Wine Tours in Georgia – Old Traditional Qvevri Wine Making Method
Wine Tours in Georgia – Old Traditional Qvevri Wine Making Method
Route: Tbilisi – Gombori Pass – Telavi – Tsinandali – Kvareli – Gurjaani – Sighnaghi – Bodbe – Tbilisi
Tour type: Wine tour, Gastronomic tour
Meal: Lunch
Tour Duration: 1 day
Distance: One way 170 km
Meeting Point: Agreed location
I Option – Wine Tours in Georgia. Sighnaghi – Gurjaani – Kvareli – Tbilisi
09:00 Departure from Tbilisi to Kazbegi
10:30 Your first stop will be at Ananuri complex, a former residence of Argveti Dukes
11:30 Continue our drive to see the conjunction of two small mountain rivers in the Village Pasanauri
13:00 We will drive over the Cross Pass and make a short stop at the “Friendship Monument” in Gudauri ski resort
13:30 Vedza – Sour Springs
16:30 Dariali gorge
19:00 Arrival, Dinner and overnight at the local guesthouse.
II Option – Wine Tours in Georgia. Sighnaghi – Gurjaani – Kvareli – Tbilisi
06:00 After breakfast departure to Meteostation. In order to bring food supplies and tents to the Station we hire a horse (Included in the price). Additional horse can be hired to bring personal supplies (Cost of additional horse is not included in the package)
From Stephanstimnda to Gergeti monastery we drive on SUV 4X4
15:00 – 16:00 Arrival to Meteostation. Free time. Overnight
DAY 3: Acclimatization (Climb to Mount Kazbek)
On the day three we prepare for the ascend; we get accustomed to the height and fully acclimatize. We ascend from the Station (3657 meters above the sea level) to the 4200 meter point. After a short break we go back to the station. Overnight.
DAY 4: Climb to Mount Kazbek
We start the ascend in the morning 04:00 am.
After several hours with the assistance of professional guide we get to the highest point on the mountain (5047 meters). After short break we return to the Meteostation
Free time. Overnight
DAY 5: Extra day (Climb to Mount Kazbek)
In case for some reason we were unable to ascend on day 4 (Bad Weather / Tourist has some difficulties) we try our luck on the fifth day. Overnight
DAY 6: Meteostation – Stephantsminda – Tbilisi (Climb to Mount Kazbek)
Descend to Stephantsminda
Gergeti Trinity Church located on altitude of 2200 m. and enjoy breathtaking views of Mt Kazbegi and village Stephantsminda.
Drive back to Tbilisi
End of Alpine tour to mount Kazbek (Kazbegi) – Climb to Mkinvartsveri 5047m.
Mt. Kazbek
This 5047m extinct volcano towering west of Kazbegi has much folk history. The Greek Prometheus was supposedly chained up here for stealing fire from the gods, as was the Georgian Amirani, for challenging God’s omnipotence. Amirani’s legendary abode was somewhere near the Betlemi (Bethlehem) cave, 4000m above sea level, where resided a hermit and many very sacred objects – Christ’s manger, Abraham’s tent and a dove-rocked golden cradle whose sight would blind a human being. There were taboos against hunting on the mountain and climbing it. Not surprisingly, the first to conquer Kazbek’s peak were foreigners: Fresh-field, Tucker and Moore of the London Alpine Club in 1868.
There is indeed a cave at 4000m, near the Meteo Station, which serves as the base for Kazbek ascents today. Somewhere around 5000 people a year climb to Kazbek’s summit but it’s not for everyone: this is a challenging mountaineering experience that requires fitness and acclimatization to altitude. At the Meteo Station you may be able to join a group heading to the summit for 50 GEL to 100 GEL – but to ensure guide services you should organize them beforehand with our Company.
The ascent is technically straightforward, though there is some danger in crevasses. It generally takes three or four days from Kazbegi, with nights spent at the Meteo Station. The second day is usually spent acclimatizing with climbs to the Maili Plateau (4500m) or Ortsveri Peak (4365m). On day three you start for the summit from the Meteo Station in the early hours of the morning. The ascent takes around six hours, with the steep final 150m involving about three rope lengths of 35- to 40-degree ice. The descent to the Meteo Station for the third night takes up to another six hours.
