Drive your own SUV from Tbilisi to Kakheti, Stepantsminda, Kutaisi, Mestia and Batumi, with hotels booked and a route desk on call day and night.
| Day 1 | Arrive in Tbilisi, collect the rental SUV, pick up your Georgian SIM and route pack, then walk Old Town: Narikala fortress, the sulphur baths district and Sioni Cathedral. |
| Day 2 | Full day in Tbilisi at your own pace — Dry Bridge market, Rustaveli Avenue, Vake park or a short self-drive out to Mtskheta, 25 minutes away. |
| Day 3 | Drive east to Kakheti (about 1h30 to Telavi or Sighnaghi), stopping at a qvevri wine cellar en route; overnight in a Kakheti guesthouse. |
| Day 4 | Self-drive day trip to Davit Gareji desert monastery (roughly 2h each way on a mix of highway and gravel track, 4x4 recommended for the last stretch), or a quieter day around Sighnaghi's fortified walls and Bodbe monastery. |
| Day 5 | Drive from Kakheti to Stepantsminda (around 4 hours via Tbilisi, Ananuri fortress and Gudauri), climbing the Georgian Military Highway with views of the Jvari Pass. |
| Day 6 | Stepantsminda day: the track up to Gergeti Trinity Church is steep and rutted, most self-drivers park below and take a local 4x4 jeep (paid locally, checked at booking); afternoon free for the Military Highway or Juta valley. |
| Day 7 | Long drive day to Kutaisi (about 6 hours via Gori and the Rikoti Pass), with a stop at Gori's Stalin Museum or Uplistsikhe cave city if time allows. |
| Day 8 | Morning in Kutaisi — Gelati monastery, Bagrati Cathedral, the covered market — then drive on to Mestia (around 4h30 via Zugdidi), climbing into Upper Svaneti as the road narrows and the towers appear. |
| Day 9 | Full day in Mestia: Svan tower houses, the ethnographic museum, and a half-day hike toward Chalaadi glacier or up to a viewpoint over Ushba, road and trail conditions checked at booking. |
| Day 10 | Drive from Mestia to Batumi (about 5 hours via Zugdidi and the coastal plain), returning the rental SUV at Batumi, with the afternoon free for the Black Sea boulevard before your onward flight. |
Do we need previous mountain-driving experience?
No, but the Military Highway and the Mestia road have long climbs, switchbacks and occasional trucks; the route plan flags the sections that need extra care, and our desk is reachable if conditions change.
Is the car automatic or manual?
Automatic SUVs are available on request; confirm your preference when booking as stock varies by season, checked at booking.
Can we shorten or change the route once we arrive?
Yes, within reason — hotels are pre-booked but our desk can usually rearrange a night or two if you want longer in Svaneti or less time on the coast.
What happens if a pass closes for weather?
We monitor road status daily and call you with an alternative routing or a schedule swap before you set off that morning.