West Asia (Middle East) · Georgia

Hi everyone, I’m planning to spend 8 days or more in Georgia, and I love multi-day hikes at a moderate level. Any tips? Is it easy to exchange money in Tbilisi? Is Kutaisi worth a visit? I’ve heard the Black Sea is meh. And apparently, the food and drink are amazing everywhere in Georgia. So, is it worth checking out a wine region? Thanks a lot!

Hi there, This year we want to go to Georgia. We have a ticket to Istanbul and would prefer to avoid an Istanbul/Tbilisi flight to see a bit of Turkey, which I love. I found a train from Ankara to Kars (25h): why not? But how do we cross the border: which town? Is it easy (or not)? I’m leaning toward Batumi, but I’m not sure about anything—thanks for your tips! Thanks for your insights

Hi, We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?

Thanks

Cat, Bruno.

Hi there,

I’m planning a trip to Georgia this summer and I’ve been comparing some airlines. I’m not particularly set on flying with Pegasus (though it’s convenient with direct flights from Lyon to Tbilisi), but right off the bat, Pegasus states this:

As of January 1, 2026, all foreign nationals traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes will be required to present valid travel health insurance. Guests who fail to provide the relevant health insurance will not be accepted on our flights to Georgia. Sincerely, Pegasus Airlines

In other words, if you don’t show proof of travel health insurance, you’ll be denied boarding. Personally, my credit card insurance has always been enough for me, and I’d rather not take out extra coverage... Have any of you run into this issue before? If not, what do you think? Why is Pegasus asking for this proof? Other airlines don’t mention it at all.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a motorcycle road trip to Armenia and Georgia in September 2026 or May 2027. I’m looking for one or more riders (male or female) who’d like to explore these countries with me.

Along the way, we’ll visit Cappadocia, the capitals Yerevan, Tbilisi, Sofia, Skopje, and other cities—we can finalize the route and roadbook later.

This trip requires experience with long motorcycle journeys, as we’ll cover around 7,000 km over 5 or 6 weeks (or more, depending on sightseeing and time spent).

I don’t expect dozens of applicants, since motorcycle riders are few and far between on this forum, but I’m putting this out there anyway.

See you soon

Hey everyone! A comeback after so many years... but my question is simple: "Has anyone wandered around these two countries recently? (The posts and travel journals I’ve read are a bit dated.) I’m planning a trip for late spring—one I had mapped out for 2023 but never got to do. For any info on transportation, border crossings, cost of living, and interesting hostel/GH addresses, thanks in advance! 😉

Hi, We’ve got flight tickets for a two-week trip to Georgia from April 8th to 23rd. Should we go ahead with our trip or postpone it to September, given what’s been happening in the Persian Gulf since late February 2026? Are there any impacts in Georgia? Thanks for your help

my friend, with whom I traveled to Iran, Myanmar, and India, really wanted to take a one-month trip to Armenia and Georgia. So we booked our flights (June 21 to July 19), but disaster struck—she can’t travel anymore due to serious family reasons.

Now I’m heading off on this adventure alone. It’s not that I’ve never traveled solo before—I spent three months exploring Southeast Asia by myself last year—but I still have a few questions, and I’d really appreciate your input.

* I don’t think traveling alone in these countries is very risky—what do you think? * Maybe I could hire a driver? What would that cost, since some places seem tricky to reach by public transport. Do you have any driver recommendations? * I don’t want to rent a car—the driving seems too unpredictable, especially in Georgia. * I’d love to do some nice hikes—are there any guides available?

Here’s my rough itinerary: YEREVAN and surroundings YEGHEGNADZOR for Noravank GORIS and TATEV LAKE SEVAN DILIJAN HAGHPAT TBILISI and surroundings The CAUCASUS toward Mestia UPLISTSIKHE VARDZIA Return to Yerevan for my flight

Thanks to anyone who can share their experiences or answer my questions!

Hi there,

I’ve been wanting to do this for several years, and this year’s the one. Next September, I’ll be trekking in Tusheti (Georgia), from Omalo to Shatili. Of course, I won’t be renting a vehicle that’d just sit unused. No problem getting to Pshaveli, but from there to Omalo, it’s a dirt road (still the case?) There must be some form of public transport since there are so many guesthouses, and not all travelers come in a 4x4. If any of you have been to Omalo, could you confirm that these shared transports exist and how often they run?

Hello,

My son and I are heading to Georgia this summer to explore the High Caucasus (Svaneti, Kazbek, and Tusheti regions). For this, we’re planning to rent a 4x4. However, the rental agencies we’ve found prohibit driving on the tracks to Omalo (Tusheti) and/or Ushguli (Svaneti). Do you know of any agencies in Tbilisi (local and reliable) that allow rented 4x4s to drive on these tracks? If so, which ones?

Thanks for your help!

Hi,

For our trip to Georgia in July, I’d like to rent a 4x4 starting from Tbilisi. Do you have any rental companies to recommend? The traditional rentals like Hertz, Avis, etc. seem way overpriced compared to local companies—what do you think? Are they properly insured?

Has anyone here tried Geo Rent Car, Auto 4 Rental, or Sur Price?

Also, I’m looking for info on the condition of the Ushguli–Lentekhi track—is it passable?

Thanks for your tips! Penlan

Hi! If anyone has been to Georgia recently and could tell me if it's feasible to travel around the country using public transport. My itinerary would be Kutaisi (my arrival airport), Tbilisi, Mestia, Ushguli, Batumi, and back to Kutaisi (departure airport) in ten days. My flight arrives late at night, around 1 AM—would it be possible to take a taxi to get to the city center?

Any advice is welcome, and regarding the language, can you get by with English? Thanks in advance.

Hi, we’re traveling to Georgia soon and want to go to Azerbaijan. I’m having trouble finding info on crossing the border. Is it possible to do it by car or train? Are the land borders between the two countries open? Or do we have to fly? Thanks in advance

Hi there, Do I need a return ticket? Proof of insurance and a hotel reservation?? I’m French. Also, is there any control on meds and sleeping pills?? Thanks a bunch!

hi

I was wondering if there are any nice day hikes from Mestia with potentially great views of Elbrus???

Thanks

Erick

Hi everyone!

We’re taking a marshutka from Tbilisi to Kazbegi. Is it possible to do the trip with 2 hard-shell suitcases?

Thanks!!!!

Hey everyone,

I’m heading to Georgia for a month in October. I’m currently looking for a Georgian Assimil course, but it seems like it’s no longer published. I’ve scoured the internet but can’t find a used one. So my questions are:

- Do you know where I might find a used one somewhere?

- Do you know of a nice equivalent to Assimil for Georgian?

It’s just to get a few basic phrases, be able to read some signs, etc., because with only English and French, I think I might be a bit stuck sometimes.

Thanks!

simon

Hi, Do you know where I can find a map for the Mestia/Ushguli trek? At the Mestia tourist office? Thanks

Hey everyone who survived that killer rum that was supposed to take us all out... I took a trip to Russia in August 2024—16 unforgettable days. Entered via KARSAVA, Ostrov, then Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Voronezh, Ostrov on the Don, and exited at VLADIKAVKAZ through Georgia, Turkey, etc... I’d love to know if anyone’s done the reverse route—entering via Vladikavkaz from Georgia by personal vehicle, car, or motorcycle—and how long the wait was to cross the border. At the Karsava crossing in Latvia last August, it took between 2 and 3 days. The holdup is on the Russian side due to lack of staff and equipment since the formalities are so complicated... I’m looking for a smoother crossing point for 2025. Thanks for any tips!

Just back from Georgia and Armenia. Trip in April 2011 with a small Renault Trafic van. No particular difficulties... except the GMR.