Grand Samtskhe-Javakheti Heritage Road
Four days via Borjomi, Rabati, Vardzia and the Javakheti lakes.
- days
- 4 / 3 nights
- Total distance
- 690 km
- Total driving
- 12:30
- Car needed
- Crossover / SUV
- Season
- May–October
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Southern Georgia's core heritage loop combines fortresses, cave complexes and highland lakes.
Day-by-day plan
Day 1: Borjomi → Rabati. Day 2: Sapara → Khertvisi → Vardzia. Day 3: Vanis Kvabebi → Kumurdo. Day 4: Paravani → Tbilisi.
Stops on this route
Borjomi Central Park and Mineral Springs
The historic spa park where you drink warm Borjomi water free, straight from the source.
3 h
Rabati Castle (Akhaltsikhe)
A restored fortress-town in the heart of Akhaltsikhe where a mosque, a church and a synagogue share one courtyard.
2 h
Sapara Monastery
An active monastery hidden on a cliff terrace near Akhaltsikhe, with 13th-century frescoes.
2 h
Khertvisi Fortress
One of the oldest fortresses in Georgia, standing where two rivers meet on the road to Vardzia.
1 h
Vardzia
A 12th-century cave city and monastery cut into the Mtkvari gorge, the flagship monument of Queen Tamar's era.
3 h
Vanis Kvabebi
An 8th-century multi-level monks' town cut into a tuff cliff, two kilometres short of Vardzia.
2 h
Kumurdo Cathedral
A cathedral precisely dated to 964, standing on the Javakheti plateau near Akhalkalaki on a rare six-apse plan.
1 h
Lake Paravani and Lake Tabatskuri
High-altitude lakes on the volcanic Javakheti plateau at around 2,000 metres, on a major bird migration route.
3 hTips
- Allow at least two hours for Vardzia.
- Carry a warm layer on the plateau.
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 Kutaisi — 74 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.