# Georgia Off the Beaten Track — 9 Days in Racha, Samegrelo and Guria

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/georgia-off-the-beaten-track-9-days/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-28
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/georgia-off-the-beaten-track-9-days/

€2,390 per person9 days / 8 nightsPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

Nine days through Racha, Samegrelo and [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/), from Khvanchkara vineyards and the Shaori lake to Megrelian canyons and Gurian tea country, finishing on the [Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/) seafront.

The route

[Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)[Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/)[Oni](https://gtour.ge/georgia/oni/)[Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/)[Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/)[Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/)[Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/)

Why this tour

- —Khvanchkara wine tasting in [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/), the valley behind Georgia's best-known semi-sweet red

- —Nikortsminda Cathedral, an 11th-century church with some of the country's finest carved stone relief work

- —[Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/) Canyon by rowing boat through turquoise water, combined with the adjoining monastery

- —Dadiani Palace in [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/), former seat of Megrelia's ruling princes, with items reportedly linked to Napoleon

- —Small family-run guesthouses in Racha, Samegrelo and [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/) instead of hotel chains

- —A route most visitors to Georgia never take, finishing on the Black Sea coast at [Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/)

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival in [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/), private transfer from the airport, and an orientation walk through the Old Town in the afternoon.

Day 2Drive west via Kutaisi into Racha-Lechkhumi, stopping at Nikortsminda Cathedral before reaching [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/) for an evening Khvanchkara wine tasting.

Day 3A full day around [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/): the Shaori reservoir, Barakoni Church, and a visit to a family wine cellar in the Khvanchkara microzone.

Day 4Drive north to Oni, Racha's historic centre, to see the 19th-century synagogue and old town, with a run toward the Mamisoni Pass gateway if the road is open (checked at booking).

Day 5Return south through Kutaisi into Samegrelo to [Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/), with an afternoon at Martvili Canyon (rowing boat ride, weather permitting) and the adjoining monastery.

Day 6On to [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) for the Dadiani Palace and botanical garden, with a short stop at the Enguri Dam viewpoint.

Day 7Into [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/): Gurian tea villages, the Gurieli princes' monasteries, and the coast at Ureki's magnetic-sand beach; Bakhmaro's high mountain road is normally closed by late October, so we substitute lower-altitude villages (checked at booking).

Day 8Drive to [Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/), with the afternoon free on the boulevard and an Old Town walk.

Day 9Private transfer to [Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/) airport for departure.

Included

- ✓ Private car or minivan with driver for the full route

- ✓ Licensed English-speaking guide throughout

- ✓ 8 nights in guesthouses and small hotels, breakfast included

- ✓ Khvanchkara wine tasting in Ambrolauri

- ✓ Martvili Canyon boat ride and entrance

- ✓ Dadiani Palace entrance in Zugdidi

- ✓ Airport transfers in Tbilisi and Batumi

- ✓ All road tolls, parking and fuel

Not included

- — International flights

- — Lunches and dinners (except the Khvanchkara tasting)

- — Travel insurance

- — Entrance fees not listed above (checked at booking)

- — Personal expenses and gratuities

Good to know

- · Roads in Racha and between some [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/) villages are winding, partly unpaved, and slower than the distances suggest; plan for long but scenic driving days

- · Late October brings cold mornings and possible early snow at altitude in Racha; bring layers and a warm jacket

- · Bakhmaro's high mountain road is normally closed from October to May, so the [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/) day focuses on lower villages and the coast instead

- · Walking is gentle throughout (short canyon and monastery paths); no technical hiking is involved

- · Guesthouses in Racha and [Guria](https://gtour.ge/georgia/guria/) are family-run and modest rather than luxury standard, with limited English spoken outside [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) and [Batumi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/batumi/)

- · Carry some cash in Georgian lari for small village guesthouses and markets

Questions

**Is this tour private or part of a group?**
Private, for your party only, with your own driver-guide and vehicle for all nine days.

**What is the price based on?**
€2390 per person is based on two people travelling together; solo and group pricing is quoted on request before booking.

**Can we visit Bakhmaro in person?**
Bakhmaro sits at roughly 2000m and its access road typically closes for winter by October; whether it is open is checked at booking and the itinerary adjusts accordingly.

**How fit do we need to be?**
No technical hiking is required. Walking is limited to short canyon paths, monastery grounds and town centres, suitable for most fitness levels.

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: The medieval Nikortsminda church in Racha, Georgia, viewed from below against a blue sky. Photo: Jaba1977 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

*Image: The bell tower of Nikortsminda Cathedral in Racha, Georgia, surrounded by autumn trees. Photo: G.N. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*

Nikortsminda Cathedral and its bell tower in Racha region, Georgia, under a clear blue sky. · Photo: G.N. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0