- The best 10-day route for a first trip runs Tbilisi (2 nights, with a Kakheti wine day), Stepantsminda (1), Kutaisi (2), Mestia (3) and Batumi (1).
- Expect ~1,600 km and 33 to 35 hours of driving in total; the longest day, from Kazbegi to Kutaisi, is ~345 km and about 6 hours.
- Mid-June to early October suits the whole loop: Svaneti's high trails are usually clear of snow from about July to mid-September, and the sea is warm from June to September.
- If you land at Kutaisi, do Svaneti first and fly home from Tbilisi: it removes the longest backtrack and puts the weather-dependent Mestia plane in the middle of the trip.
- Ten days cost roughly 1,200-1,900 GEL per person on a budget, 2,500-4,500 GEL mid-range and 5,600 GEL or more with a private driver-guide (approx. 2026, two sharing, flights excluded).
If you are planning a Georgia itinerary, 10 days is the length that lets you see both of the country's big mountain regions without a race: Kazbegi, high on the old Military Road towards Russia, and Svaneti, with the tower villages of Mestia and Ushguli. Around them fit Tbilisi, a day of Kakheti wine, the canyons and caves near Kutaisi and a final night on the Black Sea in Batumi. This is the loop we plan most often for our own guests, and its drive times come from the same road data we use for our transfers.
Below you will find the plan day by day, with a table of bases and hours at the wheel, a version for travellers who land in Kutaisi and fly home from Tbilisi, and three other shapes for the trip: summer hiking, wine and food, and winter. After that come the season rules that decide this route (snow on the Jvari Pass, chains on the Ushguli road), how to travel by driver, rental car, minibus or the small plane to Mestia, where to sleep, and what ten days cost in 2026.
Georgia itinerary 10 days at a glance: route, bases and drive times
The route leaves Tbilisi for Kakheti, turns north into the Greater Caucasus, then crosses the country west to Svaneti and down to the sea. You sleep in five places over nine nights, so there are only four hotel changes.
| Day | Base | Main sights | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tbilisi | Old Town, Narikala, sulphur baths | Airport to centre 25-30 min |
| 2 | Tbilisi | Kakheti: Bodbe, Sighnaghi, qvevri cellar, Tsinandali | About 5 h round trip, ~300 km |
| 3 | Stepantsminda | Mtskheta, Ananuri, Friendship Monument, Gergeti Trinity Church | About 3.5 h, ~170 km |
| 4 | Kutaisi | Dawn in Kazbegi, Uplistsikhe, Surami | About 6 h, ~345 km |
| 5 | Kutaisi | Gelati, Okatse Canyon, Kinchkha, Prometheus Cave, Bagrati | About 3 h, ~150 km |
| 6 | Mestia | Martvili Canyon, Enguri Dam and gorge | About 4.5 h, ~240 km |
| 7 | Mestia or Ushguli | Ushguli, Lamaria church, Kala | About 3 h round trip, ~90 km |
| 8 | Mestia | Koruldi Lakes or Chalaadi Glacier, Svaneti Museum | Under 1 h, plus a local 4x4 |
| 9 | Batumi | Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi, the seafront at sunset | 5.5-6 h, ~270 km |
| 10 | Fly home | Botanical Garden, Gonio, flight or train | Train to Tbilisi about 4 h |
In all you cover ~1,600 km and drive 33 to 35 hours, more than half of it on Days 4, 6 and 9. All nine beds are reached on asphalt; the rough tracks to Gergeti, Juta and the Koruldi Lakes are side trips that local 4x4 drivers handle.
Prefer it organised? Our Grand Tour with Svaneti follows almost the same line with a driver and a guide who speaks your language, on dates you choose and for a group of any size.
Days 1-2: Tbilisi and a day in Kakheti wine country
Day 1: Tbilisi's Old Town and the sulphur baths
Plenty of long-haul flights land in the small hours, so book the first night in advance and keep the day gentle. Climb from the brick domes of Abanotubani to Narikala Fortress, or ride the cable car from Rike Park, then drift back through the balconied lanes of Kala to the Bridge of Peace at dusk. Book a private room at one of the bathhouses for an hour; hot sulphur water does more for jet lag than coffee.
Day 2: Sighnaghi, Bodbe and lunch at a qvevri cellar
Two hours east (113 km), Bodbe convent keeps the tomb of St Nino, the 4th-century preacher credited with converting Georgia. Sighnaghi, a few minutes on, is a hill town inside 18th-century walls above the Alazani valley. Lunch with a family that still ferments its wine in qvevri, clay jars sunk in the cellar floor, and stop at the Chavchavadze estate in Tsinandali on the way back. The round trip is ~300 km, about five hours at the wheel. A night inside Sighnaghi's walls is lovely too, but it adds roughly two hours to Day 3.
Days 3-4: The Georgian Military Road to Kazbegi, then west to Kutaisi
Day 3: Mtskheta, Ananuri and Gergeti Trinity Church
Leave by 8:30, ahead of the lorries bound for Russia. Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta are 20 minutes out; the 17th-century fortress of Ananuri guards the Zhinvali reservoir; Pasanauri is the khinkali stop. The road then climbs past Gudauri and the 1983 Friendship Monument to the Jvari Pass (~2,379 m) and drops to Stepantsminda (~1,740 m): ~170 km and about 3.5 hours of driving. Late in the afternoon, ride a local 4x4 for 20 minutes, or walk for 1.5 to 2 hours, to the 14th-century hilltop church of Gergeti (2,170 m); on a clear evening the 5,054 m summit of Kazbek fills the sky behind it.
Day 4: Dawn in the mountains, then across the country
The long day: ~345 km and about six hours on the road. If the morning is clear, take the short walk to Gveleti Waterfall in the Dariali gorge first. Then head down the Military Road, join the E60 west at Mtskheta and turn off before Gori for Uplistsikhe, a town carved into a sandstone ridge and inhabited for well over two thousand years; allow 1.5 hours. Near Khashuri, the roadside ovens of Surami sell warm nazuki, a sweet raisin bread, before the Rikoti tunnels lead into green Imereti.
Day 5: Gelati, Okatse Canyon and Prometheus Cave from Kutaisi
Kutaisi opens up western Georgia's limestone country, and one well-ordered day covers the best of it with about three hours of driving (~150 km).
- Gelati and Motsameta, from about 09:00
David the Builder founded Gelati in 1106 as a monastery and academy; its apse mosaic of the Virgin dates from the 1120s, and the main church has stood under a protective temporary roof since 2024 while conservators treat its paintings. Motsameta sits on a cliff above the Tskaltsitela, ten minutes away. - Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha, late morning
About 1 h 15 north-west, a ~2.3 km forest path leads to a 780 m steel walkway on the canyon wall; it closes in rain and snow, and under-6s may not use it. Kinchkha Waterfall, 15 minutes on, drops in three steps, the highest about 70 m. - Prometheus Cave, mid-afternoon
Near Tskaltubo, a guided route of one to two kilometres crosses six lit halls at ~14°C, with a boat ride when the river allows. Arrive by about 16:00. - Bagrati at sunset
Finish at the cathedral on Ukimerioni Hill, dated 1003 by an inscription, above the city.
After the 1 April 2026 rise, a foreign adult paid about 40 GEL (about $15) for Prometheus and about 40 GEL for Okatse and Kinchkha together; the sites usually open 10:00 to 17:30. The monasteries are free. If heavy rain shuts Okatse, swap it for Sataplia's dinosaur footprints, ~10 km from the centre, since caves run in any weather. More on the city and its other day trips is in our Kutaisi travel guide.
Days 6-8: Svaneti: Martvili Canyon, Mestia and a day in Ushguli
Day 6: Martvili Canyon and the Enguri gorge
Kutaisi to Mestia is ~240 km and about 4.5 hours of driving, and the road through Martvili adds almost nothing. Be at Martvili Canyon when it opens, around 10:00, for the ~700 m path above the turquoise Abasha and, on calm days, a boat into the narrows (about 40 GEL entry for foreign adults in 2026, boat extra). At Zugdidi the road turns north past the Enguri Dam, an arch about 271 m high, and climbs the gorge for roughly three hours. Get cash and snacks in Zugdidi.
Day 7: Ushguli, Lamaria and the foot of Shkhara
Ushguli lies 45 km past Mestia, roughly 90 minutes' drive in each direction, most of it now on concrete. Its four hamlets sit at about 2,100 m, one of the highest villages in the Caucasus lived in all year, and Chazhashi bristles with defence towers. Walk up to Lamaria church to face Shkhara (5,193 m), Georgia's highest peak, and stop at Kala on the way back. Shared 4x4s charged roughly 40-50 GEL ($15-19) a seat in summer 2026. Better still, sleep there: the day visitors leave by about 16:00, and the next morning you can walk to the Shkhara Glacier, ~16 km and six hours return.
Day 8: Koruldi Lakes or Chalaadi Glacier
The Koruldi Lakes, at ~2,740 m facing Ushba, make a big day; a jeep up to the cross above town (roughly 80-100 GEL for the car in 2026) leaves 4 to 5 hours on foot. Chalaadi Glacier, about 6 km return from the footbridge north of town, is gentler and fine under low cloud. Then see the icons and manuscripts of the Svaneti Museum (about 10 GEL, closed Mondays) and climb inside a tower at Margiani House.
Days 9-10: Down to Batumi on the Black Sea, or straight back to Tbilisi
Ending A: Batumi
Day 9 is ~270 km and 5.5 to 6 hours to the coast. Break it in Zugdidi at the Dadiani Palace of the Megrelian princes, which keeps one of Napoleon's death masks, and reach Batumi for sunset on the boulevard. On Day 10, see the Botanical Garden on the Green Cape (about 25 GEL for foreign adults in 2026) and the Roman-era walls of Gonio, then fly from Batumi, take the train to Tbilisi (about 4 hours on the fastest services, from about 35 GEL) or drive two hours to Kutaisi airport. Swimming is good from June to September and often into early October, which is also when the wettest weeks on this coast begin.
Ending B: straight back to Tbilisi
Flying home from Tbilisi? Use Day 9 to get there. The small plane from Mestia to Natakhtari airfield, 30 minutes north of the capital, takes about an hour and cost about 90 GEL ($35) one way in 2026, but it seats fewer than 20 and cloud often grounds it. By road you face ~460 km, a full 8 to 9 hours; on a budget, ride the minibus to Zugdidi and the train on from there. Give Day 10 to Sameba Cathedral, the National Museum's gold, flea-market browsing at the Dry Bridge and a funicular ride up Mtatsminda for sunset.
Want the coast without the high mountains? Our six-day East to West tour runs from Tbilisi through Kakheti, Kutaisi and Martvili to Batumi.
Flying into Kutaisi: the open-jaw version, Kutaisi in and Tbilisi out
Budget airlines link Kutaisi with much of Europe, and landing there turns the loop around: Svaneti comes first, and the trip ends in Tbilisi with no long drive back from the coast.
- Days 1-2: Kutaisi
Many flights land late, so reserve the first night; the airport is 20 to 30 minutes from town. Day 2 is the Gelati, Okatse and Prometheus day above. - Days 3-5: Svaneti
Martvili on the way up to Mestia, Ushguli on Day 4 (sleep there if you can), a hike on Day 5. - Day 6: Mestia to Tbilisi
The plane to Natakhtari if it flies; otherwise a full day by road, or the minibus and the Zugdidi train. - Day 7: Kakheti
Sighnaghi, Bodbe and a cellar lunch. - Days 8-9: Kazbegi
Up the Military Road, the Juta or Truso valley next morning, back to Tbilisi by evening. - Day 10: Tbilisi
The Old Town and the baths, then the airport.
We like this order best. The uncertain leg, the Mestia plane, falls on Day 6 rather than just before your flight home, so a cancellation costs a day on the road instead of a missed connection.
Other ways to spend 10 days in Georgia: hiking, wine and winter versions
Summer hiking version (July to mid-September)
Spend six of the nine nights in the mountains: two in Stepantsminda for the Juta valley under the Chaukhi massif, then straight through Kutaisi to four in Svaneti for Koruldi, the Ushba Glacier from Mazeri, a night in Ushguli and the Shkhara Glacier. Strong walkers can swap the day hikes for the classic four-stage walk between Mestia and Ushguli, ~57 km with nights in family guesthouses. Our Svaneti Hiking Week links the day walks from comfortable bases, with your bags moved by car.
Wine and food version (September and October)
Drop Svaneti and slow down where the wine is made: two nights in Tbilisi for natural-wine bars and the Dezerter market, three in Kakheti between Telavi and Sighnaghi with a full supra, one in Kazbegi, two in Imereti, where Tsitska and Tsolikouri ferment in clay jars called churi, and one in Racha for the semi-sweet red Khvanchkara. Time it for rtveli, the harvest.
Winter version (December to March)
The road to Mestia stays open, and the lifts at Hatsvali and Tetnuldi usually start in late December. Ushguli is reachable by 4x4 on most days, but chains are often compulsory from December to March and rockfall can shut the last stretch: one section stayed closed for 13 days in February 2026. The Gudauri to Kobi section of the Military Road closed to all traffic on between 10 and 17 days per winter from 2021/22 to 2025/26, so treat Kazbegi as a bonus and ski at Gudauri. Kutaisi's caves stay at ~14°C all year, while the Okatse walkway and Martvili boats stop in rain and snow. Keep a spare day before your flight.
No time for Svaneti? Our eight-day From the Mountains to the Sea swaps it for Borjomi and the cave monastery of Vardzia, with two nights under Kazbek.
When to go: Svaneti roads, Ushguli in winter and Kazbegi closures
The whole loop works best from mid-June to early October. Outside that window it still runs, but snow decides which walks and roads you get.
| Months | Svaneti and Ushguli | Kazbegi road | Kutaisi and the coast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late May-June | Valleys green; high trails often snowy until late June | Open; afternoon storms | Kinchkha at full flow; first swims late June |
| July-August | All trails open; busiest weeks | Open; heavy lorry traffic | Hot and humid; peak beach season |
| September-early October | Settled weather, autumn colour; our favourite | Open; first snow on the peaks | Sea still warm; more rain |
| Mid-October-November | Snow on the passes; Zagari Pass closes late October to early December | Snow closures possible from mid-November | Rain can close Okatse |
| December-April | Skiing; Ushguli road open, chains often required | Full closures on several days each winter | Caves open; walkway and boats weather-dependent |
Two projects may change the route. A 23 km bypass from Kvesheti to Kobi, with a ~9 km tunnel, is being built around the Military Road's avalanche section, with no opening date announced by October 2026. In Svaneti, the Zagari Pass, the high road linking Ushguli with Lentekhi, gained 16 km of concrete in 2025; from late May or June it makes a spectacular exit towards Kutaisi in a 4x4 with an experienced driver.
Getting around on a 10-day Georgia trip: driver, rental car, marshrutka or plane
Three of the ten days are long transfers, so how you travel matters more than on a week in the east.
| Option | Typical cost (approx. 2026) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Private driver | Driver and car ~200-450 GEL (~$75-175) daily; with a guide ~450-750 GEL (~$175-290) | Costly for one or two; agree who pays the driver's room |
| Rental car | Small car ~80-160 GEL (~$30-60) a day; a 4x4 roughly 150-300 GEL (~$60-115) a day, with petrol near 4 GEL per litre | Some contracts bar the Ushguli road or allow it only in summer; one-way fees |
| Marshrutka, train, shared 4x4 | Tbilisi-Stepantsminda ~15-20 GEL; Tbilisi-Kutaisi ~20-25; Kutaisi-Mestia ~35-40; Batumi-Tbilisi train from ~35 | One Kutaisi-Mestia minibus a day; taxis for the canyons and Uplistsikhe |
| Plane, Natakhtari-Mestia | ~90 GEL (~$35) one way | Few seats, tight baggage limits, cancelled in cloud |
Shared by three or four, a driver for the whole trip comes to roughly 50 to 150 GEL ($20 to $58) each per day and turns the transfer days into sightseeing days. A rental car reaches every overnight stop on this loop; leave the Gergeti, Juta and Koruldi tracks to the 4x4 drivers in the main squares.
Our Self-Drive Georgia trip is a ten-day loop with the car, hotels and a route book arranged and a phone line answered at any hour; its standard route covers Kakheti, Kazbegi, Kutaisi, Borjomi and Vardzia, and a Mestia night via Zugdidi can be added.
Going by minibus? The direct one to Mestia leaves Kutaisi's central bus station at about 10:00 and fills fast, so arrive by 08:30; it returns from Mestia at about 08:00. Our guide to getting around Georgia covers every station.
Where to stay and what 10 days in Georgia cost in 2026
Where to stay on this route
- Tbilisi: Sololaki and the Old Town to walk everywhere; Vera for quieter nights.
- Stepantsminda: the centre for food and drivers, or Gergeti village opposite for rooms facing Kazbek.
- Kutaisi: near the main square and the White Bridge, or the old quarter below Bagrati.
- Mestia: around Seti Square, or the upper lanes of Lanchvali and Lekhtagi for views; in Ushguli, family guesthouses with half board.
- Batumi: Old Batumi for walkable streets, the newer boulevard's towers for sea views.
Book Mestia, Ushguli and Batumi early for July and August.
10-day budget per person
Approximate 2026 figures per person, two sharing, converted at roughly 2.6 lari per US dollar. Not included: international flights and the compulsory travel health insurance (in force since January 2026).
| 10 days, per person (approx. 2026) | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nine nights' accommodation | 315-540 GEL ($120-210) | 675-1,350 GEL ($260-520) | 1,800-3,600 GEL ($690-1,385) |
| Food and drink | 400-600 GEL ($155-230) | 800-1,300 GEL ($310-500) | 1,500-2,500 GEL ($575-960) |
| Transport | 300-450 GEL ($115-175): buses, trains, shared 4x4s | 700-1,300 GEL ($270-500): a driver on long days | 1,500-2,500 GEL ($575-960): driver-guide |
| Tickets, tastings, baths | 200-300 GEL ($75-115) | 350-550 GEL ($135-210) | 800-1,500 GEL ($310-575) |
| Total | About 1,200-1,900 GEL ($460-730) | About 2,500-4,500 GEL ($960-1,730) | About 5,600-10,100 GEL ($2,150-3,890) |
Solo travellers pay more, as rooms and cars are not shared. For a guided version, see what a private tour in Georgia costs.
Shorter or longer trip?
- 3 days: Tbilisi plus one day trip; see our 3-day Georgia itinerary.
- 5 days: Tbilisi, Kazbegi and Kakheti at an easy pace; see our 5-day Georgia itinerary.
- 7 days: the classic eastern loop with two Kazbegi nights; see our 7-day itinerary.
- 14 days: this route plus Vardzia, Tusheti or the Mestia to Ushguli trek; see our 14-day Georgia itinerary.
10 days in Georgia: frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for Georgia?
Yes. Ten days covers Tbilisi, Kakheti, Kazbegi and Svaneti with Kutaisi in between. It is not enough to add Tusheti or a multi-day trek on top; for those, plan two weeks.
What is the best Georgia 10 day itinerary?
For a first visit: two nights in Tbilisi with a Kakheti day, one in Stepantsminda, two in Kutaisi, three in Mestia with a day in Ushguli and one in Batumi. It covers both mountain regions, the western canyons and the sea, with three long driving days.
Can you see Kazbegi and Svaneti in 10 days?
Yes, but only one gets a long stay. This route gives Kazbegi one night and Svaneti three, because Mestia takes a full day to reach. For two Kazbegi nights, take one night off Kutaisi.
Should I fly into Tbilisi or Kutaisi for 10 days in Georgia?
Either. Tbilisi has more flights and suits the main loop. If Kutaisi is cheaper, start with Svaneti and fly home from Tbilisi, which saves the longest backtrack.
How much does a 10 day trip to Georgia cost?
Plan on about 1,200 to 1,900 lari a head (roughly $460 to $730) travelling cheaply, 2,500 to 4,500 lari ($960 to $1,730) in mid-range comfort, and 5,600 to 10,100 lari ($2,150 to $3,890) for boutique stays with a private driver-guide. These 2026 estimates assume two people sharing and exclude flights.
Do I need a car or a driver for 10 days in Georgia?
Not strictly: minibuses and trains link every overnight stop. But Uplistsikhe, the canyons and the Ushguli road are far easier by car, and the long days pass better with stops. A driver suits two to four people; a rental suits confident drivers.
What is the best month for a 10-day Georgia trip?
September: settled weather in Svaneti, the grape harvest in Kakheti and a warm sea. July and August are best for high hikes but hot and busy below. From December to March, follow the winter version.
Can you visit Ushguli in winter?
Usually. The road from Mestia is open all year, but chains are often required from December to March and rockfall can close the last stretch, once for about two weeks in 2026. Travel with a local driver in a 4x4 and leave one day free.
