Backpacking Georgia

Welcome to our page dedicated to Georgia. A country nestled at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia is often a little-known destination, but boasts an absolutely incredible wealth of cultural and geographical riches. We visited Tbilisi during our world tour and took the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. But clearly, the country is still full of treasures that we haven't yet had time to discover.

We have several friends who have decided to spend several months there, and their stories have clearly made us want to return to this fascinating country, and in particular with our Dahu van for a road-trip focused on nature, hiking and climbing ;)

When should you visit Georgia?

It's hard to define Georgia's climate! The country lies at the crossroads of several types of climate (continental, sub-tropical and Mediterranean), so the weather can vary greatly depending on where you are. Like many countries with mountainous regions, variations in temperature and rainfall can vary drastically over just a few hundred kilometers.

But if we had to give a general idea of the climate in Georgia, here are the highlights:

1. Spring (March to May): Spring is a pleasant time to visit Georgia, as temperatures start to warm up, wildflowers are in full bloom and landscapes are verdant. It's also an ideal time for hiking enthusiasts, as temperatures are generally mild and trails are not yet too hot or crowded.
2. Summer (June to August): Summer in Georgia can be hot and humid, especially in low-lying areas like Tbilisi. However, it's also the period when many festivals and events take place, offering visitors the opportunity to experience Georgian culture in all its splendor. The mountainous regions offer a respite from the summer heat, with cooler temperatures and magnificent scenery.
3. Autumn (September to November): Autumn is considered one of the best seasons to visit Georgia. Temperatures start to drop, but remain pleasant, and the autumn colors transform the landscape into a breathtaking visual spectacle. It's also harvest time, when Georgia's vineyards come alive with harvests and wine festivals.
4. Winter (December to February): Winter in Georgia can be cold, especially in the mountainous regions, where snow is common. However, it's also a time when you can enjoy winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding in mountain resorts like Gudauri and Bakuriani. Cities like Tbilisi are also beautifully decorated for the festive season, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.

Travel budget for Georgia

Georgia is a beautiful country where it's possible to travel on a relatively tight budget. The cost of living is relatively low, and it's possible to get by for just a few dozen euros a day. Of course, it all depends on your travel style and where you're going... To give you an idea, during our few days in Tbilisi, we spent €22 per person per day. We were clearly in backpacker mode. I think that in 2024 and with our current way of traveling, we'd probably be closer to 35€-40€ per day ;)

Find an accomodation / hotel in Georgia

During our trip we were very pleasantly surprised by the value for money of the accommodation. There are really good places to stay at reasonable prices. We'd only been to the capital (technically the most expensive place), and even in Tbilisi there are some real nuggets. Especially when it comes to apartments and studios! The range has grown enormously, and there are some lovely accommodations that also offer the flexibility of being able to cook your own meals. Personally, we like this type of accommodation more and more, as it gives us more space to work, and although it sometimes costs a few euros more than a hotel room, we can make up the difference by eating a few simple meals at home.

To find accommodation, as always, we recommend you take a look at Booking (you'll find both hotels and apartments) or compare prices on the map below (by filling in the date filters and the type of accommodation you're looking for).

Getting around Georgia

Getting around Georgia is not very expensive. In Georgia, you can travel by train (a main line crosses the country from west to east). Most of the "big cities" are served. And trains are very inexpensive. To give you an idea, to go from Tbilisi to Batumi, the train takes about 5 hours and costs 14€. To see train timetables and buy your tickets, go to the website 12Go.

See available routes on 12Go

To get to smaller towns, marhsrutkas, mini-buses that go almost everywhere in the country, are the transport of choice. It's usually best to go to the bus station in each town and buy tickets directly on the spot. This mode of transport is very economical. Of course, prices vary depending on the destination, but overall it will cost you less than €2 for a 1-hour bus ride.

What to do in Georgia? Best things to do

Georgia offers incredible diversity, from the majestic mountains of the Caucasus region to the bustling cities of Tbilisi and Batumi, and the picturesque vineyards of the Kakhetia region.

As we told you, on our visit we concentrated solely on Tbilisi, with a day trip to Mtskheta, the Jvari monastery and Ouplistsikhé.

A very good friend of ours (and keen climber) spent several months in Georgia, and his stories clearly gave us ideas for future escapades.

Hiking in Georgia

Here's a part of the country that's still completely unknown to us, but it's probably the one that makes us want to come back! Georgia is a real hiking and climbing paradise, and there's no shortage of itinerary options!

We don't have any hikes to recommend (yet), but if you'd like to be inspired, we'll let you take a look at these blogs:

• Suggestions by the Backpackinghiker
• A blog post by Finnsaway
• See the most popular routes on AllTrails

Taste Georgian cuisine

I'll be honest, this is something I wasn't necessarily expecting... Or rather, let's say that we were very pleasantly surprised by Georgian cuisine! Because of its geographical position, Georgia offers a very varied cuisine (very vegetarian-friendly) with Turkish and Iranian influences. I warn you, however, that you'd better not be allergic to nuts... Georgians use them in almost all their dishes! :) Personally, I was an absolute fan of these mixtures of spices, herbs and nuts that accompany dishes such as Khinkali, Khachapuri, pkhali shotis puri and tonis puri or eggplant rolls with walnuts!

Taste georgian wines

Nestling between the Black Sea and the Caucasus mountains, Georgia is one of the cradles of world winegrowing. We'll admit it, we didn't know it at all before we came, but when, at 4am, the customs officer who stamped our passport offered us a bottle of wine as a "welcome gift to wine country", we quickly realized that there was something going on between Georgia and wine ;)

The vineyards, cultivated for over 8,000 years, are steeped in tradition. The best-known production regions are Kakheti (east of Tbilisi) and Racha (more towards the center of the country). But a closer look reveals that wine is in fact grown throughout much of the country. Judge for yourself:

What makes Georgian wines really special is qvevri, an ancestral winemaking method in which the wine is fermented in large clay jars buried underground. If we're totally honest, we weren't seduced by Georgian wines, but then we'll admit we didn't put a crazy budget into our little experiment... No doubt there are a few nuggets lurking in the country, we just haven't found them ;)

Visit Georgia with an agency?

For our part, Georgia is a country to which we would probably return with our converted van and visit independently. In my opinion, it's totally possible and realistic to do it that way (or by public transport). Nevertheless, it's important to know that English isn't a widely spoken language, and to make yourself understood it's best to have some notions of Georgian or possibly Russian.

On Getyourguide, you'll find plenty of tour options if you want to go explore different areas of the county.