Mtskheta Gori Uplistiskhe Kutaisi - 2 day private tour

Mtskheta Gori Uplistiskhe Kutaisi - 2 day private tour

Mtskheta dates back for more than 3000 years ago and is one of the oldest cities of the country and also first capital. Here you will see the cathedral of Svetitskhoveli and the Jvari monastery on the top of mountain near the city, with excellent views.

Then we continue our way towards the town of Gori, birthplace of Stalin, where you will see the old house where he was born and lived in his early childhood.

Uplistsikhe is an ancient cave - was carved in a rock and originated in the early first millennium B.C, so it is one of the most important archeological sites and monuments of the Georgian culture.

Kutaisi, second largest city of Georgia, one of the ancient cities in the world. Visit Cathedral "Bagrati" UNESCO world heritage site. Drive to the village Gelati and visit Monastery complex of Gelati with Academy building 12-th c. UNESCO World herritage site. You will visit Cave of Prometeus, Grotto, which offer great impressions of underground world, stalactites and stalagmites.

Itinerary

Day 1: Svetistskhoveli Cathedral - Jvary Monastery - Stalin's Museum - Uplistiskhe Cave Town

Stop At: Mtskheta Church of the Holy Cross, Mtskheta Georgia
Known as the burial site of Christ's mantle, Svetitskhoveli has long been one of the principal Georgian Orthodox churches and is among the most venerated places of worship in the region. The present structure was completed in 1029 by the medieval Georgian architect Arsukisdze, although the site itself dates back to the early fourth century.

Svetitskhoveli is considered an endangered cultural landmark; it has survived a variety of adversities, and many of its priceless frescoes have been lost due to being whitewashed by the Russian Imperial authorities.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Jvari Church, Mtskheta Georgia
vari Monastery stands on the rocky mountaintop at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking the town of Mtskheta, which was formerly the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia.

According to traditional accounts, on this location in the early 4th century Saint Nino, a female evangelist credited with converting King Mirian III of Iberia to Christianity, erected a large wooden cross on the site of a pagan temple. The cross was reportedly able to work miracles and therefore drew pilgrims from all over the Caucasus. A small church was erected over the remnants of the wooden cross in c.545 named the "Small Church of Jvari".

The importance of Jvari complex increased over time and attracted many pilgrims. In the late Middle Ages, the complex was fortified by a stone wall and gate, remnants of which still survive. During the Soviet period, the church was preserved as a national monument, but access was rendered difficult by tight security at a nearby military base. After the independence of Georgia, the building was restored to active religious use. Jvari was listed together with other monuments of Mtskheta in 1994 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Gori Public Service Hall, Gori, Georgia
The Joseph Stalin Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Uplistsiche Cave Town, Kvakhvreli 15 km Eastwards to Town Gori, Gori Georgia
Uplistsikhe is identified by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. Strategically located in the heartland of ancient kingdom of Kartli (or Iberia as it was known to the Classical authors), it emerged as a major political and religious center of the country. The town’s age and importance led medieval Georgian written tradition to ascribe its foundation to the mythical Uplos, son of Mtskhetos, and grandson of Kartlos.

With the Christianization of Kartli early in the 4th century, Uplistsikhe seems to have declined in its importance and lost its position to the new centers of Christian culture – Mtskheta and, later Tbilisi. However, Uplistsikhe reemerged as a principal Georgian stronghold during the Muslim conquest of Tbilisi in the 8th and 9th century. The Mongol raids in the 14th century marked the ultimate eclipse of the town; it was virtually abandoned, and only occasionally used as a temporary shelter in times of foreign intrusions.

Duration: 45 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Bagrati cathedral - Gelati Monastery - Prometheus cave

Stop At: Bagrati Cathedral, Bagrati Street, Kutaisi 4600 Georgia
The Cathedral of the Dormition, or the Kutaisi Cathedral, more commonly known as Bagrati Cathedral (Georgian: ბაგრატი; ბაგრატის ტაძარი, or Bagratis tadzari), is an 11th-century cathedral in the city of Kutaisi, in the Imereti region of Georgia. A masterpiece of the medieval Georgian architecture, the cathedral suffered heavy damage throughout centuries and was reconstructed to its present state through a gradual process starting in the 1950s, with major conservation works concluding in 2012. A distinct landmark in the scenery of central Kutaisi, the cathedral rests on the Ukimerioni Hill.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Road to Gelati Monastery, Kutaisi 4600 Georgia
Gelatiis a medieval monastic complex near Kutaisi in the Imereti region of western Georgia. A masterpiece of the Georgian Golden Age, Gelati was founded in 1106 by King David IV of Georgia and is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The Gelati Monastery is in Kutaisi, Imereti Province, Georgia. It signifies the value of the Georgian Christian orthodox religion. Inside the monastery is full of murals and an abundance amount imagery surrounding the interior of the church. It was one of the first monastery in Georgia and adds great value to the Georgian culture and beauty.

The nickname of The Gelati Monastery is the “Golden Age of Georgia”. The monastery was built during the Byzantine Empire which is known for the use of gold aesthetic in their paintings and buildings. It was built to show how Christianity encompassed all of this land and that Georgia was filled with Christian gospel all around even high up in the mountains. As the monastery is covered in arches that stretch over mountains show how encompassing the monastery is over the mountains and over the hills.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Prometheus Cave, Kumistavi Georgia
Prometheus Cave Natural Monument also known as Kumistavi Cave and Tsqaltubo Cave is a karst cave located in Tsqaltubo Municipality in Imereti region of Georgia. The total length of the cave is about 11 km, of which 1060 m are open to visitors. Cave has total of 22 halls of which six are currently open to tourists.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.