# Vardzia and Rabati — the Long Day South

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

€245 per person13 hoursPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

A long single day from [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) to the cave monastery of Vardzia, taking in [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/)'s gorge and the restored Rabati Castle in [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) along the way.

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/)

Why this tour

- —Covers three distinct regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti in one day: [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/), [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) and Vardzia

- —Rabati Castle in [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/), a fully restored Ottoman-Georgian fortress with mosque, church and museum inside the same walls

- —Drive through the [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) gorge along the Mtkvari river, on the edge of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

- —Khertvisi fortress, one of the oldest standing strongholds in Georgia, seen from the road on the way to Vardzia

- —Honest 2026 note: part of Vardzia is closed for conservation work, we tell you exactly which sections are open before you book

- —Private car with driver and licensed guide, door to door from your [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) accommodation

Itinerary

08:00Depart [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) by private car, heading southwest on the main highway toward [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/).

10:30Short stop in [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/): a walk by the mineral water park and a look at the Romanov-era buildings along the river.

12:00Arrive [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) and visit Rabati Castle, the restored fortress complex with its mosque, Orthodox church and small museum.

13:15Lunch stop in [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) (not included).

14:15Drive on toward Vardzia, passing Khertvisi fortress, viewed from the road at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani rivers.

15:00Vardzia cave city: guided walk through the accessible tunnels, churches and dwellings carved into the cliff; closed sections are pointed out and explained.

16:45Depart Vardzia for the return drive to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/).

20:30Approximate arrival back in [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/), timing depends on road conditions and the [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) gorge traffic.

Included

- ✓ Private transport by car or minivan, driver included

- ✓ Licensed English-speaking guide for the full day

- ✓ Hotel or apartment pickup and drop-off in Tbilisi

- ✓ All road tolls and parking fees

- ✓ Bottled water during the drive

- ✓ Entrance ticket to Rabati Castle

- ✓ Entrance ticket to Vardzia cave city (checked at booking, prices and open sections can change)

Not included

- — Lunch in Akhaltsikhe

- — Personal expenses and souvenirs

- — Gratuities for driver and guide

- — Any optional golf-cart or additional access inside Vardzia if offered on the day (checked at booking)

Good to know

- · This is a long day: around 4 hours' driving each way, plus stops, roughly 13 hours door to door

- · Vardzia involves stairs, uneven cave floors and some low passages; moderate fitness is needed to see the upper levels

- · Part of Vardzia is closed for conservation work in 2026; we confirm the current open sections before departure

- · Dress modestly for the monastery sections of Vardzia (shoulders and knees covered)

- · Mountain weather in [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) and [Akhaltsikhe](https://gtour.ge/georgia/akhaltsikhe/) can be noticeably cooler than [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/), bring a layer

- · Mobile signal is patchy in the Vardzia gorge

Questions

**Is all of Vardzia open to visit in 2026?**
No. Part of the cave complex is closed for repair work through 2026. We tell you which tunnels and churches remain accessible when you book.

**How long is the actual driving time?**
About 4 hours each way from [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/), more if the [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) gorge road is busy. The day runs roughly 13 hours in total, door to door.

**Can this be done as an overnight trip instead?**
Yes, see our Vardzia, Rabati & [Borjomi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/borjomi/) — 2 Days tour, which allows more time at each site and an overnight in the region.

**Is the price per person fixed regardless of group size?**
No. Pricing is per person and depends on how many travel together: solo, two, three, or four to six, shown at checkout.

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: Rabati Castle's restored courtyard and gardens in Akhaltsikhe, a stop on the road south. Photo: Karelj / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*

*Image: Panoramic view of Rabati Castle's walls and towers overlooking Akhaltsikhe. Photo: Zurabgiorgadze / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

The cave city of Vardzia carved into the cliffs above the Kura River gorge. · Photo: Valen1988 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0