# The South in 3 Days — Borjomi, Vardzia, Rabati and Abastumani

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/south-georgia-samtskhe-3-days/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/south-georgia-samtskhe-3-days/

€820 per person3 days / 2 nightsPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

Three days through Samtskhe-Javakheti: [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/)'s spa gardens, Rabati Castle, the cave monastery of Vardzia and the old observatory at [Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/).

The route

[Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)[Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/)[Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/)[Vardzia Cave City](https://gtour.ge/tour/vardzia-cave-city/)[Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/)

Why this tour

- —Covers four distinct sites in one route instead of rushing Vardzia and Rabati into a single long day

- —Two nights based in [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) or [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/), so you are not driving back to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) each evening

- —Includes Khertvisi fortress and Sapara monastery, usually skipped on shorter day trips

- —[Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/) observatory and its 1930s telescopes are a genuine detour most itineraries miss

- —Private car and licensed guide throughout, with pace set by you rather than a bus schedule

- —Works well combined with [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/)-Kharagauli National Park walks if you want an extra hour on foot

Itinerary

Day 1Depart [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) by private car (roughly 2.5 to 3 hours) for [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/), Georgia's historic spa town. Afternoon walk through Borjomi Central Park, the mineral water springs and the Romanov-era architecture, with time at the edge of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park before checking into your hotel in Borjomi or [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/).

Day 2Morning drive to [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) (about one hour) to visit the restored Rabati Castle complex, its mosque, synagogue and museum. Continue past Khertvisi fortress, one of the oldest standing fortifications in Georgia, then on to Vardzia, the 12th-century cave monastery cut into the cliffs above the Mtkvari river (roughly one hour each way from Akhaltsikhe). Return via Sapara monastery if daylight allows.

Day 3Short morning drive to [Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/) (around 30 to 40 minutes from [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/)), a forested resort known for its sulfur baths and 19th-century imperial church. Visit the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, founded in 1932, weather and opening hours checked at booking. Drive back to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) in the afternoon, arriving by early evening.

Included

- ✓ Private car with driver for the full three days

- ✓ Licensed English-speaking guide

- ✓ Two nights' accommodation in Akhaltsikhe or Borjomi, mid-range hotel

- ✓ All transfers between Tbilisi, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe and Abastumani

- ✓ Fuel, tolls and parking

- ✓ Entrance tickets for the guide

Not included

- — Entrance tickets for travellers (Rabati Castle, Vardzia, observatory — checked at booking)

- — Meals

- — Personal travel insurance

- — Hotel upgrades beyond the standard mid-range option

Good to know

- · Vardzia involves climbing stone stairs and uneven cave passages; sturdy shoes recommended

- · [Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/) observatory visits depend on weather and staff availability, checked at booking

- · Roads from [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) to [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) are good asphalt throughout; the [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/)-Vardzia road is paved but narrows near Khertvisi

- · Spring and autumn bring cooler evenings in [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) and [Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/), both at higher elevation than [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)

- · Bring a layer for Vardzia's cave interiors, which stay cool even in summer

- · Rabati Castle's mosque and synagogue have modest dress expectations, same as other religious sites in Georgia

Questions

**Can we do this as a two-day trip instead?**
Yes, our Vardzia, Rabati & [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) — 2 Days tour covers the same core sites at a faster pace without [Abastumani](https://gtour.ge/georgia/abastumani/).

**Is Abastumani worth the extra day?**
If you have an interest in the observatory or want a quieter spa town away from [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/)'s crowds, yes; otherwise the two-day version covers the essentials.

**How much walking is involved at Vardzia?**
Expect 1.5 to 2 hours on site, including stairs and some uphill sections inside the cave complex.

**What is the solo or group price?**
Solo travellers and groups of three or more are quoted separately, contact us with your dates and party size.

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: Medieval Sapara Monastery's conical-roofed towers rising above a lush forested hillside near Akhaltsikhe. Photo: Kober / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

*Image: Wide daytime view of Vardzia's rock-cut cave dwellings beneath a clear blue sky. Photo: Kakzanova / Wikimedia Commons, CC0*

Panoramic view of the Vardzia cave monastery complex carved into a cliff above the Mtkvari River. · Photo: Radosław Botev / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 pl