The rock-hewn cave town of Uplistsikhe above the Mtkvari valley

Shida Kartli

Uplistsikhe and Gori

A cave town older than the kingdom, and an unusual museum

1 day
≈ 7 h
4 stops
from $205 per carfrom €185 per carfrom ₾535 per car

The price is per car for the whole tour, not per person.

An hour west of Tbilisi, above the Mtkvari, stands Uplistsikhe, a cave town cut into the rock three thousand years ago: streets, halls and wine cellars. The next stop is Gori, the birthplace of Stalin, with a museum unchanged since 1957. One day, with the car and the driver for the whole route.

Pickup: 09:00 at your hotel in Tbilisi
Back in Tbilisi: around 16:00
On the road: about 3 h of driving, 190 km
Best season: April to June, September and October

Book this tour

Pick the date and the car. No payment now, you pay the driver after the tour.

Car

Mercedes-Benz V-Class7 seats≈ $42 per person≈ €38 per person≈ ₾108 per person$290€260₾755
Mercedes-Benz S-Class3 seats≈ $69 per person≈ €62 per person≈ ₾179 per person$205€185₾535
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado4 seats, recommended≈ $67 per person≈ €60 per person≈ ₾173 per person$265€240₾690

Date

Time

Passengers2

Book$265€240₾690

per car, for the whole tour
Starts in Tbilisi
Free cancellation up to 24 h before

Itinerary

4 stops

The line shows the order of the stops. Your driver takes the best road on the day.

1
Uplistsikhe10:15
An hour and a half in the cave town: the main street cut into the rock, the great hall with its carved ceiling, the cellars, the church on top and the tunnel to the river. Uneven ground and some climbing. Good shoes help.
2
Gori and lunch12:15
The fortress hill with the valley all around, then lunch in town: khinkali, lobio or a grill, 25 to 40 GEL per person.
3
The Stalin Museum (optional)13:30
The grand 1957 museum, the birthplace under its canopy and the private railway carriage. An hour, entirely up to you.
4
Ateni Sioni (optional)14:45
A 7th-century church in a side valley of vineyards, twenty minutes from Gori, with some of the oldest frescoes in the country. Then the highway home.

What's included

Car and driver for the whole day (about 7 hours)
Fuel, tolls and parking
Water, Wi-Fi and chargers on board
Child seats on request, free of charge
Flexible stops: skip the museum, add the church, stay longer in the caves

Not included

Entrance tickets to Uplistsikhe and the museum (about 15 GEL each)
Lunch
A licensed guide. Local guides are available at the entrance to Uplistsikhe

Details and questions

About this tour

Uplistsikhe, the Lord's Fortress, was carved into the rock from about 1000 BC and lived in until the Mongols came in the 13th century. What remains is a whole town in stone: a main street, a theatre, a pharmacy with its shelves, wine cellars with qvevri still in the floor, a basilica built on top in the 10th century, and a tunnel down to the river. It is a place to wander rather than to be told about, and the views along the valley are reason enough for the trip.

Gori is twenty minutes further: a provincial town under a hilltop fortress, with a wide avenue leading to the museum of its most famous son. The museum is a monument to its own era, with the house where Stalin was born under a marble canopy in front and his railway carriage in the garden. Most guests find it fascinating. It is entirely optional. Lunch is in town.

If there is time and interest, the road home takes a short detour up the Tana valley to Ateni Sioni, a 7th-century church with 11th-century frescoes in a quiet gorge of vineyards. Seven hours in all, back in Tbilisi by four.

Best time to go

The caves are open all year. Spring and autumn are ideal: clear light on the valley and mild temperatures on the rock, which is exposed to the sun. July and August are hot by midday, so the tour starts early and the museum takes the hottest hour. Winter is fine on a dry day and the site is empty.

Food and wine

Kartli is the orchard of Georgia: apples, peaches and vegetables fill the roadside stalls from June to October. In Gori lunch is simple and good: khinkali, lobio in a clay pot, a grill, home-made lemonade. On the way back a stop at a roadside bakery for fresh shoti bread from the tone is a small pleasure.

Which car

Any car is right for this road. The Prado is the comfortable choice for the short gravel approach to Ateni Sioni. The S-Class for two, the V-Class for a group.

Tips from our drivers

Uplistsikhe has no shade: a hat and water in summer, a windproof layer in spring and autumn.
Start at nine to have the caves before the tour buses, which arrive around noon.
The ground is bare rock worn smooth. Trainers or walking shoes, not sandals.

How difficult is the walk in Uplistsikhe?

Moderate: about an hour on bare rock with steps and a few steep bits. Older guests take it slowly and skip the upper level. Children love it.

Do we have to visit the Stalin Museum?

No. Some guests come for it, others skip it entirely. We say so at the start and the driver plans the day accordingly.

Can we combine Uplistsikhe with Mtskheta?

Yes, easily: Mtskheta is on the way back and adds about an hour and a half. The day becomes nine hours and is priced as such.

Is it suitable for children?

The caves are an adventure for children from about six. The museum less so. Child seats are free.