Details
today Season:
- All Year Round | Tuesdays and Fridays.
headset Commentary:
- Live English-speaking guide.
- Note: Tours may depart with a bilingual Russian/English speaking guide.
schedule Departure Time:
- 08:30 (Arrive For 08:15).
place Departure Points:
- 44 Kote Abkhazi Street.
- 1/3 Pushkin Street, Freedom Square.
- 24 Shota Rustaveli Avenue.
hourglass_empty Duration:
- Approximately 7 Hours.
cancel Exclusions:
- Lunch.
- Attraction Entry Fees.
About the Gori, Uplistsikhe & Borjomi Day Tour:
Your tour begins with a drive along the Mtkvari River towards Uplistsikhe, one of the oldest human settlements in Georgia. Roughly translating as 'the lord's fortress', this ancient town has borne witness to nearly every stage in the country's cultural and political development. Its earliest cave dwellings date back to the early Bronze Age, long before Christianity came into existence. You'll discover evidence of this era in the form of pagan shrines, sacrificial pits, vaulted iwans, granaries and defensive walls dated to the late Hellenistic period.
Uplistsikhe's prominence fluctuated over subsequent centuries, surging during the Arab conquest of Tbilisi and crashing in the 14th century following the arrival of the Mongols. Various structures throughout the site provide evidence of its post-Christian occupation: two basilicas (one 6th, one 9th century), three small rock-hewn chapels, and secular structures such as stables and kilns.
From one era to another, your next stop takes you west to the city of Gori. Gori is best known as the birthplace of Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, then known by his Georgian name Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili. While entry fees are not included in the price of tour you will have a chance to visit the Joseph Stalin Museum, as well as the medieval hilltop citadel, Gori Fortress.
Finally, you'll travel to the quaint resort town of Borjomi. Nestled at the foot of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Borjomi is famous for its naturally carbonated mineral water, bottles of which are a major local export. Whilst here you'll also be shown Likani Villa, once the summer palace of Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia, now an official residence of the President of Georgia.