# Tbilisi or Kutaisi to Mestia — Private 4×4 Transfer

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/tbilisi-to-mestia-transfer/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/tbilisi-to-mestia-transfer/

€390 per vehicle8 hours from Tbilisi · 4.5 from KutaisiPrivate transfer · 4×4 driverPer 4×4 (up to 3 passengers); minivan quoted

A private 4×4 run from Tbilisi or [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/) up the Enguri gorge to [Mestia](https://gtour.ge/georgia/mestia/), fixed at €390 per car, with a stop at the [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) Dadiani palace on the way.

The route

[Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/)[Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/)[Mestia](https://gtour.ge/georgia/mestia/)

Why this tour

- —Door-to-door 4×4 transfer with a driver who knows the Svaneti road in all seasons

- —Stop at [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/)'s Dadiani Palace, built for the last princely family of Samegrelo

- —Enguri Dam viewpoint, one of the tallest arch dams in the world, before the gorge narrows

- —Winter-ready vehicle with chains carried as standard from November

- —Extra luggage space for trekking gear, ice axes and duffel bags

- —Same fixed price whether you start from Tbilisi (8 hours) or [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/) (4.5 hours)

Itinerary

08:00Pickup in Tbilisi (or 08:00 from [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/) for the shorter run) and departure west on the Kutaisi highway.

11:00Pass through [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/), Georgia's old western capital on the Rioni River, with a short stop if timing allows.

12:30Arrive [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/), seat of the Dadiani princes. Stop at the Dadiani Palace and botanical garden, entrance ticket checked at booking.

14:00Continue to the Enguri Dam viewpoint, then enter the Enguri gorge where the road begins to climb.

15:30Switchback road through Svan villages below Ushba and Tetnuldi, with roadside stops for photos where safe to pull over.

16:30Arrive [Mestia](https://gtour.ge/georgia/mestia/), capital of Upper Svaneti, with drop-off at your hotel or guesthouse.

OptionalUshguli onward extension available as an add-on, quoted separately and subject to road conditions.

Included

- ✓ Private 4×4 vehicle and English-speaking driver

- ✓ Fuel, tolls and parking for the full route

- ✓ Pickup at your Tbilisi or Kutaisi address, including Kutaisi airport

- ✓ Stop at the Enguri Dam viewpoint

- ✓ Winter tyres and chains carried as standard in season

- ✓ Extra space for trekking luggage and gear

- ✓ Bottled water in the vehicle

Not included

- — Dadiani Palace entrance ticket, checked at booking

- — Meals and snacks along the route

- — Ushguli onward extension (quoted separately)

- — Accommodation in Mestia

- — Personal travel and medical insurance

Good to know

- · The Enguri gorge road has sharp switchbacks and can be slow in rain or snow; the 8-hour and 4.5-hour timings assume normal conditions

- · From November to April, chains may be fitted partway up; delays of 30-60 minutes are possible

- · Dress in layers; [Mestia](https://gtour.ge/georgia/mestia/) sits at altitude and temperatures drop fast after sunset even in the shoulder season

- · Mobile signal is patchy between [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) and [Mestia](https://gtour.ge/georgia/mestia/)

- · 4×4 seats up to 4 travellers with luggage; larger groups need a second vehicle, arranged at the same per-car rate

- · Check road-status.gtour.ge for current conditions before departure in winter

Questions

**Can we start from Kutaisi airport instead of Tbilisi?**
Yes, same fixed price of €390 per car, with a journey time of around 4.5 hours instead of 8.

**Is the Enguri gorge road open all year?**
Usually yes, but snow or landslides can close it for short periods; current status checked at booking and on our road-status page.

**Can we add Ushguli on the same day?**
Only if you start early from [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/) and conditions allow; otherwise we recommend it as a separate day, quoted separately.

**Is the Dadiani Palace stop guaranteed?**
We stop if opening hours and the road schedule allow; opening days are checked at booking.

Prices are per vehicle in euros, including fuel, parking and the driver; passengers up to the seats stated. Every transfer is private. Hotels, wineries and restaurants on our routes are [verified by GTour](/verified/).

*Image: The Gothic-style Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi seen across a green lawn with trees. Photo: Mehman Ibragimov / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain*

*Image: Facade of the historic Dadiani Palace Museum in Zugdidi under a blue sky. Photo: Eka Samkharadze / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Aerial view of the curved Enguri Dam wall rising above a forested gorge in Georgia. · Photo: David1010 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0