Caucasus Tours

Georgia — the heart of the Caucasus region and one of Europe and Asia's most extraordinary countries — is the perfect starting point for any Caucasus tour. Tbilisi's extraordinary old town, ancient sulphur baths, and Rustaveli Avenue reward every traveler from the first day — Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most sacred sites in Georgian Christianity) and Vardzia (a 12th-century cave monastery carved into the cliffs of Mount Erusheti) are two of Georgia's most extraordinary ancient monuments. Georgia's wine culture dates back 8,000 years — wine tastings occur in Georgia's Kakheti region where visitors can join grape harvests in autumn and taste traditional Georgian wine made in clay qvevri pots alongside local families. Svaneti's remote defensively built stone towers and the extraordinary Gergeti Trinity Church — perched dramatically at 2,170 metres above the Terek valley — are the two greatest mountain highlights of any Georgia Caucasus tour. Hiking tours in the Caucasus can last up to 18 days — Armenia and Georgia are ideal countries for hiking, and Svaneti's valleys offer popular hiking routes through some of the most pristine and spectacular mountain landscapes in all of the Greater Caucasus Mountains.

Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world — a country of extraordinary ancient monasteries, the birthplace of Christianity, and a rich cultural heritage stretching back thousands of years. Yerevan and Geghard are notable destinations in Armenia — the extraordinary Geghard Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved partially into the cliff face) and the magnificent Garni Temple (Armenia's only surviving Hellenistic temple) are two of Armenia's most extraordinary ancient monuments. The Areni Cave near Yerevan is one of the world's most remarkable archaeological discoveries — a 6,000-year-old winery excavated from the cave walls of Armenia's wine country, one of the oldest wine production sites ever discovered. Armenia's UNESCO sites include Haghpat Monastery — the extraordinary medieval monastery complexes of northern Armenia are among the Caucasus's greatest and most beautiful ancient monuments, rising above dramatic river gorges in the Armenian highlands. Tours often include visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites across Armenia — the extraordinary concentration of ancient monasteries, early Christian churches, and medieval fortresses in Armenia makes it one of the world's greatest destinations for ancient history and religious cultural heritage.

Azerbaijan — the land of fire on the Caspian Sea coast — adds extraordinary cultural and geographical diversity to any Caucasus tour. Baku features both modern designs like Flame Towers and historical sites like Old City (Icheri Sheher) — the extraordinary contrast between Baku's futuristic modern skyline and the ancient UNESCO-listed medieval old city creates one of the Caucasus's most fascinating and visually extraordinary urban experiences. Gobustan National Park — home to over 6,000 ancient rock carvings dating back 40,000 years and extraordinary mud volcanoes — is one of Azerbaijan's most remarkable and unique natural and cultural heritage destinations. The Absheron Peninsula — where Azerbaijan's ancient Zoroastrian fire temples burned on naturally occurring gas seeps for thousands of years — is one of the world's most extraordinary ancient cultural sites. Travelers often start in Azerbaijan and end in Armenia through Georgia — this classic Caucasus route from Baku through Tbilisi to Yerevan covers the very best of all three countries in one extraordinary Caucasus journey. Political tensions have led to the closure of the land border between Armenia and Azerbaijan — all Caucasus tours currently travel between Azerbaijan and Armenia via Georgia, which our expert local guides and tour packages manage seamlessly.