# Bolnisi and Dmanisi — the Oldest Church and the First Europeans

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/bolnisi-dmanisi-day-trip/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/bolnisi-dmanisi-day-trip/

€185 per person8 hoursPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

[Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) and [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) combine Georgia's oldest dated church with the oldest human fossils found outside Africa, a full day into Kvemo Kartli.

The route

[Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)[Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/)[Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/)

Why this tour

- —[Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) Sioni, built around 478-493 AD, carries the earliest dated inscription in the Georgian alphabet

- —[Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/)'s archaeological site produced 1.8-million-year-old hominin skulls, among the earliest evidence of humans outside Africa

- —A medieval Georgian fortress town sits directly above the excavation, layering history on history

- —[Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/)'s German colonial streets, laid out by Swabian settlers in the 1810s as Katharinenfeld, add a different architectural register

- —A growing local wine scene around [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) gives a reason to stop for lunch rather than just pass through

- —Private car and driver for the day, no fixed group schedule

Itinerary

08:00Pick-up in [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) and drive south into Kvemo Kartli, about one hour to [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/).

09:15[Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) Sioni basilica, Georgia's oldest precisely dated church, with time to read the carved Georgian inscription on site.

10:15Walk through [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/)'s former Katharinenfeld district, the 19th-century streets and houses built by German colonists.

11:00Continue to [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/), roughly one hour further, through the Kvemo Kartli countryside.

12:15[Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) archaeological site and museum, where the 1.8-million-year-old hominin fossils were excavated (museum season checked at booking).

13:30Walk the medieval fortress ruins above the dig site, with views over the Mashavera gorge.

14:30Lunch in [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) on the return route, at a local restaurant with regional dishes and wine.

16:00Drive back to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/), arriving around 16:00.

Included

- ✓ Private car with English-speaking driver for the day

- ✓ Licensed guide

- ✓ All transport, fuel, tolls and parking

- ✓ Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Tbilisi

- ✓ Bottled water in the vehicle

Not included

- — Entrance tickets to Dmanisi museum (checked at booking)

- — Lunch in Bolnisi

- — Personal expenses and tips

- — Travel insurance

Good to know

- · [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) museum opening days and season are checked at booking; some winter months see reduced hours

- · Comfortable walking shoes recommended for the fortress ruins and uneven ground at the excavation site

- · Roads to [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) and [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) are paved but narrow in places; the final stretch to Dmanisi has some unlit curves

- · Bring a light jacket even in warmer months, as the [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) plateau is exposed and can be windy

- · This is a full day with two separate sites roughly an hour apart; it suits travellers comfortable with 4-5 hours total driving

- · Modest dress is appropriate for entering [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) Sioni, as it remains an active church

Questions

**Is Dmanisi worth the extra drive beyond Bolnisi?**
Yes for anyone interested in early human history: the site produced the oldest hominin fossils found outside Africa, dated to 1.8 million years. The museum display and on-site excavation shelter are the main draws; the surrounding fortress adds a medieval layer.

**Is the museum at Dmanisi always open?**
Opening days and winter hours vary by season, so we check this at booking and confirm before your tour date.

**Can we add wine tasting in Bolnisi?**
Yes, [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) has a growing number of small producers and we can arrange a tasting alongside lunch if you let us know in advance.

**How much walking is involved?**
Moderate. The [Dmanisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dmanisi/) fortress and dig site involve uneven ground and some incline; [Bolnisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/bolnisi/) Sioni and the German quarter are flat and easy.

Prices are per person for two travelling together, in euros; solo travellers and larger groups are quoted on request. Every departure is private and adjusted to you. Hotels, wineries and restaurants on our routes are [verified by GTour](/verified/).

*Image: Archaeologists excavate the 1.8-million-year-old prehistoric human site at Dmanisi. Photo: Georgian National Museum / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*

*Image: The medieval Dmanisi fortress overlooks the forested Kura river gorge. Photo: Aleksey Muhranoff / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*

Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral, Georgia's oldest surviving church, built in the 5th century. · Photo: Diaoha / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0