May 31–June 14, 2027Three travelersA trip to imagine together
The invitation
Mountains. Long tables. A different rhythm.
Imagine walking through a flower-filled Caucasus valley, riding through the hills above wine country, spending an entire evening around a Georgian family’s table, then finishing with a quiet coastal cottage and a day where pine forest meets the Black Sea’s magnetic sands. That’s the trip.
For the three of us, the draw is the combination: remarkable scenery, small places with a story, and enough time with people to remember more than the view.
Georgia — Sakartvelo in Georgian — sits in the South Caucasus, between the Black Sea and the high mountain spine that separates it from Russia. Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan are its other neighbors. Its own language and alphabet, ancient Christian heritage and living wine traditions give it a character that is unmistakably its own.
Kazbegi is our accessible introduction to the Greater Caucasus. Svaneti’s tower villages are another remarkable alpine region, best treated as a replacement for the coast on this trip.
Alpine valleys, Svan towers, horses, churches, caves, wine, a family feast and the sea. Turn the pages and see what calls to you.
01 / Alpine Georgia
01 / Alpine Georgia
Into the wildflower valleys.
Make Juta’s Chaukhi valley our mountain morning: jagged peaks, green meadows and a walk with time to stop. Early June flowers depend on snowmelt; the highest meadows may bloom later. We’ll favor short walks and beautiful places to linger.
Juta: a meadow out-and-back beneath the Chaukhi peaks
Sno: village lanes, stone heads and a shorter valley stroll
Truso: mineral springs and valley scenery as an alternative outing
In our route · June 5, weather permitting. Juta starts uphill; agree on a short turnaround. Choose Sno or a short Truso outing if access or energy favors it.
02 / Upper Svaneti
02 / Upper Svaneti
Walk among the towers of Ushguli.
High beneath Mount Shkhara, the villages of Ushguli rise between alpine slopes and medieval stone tower-houses. This is Georgia at its most remote: living mountain communities, defensive towers and a landscape that feels almost mythic.
Chazhashi: the UNESCO-listed village museum and its tower-houses
Lamaria Church, village lanes and views toward Mount Shkhara
If we stay: bookmark Old Tower Guesthouse – Kafe Ushguli
Wishlist detour · do not squeeze this into a day from the current route. Give Svaneti at least two nights and road-weather flexibility, most likely by replacing the Black Sea leg.
03 / On horseback
03 / On horseback
Saddle up at Lost Ridge.
This is the ride we’d build into Kakheti: a guided outing from Lost Ridge Ranch near Sighnaghi, through hills and rural valleys with views toward the Alazani. Then back to our inn for a slow afternoon.
A short guided ride matched to all three travelers’ experience
Rural lanes, village scenery and views across wine country
Farmhouse beer and the fire kitchen back at Lost Ridge
A priority · June 7 morning at Lost Ridge; exact route arranged with the ranch.
04 / Sacred places
04 / Sacred places
Churches with extraordinary settings.
Gergeti beneath Kazbek. Jvari above the river confluence. Svetitskhoveli in the ancient capital of Mtskheta. Bodbe beside Sighnaghi. These are living places of worship as well as some of the country’s great sights.
Mtskheta: Jvari and Svetitskhoveli on the northbound drive
Kazbegi: Gergeti Trinity Church
Kakheti: Bodbe and a quiet moment in the gardens
In our route · June 4–7. A service or polyphonic chant is possible only if the local schedule fits.
05 / Caves & Gori
05 / Caves & Gori
A city carved into rock near Gori.
Uplistsikhe is an ancient rock-cut city just outside Gori: chambers, passageways, a theater, wine presses and streets shaped directly from the sandstone ridge above the Mtkvari River. Uplistsikhe and Gori fit together as a full day trip from Tbilisi.
Day trip from Tbilisi: Uplistsikhe’s caves, tunnels and rock-cut halls
Add Gori Fortress and a meal before returning to Tbilisi
Other possibilities: Prometheus Cave near Kutaisi or Vardzia in the south
Easy itinerary swap · make June 3 a private-driver day trip from Tbilisi to Uplistsikhe and Gori. Vardzia and Prometheus Cave require different routing and are not included in the suggested itinerary.
06 / The wine
06 / The wine
A cellar. Clay vessels. Something new in the glass.
Kakheti is where wine becomes a reason to linger. Visit a small marani — a wine cellar — and learn how qvevri, earthenware vessels buried in the ground, are used to ferment and store wine. The traditional method is UNESCO-listed.
Taste a skin-contact amber wine: Rkatsiteli or Kisi
Try Saperavi, Georgia’s signature dark-skinned red grape
Choose one family cellar, with time for the winemaker’s story
In our route · Kakheti, June 6–8. June means green vineyards, not the autumn grape harvest.
07 / The supra
07 / The supra
Make an entire evening of it.
A supra is a feast shaped by hospitality and toasts. A tamada guides the table; dishes arrive, glasses are raised and conversations lengthen. We’d arrange a family-hosted evening with language support, so we can take part rather than just watch.
A full table: herbs, bread, vegetables and generous home cooking
Time for toasts, stories and conversation with our hosts
Polyphonic singing if it is offered; never a promised spontaneous moment
A priority · June 7 evening. Allow several hours, agree on dietary needs, and join the toasts with or without alcohol.
08 / The Black Sea
08 / The Black Sea
Where pine forest meets the sea.
Pine groves behind a dark magnetic-sand beach, shade between swims and a long, unhurried shoreline walk. Shekvetili is the coastal outing to look forward to, with the Geophysical Station in Tsikhisdziri as our quiet home base.
Shekvetili: pine groves beside the Black Sea and sand containing magnetite
A beach day with time for shade, sea air and a picnic
Return to our Tsikhisdziri cottage; Petra is another nearby option
In our route · June 9–10. Shekvetili is a separate drive north of our stay; swimming depends on weather. Photo: the coast at Petra, not Shekvetili’s sand beach.
Page 1 of 8
Swipe, use the arrows, or choose a topic. Experiences are possibilities; the itinerary below shows what fits.
Come hungry
A taste of what’s waiting.
The dumplings are just the beginning. Cheese bread, walnut dishes, smoky grills and a few delicious things to bring along for the drive.
Tbilisi & Kazbegi
Khinkali
The dumplings we’re coming for
Pleated dumplings with a savory filling and broth inside. Hold the top, take a small bite and sip the broth before eating. Try the mountain-style versions around Kazbegi as well as a city dumpling meal.
Batumi & Adjara
Adjarian khachapuri
A boat of cheese, egg and butter
Tear bread from the edges and dip into the rich center. This is the coastal classic to share over a long breakfast or lunch. Other regions have their own forms of cheese bread.
A family table in Kakheti
Pkhali & walnut eggplant
The colorful beginning of a feast
Vegetables with walnuts, herbs and spices; eggplant rolls with walnut filling. The cold dishes we’d keep returning to as the supra unfolds.
Kakheti
Mtsvadi & tkemali
Fire, smoke and tart plum sauce
Grilled meat skewers with bright tkemali on the side. A simple, satisfying counterpart to the vegetables, bread and wine.
Markets & village stops
Churchkhela
The road-trip sweet
Nuts threaded on a string and coated in thickened grape juice. Pick some up at a market for the drive between regions.
Telavi & Adjara
Farm cheese, honey & tea
Meet the people who make it
Sophia’s homemade cheeses near Telavi; a possible honey or tea visit in the west. These are small producer experiences to arrange, rather than another tasting-room circuit.
First, a feeling
Give it a minute.
A little of the feeling before we get into the plan. This is a destination film; our proposed stops are below.
Every named Georgia stop in the pitch is pinned here. Places that sit only a few minutes apart share a numbered pin, while dotted lines show outings or detours we can choose rather than force into the route.
Suggested route in solid lines · optional outings and detours in dotted lines
01
Tbilisi
Stamba, Old Town, Sololaki, sulfur baths and our return nights
02
Mtskheta & Jvari
Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral on the drive north
03
Kazbegi & Gergeti
Stepantsminda mountain base and Gergeti Trinity Church
04
Juta, Sno & Truso
Wildflower-valley morning, village stroll or mineral-spring alternative
05
Sighnaghi, Qedeli & Bodbe
Lost Ridge, horseback riding, wine country and the supra
06
Telavi & Sophia’s farm
Cheese-farm visit, shared lunch and Kakheti countryside
07
Gori & Uplistsikhe
Optional cave-town day trip from Tbilisi
Optional
08
Tsikhisdziri & Petra
The Geophysical Station and nearby coastal ruins
09
Shekvetili
Pine forest and magnetic-sand beach
10
Batumi
Optional Black Sea meal or outing
Optional
11
Ushguli
Wishlist detour if we trade the coast for Upper Svaneti
Optional
The lines show the shape of the trip, not turn-by-turn roads. Atlanta and Riyadh remain in the flight plan below. Outline: Natural Earth ↗.
A shape for the trip
How it could unfold.
The original idea includes the sea. There’s also a slower version if we’d rather linger. Both are starting points.
The full journey
The flight-aware version: 10 nights in Georgia and two in Riyadh, plus the overnight flights. We return to Riyadh June 12 ahead of the June 13, 11:30 p.m. departure. The coast gets two nights; activities below are a menu, with optional choices clearly marked.
May 31–Jun 1
Atlanta → Riyadh
Overnight flight; arrive June 1 at 7:45 p.m. · 1 hotel night
Rest after the long haul; keep the arrival evening free
Jun 2–3
Tbilisi
2 nights · a gentle landing in Georgia
Settle into Stamba; Old Town and Sololaki lanes, then khinkali
Private sulfur bath and a market wander
Optional: replace the June 3 city day with Uplistsikhe cave town and a stop in Gori
Jun 4–5
Kazbegi
2 nights · the Greater Caucasus
June 4: Jvari and Svetitskhoveli on the drive; Gergeti if time and weather suit
June 5: Juta’s meadows as the main mountain morning; a short, flexible walk
Sno as a gentle stop; a short Truso outing can replace Juta
Jun 6–7
Sighnaghi & Kakheti
2 nights · wine country and the full supra
June 6: arrive at Lost Ridge; Sighnaghi stroll if time permits, then fire-kitchen dinner
June 7: short guided Lost Ridge horseback ride; quiet time back at the inn
One unhurried qvevri cellar tasting if time allows; Bodbe is an alternative
A full family-hosted supra with tamada and language support that evening
Jun 8
Telavi → Tbilisi
1 night in Tbilisi · a farm afternoon
Sophia’s cheese-farm introduction and shared lunch
Garden produce, homemade cheeses and conversation
Return to Tbilisi for the westbound train next morning
Jun 9–10
Tsikhisdziri & Shekvetili
2 nights at the Geophysical Station · forest, sand and sea
June 9: train west, transfer to the cottage and settle into the quiet coast
June 10: a drive north to Shekvetili’s pine-backed magnetic-sand beach
A slow shore walk, time beneath the pines and swimming if conditions suit
Petra nearby, or a Batumi meal, can be an optional outing if time permits
Alternate western leg: trade the coast for at least two nights in Svaneti to reach Ushguli
Jun 11
Tbilisi
1 night · train back from the coast
Easy dinner, perhaps a final glass of Saperavi
Pack and rest; no flight attached to this rail day
Jun 12–14
Riyadh → Atlanta
1 Riyadh hotel night on June 12 · home June 14
June 12: TBS → RUH, subject to the regional schedule
June 13: optional indoor museum or Diriyah if timing permits
Depart RUH June 13 at 11:30 p.m.; arrive ATL June 14 at 7:57 a.m.
The slower Georgia version
Keep the same flights and June 12 return buffer, but exchange the coast for longer stays. Ten Georgian nights: three in Tbilisi, three in Kazbegi, three in Kakheti, and one final night in Tbilisi.
May 31–Jun 1
Atlanta → Riyadh
Overnight flight · 1 Riyadh hotel night
Arrive June 1 at 7:45 p.m.; rest
Jun 2–4
Tbilisi
3 nights
Start with Stamba; Old Town, sulfur baths and khinkali
Optional Uplistsikhe cave-town and Gori day trip
Jun 5–7
Kazbegi
3 nights
Mtskheta churches on the way north; Gergeti by vehicle
A dedicated Juta meadow morning, with a short turnaround
Sno’s easy stroll or a separate short Truso outing, weather permitting
Jun 8–10
Kakheti
3 nights
Lost Ridge as our base: guided horseback ride, craft brewery and fire kitchen
Sighnaghi and Bodbe; one family qvevri cellar tasting
A full supra on its own evening; Sophia’s farm on a separate day
Jun 11
Tbilisi
1 night
Return from Kakheti and enjoy an easy final dinner
Jun 12–14
Riyadh → Atlanta
1 Riyadh hotel night · overnight flight home
Fly to Riyadh June 12
Depart June 13 at 11:30 p.m.; arrive Atlanta June 14
The addresses are part of the adventure
Places we’d want to come home to.
Stamba for the city. Lost Ridge for wine country. A mountain cottage, a coastal home with an unexpected past and an optional night beside a Svan tower complete the picture.
Tbilisi01
The city splurge
Stamba
A former publishing house reinvented with bold interiors, books and a creative pulse. Slow coffee at Café Stamba, then out into Tbilisi: a stay that is part of the destination.
Plan one or two opening nights here. Confirm the room arrangement for three; two rooms may be needed.
A two-bedroom wooden cabin in Stepantsminda, framed by the Greater Caucasus and only about 700 meters from the center. Big windows, quiet mountain mornings and a fully equipped home base for Gergeti, Juta and the valleys beyond.
Two bedrooms with one queen bed each, plus a sofa bed in the living room. Sleeps five, with an easy layout for three.
Our wine-country anchor in Qedeli near Sighnaghi: a guided ride through the hills, farmhouse beer brewed on site and dinner from the fire kitchen. The inn also offers restored-house stays, including Piruza Cottage.
Triple rooms are listed; ask about the cottage layout for three. Arrange the full hosted supra separately.
A modern cottage on a family property with a history of geophysical research. The old station stands nearby; our home would have space to spread out. Pair this quiet base with a coastal outing to Shekvetili’s pine groves and magnetic-sand beach farther north.
Two bedrooms, two double beds, two bathrooms. Sleeps four if two of us share.
A simple family guesthouse in the heart of Ushguli, built beside one of the village’s historic stone towers. This is the bookmark if we trade the coast for a deeper journey into Upper Svaneti.
Bookmark only. Confirm the room arrangement and June 2027 availability for three if we add an overnight in Ushguli.
Indicative fare you found; not a confirmed quote for these dates.
Arrive in Riyadh the evening of June 1 and rest. Return from Georgia on June 12, leaving an overnight margin before the June 13 flight home. Other long-haul routings remain an option.
The honest part
A few things to weigh.
What kind of budget?
A broad planning allowance remains $5,350–9,200 total for three for shared lodging, ground travel, meals, experiences and contingency. The revised route has 12 hotel nights. Actual costs depend on rooms and which activities we choose; flights, visas, insurance and shopping are additional. The flight option is shown separately. Stamba is the city splurge; selecting two rooms there could push the lodging total higher.
How much moving around?
The full route has a 6–8 hour mountain-to-Kakheti travel day and two coast rail days of roughly 7–8 hours door to door. Private drivers handle the mountain and wine-country legs. The slower version removes the coast transfers.
Why June?
The appeal is green landscapes and long evenings. Mountain walks depend on road and trail conditions; rain and cloud can change the day. Sea swimming and the boat remain weather-dependent. We’d keep enough flexibility to enjoy what the day offers.
What about Saudi Arabia?
Riyadh is an option, not a commitment. The current US advisory is Level 3: Reconsider Travel (reviewed September 17, 2026). We can compare other routings. For the Delta option shown, the plan returns to Riyadh June 12 before the June 13 late-night departure.
