Kvemo Kartli Archaeology Road
Asureti Bolnisi Dmanisi Samshvilde and a Dashbashi finale.
- days
- 2 / 1 nights
- Total distance
- 285 km
- Total driving
- 06:00
- Car needed
- Crossover / SUV
- Season
- April–October
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Two days connecting ancient settlements multicultural towns and canyon scenery.
Day-by-day plan
Day 1: Asureti → Bolnisi → Dmanisi. Day 2: Samshvilde → Dashbashi.
Stops on this route
Asureti
The former German colony of Elisabethtal, where a whole street of colonist houses and their vine still survive.
2 h
Bolnisi Sioni
A basilica of 478–493 — the oldest surviving church in Georgia and home to the earliest dated Georgian inscriptions.
1 h
Dmanisi
Where the oldest hominins outside Africa were found — 1.8 million year old remains beside a medieval town and basilica.
2 h
Samshvilde
An abandoned medieval city on a narrow promontory between two canyons, with substantial ruins and dramatic ground.
3 h
Dashbashi Canyon
A basalt canyon near Tsalka with dozens of waterfalls and a glass bridge suspended across the gorge.
3 hTips
- Check Dmanisi opening hours.
- Wear firm shoes.
Best car for this trip
Cars in this category
Guides
- The Best Time to Visit Georgia, Counted Month by Month Georgia does not have one season. It has two countries: a 60% country from November to April and a 99% country
- Driving in Georgia: What the Distances Actually Cost You Georgia is a small country with slow roads. Here is what 267 measured drives from Tbilisi say about how long y
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Tbilisi — 16 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.