Best Day Trips from Tbilisi, Georgia: Monasteries, Mountains and More

While the city of Tbilisi could easily keep you happy for days, it would be a shame to miss the chance of a trip or more beyond the Georgian capital. So, do schedule some spare time in your itinerary for some day trips from Tbilisi. Fortunately, there are plenty of options close enough to visit in a day.

I’ve lined up the 8 best choices, based on the places I visited myself, trips recommended to me, and those still on my list for my return visit. I’ve covered the best options to get there, either on a tour or independently by car, train or marshrutka minibuses.

Whether you are after mountains, ancient cities, caves, insta-worthy views, or want to tick off another country, there’s almost certainly something on this list of day trips that could appeal to you.

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Map of Day Trips from Tbilisi

While tours and public transport are an option, it’s of course possible to drive yourself and recreate many of these day trips. If you do, I don’t recommend driving in central Tbilisi. Just hire a car for the days you plan to travel outside the city and pick it up on the outskirts. Driving in central Tbilisi can be very stressful, and there’s little need, with Bolt services readily available and many of the central sights in walking distance from each other.

I’ve partnered with Discover Cars, an award-winning online car rental aggregator which compares deals from over 1,000 global and local suppliers across 165 countries. Find the best car hire deals for Georgia:

Tbilisi day trips: Quick reference

My personal favourite on this list is the trip to the astonishing cave city of Vardzia. It’s one of the longest trips on the list, with stops in the spa town of Borjomi (the picture at the top of this article and Rabati Castle, and it’s totally worth it. I’d also recommend a day trip to Armenia if you don’t have time for a longer trip in the region. And of course, if you like wine, you will definitely want a trip to visit the wineries of Kakheti.

1. Mtskheta

Just north of the capital, Tbilisi, the ancient city of Mtskheta is definitely worth your time. Packed with UNESCO World Heritage sites and stunning river views, make sure you visit Jvari, the 6th-century hilltop monastery perched above the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Georgia’s most sacred church.

Enjoy Mtskheta’s restored centre with cobblestone streets, local crafts, market and traditional wine tasting. The city is highly rated for traditional dining, so save time for a meal and a local dish, such as authentic Georgian bean stew.

We visited on a tour. Read my Guide: Visit the Chronicles of Georgia in Tbilisi (And Why It Beats Stonehenge)

2. Gori & Uplistsikhe

A trip to the birthplace of Stalin in Gori and an ancient cave city. Here’s what you can expect to see:

• Gori: A centuries-old trading point along the Silk Road, between Tbilisi and Kutaisi, and a popular place on the Georgian tourist trail. Possibly best known as the birthplace of Stalin, the city features a museum dedicated to his life, including his humble birthplace, personal rail carriage, and numerous artifacts.
• Uplistsikhe: East of the city, this spectacular ancient rock-hewn town features a sprawling maze of dwellings, pagan temples, and rock-cut wine cellars dating from the Early Iron Age

3. The Cave City of Vardzia, Borjomi & Rabati

For me, this was always going to be top of my list. I was blown away by the underground cities in Cappadocia when I visited many years ago, long before it became popular. Since then, I’ve made a point of discovering more jaw-dropping places like this across Europe, including Meteora in Greece and Old Orhei in Moldova. I was very happy to add Vardzia to the list, and my high expectations were met.

The tour is a good mixture. There’s a stop in Borjomi spa town, a little brief but worth it. Rabati Castle and its mix of styles are spectacular, as is Vardzia.

We visited on a tour. Read my guides:

4. Kazbegi & the Georgian Highway: Into the Caucasus

A chance to explore along the Georgian military highway, the main road connection between Georgia and Russia, and a spectacular, but at times scary ride. Begin at Ananuri Fortress, set above the Zhinvali Reservoir. Move on to Gudauri, one of Georgia’s top ski resorts, where the views continue. Seek out the Friendship Monument, which symbolises the unity of Georgia and Russia.

Hiking to Gergeti Trinity Church, one of Georgia’s most iconic and spiritual sites, can be physically demanding, so you can switch to a 4×4 jeep to take you further into the mountains. While you are there, enjoy a traditional Georgian meal in the mountains.

5. Kakheti: Georgia’s Wine Country

Explore Kakheti, Georgia’s wine region, located in the eastern part of the country. A tour will typically take you to 3 separate wineries to learn about winemaking in Georgia, taste the wines, and there’s chacha too, Georgia’s potent grape vodka. Expect a mixture of larger, more commercial wineries and smaller, more family-run affairs.

A tour may also include a visit to Badiauri village for bread and cheese tasting, Bidbe convent, the burial place of St Nino and a walking tour around Sighnaghi with a lunch stop.

After our winery visits in Moldova, we decided to give our livers a rest, but we saved this trip for next time in Georgia.

6. Day Trip to Armenia

I’ve spent a little time in Armenia (details coming up on the blog), and I wholeheartedly recommend taking any opportunity you can to visit. If you have more than a day, then this trip may not be the best fit, but if that’s all the time you have and you don’t mind a long coach ride, then absolutely go for it!

There are two tours you could take, a shorter cross-border hop to Northern Armenia that covers the things Armenia does best – monasteries, river gorges, Soviet history and Armenian food, or go all in with an exceptionally long Armenia highlights tour, taking you to Dilijan, Lake Sevan and Yerevan. And those are the actual highlights of Armenia! So if you are going to get up early and spend a long time on a bus, I would pick the latter. A whistle-stop tour of Yerevan, Armenia’s capital city, would be all too brief. Still, this city will almost certainly surprise and delight you, and most likely, leave you planning your return visit, sooner rather than later.

I resisted, as I had a whole trip to Armenia to look forward to, but I met people in Georgia who did go on these trips and thoroughly enjoyed them. If you’d like details about my forthcoming posts on Armenia, I have a newsletter that I’ll send them out when they’re published.

7. Rainbow Mountain & David Gareja

An opportunity to visit Georgia’s only semi-desert area, this trip takes you close to the border with Azerbaijan.

• Rainbow Mountain: You’ll hike through a landscape of mineral-rich sedimentary rock that looks as if it’s been painted with brightly colored stripes, hence its nickname ‘Rainbow Mountain’. Georgia’s version is smaller and less vivid than the rainbow mountain in Peru, but far less crowded, much easier to hike, and only a day trip from Tbilisi – worth it on its own terms.
• David Gareja: A remarkable 6th-century rock-hewn monastery complex. It features caves, chapels, and living quarters carved directly into colorful clay cliffs. One of the most spiritual places in Georgia, and so close to the border with Azerbaijan, you may see a soldier guarding the border.

If you’re short on time, this pairing is ideal – you get Georgia’s most colourful landscape and one of its most spiritual sites in a single day.

A trip I didn’t personally do, as it was too hot, and I had already braved the heat for Vardzia, but it’s definitely on the list for me for next time. To get here, it’s best to take a tour or hire a car. Keep away from the border and don’t try to cross into Azerbaijan.

8. Kutaisi Canyons and Caves

A trip to the west of Georgia, to explore waterfalls, caves and canyons close to Kutaisi. The tour includes Martvili waterfalls in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, where you’ll take a boat trip through the canyon. Then you’ll visit Prometheus Caves, famous for their stalactites, stalagmites, petrified waterfalls, underground rivers, and cave lakes. Colorful lights illuminate the cave, creating a magical atmosphere.

You can end your tour in Kutaisi, using this tour day as a transfer day or return to Tbilisi. I wish I’d known this! We caught the Citibus to transfer between Tbilisi and Kutaisi, and it was easy enough and very comfortable. Still, the bus stops are not central, and this tour would have been a way to squeeze even more into our itinerary.

9. Diamond Bridge & Dashbashi Canyon

I thought I had done my homework on day trips, but this trip seems to have been missed off the guides I read and looks genuinely fun! If you are looking for alternatives to monasteries, caves, and wine tours, this trip is for you.

Diamond Bridge is about 2 hours from Tbilisi and is one of the most distinctive architectural landmarks in Georgia. The cutting-edge design spans the breathtaking Dashbashi Canyon. Opened in 2022, it holds a Guinness World Record for the longest glass cantilever bridge.

There’s a viewing platform and a glass cafe suspended in the middle of the bridge, and there are sky bikes too. If the feeling of being suspended in mid-air with the ground hundreds of metres below appeals, then this trip is for you. For anyone with vertigo, it’s more like your worst nightmare!

The tour to the canyon includes a stop at the tranquil reservoir of Algeti.

Georgia’s Three Cave Settlements: How to Choose

Georgia is one of the best places in the world to see cave cities and settlements. Expect spectacular, multi-tiered historical sites carved directly into mountain cliffs that rival destinations like Cappadocia in Turkey. The country features three main historical cave complexes, all accessible as day trips from Tbilisi and offering a glimpse into ancient civilisations, defensive architecture, and monastic life.

If you only want to visit one, make it Vardzia, the largest and most impressive of the three. The easiest of the three to get to and the least physically demanding is Uplistsikhe. If seeing the Rainbow Mountains and Georgia’s desert scenery is your priority, then David Gareja, on the Azerbaijan border, may work best.

Practical tips for day-tripping from Tbilisi

Here are some of my thoughts, based on trips in the Caucasian countries:

Taking Day Tours

For the tours, I’ve recommended GetYourGuide, an international platform that aggregates popular tours from around the world. If you book through GetYourGuide, you can expect clear descriptions, communication, and flexible terms, including late cancellation. Local tour operators rely on good reviews on GetYourGuide, which help potential customers choose their tours with confidence.

Viator is also a huge international platform. Many local operators operate on both. If I’m looking for something more niche or offbeat, I’ll often try Viator first, but I wouldn’t make a clear recommendation for one platform over another. Here are some Viator options to compare.

Apply common sense when going on day trips, read communications so you know what to expect and where to be. Wear appropriate footwear for the trip, and bring water and a layer if things get chilly. Most organised tours stop for food and comfort breaks regularly, but they may be at odd times. If you are the sort of person who likes to eat lunch at lunchtime, then be prepared, as this may not happen. Bring snacks to tide you over and take advantage of the stops you do get along the way. I always take a photo of the bus and vehicle registration number, as one bus can look like another in a large car park, and they can move around. Personally, I prefer smaller tour groups, as there is less chance people will go missing, delay things or demand changes.

DIY Tours

If you are planning your day trip using local Minibuses (Marshrutkas), there are a few things to keep in mind. Didbube bus station is the starting point for most trips; it’s a little chaotic, and it’s best to ask if you can’t see a minibus with your destination clearly displayed on the dashboard. These don’t run to a strict timetable and are not bookable in advance. There’s a ticket office for purchases, and I would take cash in small denominations rather than relying on card payments.

Minibuses may leave early if full, so it’s best to be there in plenty of time. Marshrutkas are often old, with questionable safety and comfort. I would personally only use them for short trips.

Busbud is my first call for prebooked coaches and minibuses, where standards of buses, ticketing and timetabling are more reliable and less stressful.

There are limited train services from Tbilisi train station, located to the East of the city, near Dezerter Bazaar.

Car hire is also an option, and I recommend Discover Cars for securing the best deals. Be prepared for assertive driving in Georgia, variable road conditions, and strict enforcement of the laws of the road.

Where to next

If you’ve got this far, thank you for reading. I hope you found this guide useful. Let me know in the comments.

I have city guides for Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi. I’ve also written about my favourite trips outside the cities, including Vardzia, the Chronicles of Georgia and Rabati Castle.

I also have a series of guides covering Armenia coming up.

Give it a share!