CAUCASUS HERITAGE 8 NIGHTS/9 DAYS

Combined group tour to two South Caucasus countries – Azerbaijan and Georgia. You start the journey from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Sheki and continue the way to Georgia Tbilisi. Two highly-qualified and friendly guides will work for you. They will take you to the most remarkable historical and architectural monuments, UNESCO World Heritage Sights, special highlights, they will help you to choose delicious food and finest wines. Get acquainted with two different cultures, see the diversity of the traditions and visit the most unique and spectacular sights of these countries. The group is “Guaranteed to Run” after two people book the tour.

Price from: 630 USD

Accommodation: 3 nights in Baku, 1 night in Sheki, 4 nights in Tbilisi                          

DAY 1: Baku

• Arrival at the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport and meet with the representative of our company.
• Transfer to the hotel.
• Check-in at the hotel. Free time for rest. (Overnight in Baku)
  Meals included: no

DAY 2: Baku city tour

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• ·Baku city tour:
• Old Baku City Tour: Icheri Sheher (Old City), known as a “fortress” – is a unique historical and architectural conservation area in the center of Baku. This is one of the ancient and densely populated places of the country and even of the Middle East. Archaeological excavations revealed burial vaults of the Bronze Age. The Maiden Tower (the 12th century) and the Shirvanshah palace (the 13th-16th century) are well-known historical monuments also located in Old City. Besides them there are a lot of other unique monuments of Icheri Sheher: mosques, minarets, the remnants of caravanserais "Multani" and "Bukhara", ancient baths. There are a lot of souvenir shops where you can purchase national clothes, kerchiefs, scarves and caps, dishes and handmade carpets.
• Miniature books museum- he only museum in the world dedicated to miniature editions of books in numerous languages. Books here are written in several languages including Azeri, Russian, English, and German. The oldest book in the museum is a miniature copy of the Quran. It dates back to the 17th century. The smallest tome (6mm x 9mm) is the Russian book “The Most Miraculous Thing”
• Walking tour across Nizami street- one of the most famous shopping streets in Baku, a hip and bustling pedestrianized avenue with a rich variety of shops, including small outlets, souvenir stores and supermarkets. While shopping is undoubtedly the principal activity on Nizami Street, the architecture is also a huge draw. The buildings here feature a number of different architectural styles, including Baroque, Renaissance and Neo- Gothic.
• Fountain Square of Baku-a public gathering place, especially after business hours and during the weekend.
• Azerbaijan Carpet Museum- Azerbaijan Carpet Museum displays Azerbaijani carpets and rug items of various weaving techniques and materials from various periods. It has the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world. The structure of the building is intended to look like a rolled carpet.
• Walking Excursion in Baku Boulevard, boat trip in  Caspian bay (depending on the weather)     
• Heydar Aliyev Center- a building complex designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. The building is very distinctive for its unique architectural design and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. In 2014, the Center won the Design Museum’s Design of the Year Award. This made Zaha Hadid the first woman to win the top prize in that competition.
• Highland (Daghustu) park of Baku- The highest pick in Baku with an amazing panorama to the city. The park is located in the center of Baku. It is one of the most popular places of the local residents and tourists. In Soviet period (1920- 1991), this park was named after Sergei Kirov. The most unique side of the park and the reason why it is actually, called the“Highland Park” is its impressive panorama. It is looking over Baku city, Baku bay and Baku Boulevard stretching along the Caspian Sea. (Overnight in Baku).
  Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3: Baku -Gobustan-Fire Temple-Baku ( approx.120 km.)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Our excursion to Gobustan Petroglyphs and Mud Volcanoes will cover Sangachal Caravanserai, Bibiheybat Mosque and Gobustan museum- Stone Age Petroglyphs and caves
• The Bibi-Heybat Mosque is a historical mosque of Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936.
• We will continue to Gobustan Petroglyphs. Gobustan is a place on the south-east of the Great Caucasian Mountains about 60 km far south of Baku. It is a semi-desert region with numerous gullies and ravines. The meaning of Gobustan in local language means “ravine land”. Here one can find amazing evidences of the past, rock paintings, caves- sites and objects of material culture. According to the coverage of the historical periods, Gobustan has no analogue in the world. The findings from here describes the reality from X-VIII millennia BC. until Middle Ages. Settled since the Stone Age, the area is one of the main and most ancient museums of rock engravings (petroglyphs) in the world. The area petroglyphs contain very important elements of ancient lifestyle of stone age humans. The area is national historical landmark since 1966 to achieve better preservation of the rock paintings.
• The State historical-artistic Gobustan is in the UNESCO World Heritage List. (Overnight in Baku)
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch ( Grilled fish meal), Dinner

DAY 4: Baku-Shamakhi-Sheki (approx. 300 km.)

• After breakfast, Check out from the hotel. Transfer to Shamakhi.
• Shamakhi City–  a district of Azerbaijan. Its administrative center is Shamakhi city. The town lies 106 kilometers (66 mi) west of Baku. Located on Great Silk Road, the city played an important role in international trade.
• Juma Mosque in Shamakhi– Juma Mosque of Shamakhi is the largest mosque of Azerbaijan. Moreover, it is one of the first mosques of Azerbaijan after the Arab occupation of Caucasus. The Arabian writings reflected on the walls of the mosque show the construction year as 744 AD.
• Transfer to Sheki. Sheki is an ancient historical city, located in the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus, in 300 kilometers north-west from Baku.
• There are a lot of historical monuments, preserved in its original form. The main sightseeing of the city is majestic Sheki Khan’s Palace, with its magnificent wall paintings, constructed in XVIII century without using nails.
• ·Transfer to the hotel.
• Check-in at the hotel (Overnight in Sheki).
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5: Sheki -Lagodeghi-Signaghi-Tbilisi (approx.280km.)

• After breakfast, Check out the hotel. Transfer to Azerbaijan-Georgian border.

• On the way stop at the village of Bodbe and see the monastery the complex of St. George and the grave of St. Nino that brought Christianity to Georgia. Afterward, arrive in Sighnaghi and walk along the ancient town that is placed at the top of the ridge, overlooking Alazani valley.

• Here you will enjoy a Georgian wine tasting, Lunch and cooking class at the wine cellar. In the late afternoon arrival to Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. (Overnight in Tbilisi).
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, wine tasting & cooking class at the winery in Kvareli
  

DAY 6: Tbilisi-Mtskheta-Tbilisi (approx.60 km.)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Excursion in the former capital city Mtsketa that is the religious center of Georgia.
• Visit its Monuments, which are in the UNESCO Heritage list.
• Mtskheta is one of oldest cities of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia), near Tbilisi.
• Mtskheta was a capital of the Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd century BC - 5thcentury AD. Here Georgians accepted Christianity in 317 and Mtskheta still remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.
• Jvari Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery of the 6th century near Mtskheta (World Heritage site), Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, eastern Georgia. The name is translated as the Monastery of the Cross. For another, Jerusalem-located Georgian monastery with the same name.
• Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, built in the 11 th century. Though the site itself is even older dating back to the early 4th century and is surrounded by a number of legends associated primarily with the early Christian traditions. Svetitskhoveli, known as the burial site of Christ's mantle, has long been the principal Georgian church and remains one of the most venerated places of worship to this day. The church is in UNESCO world heritage sites.
• Visit home winery near Mtskheta-2 kind of wine and vodka tasting. Lunch.
  
• Transfer to Tbilisi
• Walking tour in the old part of Tbilisi:
• Metekhi church (c. XII) 
• Abanotubani –(Literally “bath district”), there we will see one of sights of the old city – the well-known Sulfuric Baths which were reflected in Marco Polo, A. S. Pushkin and Alexandre Dumas's memoirs .
• Fortress “Narikla” – move up by the ropeway
• Legvtakhevi – beautiful pedestrian street with a little waterfall. «Peace Bridge».
• Walking through the street «Bambis rigi». Rezo Gabriadze Famous Marionette theatre with a clock tower.  (Overnight in Tbilisi)
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 7: Tbilisi-Ananuri-Kazbegi-Tbilisi  (approx. 300km)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Our first stop will be at the Ananuri fortress. This is a medieval castle that was constructed to protect the trade route. The place is well-known not only for its reach history but also for the breathtaking views of the Zhinvali water reservoir. Ananuri castle was a scene of many battles over the centuries. It was protecting the surrounding lands from the numerous invaders, coming from the Darial Gorge. Now it is a peaceful place, famous for its outstanding views on the surrounding mountains.
• We will prolong our way along the Georgian Military Road, pass through the Gudauri Ski resort (one of the most popular in Georgia).
• Finally, we will go up the mountain and enjoy the breath-taking views from the Gergety Trinity Church –built in medieval time the church is located on the slope of Mount Kazbek with the Caucus mountains rising in the background.
• Transfer to  Tbilisi. Dinner at the restaurant with show program of Georgian national dances. (Overnight in Tbilisi).
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

DAY 8: Tbilisi-Borjomi-Akhaltsikhe-Tbilisi (approx. 450 km.)

• Breakfast at the Hotel.
• Departure to small city Borjomi, which is famous for its mineral water industry (which is the number one export of Georgia). Archaeological excavations have revealed the existence of stone baths in the area, proving that these mineral waters have been utilized by people for thousands of years. Borjomi is also home to the most extensive ecologically-themed amusement park in the Caucasus.
  
• The most remarkable virtues of Borjomi are its striking nature and unique mineral waters. One of the best places to experience this is the “Mineral Water Park” of Borjomi.
• Visit town “Akhaltsikhe”. Its name means “a new fortress" because the town’s fortress used to be the most important landmark of the region. Now, the huge freshly renovated fortress of Rabati remains the main landmark of Akhaltsikhe. Its upper part includes the castle of the Jakeli family, where the Museum of Samtskhe-Javakheti region is situated; there are also an Akhmediye Mosque, an orthodox church, an amphitheater and a citadel. The other part of Rabati includes touristic objects as hotels, cafes, restaurants, an information center, and even a marriage hall. It is a very beautiful place for a wedding ceremony and a romantic photo site, indeed!
• Lunch in Borjomi. (Overnight in Tbilisi)
  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9: Tbilisi

• Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel and transfer to the airport of Tbilisi.
  Meals included: Breakfast

The Prices includes:

* Professional Guide Service;
* Transportation during the whole tour  & Local off-road jeeps in Kazbegi
*All entrance fees & Narikala cable tickets
* Entrance fees in Azerbaijan: Shaki Khan Palace
*Wine degustation & master class in Wine Cellar (baking bread, making churchkhela/ degustation desk (cheese, churchkhela, Georgian sweets, walnut)
* 7 Lunches & 7 Dinners
*Accommodation at 4/5  Star  hotels  with Breakfast according to the program

The Prices excludes:

*Early check-in or late check-out
*Flight tickets
*Visa fee
*Entrance tickets:  Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre - 9 USD pp; Shirvanshah Palace - 9 USD pp; Maiden Tower - 9 USD pp
*Travel & Medical insurance

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM

For more information with prices, please contact the staff of our company. You can find our contacts in the "Contacts" section.