Hidden Corners of Georgia, Aug 20 - Sept 2, 2018 — 2 SPOTS OPEN - Pixelchrome Photography Tours

Hidden Corners of Georgia, August 20 - September 2, 2018

With Jeremy Woodhouse & Luka Esenko
Aug 20 - Sept 2, 2018, 14 days/13 nights, max 10* people

The country of Georgia, where Jason once sought the Golden Fleece, is a gorgeous place boasting fabulous food, music and mountains. Its warm Mediterranean climate, deep black soil, saw-toothed mountains and Black Sea coast combine to make Georgia a Garden of Eden, entwined with grapevines, overflowing with wine and rich in culinary flair. Positioned just south of Russia, which has historically dipped into its bounty, Georgia has made great strides towards democracy in the last 20 years. A flourishing business climate has produced a flourishing infrastructure, and this developing dynamo has everything you could wish for in a destination.

Image © Jeremy Woodhouse

Itinerary in Brief
Day 1, Mon, Aug 20 — Arrive in Tbilisi, Georgia
Day 2, Tue, Aug 21 — Tbilisi
Day 3, Wed, Aug 22 — Tbilisi • Batumi
Day 4, Thu, Aug 23 — Batumi • Mestia
Day 5, Fri, Aug 24 — Mestia
Day 6, Sat, Aug 25 — Mestia • Ushguli
Day 7, Sun, Aug 26 — Ushguli
Day 8, Mon, Aug 27 — Ushguli • Kutaisi
Day 9, Tue, Aug 28 — Kutaisi
Day 10, Wed, Aug 29 — Kutaisi • Kazbegi
Day 11, Thu, Aug 30 — Kazbegi
Day 12, Fri, Aug 31 — Kazbegi • Tbilisi
Day 13, Sat, Sep 1 — Tbilisi
Day 14, Sun, Sep 2 — Depart Tbilisi

Itinerary

Day 1, Mon, Aug 20
Upon arrival in Tbilisi, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel for check-in.

After resting up from the transatlantic flight at the hotel, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, where you’ll get better acquainted with your guide and fellow travelers.

Georgia’s strip of central lowlands has long been an important link between East and West. Tbilisi is set at the mouth of this passageway, in the Mtkvari River valley, and has changed hands many times. Most notably, Arabs ruled the city for four hundred years before King David the Builder defeated them in 1121 and moved his capital here from Kutaisi. The Georgian king fostered tolerance for Tbilisi’s Arab population, and the city still has a multiethnic atmosphere.

Overnight Old Tiflis Hotel or similar
Located in a historic building in Tbilisi's Old Town, the Old Tiflis Hotel features a bar and restaurant with a terrace overlooking the city. Rooms include air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar, and complimentary WiFi. Note: no porters are available.

Meals: D

Day 2, Tue, Aug 21 Tbilisi
After breakfast at the hotel, you will set out with your guide-photographer on an introductory walking tour of Tbilisi and in search of subjects to photograph, including Metekhi, the bathhouses, Narikala and the Sololaki districts, one of the ecologically cleanest parts of the city.

The 13th-century Metekhi Church of the Virgin is constructed on an outcropping above the river on the site of David the Builder’s former palace. The equestrian statue outside the church is one of the enduring symbols of Tbilisi.

Tbilisi’s earliest sulphur baths were probably built during Arab rule in the 7th or 8th centuries, when it was discovered that hot springs are just under the surface in the old part of Tbilisi. In the 13th century there may have been up to 68 baths in Tbilisi; now there are six or seven. Most of the baths in use today were built in the 17th century. Pedestrians can see steam issuing from the dome-shaped underground baths as they pass by. The temperatures of the different baths are between 46 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which are considered therapeutic.

The 4th-century Narikala Fortress seems to grow from the rock above the city of Tbilisi, keeping watch on the narrowest part of the Kura River. The 8th-century Arab occupiers of the city used the fortress’s strategic location to defend their position in Tbilisi, adding to the original foundations. When David the Builder re- conquered the city in the 11th century, he again expanded the fortifications. Much of what remains today is from the 16th and 17th centuries, and has been recently restored. In 1996, the Church of St. Nicholas – once contained within the fortress walls – was rebuilt in its original 12th-century style after years of painstaking research. The citadel overlooks the Central Botanical Gardens and offers excellent views of the Old Town.

Weather permitting, continue in search of photo ops, either independently or with your guide, the location of which is to be determined on the spot.
Overnight Old Tiflis Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

Day 3, Wed, Aug 22 Tbilisi • Batumi
Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport to take a flight to Batumi, one of the most eclectic and booming cities of Georgia.

Enjoy an introductory tour of the city, including the old section of town. Batumi is the capital of the autonomous region of Ajara and the most important port and resort city on this section of the Black Sea Coast. It is a lovely town with broad, tree-lined streets and a leisurely pace, where the locals drink coffee—considered the best in Georgia—at street-side cafes.

Spend some time at the local farmers’ market, where all kinds of fruits, nuts, vegetables, milk products and honey can be tasted and purchased. While once a burgeoning tourist resort, today Batumi sees relatively few foreign travelers.
Enjoy free time at the hotel or an optional, short drive to a scenic overlook that affords a stunning panoramic view of the city.

After dinner you may consider an optional foray into the center of the city to do some evening photography.

Overnight Le Port Hotel or similar
With its ideal location in Old Batumi, Le Port places you within a stone’s throw of shops, cafes, and the beach. Alongside its breathtaking views of the Black Sea, you will enjoy its stylish and comfortable rooms outfitted with the latest technology and free WiFi.

Meals: B, L, D

Day 4, Thu, Aug 23 Batumi • Mestia
Following breakfast at the hotel, enjoy the scenery on a leisurely drive toward the mountains of Svaneti on your way to Mestia, with several optional stops along the way to visit local villages and capture the colors of village life.

Overnight Tetnuldi Hotel or similar
The Tetnuldi Hotel is set on a hill in Mestia and features a restaurant, bar and laundry services. The tastefully appointed rooms include flat screen satellite TV, balconies with a panoramic view, and free WiFi.

Meals: B, L, D

Day 5, Fri, Aug 24 Mestia
Spend the day photographing Mestia and its breathtaking surroundings while exploring the culture and history of the Svaneti Region.

Browse the offerings of the local ethnographic museum or take some time for yourself in the morning to take either photos or some rest.

Mestia’s excellent Museum of History and Ethnography has a comprehensive and beautifully mounted collection, labeled in English as well as Georgian. The exhibits include a historic collection of 1890s Svaneti photos by Italian Vittorio Sella and a hall with reproductions of famed Svaneti church murals, but the highlight is the two-room treasury: here you can see a Persian silver jug given to Svaneti by Queen Tamar, a number of beautifully illuminated gospels, golden altar crosses and chased-metal icons of amazingly high quality – all from the 9th to 14th centuries. One rare icon shows St George spearing the emperor Diocletian instead of his usual dragon.

Visit a traditional Svan house in the Lanchvali district.

After lunch, ride a ski lift to panoramic views of Mount Shkhara and the Laila Range.

Overnight Tetnuldi Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

Day 6, Sat, Aug 25 Mestia • Ushguli
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a scenic drive through the Greater Caucasus Mountains to Ushguli, a community of four villages near the foot of Shkhara, one of the highest peaks of the range and make optional stops at the villages of Mulakhi, Ipari and Kala along the way.
The village of Ushguli is a twenty-nine-mile drive from Mestia. At an altitude of 7,218 feet, Ushguli is the highest continually inhabited village in Europe. Some of its watchtowers are included in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Upper Svaneti.

Arrive in time for lunch with at the guesthouse. Then, take the rest of the afternoon to explore the villages and search for photo opportunities.

Overnight Laert Kharkviani Guesthouse or similar in Ushguli

Meals: B, L, D

Day 7, Sun, Aug 26 Ushguli
Your time in the unique and beautiful setting of Ushguli is at your disposal to be spent as you please.

Optional activities while in Ushguli include a demanding climb to the Castle of King Tamar or a leisurely, though longer (at 4.5 miles round trip), hike to the Shkhara glacier.

Overnight Laert Kharkviani Guesthouse or similar in Ushguli

Meals: B, L, D

Day 8, Mon, Aug 27 Ushguli • Kutaisi
After breakfast at the guesthouse, double back through Mestia to the main road on your way to Kutaisi. (Because of the length of this drive, no stops beyond bathroom breaks and a picnic lunch are advised.)

Arrive in the afternoon at your hotel in Kutaisi to a well-earned dinner at a local restaurant in Kutaisi’s center and in time to capture the Gelati Monastery at dusk.

Georgia’s most famous king, David the Builder, founded Gelati Monastery in 1106, and his son completed it in 1130. The monastery housed Georgia’s first academy and was the burial place of the Georgian rulers. The well-preserved ensemble’s stone churches and secular buildings are decorated with lovely frescoes, mosaics and enamel and metal work.

Representing the flowering of art and architecture in Georgia’s “Golden Age,” the Gelati Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overnight Argo Hotel or similar
Located in the historic center of Kutaisi, the four-star Argo Hotel features a restaurant serving Georgian cuisine and a bar. Rooms include flat-screen TVs, minibars, in-room safes and complimentary WiFi.

Meals: B, L, D

Day 9, Tue, Aug 28 Kutaisi
Explore this ancient city and its environs.

Kutaisi served as an important merchant center on the route from Greece to India and became the capital of Georgia from 978 until 1122, when King David the Builder moved the capital to Tbilisi. It is thought that Jason and the Argonauts crossed the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus to reach the Kingdom of Colchis here, where King Aeetes reigned and guarded the Golden Fleece.

The mystery of the Golden Fleece might be explained by an ancient gold prospecting technique, which involved putting a sheep fleece into the river to trap gold flecks floating down from the mountains. It is possible that such a golden fleece was carried along trade routes and presented to King Aeetes.

Located just outside of Tskaltubo is the Cave of Prometheus, a chain of six massive underground chambers stretching out over 9 miles long. First discovered in 1984, the cave is named in honor of the nearby Khvamli Mountain, where local legend says the Greek god Prometheus was chained after stealing fire from Mount Olympus. Visitors to the cave can explore its impressive (and often colorfully lit) stalactites, stalagmites and petrified waterfalls by foot on the 1060-meter-long concrete path, or by boat on its system of underground rivers and lakes.

Visit the local market in the morning to get a flavor of the town and its people.
Situated about 9 miles west of Kutaisi, Tskaltubo has been a resort town for many years. Famed for its thermal radon-mineral baths, the town became a popular spot during the Soviet years, and the natural springs here were a favorite of Stalin's, who was known to prefer the mineral baths of his native Georgia to the Russian banyas of the Soviet Union.

Tskaltubo suffered badly during the Georgian- Abkhazian conflict in the early 1990s, but many areas, including its namesake sanatoria, have recently been restored with support from the Georgian government and the World Bank.

After lunch, optionally visit a local bathhouse for a spa treatment (to be chosen and paid by each participant on the spot) or enjoy free time in this resort town.

Return to the hotel in Kutaisi to spend some time at your leisure before dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight Argo Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

Day 10, Wed, Aug 29 Kutaisi • Kazbegi
After breakfast you’ll drive along the historical Georgian Military Highway toward the mountains of Stepantsminda on your way to the town of the same name, formerly known as Kazbegi.

Along the route, stop at the Ananuri Fortress, a 17th-century complex that sits on a hill alongside the Aragvi River and Zhinvali Reservoir. After exploring the centuries-old fortress with its aging frescoes, find the swimming platform near the turquois water of the river for the perfect place to relax and cool off.

In the evening arrive in Stepantsminda, a small alpine village set at over 6,000 feet in a monumental bowl of mountain peaks, including the Caucasus’ highest, Mt Kazbek.

Overnight Rooms Hotel
Located at the foot of Mt. Kazbeg, this designer hotel features a restaurant that serves international cuisine, a lobby bar with a library, and a summer terrace with a view of the mountain. Rooms include air conditioning, flat-screen cable TV and complimentary WiFi.

Meals: B, L, D

Day 11, Thu, Aug 30 Kazbegi
Take four-wheel-drive vehicles to the 14th-century Gergeti (or Trinity) Church and bell tower, perched on a hill above Kazbegi.

Drive or hike through the granite cliffs of Daryali Gorge, north of Kazbegi on the Georgian Military Highway. The stunning seven-mile drive along the Terek River leads to one of only two border crossings into Russia. In some places the mountains loom 3,000 feet above the road.

Overnight Rooms Hotel

Meals: B, L, Independent dinner at Rooms Hotel

Day 12, Fri, Aug 31 Kazbegi • Tbilisi
After breakfast and checkout, set off on the road back to Tbilisi, with a stop for white-water rafting along the Aragvi River and a picnic lunch,

After checking into the hotel in Tbilisi, make the short drive to Mtskheta for dinner and evening photography. Mtskheta was the capital of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC until the 5th century AD. Because of its location at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi Rivers, it was an important market town. As the center of the Iberian civilization, Mtskheta was also significant spiritually and culturally. Georgia's conversion to Christianity took place here in 337 AD, and the Orthodox churches built during this period are considered among the finest in the country. Mtskheta is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overnight Old Tiflis Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

Day 13, Sat, Sep 1 Tbilisi
Spend the whole day exploring and photographing the hidden corners of this charming capital.

Tbilisi’s Dezerter Bazaar is the largest fresh-food market in the city, full of the colors and scents of life in the capital.

The red-roofed Old Town, its houses sporting carved wooden balconies, sits beneath the Narikala Fortress on the hill above. Tbilisi was last razed in 1795 by Aga Khan, and most of the current buildings date from that time. The domed sulfur baths and the stone Anchiskhati Church were all that survived.

The old Soviet-block apartments in Tbilisi stand in stark contrast to the unimposing charm of Old Town and recall the era of Soviet industrialization, urbanization and the architectural aesthetic that placed function over form.

Say farewell to your guide, fellow travels and Georgia at a festive dinner in a local restaurant, accompanied by live performance of Georgian polyphonic music.
Overnight at the Old Tiflis Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

Day 14, Sun, Sep 2 Depart Tbilisi
After breakfast (flight schedules permitting), transfer by private vehicle and driver to the airport for international departures.
Meals: B (or in flight)

Image © Jeremy Woodhouse

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Trip Details
Tour Cost $5,995, Trip Deposit $1,000
Single Supplement (if available) $750
Maximum Group Size 10*
*For a group of 8-9 people there will be a surcharge of $275
2 SPOTS OPEN

Trip leaders
Jeremy Woodhouse & Luka Esenko
This trip is limited to only 10 participants.

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Pre-Tour Extension to Armenia

Tour fee includes