23 U S A ( To l l - f r e e ) 1- 877- 381- 2 9 14 E m a i l inf o@the culturalexperience.com Early Periods to the 12th Century sanctuary of Sighnahi for dinner before continuing to our hotel in the enchantingly beautiful wine region of Kakheti and check in for one night. Day4-KakhetiProvince. Our first stop today is the citadel of Gremi, capital of the region in the 16th-17th centuries, with the impressive and the church of the Archangels. We continue our tour of this picturesque province with the 10-11th Century Alaverdi Monastery, home to the second tallest tower in Georgia with great views and legendary frescoes. After a lunch break in the charismatic town of Telavi, we head to the sprawling estate of the winemaking Chavchavadze dynasty. A family with a chequered past, we will visit the house museum to learn about their history with Russian Tsars, savage attacks, and - most importantly – wine, before walking through the decorative gardens reminiscent of Georgian England. Return to Tbilisi and check in to our hotel for the night. Day 5 - Kazbegi. Drive up the famous strategic “Georgian Military Road” through the mountains of the Great Caucasus to see the highest peak in the range, Mount Kazbegi. After lunch in the remote town of Stepantsminda we explore the nearby monastery for fantastic views of the great mountain. We drive to the limits of northern Georgia to see the mountain pass that controlled access to this region from Late Antiquity onwards and some of the fortifications associated with it. We return to Stepantsminda for dinner and check in to our hotel for the night. Day 6 - Gori and Uplistsikhe. Drive to Gori, birthplace of Joseph Stalin and visit the ingratiating Stalin Museum, perusing memorabilia that survived de-Stalinisation to learn about his life and history, including the darker moments of gulags and purges. Travel on to the late Roman cave city of Uplistsikhe. See the Pagan and Christian temples side by side along with the famous Tamaris Darbazi, undergroundamphitheatreandwallcarvings. Continue to Kutaisi for one night. Day 7 - Svaneti Province. We spend the morning travelling to the intriguing isolated province of Svaneti, high up in the Caucasus Mountains. This remote collection of communities will take us completely off the tourist track to medieval villages where the building, living and land use practices of centuries past are still employed today. After admiring the spectacular scenery on the journey in, we make our way to the Mestia Museum of History and Ethnography to see some of the riches secreted away during the multiple invasions and conflicts of the lower country and the alien, non-progressive lifestyles of these captivating people. Take a shortwalkthroughthetowntoseetheunique tower houses and intricate and personal painted churches before sitting down to a sumptuous traditional evening meal. Check in to our Mestia hotel for two nights Day8-SvanetiProvince.Today we will travel through unparalleled landscapes to reach the highest settlement in Europe. Wonder along the scenic roads of Ushguli, another medieval settlement and explore the colourful 12th Century Lamaria Church nestled in this village against a stunning alpine backdrop. We will see and learn more about the rich, distinctive history of this region. Day 9 - Samegrelo Province. An early start sees us at the impressive 19th century Dadiani Palace, home to one of the earliest museum collections in Georgia, complete with curiosities connected with the life of Napoleon including a rare original death mask. We continue to the 4th Century fortress of Nokakalevi, popularly believed to be the mythical town of Aya where Jason and the Argonauts stole the Golden Fleece. A working archaeological site, see the impact of each historical period up close in the architecture and artefacts of this impressive defensive ruin. Move on to Kutaisi for one night. Day 10 - Kutaisi. Spend the morning being guidedaroundthebusystreetsofthisregional hub, including the recently restored Bagrati Cathedral, exploring the complex mythical stone carvings and the remaining tiles of the fabulous floor mosaics. We will travel out of the city to Gelati Monastery, the final resting place of humble King David the Builder, to see the fabulously restored frescoes and the glittering gold-gilded mosaic of the Virgin Mary, one of the largest and best in all of Georgia. We drive south to spend the night in Akhaltsikhe, through the impressive gorge of the Mtkvari River and past countless clifftop fortresses such as that at Atskhuri. Day 11 - Akhaltsiskhe, Khertvisi and Vardizia. We start the morning walking throughAkhaltsikheandits9thCenturycastle, ravaged by Mongols, Ottomans and Russian- Georgian armies until its most recent rebirth as a cultural hub. Walk around the mosque, synagogue and darbazebi, or traditional houses, to see how the modern and the ancient have been blended together in this one place. Continue on to Khertvisi Fortress, one of the oldest surviving forts in Georgia. This picturesque ruin has seen battles from Alexander the Great through to Russian and Ottoman forces in the 19th Century. We move onto the 12th Century cave city of Vardzia. Destroyed and exposed by an earthquake in 1283, some of these miraculous caves are still inhabited, with 600 intact dwellings including a church, bell tower and frescoes of Queen Tamar who took refuge here from the Mongol hordes. Stay in Vardzia overnight. Day 12 - Tblisi. Drive back to Tbilisi through the spectacular upland provinces of Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli. Arrive in Tbilisi in time to visit the National Museum, complete with the national archaeological treasures from some of the sites we have visited, and the thought-provoking exhibition on the history of the 20th century occupation of Georgia. We check into our last hotel of the tour and enjoy a final evening meal together. Day 13 - Home. Return flight to London.