Vardzia, Rabati, and Borjomi: Exquisite Georgian Tour of Heritage Sites and Natural Beauty
4.2
102 Ratings
T'bilisi
Explore the exquisite heritage sites of Vardzia and Rabati Castle, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Borjomi, a picturesque resort town in Georgia.
Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Vardzia - Vardzia is a cave site in southern Georgia dating back to 12th century, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the Mtkvari River. Excavations have shown that the area of Vardzia was inhabited even earlier during the Bronze Age. There you can find bell tower, main church, cave dwellings, rooms, chapels, pharmacy and wine cellars. Beyond the bell tower the complex rises to nineteen tiers, with steps leading to a cemetery. Infrastructure includes access tunnels, water facilities, and provision for defence. Vardzia has been submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a Cultural Site.
What's Included
  • All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
  • Guided by a professional
  • Comfortable in-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live on-board commentary
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Admission fee in Borjomi Park. 5 GEL per person.
  • Admission fee in Vardzia Complex. 17 GEL per person.
  • Admission fee in Rabati Fortress. 18 GEL per person.
Additional Information

Vardzia is a historic cave city situated on the southern side of Georgia, dating back to the 12th century. It’s carved into the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain, bordering the Mtkvari River on its left. Archaeological digs have revealed that the Vardzia region had been settled even earlier, during the Bronze Age. The site is home to a bell tower, main church, cave homes, rooms, chapels, a pharmacy, and wine cellars. The infrastructure features access tunnels, water supply systems, and defence structures. Vardzia is on the path to being recognized as a Cultural Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Located in Akhaltsikhe is Rabati Castle, a 13th-century medieval fortress complex designed in an Asian style. The diverse cultural influences that have shaped it over the centuries are evident in its architecture.

Nestled in the heart of south-central Georgia is Borjomi, a scenic resort town bordering the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. The town is renowned for its mineral water, which is Georgia’s top export.

  • No minimum age required
  • Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
  • Dress code is smart casual
  • No health restrictions
Location
44 Kote Afkhazi St
Kote Afkhazi Street
Tour starts from the joint of Meidan square and Metekhi bridge,and the main clock located in the heart of old Tbilisi town. There, you can find CitySightseeing Tbilisi office and our mini bus-stop.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.2
(102 Ratings)
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Manishak411
Apr 3, 2024
Beautiful trip to Vardzia, Borjomi - The trip was amazing and our guide Steve shared many interesting and historical facts about the caves and the country. Only I found the trip a bit expensive.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
708olesyak
Apr 1, 2024
Amazing Trip! - This trip happened today and our Tour Guide was Galina. She told us the history about all the places and she explains it so fascinating and vividly, to me it felt like I am making a time travel. Purely magical experience! The places we saw are out of this world beautiful, everyone took so many pictures. When I came back, I went to the office immediately and booked the next trip on the next day, this time to Kazbegi :) Thanks so much for the tour :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Finn
Mar 24, 2024
Best Guide and Tour ever. - We had an awesome trip to Vardzia and Borjomi with our amazing guide Giorgi. He told us great stories about the history, the places we visited and answered all our questions. He is a very kind, caring and funny guy, who loves showing people around. The Driver was excellent so we felt very safe. Best Tour ever!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curiosity18534879720
Feb 15, 2024
Cave city and Borjomi - Steven was my guide and Demuri was the driver for the cave city and Borjomi. Steven is very good, he is fluent in English and is well aware about the place. It was an informative trip. Recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jacqueline_o
Jan 28, 2024
This was an absolutely... - This was an absolutely excellent tour. We went in January and it was a small group of only 4 people. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and open to answering all of our questions. It was snowing in Borjomi and Vardzia which made the scenery particularly stunning. Even though there were some slippery steps at Vardzia due to the snow, our guide was great at helping us get around. Both locations were excellent to visit, I’d highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
_k424oq
Jan 28, 2024
The tour is very interesting - Many thanks to guide Georgiy for a great excursion. It was a very interesting story. Was very attentive to all guests
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frauke0719
Oct 24, 2023
Wardsia is the absolute highlight - Great tour! Wardsia is definitely worth a trip :) Maka was a great guide, gave us a lot of interesting information and stories - not only at the sights, but also along the way. Also the driver was driving in a responsible and rather gentle way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alanjcaustralia
Feb 25, 2024
Amazing scenery with a strange addition of Borjomi - The caves and mountains on this tour were fantastic . Our guide and driver were excellent. As it's winter we did t visit one of the locations but we knew that before we went . My only suggestion would be not to include Borjomi. The hot water spring was interesting but the park it is in is very run down and old. Not a tourist attraction when you compare it to Vardzia which was spectacular. The food at the restaurant for lunch was also spectacular.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
131mauroi
Nov 16, 2023
Vardzia, Rabati, Borjomi - Amazing daily tour, very long, Vardzia is 226 km away from Tblisi! but Georgia never bores you Many thanks to Stephan, our guide, for sharing knowledge and anecdotes, very kind
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Krzysztof_s
Apr 15, 2024
Our guide Georgie was... - Our guide Georgie was excellent, very professional, he had a lot of knowledge. Unfortunately, we had problems with our bus and had to change the car due to a breakdown. We lost a lot of time and couldn't complete the entire trip plan, so we had to give up visiting Rabati.
Review provided by Viator
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