Original
Food
Georgia Real Food Adventure
8 Days | Discover the rich flavours and centuries-old Caucasian classics of Tbilisi and beyond
4.9
Excellent
19 reviews
8 days
Start
Tbilisi, Georgia
Finish
Tbilisi, Georgia
Trip Code
KFZG
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
From £1,755(8 days)
Trip Informations
Taste all the punchy flavours of incredibly diverse Georgia on an eight-day food adventure. Begin the journey among the charming facades of Tbilisi, where the snow-dusted peaks of the Caucasus are the backdrop for a culinary adventure. Get hands-on with cooking classes and kick back on included tastings, mingling with the locals and gaining an insight into Georgian culture along the way. Explore underrated sites like Narikala Fortress, Mtskheta (one of Georgia's oldest cities) and the Ananuri Fortress Complex (which has to be witnessed firsthand to be believed). Spend the night with descendants of the original highland Chechens in Pankisi Valley and wander the lush grounds in the dense foothills of the mountains. On this foodie adventure, you’ll enjoy the region’s most iconic and celebrated dishes, and wash it all down with a delicious array of Georgia’s famous local wines.
Why you’ll love this trip
Spend the night in a women-run guesthouse in the Pankisi Valley, surrounded by lush, green mountains, and take part in a zhizhig galnash cooking class to learn the local cuisine.
Enjoy cooking demonstrations and masterclasses by local cooks and artisans, including learning how to make churchkhela (traditional candle-shaped candy) and khinkali (Georgian dumplings).
Meet local producers at the Telavi markets, then head to a local farm and cheese maker for a tour of the factory and a delicious, included tasting.
Take a hike in the striking Caucasus mountains to perhaps one of the best positioned churches in Europe – Gergeti Trinity Church.
Taste some of Georgia’s favourite cuisines and dishes with included lunches and dinners, including khachapuri, khinkali, churchkhela and qveri wines.
By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Tuuur Foundation partner, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Hub. Donations help them improve their services and training hub to connect people, who’ve fled their homes due to war or political instability, with their new community in Georgia.
Is this trip right for you?
The cuisine of the Caucasus region includes a lot of meat. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to the Caucasus region which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.
The diversity of the seasons here makes for incredible scenery, but the weather in this region can be unpredictable. It’s best to wear layers at all times of the year in case conditions change. There may occasionally be itinerary changes due to road closures.
This trip involves a reasonable amount of walking so be sure to bring sturdy walking shoes and comfortable clothes. To make the most of the trip, it's best if you have at least a moderate level of fitness. There is an included hike on Day 6, at an altitude of 2170m. Please refer to the Itinerary for more details.
Itinerary
Inclusions
Meals
7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
Activities
Tbilisi - Welcome Dinner
Tbilisi - Old Town Walking Tour with Local Guide
Kvareli - Barbecue lunch with a local family
Kvareli - Traditional Churchkhela demonstration
Kakheti - Gremi Architectural Complex
Kvareli - Qvevri Wine Master visit
Telavi - Cheesemaker visit
Pankisi Valley - Chechen cooking class
Telavi - Local market visit
Pankisi Valley - Kist villages and culture walking tour
Ananuri - Architectural Complex
Stepantsminda - Gergeti Trinity Church Hike
Stepantsminda - Khinkali home-cooking class
Mtskheta - Jvari Church & Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Tbilisi - Farewell Dinner
Add on activities
Telavi – Batonis Castle - GEL2
Telavi - Telavi Historical Museum - GEL5
Stepantsminda – 4WD to Gergeti Cathedral – from (per car) - GEL60
Tbilisi - Open Air Museum of Ethnography - GEL20
Tbilisi - The National Gallery - GEL25
Tbilisi - Georgian National Museum - GEL30
Tbilisi - Thermal Bath House Visit - from - GEL70
Tbilisi - Aerial Cable Car One Way - GEL2
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available on this trip, subject to availability. Please contact your sales agent if you would like to book this. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Guesthouse) where you will be in shared accommodation.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. Due to current border crossing restrictions for different Caucasus nationalities, your Trip Leader may be from nearby countries. Your leader will have in-depth knowledge and extensive travel experience throughout the Caucasus. Local guides from Georgia are represented throughout the itinerary to ensure you receive a diverse and uniquely local range of perspectives.
Reviews (19)
5 stars
17
4 stars
2
Korey Aquino
Jul 02, 2024
I recommend this tour to learn about Georgian history and culture but most of all to enjoy great food and meet kind people. I appreciated the mix of big city and rural experiences, learning from small businesses and families, and the beauty of the mountains. Yulia always kept the group’s safety and comfort in mind. She made sure we were aware of each day’s itinerary and our options. Her interactions with our local guides were seamless, but most of all her overall welcoming enthusiasm for Georgia and new experiences makes her an excellent guide.
Linda Gilmore
Jun 07, 2024
The Georgia Real Food tour is highly recommended for cultural experiences, cooking lessons and great food!
Shelagh Williamson
Oct 15, 2023
My first time travelling with Intrepid and I won’t hesitate to travel with them again. I understand now why they have a very loyal and growing group of travellers who travel with them again and again! I would recommend them in a heartbeat and I look forward to exploring the world with them again soon!
Kelly Bagnall
Oct 13, 2023
When trying to decide on a trip in this region, the food tour really stood out to me as I wasn't very familiar with dishes from these countries. Safe to say, this trip really highlights the importance of food in this region and the amazing scenery & history that you encounter & learn about. I had such a great time exploring these wonderful places!
Rachel Khattab
Sep 27, 2023
This was the first tour I went on that emphasizes food and it was excellent. More meals are included than in other tours, and many of the meals were in home settings, which was really nice. The market visits, wine tastings and cooking demos - stuffed grape leaves, lavash, dumplings, walnuts dipped in grape paste - were very good. This is an active tour - you visit a lot of sites with interesting history - and the scenery is beautiful in both Armenia and Georgia. By chance, there was a group of women singing in Geghard church/monastery when we visited - it was amazing! The Tour Leader, Ani, is from Georgia. She was great company, taught us a lot about the region and ensured that the tour went smoothly. We also had an excellent local guide in Armenia. There are some long bus and mini van rides, but they were very comfortable.
Clare Hannah
Sep 27, 2023
Great tour which gives you the highlights of two countries, and extra insights into local food and drink traditions. Safe travel in a sometimes unstable region.
Robin Patin
Sep 17, 2023
Outstanding! I have a new understanding and appreciation for the people, food, and culture of the Caucasus. Thank you to Yulia for making this a fun experience.
Emma Boughton
Jul 04, 2023
This trip was the perfect balance of culture and food, tours and free time, travel and rest. The home visits and meals were a highlight and it was great that Intrepid supported small business and emerging social enterprises. Thank you so much Yulia and Intrepid. I loved my time in Georgia and Armenia. I have come a way with a wealth of knowledge, and as a grateful guest of Caucasus hospital. I can’t wait to return!
Deborah Larter
Oct 03, 2022
Our tour was great. Our leader, Kristina, was from Russia and spoke excellent English. This was an advantage as most Armenians and Georgians spoke either Russian or English. It was nice having the same leader for the whole trip instead of switching at the border as was previously done, and we had local guides as well. There were so many included meals that we didn't have to eat out much on our own. A great overview of both countries. Highly recommended!
Iris Thalhammer
Sep 24, 2022
The perfect journey with our fantastic tour leader Anastasia (and the most wonderful group). She went above and beyond to make it a really special one. We ate so much delicious food at the most beautiful locations – I still smile when I think of it. Thank you so much!
Friends and Family Travel is an agent of Intrepid Travel. All Trip content and associated images are copyright of Intrepid Travel.
You are protected
Contact Information
Call us at
0208 058 4003
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
Contact our customer support
contact@friendsandfamily.travel
We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
© 2024 Friends and Family Travel | All rights reserved.