · Road route and driving times: OSRM · Times exclude stops.

Included

✓ Coach or minibus with driver for eight days; 4×4 for Gergeti
✓ Licensed guide speaking your language (French, German, Italian, Polish, English, Russian)
✓ Seven nights in named 3–4 star hotels and one monastery-village guesthouse
✓ Full board from day 1 dinner to day 8 breakfast; Lenten menus on request
✓ Arrangement of Mass or Liturgy venues every day, in writing, with the parishes concerned
✓ Audio headsets, prayer booklet, headscarves
✓ Entrance fees (Vardzia, Ananuri, museums)

Not included

— International flights (we advise on Istanbul, Warsaw, Rome, Zurich and Athens connections)
— Travel insurance
— Offerings and Mass stipends
— Single-room supplement

Spiritual programme

· A Mass or service venue is named for each day and confirmed in writing before departure; your priest or pastor celebrates, local clergy concelebrate when invited
· Sunday: Divine Liturgy at Svetitskhoveli or Sameba (the programme is turned around the Sunday)
· Encounters: the nuns of Bodbe or Samtavro; the Lutheran Church of Reconciliation and the Baptist Peace Cathedral for Protestant groups; a Catholic parish of Meskheti
· Prayer booklet with the lives of St Nino, King Mirian and the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, and the texts of the feasts

Good to know

· Pace: two to three sites a day, with silence time at each; longest drives 3 hours; Gergeti at 2,170 m
· Dress: covered shoulders and knees, headscarves for women in every church; no photographs inside
· Julian calendar: Georgian Easter 2 May 2027 (Western 28 March); Christmas 7 January
· Site notices for 2026: part of Vardzia closed after rockfall, upper caves of Davit Gareji closed by border guards; the programme adapts and we tell you before departure
· Visa-free entry for EU, UK, US and most other passports; see our visa and entry guide

Questions

How is the group price built?
Per person on a sliding scale by group size (for example 20–25, 26–30, 31–40 pilgrims), full board, land only, with the accompanying priest free from 20 paying pilgrims. We send a written quotation within seven days of your request.

We are a French or German parish: who do we contract with?
With your diocesan pilgrimage service or a licensed operator in your country (Atout France registration in France, insolvency cover in Germany); G Tour, a brand of Sheni LLC, is the Georgian ground operator and works with them. We can introduce you to partners who already run groups with us.

Can an Orthodox parish use this route?
Yes, with Liturgies at the monasteries instead of Masses, and deeper additions: Sapara, Zarzma, Ubisa, Katskhi Pillar, the Assyrian Fathers' monastery at Kanda. Ask for the Orthodox version.

When is the best time?
May to mid-June and mid-September to late October: mild weather, open passes, harvest in Kakheti, and the feasts of Ninooba (1 June) and Svetitskhovloba (14 October).

The private price is per person for two travelling together, in euros, hotels and full board included as listed. Parish and church groups receive a written per-person quotation by group size; the accompanying priest travels free from 20 paying pilgrims. Hotels, wineries and restaurants on our routes are verified by GTour.

Verified places on the route

Gastronomy · Verified

Tsiskvili in Mtskheta

Cottage · Verified

Vaso-Levani Kazbegi Cottage

Guest House · Verified

Vaso-Levani Guest House

Tourist Information Center · Verified

Mtskheta Tourist Information Center

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Price per person

Group	Per person	Total
1 traveller	€2,544 ≈ $2,849 · 7,398 GEL	€2,544 ≈ $2,849 · 7,398 GEL
2 travellers	€1,590 ≈ $1,781 · 4,624 GEL	€3,180 ≈ $3,562 · 9,248 GEL
3 travellers	€1,511 ≈ $1,692 · 4,394 GEL	€4,533 ≈ $5,077 · 13,183 GEL
4–6 travellers	€1,352 ≈ $1,514 · 3,932 GEL	€5,408 ≈ $6,057 · 15,728 GEL for four

Private tour: your own car and driver, guide and hotels as described. Conversions at today's National Bank of Georgia rate.

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 7 days before the tour. Between 7 days and 48 hours: 50 % of the price. Less than 48 hours or no-show: no refund. If a mountain road closes and the tour cannot run, you choose a new date or a full refund.

Payment

20 % deposit confirms the booking. Deposit by card or bank transfer when the date is confirmed; the balance in cash or by card at the start of the tour. No hidden fees — fuel, parking, driver and guide are included; entrance tickets, meals and hotels are listed per tour.

Insurance

Since 1 January 2026 every foreign visitor to Georgia must hold health and accident insurance with cover of at least 30,000 GEL — see our guide to the rule. Our vehicles carry passenger liability insurance; your travel policy covers you.

Full booking conditions · Terms of use · What "Verified by GTour" means

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