Georgia in winter: a 5-day itinerary with Gudauri skiing, sulphur baths and Kakheti cellars

Yes, five days is enough to combine Gudauri’s pistes, Tbilisi‘s sulphur baths and a Kakheti cellar or two, provided you accept that this is low-altitude, low-season Georgia: short daylight, variable snow below 2,200 metres, and several mountain regions that are simply shut. The classic winter loop is Tbilisi–Gudauri–Tbilisi–Kakheti–Tbilisi, using the cleared Georgian Military Highway and the flat Kakheti road, both kept open through the season by snowploughs except during the worst storms.

What this itinerary deliberately leaves out matters as much as what it includes. Tusheti, Khevsureti’s Shatili and the high Svaneti road to Ushguli are not realistic winter destinations: the passes close with the first serious snowfall, usually in October, and reopen only in late spring. Below we set out a workable five-day plan, what stays closed, the Orthodox Christmas and New Year dates that shape the calendar, and honest low-season prices.

The five-day route at a glance

Travellers wanting a packaged version of this can look at Georgia in Winter — Gudauri Skiing, Tbilisi & Kakheti (6 Days), which adds one extra night; for a shorter mountain-only add-on there is Winter Kazbegi — Snowshoes, Gergeti and the Rooms Hotel, and for the cellar leg Winter Kakheti — Cellars by the Fire.

Day 1: Tbilisi and the sulphur baths

Tbilisi in winter is mild by Caucasus standards, typically 0–7°C with occasional snow that rarely settles for long. Spend the afternoon on an Old Town walk and finish with a private room at the Abanotubani baths, the domed bathhouse quarter below Narikala. A guided version with the history attached is Sulphur Baths Experience — Abanotubani History and a Private Bath Room. Book ahead in the Christmas and New Year week, when both locals and visitors crowd the popular houses.

Day 2–3: Gudauri skiing

Gudauri sits at around 2,200 metres on the Georgian Military Highway, roughly two hours from Tbilisi in clear conditions. The ski season generally runs from early December into April, with the most reliable snow from mid-January to March; exact lift-opening and closing dates are set each year by the resort, so check Gudauri’s own seasonal page before booking non-refundable flights. Lift passes, rental and lessons are all available on-site and cheaper than Alpine equivalents. Non-skiers can snowshoe or take a snowmobile instead. A ready-made package with transfers and pass included is Gudauri Ski Package — 5 Nights with Transfers and Ski Pass; serious skiers chasing off-piste snow can look at the Gudauri Heliski and Freeride Week. The transfer itself, in a winter-equipped vehicle, is covered by Tbilisi to Gudauri Transfer — Ski Season 4×4.

The road past Gudauri climbs further over the Jvari Pass towards Kazbegi (Stepantsminda); this section is occasionally closed for a few hours during heavy snow or avalanche control, so build in slack if you plan to see Gergeti Trinity Church on the same trip. Current closures are published daily by the Roads Department.

Day 4–5: Kakheti cellars in winter

Kakheti’s vineyards are bare in winter, but this is in some ways the better season for cellar visits: the harvest rush is over, winemakers have time to talk, and many cellars are tasting new wine still finishing its months in qvevri. Roads to Telavi and Sighnaghi are flat and kept clear. Good options include Kakheti Classic — Sighnaghi, Bodbe and Two Cellars in a Day and, for a slower pace with a fireplace involved, Winter Kakheti — Cellars by the Fire. Several family cellars close for a short break around the New Year holidays, so confirm opening hours directly before turning up unannounced.

What is closed in winter

• Tusheti: the only road in, over the Abano Pass at nearly 2,900 metres, is unpaved and closes with the first snow, typically in October, reopening only in late May or June once cleared. The region is a protected landscape managed by the Agency of Protected Areas, whose seasonal notices are the most reliable source to check before planning anything there.
• Khevsureti (Shatili, Mutso): the Datvisjvari Pass closes on the same pattern as Abano. Winter access is effectively impossible by road.
• Svaneti road to Ushguli: Mestia itself is reachable year-round by the paved road from Zugdidi, though temporary closures follow heavy snowfall. The higher, unpaved road on to Ushguli is frequently closed for days or weeks at a time and should be checked locally, day by day, rather than assumed open.
• Georgian Military Highway (Gudauri–Kazbegi): stays open as a priority route but suffers short closures, sometimes several hours, during storms and avalanche-control work.

Before committing to any mountain plan, check the live situation on our own road status page alongside the Roads Department’s official updates, and build a buffer day into any itinerary that depends on a single pass.

Orthodox Christmas and New Year dates

Georgia marks the calendar twice over in winter, which changes hotel pricing and village atmosphere depending on exactly when you travel.

The Georgian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar for its feast days, which is why Christmas falls on 7 January rather than 25 December; this is confirmed on the Patriarchate’s own site. Expect higher hotel rates and earlier dinner bookings between 30 December and 7 January, quieter and cheaper travel in the second half of January, and some family-run cellars and guesthouses closed for a few days around both New Year dates. A tour built specifically around this window is New Year in Georgia — Tbilisi Fireworks, Kakheti Supra and Gudauri Snow, and for the Christmas week itself there is Orthodox Christmas in Tbilisi — Alilo Procession and Winter Kakheti.

Low-season prices

Winter, outside the Christmas-New Year peak, is Georgia’s cheapest season for private touring. The figures below are per person for two travellers sharing, in euros, from GTour’s current tour pages.

For a point of reference on currency, the National Bank of Georgia’s rate on 28 October 2026 was €1 = GEL 2.8943; always convert at the day’s rate for cash budgeting rather than relying on a fixed figure. For point-to-point transport outside a packaged tour, the Tbilisi to Gudauri Transfer and Tbilisi to Kakheti Transfer are priced separately and can be combined with a self-planned schedule. Full current pricing across all tours and services is listed at GTour’s price table.

Packing and practical notes

• Layer for both city and mountain: Tbilisi rarely needs more than a warm coat, Gudauri needs genuine ski-grade insulation, gloves and goggles for wind.
• Daylight is short, roughly 9am to 5pm in late December and early January, so plan driving legs to finish before dusk, especially on mountain roads.
• Winter tyres or snow chains are standard on professional transfer vehicles; if self-driving, confirm your rental car is winter-equipped.
• Sulphur bath houses can be booked by the hour; arrive with flip-flops and expect strong mineral smell, which is normal and not a sign of poor maintenance.
• Confirm Tusheti, Khevsureti and Ushguli road status is “closed” rather than assuming it from this article alone, since opening and closing dates shift year to year with snowfall.

Practical summary

• Five days works: Tbilisi (baths) → Gudauri (skiing) → Kakheti (cellars) → Tbilisi.
• Tusheti, Shatili/Khevsureti and the Ushguli road are closed in winter; check current status before planning around them.
• Gudauri’s season runs roughly December to April, with best snow January–March; confirm exact dates with the resort before booking flights.
• Orthodox Christmas is 7 January, secular New Year is 1 January, Old New Year falls 13–14 January; hotels and some cellars are busiest or closed around these dates.
• Low season (outside 30 December–7 January) brings the cheapest private-tour and hotel pricing of the year.
• Always verify road and pass status the day before travel, not weeks in advance.

Sources

• Gudauri resort and ski season
• Road conditions and closures
• Protected areas, Tusheti
• National Bank of Georgia exchange rates
• Georgian Road Department – Pass Closure Notices
• Svaneti (Mestia–Ushguli) Road Conditions Report
• Public Holidays of Georgia – Legal Act
• Abanotubani Sulphur Bath District, Tbilisi
• Georgia Tourism Statistics – Seasonal Visitor Data