After ten days on the road from our home town of Kranjska Gora in Slovenia, we arrived in Georgia, one of the two final destinations of this almost 6-week road trip, along with Armenia. We spent a total of 16 days in Georgia, first visiting the seaside Batumi, then Svaneti region with the towns of Mestia, Ushguli and Mazeri, later on Martvili canyon, Kutaisi, the interesting capital Tbilisi, mountainous Kazbegi region with Gudauri ski resort and the town of Stepantsminda, Sno, Juta and Truso valleys, the unique wine region of Kakheti and the Vashlovani wildlife park. We entered Armenia at the Sadakhlo / Bagratashen border and returned to Georgia a good week later, as this was the only way we could reach Turkey and continue our journey home. Georgia absolutely amazed us! Above all, with its wild nature, excellent cuisine and dream locations for wild camping with our Defender camper. We felt safe and welcome throughout the trip, and Georgia seemed like a great destination for a more adventurous trip with (small) children. Mila just had her 3rd birthday a while ago and Leo turned 7 months while we were in Georgia. In this long post, I share our journey with you and add shorter descriptions of some of the places and activities that we unfortunately missed this time. Come with us!
Places: Batumi, Mestia, Ushguli, Mazeri, Martvili, Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Zhinvali, Ananuri, Gudauri, Stepantsminda, Sno, Juta, Truso, Telavi, Sighnaghi, Vashlovani park, Marneuli, Atskuri
How: with our LR Defender camper overland from Slovenia
Accommodation: wild camping, apartment, guesthouse
WE TRAVELED IN GEORGIA WHEN MILA WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND LEO WAS 7 MONTHS OLD. READ MORE ABOUT THIS PART OF TURKEY WITH KIDS IN THIS POST.
FROM TURKEY TO GEORGIA | Sarpi border crossing
We spent our last night in TURKEY in the small town of Uckardes just before the Georgian border, we enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch, took one last swim in the warm sea and fell asleep in the orange glow of the sunset. Our hearts were full, we had a really great time in Turkey. Grateful for all these wonderful experiences, we awaited the next day with excitement, but at the same time with a hint of sadness to be leaving this beautiful country behind.
SARPI BORDER CROSSING took quite a while and for the first time since we’ve been traveling with our Defender, I had to leave the car with the kids and cross the border on foot, as only the driver can stay in the vehicle. The whole procedure took almost two hours, so I highly recommend that all pedestrians take water, snacks, and if they’re traveling with children, some toys, diapers, etc. With them. Above all, it’s good to have internet data so you can communicate with each other – it was quite chaotic on the Georgian side, because all of us pedestrians were cramped together on the side of the road waiting for our cars and drivers.
Because this experience taught us something, we then arranged a local eSIM card with the provider SAILY in advance for all further border crossings. We also have a 5% discount code for our readers and followers, with which we earn a small commission through their affiliate program. To get the discount, be sure to use the link below and enter the promo code SPECIAL5
eSIM SAILYBATUMI | the most popular Georgian Black Sea resort
Since we had accumulated a whole pile of dirty clothes and because crossing the border was already a big enough event for that day, we decided to sleep over in Batumi and use our first day in Georgia to leisurely wander around the city. So we booked an APARTMENT with a washing machine and parking in the city center the previous evening. Super-friendly hosts at the PALIASHVILI HOTEL kindly offered us breakfast, and shortly after we were given the keys to the apartment even though it wasn’t officially check-in time yet. Also, our blue-eyed baby Leo was the star of the moment once again and I could drink my coffee in peace while our hosts showed him around the kitchen. Ahhh it was wonderful to breathe that Georgian air, even though it was terribly humid and hot in Batumi in the second half of August.
After washing our clothes and a short rest we headed to the center. We hadn’t heard or read anything too great about Batumi, the second largest city in Georgia, but we actually liked it a lot. Maybe because it was our first day in a new country and we were excited and everything was new, but still. Looking back now, Batumi is really the least Georgian of all the places we visited in Georgia. But it’s somehow unique, it has its very own cool vibes and we don’t regret this stop. Since it was really hot, we first went to the CITY BEACH, and along the way we stopped at the 6TH MAY PARK.
The beach was quite lively, probably because it was Sunday. This entire coastal strip is beautifully landscaped with PARK AREAS, CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS, CYCLING and WALKING PATHS, and there is no shortage of different STANDS where you can buy something fresh to snack on, ice cream or a drink.
We also can’t miss the numerous SCULPTURES and installations lined up along the promenade. Of course, there are plenty RESTAURANTS and BARS too, especially around the BATUMI BOULEVARD area, where you can also see the FOUNTAIN WATER SHOW. For even more lush greenery head to a huge BOTANICAL GARDEN north of the city, near which wild camping on the beach is also possible.
What interested me most of all was one very special sculpture called ALI & NINO, which many also call the STATUE OF LOVE. The inspiration for the sculpture is the story of an Azerbaijani Muslim and a Georgian princess, who try to find a common path through different periods of their lives, but in the end they fail. It is an image of a woman and a man made of many metal segments, which start moving towards each other every day at 7 in the evening. When they visually merge, their segments never actually touch each other. I really wanted to see this movement of the sculpture live and we happened to catch just the right moment. The thing looks much bigger in many photos than it really is though, but it’s still awesome!
A few more things impressed us in Batumi. All those beautiful water fountains. Tempting bakeries. Boxes of fresh fruit on the sidewalks. Lush greenery. Hipster boutiques and cafes. And the architecture! When night fell, we bought bread, vegetables and roasted chicken on the way and prepared dinner in the apartment. After a short thought, we decided to head up in the mountains the next day. If it was just the two of us we would have stayed in the city a bit longer, I’m sure, but with the kids we would have to skip some activities anyway and we prefer to spend our time in the nature.
Let me also mention that you can also get to BATUMI BY FERRY FROM BULGARIA, from Varna or Burgas. This saves you the long drive along the Turkish Black Sea coast, but the ferry also takes about 3 days and of course costs a bit. We were not interested in this option because we had enough time and we are really happy to have seen this part of Turkey.
MESTIA | famous hub in Svaneti mountainous region
After a great breakfast, we said goodbye to our lovely hosts and drove from BATUMI to the NORTH along the potholed roads. We had a long journey ahead of us and we arrived at our destination only after about 7 HOURS OF DRIVING. At first, we drove along the coast, and in addition to the now-familiar potholes, there were more and more cows and pigs on the road, so concentration while driving was of key importance. However, it wasn’t as scary as many people say. The roads are actually quite wide, with the exception of those in hilly areas, so we could easily avoid all obstacles. If you have experience driving in some more exotic non-European countries, you won’t have any problems here either.
During our visit, the ROAD TO MESTIA was being completely renovated and improved. For us, this meant several stops and waits, as traffic on muddy roads was often one-way, but once the work is fully completed, these places in the SVANETI REGION will be much easier to access.
WELCOME TO MESTIA! I admit, the journey was tiring and all we could do at the end of that day was hunt for a place to wild camp. In Georgia, WILD CAMPING IS ALLOWED, so we took full advantage of it. And in Mestia we found a great location, just below the lower station of the Hatsvali cable car at the ski resort, where we settled in a small clearing surrounded by trees. Such silence. Such peace. And one cold beer for the driver and co-pilot. We liked it so much that we ended up sleeping in this place four nights.
The next day we found a really great CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND in the central square, a bunch of cute BARS and RESTAURANTS, a few GROCERY SHOPS with higher prices (I recommend buying most of your food in the valley before arriving), BAKERIES and smaller MARKETS, lots of GUESTHOUSES, an interesting ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM and even a CINEMA, where they show a movie once a day – we didn’t watch it with our children, but we heard that DEDE is a wonderful insight into the history of Svaneti.
Mestia is surprisingly touristy. Somehow we expected less people, but luckily there is so much natural beauty, hiking trails and space around that all visitors get lost during the days. I wouldn’t go into politics too much, but in Mestia we felt a much larger anti-Russian movement than anywhere else in the country. Even the wifi passwords in certain bars were “freeukraine” and such. However, there was no major tension. Tourists also came from all over the world, including Russia.
In Mestia, we can see many famous defense towers, but I will tell you more about them a little later. After we got to know the city a little, it was time to enjoy spectacular views of MOUNT USHBA and the surrounding mountains. And how to do that the easiest way, without much physical effort? WITH THE HATSVALI CABLE CAR! Our wild camping spot was located just below the lower station of the chairlift that leads from Mestia to the lower station of the aforementioned cable car. After a scenic ride of just under 4km, it brought us to the top of the HATSVALI SKI RESORT.
At the RESTAURANT, a beautiful VIEWING TERRACE awaits you, which also tempted us and we treated ourselves to some KATCHAPURI bread, which went perfectly with Georgian beer. Yes, walking in the mountains like this is of course quite simple haha. Otherwise, the upper station of the gondola is an excellent STARTING POINT FOR FURTHER HIKING.
I admit, I missed hiking a bit on this trip. Not because there wouldn’t be any opportunities for hikes in Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia, but the problem were of course our two small kids. It would still be possible with the baby, because he likes to be in a baby carrier anyway, and I was fit enough for some moderately long hikes a good six months after giving birth. The problem was more with Mila, who was a bit too big to be carried in backpack at 3 years of age, and of course she can’t do such longer hikes on her own yet.
We still did some easier hikes like this one to the CHALAADI GLACIER on the slopes of the mighty MOUNTAIN USHBA, a little outside of Mestia, where we went the next day. We shortened that first really boring part and drove all the way to this SUSPENSION BRIDGE of questionable safety over the MESTIACHALA RIVER. If you don’t have your own transport, taxis can also take you here, supposedly for a very high price. It is better to have a 4×4 though, however, with a little caution in dry weather, you can also get there by regular car.
The number of hikers on the bridge is limited, you also need to watch your feet because there are holes, the whole thing is wobbly, and if you’re really scared, you can walk around the bridge instead of on foot – the detour isn’t short, but why would anyone be afraid unnecessarily? We crossed the bridge anyway, and it wasn’t that scary in the end.
On the other side, a steep part of the path through the forest soon began, occasionally having to walk on smaller rocks, later we hiked for along the raging CHALAADA RIVER for a while, and the last part of the path was on a beautiful scree. The path is well marked. Including all the stops, which were of course more due to Mila, we spent almost 4 hours there and back. Let me add that we started really early to avoid the heat in the middle of the day.
On the other side, a steep part of the path through the forest soon began, occasionally having to walk on smaller rocks, later we hiked for along the raging CHALAADA RIVER for a while, and the last part of the path was on a beautiful scree. The path is well marked. Including all the stops, which were of course more due to Mila, we spent almost 4 hours there and back. Let me add that we started really early to avoid the heat in the middle of the day.
Little missy was promised ice cream several times during our way back, so we stopped in town right after the hike, where we went for LUNCH. We again treated ourselves to delicious KATCHAPURI, bread with cheese and this time also with an egg, along with a bowl of roasted meat and vegetables. And for dessert, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, of course.
Another quick stop at the children’s playground, because there was clearly still enough energy for climbing, and then we returned to our place under the lower station of the cable car. We had the rest of the sunny afternoon left, which we used for showering and playing with water outdoors, board games, preparing dinner and relaxing. To the great joy of the children, a hungry wild horse came to greet us again as well.
HIKING AND TREKKING ADVENTURES IN MESTIA
There are many great opportunities for HIKING AND TREKKING IN MESTIA, most of which we unfortunately had to miss this time, but I am adding a short list because it will surely come in handy for some of you. Just remember that most of these hikes are only possible in the summer season, so be sure to check the weather forecast before each hike and of course don’t forget the appropriate equipment.
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ZURULDI RIDGE HIKE: one of the easiest hikes in the area takes us from the upper station of the HATSAVALI CABLE CAR to ZURULDI RIDGE, from where there are beautiful views of Mount Ushba. The trip there and back takes only 2 HOURS, and there is also a RESTAURANT at the cable car station.
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CHALAADI GLACIER HIKE: an easier hike, which we also checked off and is described above. We start either in Mestia or shorten the route with a drive to the suspension bridge a few kilometers outside the city – in this case the trip there and back with stops takes about 3 HOURS.
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FROM MESTIA TO MAZERI: It is said to be one of the most photogenic, but also a bit more demanding hikes. It takes us from Mestia over the 2,950m high GULI PASS to the beautiful MAZERI VALLEY, in approximately 9 HOURS of walking. We visited this valley with our car.
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HIKING TO THE CROSS ABOVE MESTIA: this hike is great for hot days, as the path takes us through the forest most of the time. On the other hand, we are therefore deprived of views. The goal of this hike is the VIEWING PLATFORM and the CROSS on the TSKAHAZAGARI HILL, in the immediate vicinity of Mestia. We walk there and back for 4 HOURS, but you can also get here (exclusively with a 4×4!), with your own vehicle or with one of the local off-road taxis.
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KORULDI LAKES HIKE: The viewing platform with the cross mentioned above usually serves as the starting point for a hike to the picturesque Koruldi lakes, which are about a good 2 HOURS from here. This part of the route can also be covered by a 4×4 vehicle. As mentioned, tourists are usually taken to the cross by local 4×4 taxis from Mestia, who may charge a hefty fee for this. A few kilometers before the lakes, the path branches off to the left towards the Mazera valley.
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HIKING TO THE CHKHUTI RIVER: this lesser-known hike takes 9 HOURS to the highest point, just over 3,000m, where the 3 CAIRNS (artificially placed piles of stones) stand. From here, you can either return to Mestia or continue down to the VILLAGE OF LAKHIRI.
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HIKING TO TSVIRMI VILLAGE: there are two routes to TSVIRMI village, one leads us via the aforementioned ZURULDI RIDGE, and the other via the ENGURI VALLEY. For the return journey, most hikers take organized transport.
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MULTI-DAY TREK FROM MESTIA TO USHGULI: probably one of the most famous and popular multi-day hikes in Georgia takes you from Mestia to the remote village of Ushguli in 3-4 days. Ushgulio can also be reached by car, read more about this later in this post. On this hike, you can sleep either in a TENT or in one of the GUESTHOUSES along the way. Most hikers organize their own car transport back to Mestia.
USHGULI | remote village community under Georgia’s highest mountain
We crowned our visit to Mestia with a day trip to USHGULI. The original plan was to spend the night here, but at the end of the day, mainly due to the stormy sky, we returned to “our spot” in Mestia. After a good hour of driving, which provided increasingly beautiful views of the surrounding hills and rural landscapes in the valley, we arrived to this interesting VILLAGE COMMUNITY at over 2,000 m. It is made up of several settlements in an area of approximately two kilometers, where only about 200 residents are believed to live today. Of course, this number increases significantly in the main season, as more and more tourists come here.
USHGULI is famous for its numerous historical SVANETIAN DEFENSE TOWERS, also known as KOSHKI, which strongly dominate the visual image of the entire valley. These are ancient, UNESCO-protected, stone defensive towers, built mostly between the 14th and 18th centuries, which are an important SYMBOL OF THE SVANETI REGION today. Immediately upon arrival from Mestia, we visited one of the most famous – QUEEN TAMARA’S TOWER. Although it is not possible to enter the tower, there is a beautiful view of the settlement and the surrounding hills from here.
We were a little surprised to find that there were quite a few attractive BARS and simple RESTAURANTS here. These hammocks lured us in and we stopped for half an hour in one of the many cafes. The coffee was outrageously expensive, a little over 3 euros, but we drank it in peace, which is worth something.
After coffee and a walk through the village, we drove towards the mighty GLACIER AND THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN GEORGIA, SHKHARA. It is 5,193m high, but since we were already at 2,100 m above sea level in Ushguli, the highest Georgian peak did not seem all that high to us. You can reach THE FOOT OF THE GLACIER in about 5 hours hiking from the village, or you can drive closer with a suitable vehicle. Since we did not have the time or fitness for such a long hike with the children, we drove along this beautiful scenic path along the ENGURA RIVER. You can also add a walk to LAKE ROMISGHELE and LAKE TAMARAS to the hike to the glacier, the paths to both lakes branch off in their own directions shortly before the finish line at the foot of the glacier.
And then we found one of the most beautiful VIEWPOINTS ON THE ENTIRE TRIP where we spent a couple of hours debating whether to sleep here or return to Mestia. Unfortunately, dark clouds gathered over Ushguli in the following hours and we decided to turn back, but we still spent a good part of the afternoon here enjoying these incredible views. We prepared lunch, lay down for a bit, fed a couple of dogs and even managed to take a couple of family photos, which is a special achievement for us.
On the way back to the village of Ushguli and on to Mestia, we stopped at the LAMARIA PILGRIMAGE CHURCH, the bell tower of which can be seen in the lower right photo, and later on the way at the so-called LOVE TOWER by the Enguri River. This one is hard to miss, as it is located right next to the Mestia – Ushguli road. Its story is associated with the legend of unrequited love and it’s an interesting place to visit.
On the way, we were already caught by a storm, but once we arrived in Mestia there was no trace of rain whatsoever. The weather in the mountains is truly unpredictable. This evening, however, we were not alone in our spot, as we were joined by Nika and Matic, a lovely Slovene couple who traveled around Georgia in a rented car and wild-camped in a tent. We spent a very nice evening in their company.
After FIVE DAYS IN SVANETI, it was time to leave. Another morning coffee and a little organizing, a visit to the gas station in Mestia, one last time to that nice children’s playground and a spontaneous coffee DATE WITH ANA, a Slovenian who has been living here for several years and is a mountain guide in the area. That day, the road led us first to the MAZERI VALLEY, and then on to the MARTVILI CANYON.
MAZERI VALLEY | scenic valley close to Mestia
If we planned better, we would have slept the first night on the way from Batumi right here, in the MAZERI VALLEY. That 7-hour journey would have been a little shorter and the DOLRA RIVER valley is really wonderful for wild camping. Later, we would have also decided not to return to Mestia from Ushguli, but to continue to Kutaisi over the ZAGARI PASS and through the town of LENTEKHI. The road is also improving over there and will soon not be passable exclusively by 4×4 vehicles. But at that moment, mostly due to the weather, we decided differently and returned partly along the same route we took from Batumi.
As I mentioned above, you can also get from Mestia to Mazera on foot, in fact, it is one of the most popular hikes in the area. The hike takes just under 10 hours.
MARTVILI CANYON | one of the most known natural sites in Georgia
We still had a little over 4 hours of driving in the direction of the city of KUTAISI and we decided to spend the night somewhere in the vicinity of the famous MARTVILI CANYON, which is located 50km before Kutaisi. We wanted to find a suitable place in the riverbed or on the banks of the TEKHURI or ABASHA RIVER, but in the end we ended up at the official PARKING SITE at the Martvili Canyon. After paying the daily parking fee, we also got permission to spend the night in the last, grass-covered part of the parking lot. There were quite a few people here, the asphalt part of the parking lot was packed, there were lines everywhere for both the public toilet and for entering the canyon. Without a doubt, this is one of the biggest tourist spots in the country. The combination of crowds, extremely humid late afternoon and our empty stomachs made for a slightly annoying atmosphere and we decided to set off on foot to the 2.5 km LONG GORGE early in the morning rather than at that moment.
It may not be obvious from the photo, but this was still one of the less spectacular places where we spent the night. There was a lot of trash on the ground, it was hot, hot, hot and humid, the public toilet in the parking lot was at such state that I would rather go out into nature, not to mention the mosquitoes. In addition, it started raining heavily later. But yes, that’s also part of the adventure, not every day is idyllic and there are definitely days when you just have to go to bed soon and wait for a better day. Unfortunately, we woke up to an even rainier morning and in such a situation it would really not make sense to climb the slippery rocks of the canyon. Besides, we have many similar (equally beautiful?) locations in Slovenia and we weren’t too sorry that we drove on.
KUTAISI | third largest Georgian city
Rain, rain, rain. We didn’t have such a plan in the morning, but because we got up really early, we eventually decided to drive directly to TBILISI due to the weather and leave out a few points from our list on the way. I’ll just list them here quickly, maybe someone will find them useful. ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL, IN ADDITION TO KUTAISI, WE COULD ALSO VISIT THESE: the Gelati and Motsameta monasteries, the former health resort town of Tskaltubo, the mining town of Chiatura, the impressive monolithic Katskhi rock (I am a bit sorry to miss this one!), the Prometheus cave, the Okatse canyon, the Kinchkha waterfall, the rock town of Uplistsikhe, the health resort town of Borjomi (also sorry to miss this one), the historical town of Gori and the town of Mtskheta.
For the first time since we were in Georgia, we drove on a really GOOD HIGHWAY with above-standard REST AREAS, which were sparkling with cleanliness and modernity. Of course, some of the highway, like many other places in the country, is not yet finished, and soon we were winding along local roads between construction sites. But this way we saw a few more of the more interesting towns and landscapes. We almost bought one of these beautiful chairs, but in the end we just stayed with bread from a roadside bakery and some meat wraps from a kiosk a few kilometers further on.
TBILISI | 3 days in Georgia’s beautiful capital city
This post is going to be very long already, so I won’t go into too much detail about THE GEORGIAN CAPITAL at this point – I’d rather invite you to read the already published post about our visit to TBILISI at the link below.
TBILISI
But since we liked the city so much, I can’t just stick to one sentence here, so I’ll at least quickly mention what impressed us the most. We arrived in Tbilisi on Saturday morning and thus avoided the big traffic jam on the road, since everyone was rushing in the opposite direction. We were lucky again on Monday, when we were winding our way out of the city while everyone was driving to the center. We stayed for 2 NIGHTS, in a beautiful house where we rented EVA’S PAVAROTI APARTMENT. We saw most of the sights, ate a lot of delicious traditional dishes, drank some delicious wine, took a good shower, washed our hair and all our dirty clothes. The city impressed us with its unique architectural mix, the intertwining of traditional and modern, green parks, lively atmosphere and the ease of exploring the city on foot. Although we often avoid big cities on these types of trips, we had an absolutely wonderful time here and I’m sure we’ll be back for a few days someday. More on that in the link above.
ZHINVALI REZERVOIR | beautiful artificial lake on the way to Kazbegi
Our next destination was the hilly landscape of KAZBEGI in the north of the country, near the Russian border. After about an hour’s drive from Tbilisi, we saw the beautiful artificial lake ZHINVALI, which is essentially a water reservoir on the ARAGVA RIVER, on our right side.
On the road, we met dozens of vans transporting DAY TOURISTS FROM TBILISI to Stepantsminda and Kazbegi. The way there and back is really long, but yes, if you have no other option, you have to make such a trip. We could have stopped at one of the viewpoints, the views of the surrounding hills and the lake below seemed beautiful, but honestly we were put off by masses of people posing for pictures at swings, metal hearts and other structures installed at the rest areas along the road. Thanks but no thanks. We kept driving and only stopped at the Ananuri Monastery, Gudauri monument and the ski resort later on.
ANANURI | famous fortified ensemble complex
After an hour and a half drive from Tbilisi, we made our first stop at one of the most famous Georgian MONASTERY COMPLEXES, ANANURI, located by the lake or reservoir ZHINVALI and listed on the UNESCO‘s heritage site. Here we can see the lower and upper fortress, towers, three churches and a bell tower, the complex is located right next to the main, so-called RUSSIAN MILITARY ROAD, where you can leave your car in a paid parking lot.
Since I wasn’t thinking too much here, I completely forgot about appropriate clothing and I wasn’t allowed to enter the monastery with my shoulders exposed, so we only looked at it from the outside. Then we turned down the slope, to the lake, where unexpectedly and to Mila’s delight, we found a really nice CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND in addition to the BEACH, WALKING PATH and picnic areas. There is a beautiful view of the monastery from the bridge before you drive to the parking lot though, if you want to take the best picture.
GUDAURI SKI RESORT | Georgia’s highest and largest ski area
Another hour of driving along the famous, almost 200km long, RUSSIAN MILITARY ROAD towards the border with Russia and we arrived at the MOST FAMOUS GEORGIAN SKI RESORT. Unfortunately, we experienced it in fog and rain both that day and the day we returned. Here, 75km of SKI TRACKS await you, with 4 cable cars and 10 chairlifts – some of which operate even when there is no snow, making the ski resort a popular spot for hikers in the summer season. Ski passes are ridiculously cheap for us, a daily pass is around 10eur. There is also no shortage of different types of ACCOMMODATION, from larger HOTELS and APARTMENT COMPLEXES to PRIVATE ROOMS.
GUDAURI PANORAMA | Russian-Georgian friendship monument
Built in 1983, this monument in honor of Russian-Georgian friendship is located directly on the Russian Military Road, which geographically connects the two countries, near the JVARI PASS and the GUDAURI SKI RESORT. Today, it is also a popular VIEWPOINT where most tourists visiting these places stop. On the inside of the monument there is an interesting large MURAL MADE OF TILES, which depicts scenes from Georgian and Russian history.
It was still raining so hard that no one collected the parking fee and there were no crowds at all as well. I visited the monument by myself, 2/4 of our crew was asleep, and the driver didn’t think it was worth getting wet. Well, I really liked it! I was a little deprived of beautiful views due to the fog and rain, but this reflection on the ground was beautiful.
STEPANTSMINDA | historical town connection Europe and Asia, also known as Kazbegi
After several hours of driving, we finally arrived at our destination, the town of STEPANTSMINDA, which is located only about 10 kilometers from the Georgian-Russian border and is one of the oldest crossroads between Europe and Asia. Therefore, there is a very special atmosphere in the town. An interesting mix of truckers, hikers and day tourists from Tbilisi, and of course locals. Without a real plan about where to spend the rest of the afternoon, we first headed to one of the restaurants (Restaurant Cozy) to warm up a bit and, with full stomachs, decide how to continue.
A glass of red wine and a bowl of hot beans, with some bread. LOBIO is really one of those best Georgian soul foods. While we warmed ourselves and dried off in a pleasant atmosphere, it was still raining like crazy outside, so we decided to get a room. For a good 30 euros per night, we booked a one with a balcony and a view of the mighty mountains, three beds, a private bathroom and the possibility of using a shared kitchen. Excellent. Well, later the rain calmed down a bit and I went for a walk around the city with the children.
STEPANTSMINDA strongly reminded me of Asia. Everything here was a little different than anywhere else in Georgia. We looked at a bunch of abandoned buildings, greeted a dozen wild horses, jumped off the road at least thirty times to avoid being splashed by a truck that was speeding through a puddle, bought a huge katchapuri bread in one of the bakeries, got another bottle of red in the wine shop, smiled at the “pizzeria Mila” sign, and bought a way too big watermelon for just 20 cents. I was definitely the only mother here, maneuvering through the streets between potholes and puddles with two such small children and a stroller, but no one really stared at me. I liked that about Georgia too. Even though we were sometimes a little exotic for the locals, no one bothered us too much, we just greeted each other kindly and smiled at each other.
In the evening I frantically checked the weather forecast, although I had already learned in the past weeks that nothing is as it should be and, especially in the mountains, everything can change in a second. Early in the morning, I was thrown into the air by the sunlight shining through the balcony door on the ceiling. Woohoo, the rain stopped and the mighty KAZBEG loomed ahead of us. With its 5,054m is the third highest peak in Georgia and the seventh highest in the Kazbegi Mountains. Those of you with good eyes can also notice the famous GERGETI TRINITY CHURCH on the top of the hill on the left side in the two photos below.
We had breakfast and coffee on the balcony overlooking this beauty, then quickly went to the aforementioned church, before it got cloudy again and there would be no more such beautiful views. Let me mention this at this point – if you travel around Georgia by PUBLIC TRANSPORT, your usual vehicle will be the so-called MARSHRUTKA – a van that runs between places according to a rough schedule and for a fixed price. The photo below shows the station in Stepantsminda.
GERGETI TRINITY CHURCH | the symbol of Georgia
We quickly drove to what is undoubtedly one of the greatest SYMBOLS OF GEORGIA, a small 14th century church on top of a hill called GERGETI / HOLY TRINITY CHURCH. You can get there in a good two hours ON FOOT FROM STEPANTSMINDA or BY CAR on a newly paved road – I had read in blogs that access by car is very difficult and not always possible even with a 4×4, so we were prepared for the worst case scenario, but in the end we found out that there is brand new asphalt! If you don’t have your own transport, taxis are also available in Stepantsminda. As I said, Georgia is developing and modernizing.
Many people continue their visit by HIKING TOWARDS MOUNT KAZBEG and its GLACIER, but allow yourselves a whole day for this, and I think it is only suitable for those with a good level of fitness. Of course, you can walk in this direction as long as you can, and then simply turn back. We also walked for about an hour and the views are divine.
SNO | smaller village on the way to Juta valley
Heading back towards Tbilisi, we turned right towards the JUTA VALLEY and first stopped in the village of SNO, just abot 20 kilometres from Stepantdsminda. Here we saw interesting stone SCULPTURES, made by a local artist. On the parking lot there is a kind of mailbox where you can throw in a good euro in the local currency and walk around this very special open-air exhibition. Wild horses came to greet us and it was a very pleasant stop. In the little village of Sno you can also see an old defense tower and a church.
JUTA VALLEY | paradise for hiking in the so-called Georgian Dolomites
From Sno we continued our journey to the beautiful JUTA VALLEY, also called CHAUKHI VALLEY, after the nearby mountain of the same name, over 3,800 m high. Juta is also the name of the small village at the end of this valley, which is famous as a paradise for hikers in the Kazbegi Mountains. We had a beautiful sunny day ahead of us and we were ready for an easy hike.
The road initially led us between velvety green hills that looked so soft one almost wanted to touch them. The road soon turned from poor asphalt to gravel and later to a rocky road, we also started to climb steeply, with precipitous walls and a riverbed in the valley on our right. And then we encountered a real traffic jam, the reason for which was the COMPLETE ROAD CLOSURE due to a landslide that had occurred about an hour before our arrival. Excavators were already on site, but no one could guarantee us how long it would take for the road to be passable again, so we decided to turn around and continue our journey to the neighboring Truso valley.
We were really sorry, but we can’t go against nature. It’s a good thing we were there when we were and not an hour earlier. It seems that it had been raining heavily at night for several days in a row, and such events in hilly areas are not surprising here. Due to the narrow road, we first had to drive carefully in reverse for a while before we even found a suitable place to turn – I can’t imagine this maneuvering with a long camper or motorhome.
On the outskirts of the village of Juta, I otherwise marked a WOODEN HUT on the map, called the FIFTH SEASON. It is said to be one of the most photographed accommodation facilities in Georgia. You can spend the night here or just have a snack at lunchtime. The hut is also a popular STARTING POINT for a 3km LONG CIRCULAR TRAIL deeper into the valley towards the base of MOUNT CHAUKHI, where a WATERFALL and a LAKE await you. If you have more time, you can continue the hike over the CHAUKHI PASS to the famous ABUDELAURI LAKES and ROSHKA VILLAGE. Two days are recommended for this hike. I would have loved to do this one day, so it remains on my list!
TRUSO VALLEY | one of Georgia’s most beautiful valleys
Just a little further along the main road towards Tbilisi, we then turned right and drove into the magical TRUSO VALLEY. Such stunning nature here at 2400m. There are also 10 ABANDONED VILLAGES, a whole bunch of DEFENSE TOWERS and WALLS, the mighty TERGI RIVER and several MINERAL SPRINGS, around which we admire a very special orange-red landscape. Access is possible by 4×4, on foot, on horseback and in really nice, dry weather at the start of the valley also by regular car. Since we are very CLOSE TO THE RUSSIAN BORDER and SOUTH OSSETIA, it is necessary to carry personal identification documents with you on all hikes, especially if you visit the famous complex with the ZAKAGORI FORTRESS.
A popular activity here is a HIKING TO THE TURQUOISE LAKE ABANO with active mineral springs of carbon dioxide. You can also camp near the lake, and you can even find a couple of small guesthouses in the area. The path is about 20 kilometers long, if you start from the village of KVEMO OKROKANO, near which we also slept, along the way you will also see the KASARI CANYON, the abandoned KETRISI VILLAGE, the lake, springs and monastery of ABANO and at the very end the ZAKAGORI FORTRESS. Here you must turn around and return along the same route, which takes you about 6 hours in total. If you are looking for something even more adventurous, you can opt for a 2-day hike to the VOLCANIC MOUNTAIN KHORISARI (3,736 m).
It’s really not hard to find an IDYLLIC CAMPING PLACE here. The views are simply amazing everywhere you look and there’s as much space as you want. If the terrain isn’t wet, it’s possible to find a spot close to the road tracks without a 4×4. This was definitely one of our best wild camping spots on the whole trip! I hope we’ll come back someday.
After walking around the surrounding area, greeting our “neighbors” (a German couple in a van parked a little over a kilometer down), checking out the temperature of the cold river, and jumping over hundreds of rocks, we spread out a blanket in front of the car, pulled out a few toys, and spent the rest of the afternoon really relaxing.
Before sunset, we prepared a simple but delicious dinner, with the most beautiful mountain view and a good glass of Georgian red wine. Is there something better? Fresh air, mighty nature, sun, mountains, carefree children, good food and full hearts.
And one more thing, who would have thought that watching sheep could be so interesting? From a distance, we observed this huge herd of white dots for a good hour, as they slowly moved over the steep terrain and descended to a nearby house, which, we guessed, belonged to a local shepherd just before nightfall. I rarely have the opportunity, time and peace to pull out my DSLR camera, but here I went full in.
We really liked the TRUSO Valley and it is definitely one of those places in Georgia that impressed us the most and filled our hearts with a very special warmth. If you are physically fit and have time, I also recommend hiking around here. We had something planned, but then we abandoned the idea due to bad weather the next day.
The night was kind of short though. We had several hours of lightning, thunder, and heavy rain, and the sounds of this summer storm didn’t give me any peace. We had not experienced such an intense storm in a very long time, neither at home nor elsewhere. We were parked near a river, and if the water level rose quickly in the middle of the night… it wouldn’t have been funny. Of course, that didn’t happen, but it’s still worth being careful in mountainous areas, because the weather can change really quickly.
So we woke up to a damp, foggy morning, which brought lower temperatures and slightly different, but no less spectacular views. One thing was clear – we were not going on any hikes that day. Unfortunately. Waiting for better weather was not our best option, as with two small children, being confined to a few square meters inside our Defender for who knows how long is also not the greatest pleasure. So we made coffee under the awning, prepared something to eat and with a heavy heart we waved goodbye to this beautiful landscape. This was followed by a drive along the already familiar road all the way to the crossroads at the ZHINVALI reserve, where we turned off onto the winding road towards the town of TIANETI and continued into the wine region of KHAKHETI.
On the way, we could have stopped at TUSHETI NATIONAL PARK, but we decided to skip it this time due to the capricious weather. I’m a bit sorry about that and I really hope we get to these places once in the future. DARTLO, OMALO, ABANO PASS and other attractions of this park, which, judging by the pictures, is beautiful, will be waiting for us!
KAKHETI WINE REGION | wine tastings and learning about traditional wine making methods
The KAKHETI region is the most important and most famous WINE REGION IN GEORGIA, and wine production has an 8000-YEAR TRADITION in these area. Some of the most famous Georgian wines come from here, and visiting at least one of the wineries was high on our list. The hilly landscape, about 2 hours drive from Tbilisi, is dotted with VINEYARDS and MONASTERIES, the most famous towns, sights and areas are TELAVI, TUSHETI, GREMI, SIGNAGI, ALAVERDI, IKALTO, DZVERI, BODBE, KVETERA, LAGODEKHI and others. It is possible to visit larger, more commercial wineries or smaller, more family-friendly ones. After much consideration, we decided on the latter, but perhaps we are a little sorry that we skipped the world-famous, almost 8 km long WINE TUNNEL AND CELLARS KVARELI at the KVAREBA WINERY. Because it’s one of the largest wineries in the entire country, the experience may be less authentic and more commercial in nature, but still. It sounds interesting.
TELAVI | administrative center of Kakheti region
First, we made a quick stop in the largest city in the region, TELAVI. In addition to the slightly more chaotic traffic, we were greeted interesting architecture, and some historical sights, but unfortunately also heavy rain so we soon moved on. We wanted to visit a winery and found something which seemed like exactly our style.
IBERO WINERY | wine tasting and sleepover at a gorgeous family-run winery
In Kakheti region, there are of course a lot of different WINERIES that offer WINE TASTING. From the very luxurious ones, to the more traditional ones and the smaller ones that are family-owned. Since we are traveling with children, it is of course much easier to visit something family-run, smaller, without office hours and possibly with the option of spending the night in our car right on the spot. Even if we were traveling alone, such a place would suit us better. And we found all this and more at the IBERO FAMILY WINERY, half an hour’s drive east from the city of Telavi.
First we rested a bit, walked and played in the garden of this gorgeous family estate, which is really beautiful. In between, we were showed around. We saw the rooms where wine is produced and stored – here they still produce wine in traditional UNDERGROUND BARRELS called KVERI or QVEVRI, but they also use more modern techniques as well. Kveri are typical CLAY POTS, kind of like an amphorae, which are used for the preparation, aging and storage of wine. Most often they are put underground, but can also be in stored the walls. The tradition of fermenting wine for several months and collecting clay for these pots is passed down from generation to generation and also all generations of families always participate in the harvest, even the youngest.
Shortly before 7 in the evening it was time for our first and only WINE TASTING IN GEORGIA, where of course there was no shortage of traditional snacks too. A German family with a teenage daughter also attended the tasting, they also traveled by camper and slept on the estate as well, which was nice. We tried several types of ORANGE WINE, some RED, and finally their TRADITIONAL BRAND CHACHA. For the entire wine – culinary journey we paid 45eur for 2 people.
As on every traditional Georgian wine tasting, we also had a so-called TOAST MASTER, a person who, before each new glass, publicly toasts certain people, events and feelings. Such as love, happiness, health, etc. and shares very special (family) stories with the guests. I admit, I was a little moved when he talked about our parents and especially mothers, because it was really emotional. Very nice. Toastmasters are called TAMADA here and they are never missing at big celebrations such as weddings, but also at completely ordinary family lunches.
The Georgians once again proved to be exceptional hosts, and we were especially lucky that the father and head of the family devoted himself entirely to our Mila, while Leo slept in the stroller for most of the evening anyway. We had such a wonderful, peaceful evening, which is not something we take for granted, as we rarely have babysitting options back home, and even then, it has been only for one of our children so far. Of course, we couldn’t leave without buying a couple of bottles to take home. Well, all five of them didn’t last all the way to Slovenia, but still.
The next day, Mila started the action on a nearby pile of sand, then she picked up some more of those sweet grapes in the vineyard and while we were cleaning up our car, she said goodbye to all the lovely family dogs and then we were free to go. This place will remain in our memories for a long time and if you ever find yourself in these parts, I highly recommend visiting this lovely family. They certainly made our already great experience of traveling with children in Georgia even better. Thank you!
SIGHNAGHI | the most romantic “City of Love” in Kakheti region
This day we set out to visit the city of SIGNAGI or SIGHNAGHI, which is also called the “CITY OF LOVE”. Walking through the city streets really conjures up a kind of romantic atmosphere, so we soon stopped wondering about the term. Apparently many couples come here to get married, and it is certainly also a popular weekend destination for all residents of Georgia’s capital. Although the city is small, it is very popular with tourists, most of them also come here as part of ONE-DAY TRIPS FROM TBILISI, which is only a good 100 km away. But they still somehow get lost and the town doesn’t feel too crowded. Especially if you decide to spend the night in the city. THE WALLED CITY is located quite high on a hill, to which a winding road leads up and offers beautiful views of the ALAZANI VALLEY and the mighty CAUCASIAN MOUNTAINS in the background. Signagi has many HISTORICAL BUILDINGS, MUSEUMS and PROTECTED HOUSES, and just a few kilometers outside the city is the famous BODBE MONASTERY.
The first view of the city from the street where we parked impressed us! We had been promising Mila ice cream for some time, so we immediately stopped in one of the many CAFES that have VIEWING TERRACES. Life could definitely be worse at that moment. For the second and last time in Georgia, I treated myself to another of their specialties, namely WINE ICE CREAM. Basically, it is vanilla ice cream over which they pour a good dose of red wine and sometimes add some fruits, or it is soft ice cream which has red wine added to it. It is an interesting combination and I recommend trying it.
In addition to cute restaurants and bars, viewpoints and views of the surrounding hills with mountains in the background, gorgeous shops and wineries, parks and historical buildings, what impressed us most in Signagi was its UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE. Not only the architectural style itself, but also those beautiful colors! One could walk for hours through these streets and although we had already sighed over the beautiful houses in Tbilisi and elsewhere, they completely enchanted us here again, as if we were seeing them for the first time.
In Signagi, we accidentally discovered this smaller, but well-stocked, covered MARKET. There are quite a few similar bazaars and shops with local products in the city. Since we didn’t buy anything special in Tbilisi, we stocked up on some of our favorite Georgian products here. So we bought AJIKA SPICES, SVAN SALT, a very special traditional SUNFLOWER OIL, DRIED FRUITS and more. In recent years, when traveling, we prefer to buy things that we can then either use or consume at home. We also prepared a couple of Georgian dishes for our friends once we were back home, seasoned with everything we bought here, and of course we also drank some Georgian wine. Another advantage of traveling by car, where you are not limited by kilograms of luggage!
Of course, there were also these interesting candle-like treats hanging around us again. It is probably THE MOST RECOGNIZED GEORGIAN SPECIALITY – dried nuts dipped in grape (or some other) juice and flour called CHURCHKHELA. We tried it on our first days in Georgia and it is really interesting, but very caloric and sweet, so not really my taste. I still recommend trying it, and it also makes a good gift.
We successfully resisted all the souvenirs which you only put on a shelf back home to collect dust (have plenty of these back home already), but if you’re looking for a nice decorative SOUVENIR, this part of town near the market is a great spot to splurge.
Finally, we had to stop for half an hour at the CITY PARK 9. APRIL, where we noticed a CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND before. We enjoyed the shade, Mila had fun climbing and playing, and the locals once again took pictures with Leo. In the immediate vicinity, we also checked out at an interesting wall – the WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL.
We again took advantage of the opportunity to sleep in our car at a restaurant parking that night. We drove a little outside the town of Signagi and had a great late LUNCH near the MONASTERY OF ST. NINO and rest in the beautiful garden of the LOST RIDGE INN. They also offer accommodation here. For a change, instead of wine, we had a HOMEMADE BEER here, which was really excellent, just like the food. The bill was a little higher, but that’s okay. We spoiled our taste buds with the traditional dish BADRIJANI (roasted eggplants with thick walnut cream), mixed roasted vegetables with herbs and roasted pork with onions.
The next day, a real adventure awaited us, so we didn’t stay up too late, and in the morning we quickly set off towards the far east of the country after our obligatory cup of coffee.
DEDOPLITSKARO | the last big town in the eastern most part of Georgia
When you think of Georgia, you might know something about the terms Caucasus, Kazbegi, Mestia, Svaneti, Tbilisi. But have you ever heard of VASHLOVANI? Well, I haven’t either. While exploring Georgian natural attractions, parks and lesser-known areas, this place really stood out though. And also, we always like to go somewhere where not everyone goes to and this park was definitely ticking off this box. Excellent, we can’t miss it.
TO VISIT THE PARK, YOU NEED REGISTRATION and possibly an additional VISIT PERMIT. You can get both in DEDOPLITSKARO, the last major town before driving into the wilderness. So we checked in at their VISITORS CENTER very early in the morning, they took our details and copied our passports, as well as introduced us to the park and the rules for visiting. After a short consideration, we decided not to spend the night in the park, and on the map we marked a rough, medium-long circular route that we intended to take. If we wanted to make a larger circle, we would also get quite close to the AZERBAIJAN BORDER and would therefore need an additional permit, which we would have to obtain at the local POLICE STATION. We only paid a little under 2 euros per person and a little under 2 euros for a car to enter the park. In town, we also looked for a BAKERY and a PETROL STATION. Where we are going, there is neither one nor the other.
SHIRAKI MILITARY AIRFIELD | driving through abandoned Soviet military runways
On the way to VASHLOVANI PARK we made another unexpectedly long detour to the SHIRAKI ABANDONED MILITARY AIRPORT BASE. The “road”, if we can even call it that, was really in a disastrous state up to here, so we drove along the field parallel to it most of the time. But in the end it was worth it, the drive between the abandoned SOVIET HANGARS and the LABYRINTH OF FORMER AIRPORT RUNWAYS was really something special. There should also be an ABANDONED AIRPLANE somewhere in the area, but unfortunately we did not find it.
We continued our journey along the crumbling roads towards VASHLOVANI PARK. Along the way, in the small town of ZEMO KEDI, this colorful gas station caught my eye.
VASHLOVANI PARK | wildreness on the border to Azerbaijan
VASHLOVANI PARK is characterized by a DRY STEPPE SEMI-DESERT LANDSCAPES, where we also find interesting CANYONS, and steep ROCKY WALLS, (dry) RIVER BEDS, and deciduous FORESTS. The scenes actually resemble Africa more than Georgia. There are also over 600 different plant species, we can encounter a whole range of WILD ANIMALS. Among them are perhaps the most beautiful GAZELLES, but the area is also home to HYENAS, WOLVES, LYNXS, JACKALS, CAUCASIAN LEOPARD and even BROWN BEAR. Then there are a huge number of BIRDS (including birds of prey) and reptiles, including very POISONOUS SNAKES. Part of the park is designated as a NATIONAL PARK for the needs of nature conservation and biodiversity.
I admit, the road to the park took forever and the landscape was rather boring. Here and there a cow in the field and nothing much else. The road conditions were awful too and the drive was really bumpy. We also lost phone signal and we felt like we were at the end of the world. On one hand, it’s a great feeling, but on the other hand, it’s also not. But as soon as we finally crawled up to the first hills with soft, dry grass fluttering, our hearts started to beat faster. ENTERING THE PARK is completely unspectacular though. In fact, you don’t even know when you’re actually in the park. And then all of a sudden the tracks get wilder and you really need offline maps for better orientation. There are some very small yellow signs to guide you around but I suggest having additional maps. There are NO MARKED ROADS in the park, we drove most of the time along a dry riverbed inside a canyon. You can stop at RANGER HOUSES if you need guidance or any help.
If we wanted to SLEEP INSIDE THE PARK, we were told to stick to the RANGER HOUSES. Since there is no signal in the park, this is the safest option. In addition, there are poisonous animals in the park, mostly snakes, so caution is really not superfluous at all times when you are outside the vehicles.
This unique landscape really impressed us, and at times we were a little sorry that we didn’t decide to do the longer circuit, or even stay overnight. Nevertheless, we spent a wonderful day in untouched nature, and met only two other cars during the whole day.
Our visit to the park ended a little less glamorously, as we managed to break the rear windshield while turning in a really narrow section in one of the canyons. Our concentration was more on the rocky terrain of the riverbed than on that one and only dry, protruding tree branch. Since the glass was shattered into a thousand pieces, but still in the frame, we temporarily covered it with wide tape and hoped that everything would stay in place.
SIGNAGI | our last “luxurious” overnight stay in Georgia
After a whole day of driving on dusty remote roads and that unfortunate incident with the rear window, we went to lick our wounds back in Signagi, which was roughly on our way to the border with Armenia anyway. For a change, we splurged on a room in the HOTEL BELLEVUE, which also offered a SWIMMING POOL and PRIVATE PARKING. After jumping into the water at sunset, we treated ourselves to a delicious DINNER in a nearby restaurant with a panoramic terrace. We booked our accommodation just a few hours before arrival and got a great discounted price. Great decision in that moment.
TBILISI | a quick technical stop in the capital
In the hunt for a new rear windshield, we stopped in Tbilisi again, but unfortunately in vain. We found a couple of locations on the iOVERLANDER app that supposedly sold Land Rover spare parts, but we had no luck. We drove through completely different parts of the city as during our first visit and after about an hour of wandering through narrow streets and looking for car equipment stores, we ended up in this huge technical SUPERMARKET DOMINO. If you are in Tbilisi with a car and need anything for either the car or camping, this is definitely the place to be, because they really have everything. We equipped ourselves with new wide adhesive tape and self-adhesive insulating foam, which we then used to cover the broken glass from the inside, and then covered the whole thing with adhesive tape again on both sides. Thanks to everyone who assured us via messages that the glass pieces wouldn’t just scatter on the ground. We really did travel a lot of kilometers all the way back home and the broken glass held up nicely in place of the window frame.
ZEJEBE RESTAURANT | our last night before reaching Armenia
We spent the night before entering Armenia in the last major town, MARNEULI, about 30 kilometers from the border. Since we didn’t want to sleep in Tbilisi again, and it was already too late to cross the border, this was the only option left for us. On p4n we found an AZERBAIJANI RESTAURANT, which, in addition to delicious cuisine and a large garden with pavilions and tables for feasts, also offered the option of spending the night in a camper in their parking lot. And even though it really felt like we were close to the border, and even though the town was less more chaotic than others before, and despite the fact that the surroundings of the restaurant were a bit suspicious in terms of dilapidated abandoned buildings, garbage, and a somehow different overall atmosphere, this restaurant was a real oasis. After a delicious lunch (for just under 20eur including two large beers), we organized and cleaned up our car a bit because of the border crossing the next day and went to bed quite early.
We didn’t sleep much, because after sunset the real action only started. New cars were arriving, all with loud music, and it soon became clear to us that the evening would be dedicated to either a wedding or some kind of big celebration. We had experienced something like this in restaurant parking lots before, so it didn’t surprise us too much, but the next day we started a little more tired as a result.
LETS GO TO ARMENIA | Sadakhlo border crossing
In the morning we had a quick coffee and used the toilet, which the restaurant owners kindly left open for us overnight, before heading towards the ARMENIAN BORDER. For a change, instead of vegetable stalls on the side of the road, we were surprisingly seeing stands selling cosmetic products, washing powders, diapers and such – I assume these things are either easier to get or more affordable here in Georgia than in Armenia. We were really early and everything went quite quickly at the border, despite the night / morning shift change, which happened right in the middle of our border crossing process and caused a bit of confusion. In Armenia, in addition to CAR INSURANCE, we also had to do a TEMPORARY CAR IMPORT, and of course I crossed the border with the kids as a pedestrian again. Read more about our adventures in Armenia in the next blog!
Congratulations to everyone who made it to the end of this marathon-long post! I really wanted to capture as much information and impressions as possible, both for those of you who are heading to these parts of the world, and for our memories. Because this was a truly unique trip. A post about Armenia is coming soon, and for the finale I will also share a post about our entire journey.
