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Uplistsikhe

Uplistsikhe: Our most recommended tours and activities

Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Jvari, Gori and Uplistsikhe Day Tour

1. Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Jvari, Gori and Uplistsikhe Day Tour

Explore one of the most mysterious regions of Georgia – Kartli and hear a lot about the country's history. First, visit memorable Uplistsikhe cave-town and dive into the antique life of Georgia. Then, find out more interesting facts in Gori, the hometown of the most famous Georgian, Stalin, and see the unique old capital of Georgia – Mtskheta, where you visit two UNESCO heritage sites Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Your first stop is Uplistsikhe, an antique rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia. It contains multiple structures dating from the Early Iron Age to the Late Middle Ages. It is notable for the unique mixture of various rock-cut cultures from Anatolia and Iran's pagan and Christian architecture coexistence. After exploring Uplistsikhe, you have a chance to have lunch in the region and try delicious local food. After lunch, you have two options, have free time and explore Gori, the hometown of Stalin, or visit Stalin Museum, which is a museum dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics, Stalin's Original house, and Stalin's railway carriage. The next stop is Jvari Monastery. The name of this monastery is translated as the "Monastery of the Cross." Jvari Monastery is the 6th-century Georgian Orthodox monastery near Mtskheta. Along with other historic structures of Mtskheta, it is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Jvari Monastery stands on the rocky mountain top at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking the town of Mtskheta, which was formerly the capital of the kingdom of Iberia. The last site on tour is Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta. UNESCO recognizes Mtskheta as a World Heritage site due to its historical significance and several cultural monuments. It was the capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. Svetitskhoveli is known as the burial site of Christ's robe and has been one of the principal Georgian Orthodox churches and is among the region's most venerated places of worship.

From Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe, Gori Day Trip

2. From Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe, Gori Day Trip

Explore the key historical sites of central Georgia, focusing on three different eras: the pagan period, the Christian period, and the Soviet period. Join your guide and a small group to witness the history of Georgia unfold on this full-day tour from Tbilisi.   After pickup from your hotel, your first stop will be the cave town of Uplistsikhe. Its caves and tunnels create a marvelous structure of natural architecture which still holds remnants of its ancient pagan culture.   Then, visit the nearby town of Gori and see the pompous Soviet Museum dedicated to Joseph Stalin, who was born here. After Gori, you’ll drive 1 hour to Mtskheta, the old capital of Georgia, where the country’s conversion to Christianity started in the 4th century. See the Svetiskhoveli cathedral and the monastery of Jvari, built on a high hill above the town.   Finally, see the Georgian Stonehenge, an impressive monument of Georgian history off the beaten path. Return to Tbilisi for drop off at your hotel.

Tbilisi to Mtskheta,Jvari,Gori,Uplitsikhe Guided GroupTour

3. Tbilisi to Mtskheta,Jvari,Gori,Uplitsikhe Guided GroupTour

Locations you visit -Mtskheta Old capital city -Jvari monastery on the hill -Gori city -Uplistsikhe oldest Cave city Journey into the past - Mtskheta - you will get acquainted with our rich history about the country, which begins from the 11th millennium BC. Mtskheta, for maLny centuries was the capital of the Iberian kingdom in Georgia, which is located at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers, which writers admired. We will plunge into the world of legends and ancient facts during our trip Our first stop is Jvari - the monastery of the first half of the 5th century, in which St. Nina erected a cross, through the efforts of which Christianity as a religion was proclaimed in the 4th century. We will also visit the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral - the cathedral patriarchal temple of the Georgian Orthodox Church, where the burial place of the shrines of Christianity is located. We continue our journey with a stop in the City of Gori, where we will visit the Stalin Museum, which stores important moments from his life. The last stop is fascinating Uplistsikhe: pre-Christian Georgia and life in caves on the banks of the Kura River. Acquaintance with this place will be an important step in understanding Georgian culture You will be accompanied by an English and Russian speaking guide who will take care of your good mood and introduce you to the incredible history of this corner of Georgia

Jvari Gori Stalin Museum Uplistsikhe Day-Trip from Tbilisi

4. Jvari Gori Stalin Museum Uplistsikhe Day-Trip from Tbilisi

Start your tour at your accomodation in Tbilisi where your driver/guide will be waiting to meet you. After a short meet and greet you will set-off to your first location, starting your sightseeing adventure for the day! After a short and scenic drive your first stop will be Jvari Church (6th -7th cc), the most important religious center and an architectural masterpiece of medieval Georgia. Enjoy the breathtaking view from the church that towers over the city of Mtskheta. Continue on to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, known as the burial site of Christ's robe and the second largest church building in the country. The Cathedral has long been the principal Georgian church and remains one of the most venerated places of worship to this day. Take an excursion to Uplistsikhe Cave Town, an ancient cave town and one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia. The town represents a complex of various structures dating from the 12th-century. BC to the 17th-century. AD. Finish your tour at the Stalin Museum in Gori, dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin. This museum is the perfect location for any Stalin or politic enthusiasts. End your day in comfort with a relaxing car ride back to your accomodation in Tbilisi. 

Mtskheta, Gori Uplistsikhe Group & Private Day Tour

5. Mtskheta, Gori Uplistsikhe Group & Private Day Tour

During this tour, you will visit the ancient capital city of Georgia – the city of Mtskheta, which is just less than 12 miles (20 km) from Tbilisi. Here you will see two wonderful UNESCO heritage sites. The first being the 7th-century Jvari Monastery, where you will see a beautiful view of two rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi meeting. The second monument is the 11th-century Svetisckhoveli Cathedral which is an architectural masterpiece of Georgian Renaissance. Tbilisi, Mckheta, Gori, Uplistsikhe tour gives you a perfect opportunity to discover Central Georgia, to open its ancient landmarks, to know its history, infrastructure, and to try it special wines and Georgian snacks. During this tour you will visit the ancient capital city of Georgia – the city of Mckheta, which is not farer than 20 km from Tbilisi. Here you will see wonderful UNESCO heritage monuments like: the Jvari monastery of VII c., where the beautiful view on the confluence of two rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi are seen from, and the Svetisckhoveli cathedral of XI c – the architectural masterpiece of Georgian Renaissance. After that you will set off for the West of the country to the city of Gori – “the apple capital city” of Georgia. The city is famous for its fertility and moreover is famous as the motherland of Joseph Stalin (Jugashvili). Here we offer you an excursion in the house-museum of famous generalissimo or we after you to come to the most ancient cave city in Georgia Uplistsikhe, which was founded in II millennium B.C. Also in Uplistikhe you will have opportunity to taste 4 kinds of wine with cheese and Georgian nuts in restored historical wine cellar . This tour will bring you a lot of memorable impressions! Drive back to Tbilisi

Tbilisi to Uplistsikhe cave town and Borjomi Day Tour

6. Tbilisi to Uplistsikhe cave town and Borjomi Day Tour

Start your tour after breakfast from Tbilisi. During the tour, you will visit the ancient Uplitsikhe Cave Town and Beautiful nature of Borjomi. Ancient city-museum Uplistsikhe is one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus, located on the left bank of the river Mtkvari, the main part of the city is carved with rocks and has amazing views of the landscape, walk around the ancient streets and take memorable pictures. Various rock formations, holes, and chambers remind of sophisticated sculptures and certain shapes like for example a human face. You will be amazed when you find out that this site dates back to as early as the second millennium BC. It is the oldest ancient settlement known in Georgia. Left without any care for many years, it was plundered several times and destroyed by an earthquake in 1920. Now, it's on the UNESCO list and there are some works planned to preserve it. After we will continue by Borjomi tour. Balneo-climatic resort located deep in the forest, surrounded by mountains, in the city you will visit Borjomi Central Park, walk in the park, and enjoy attractions in the park; the city is famous for natural sulfur springs and you will have the opportunity to try it. And here you can also see a beautiful waterfall and ride a cable car to look at the Borjomi Gorge from above. Finish the tour and back to Tbilisi.

Private Tour to Uplistsikhe Gori Mtskheta Jvari Monastery

7. Private Tour to Uplistsikhe Gori Mtskheta Jvari Monastery

Explore one of the most mysterious regions of Georgia. Visit the cave town of Uplistsikhe, Stalin's hometown of Gori, and the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Mtskheta. Start at the cave town of Uplistsikhe, an antique rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia. View its unique mixture of cut-out cultures from Anatolia and Iran's pagan and Christian architecture, then pause to purchase a local lunch. Next, visit, Gori, the hometown of Stalin. Explore the town or visit the Stalin Museum, including the dictator's old house and railway carriage. Follow that with a trip to Jvari Monastery. Admire this 6th-century Orthodox structure which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy the view from the rocky mountain top down onto the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. Conclude your tour at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, the old capital of Georgia, another World Heritage Site. Spend some time at a location known as the burial site of Christ's robe, which is among the region's most venerated places of worship.

From Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Gori, Uplistsikhe and Borjomi Tour

8. From Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Gori, Uplistsikhe and Borjomi Tour

Begin your tour with pickup at your accommodation in Tbilisi and make your way to the historic town of Mtskheta, to the northwest of the Georgian capital. Discover Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, an Eastern Orthodox cathedral that is the second largest building in Georgia, after the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Admire this masterpiece of the Early Middle Ages, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Next, head to the rocky mountaintop at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragi Rivers to visit the 6th century Georgian Orthodox Jvari Monastery, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn about traditional accounts of this place with your guide, and hear how Saint Nino, a female evangelist credited with converting King Mirian III of Iberia to Christianity, erected a large wooden cross on the site of a pagan temple here in the 4th century. Continue your journey to the Joseph Stalin Museum in Gori, the city where the former Soviet Union leader was born. Enjoy the Soviet-era characteristics of the museum, and discover the small wooden hut where Stalin was born and spent the first 4 years of his life. Then, step even further back into history by visiting the ancient rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe in eastern Georgia, some 62 miles (100 kilometers) west of Tbilisi. Explore one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia, and learn about its mythical foundation by Uplos, son of Mtskhetos, and grandson of Kartlos in the Georgian medieval written tradition. Leaving Uplistsikhe behind you, travel to the Georgian resort town of Borjomi along a picturesque road through the green and leafy Borjomi Valley. Hear about the area's famed mineral water, which is spread all over the globe, and admire the beauty of the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, as well as the sulphuric baths located all over the territory. Finally, make your last stop at the Green Monastery, officially known as Chitakhevi St. George Monastery, a 9th-century friary located in the village of Chitakhevi. The tour includes with drop-off back at your accommodation in Tbilisi.

Tbilisi: Jvari, Uflistsikhe and Stalin Museum Private Tour

9. Tbilisi: Jvari, Uflistsikhe and Stalin Museum Private Tour

Start the tour at Jvari Monastery, an ancient temple dating back to the 6th century near the ancient capital Mtskheta. Located high atop a mountain, soak in picturesque views of the surrounding area at the intersection of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. Next, visit the enormous cave city of Uplistsikhe or the "Fortress of God". Immerse yourself in the history of this ancient 3000-year-old city carved into a rock, and marvel at the uniqueness of the structure. See the 150 caves that have survived to this day, including a cave tunnel, ancient sun temple, royal cave of King Tamara, winery, 6th-century church, Bibliotheca, and ancient pharmacy, with some structures dating back to the Iron Age. Finally, arrive in Gori, the hometown of the famous Georgian leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. Visit the Stalin Museum, dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, and see some Soviet-era characteristics that still remain. Learn about the life of Stalin, and see his office and personal items including his pipe, cigars, telephone, and even the house where he was born.

Tbilisi: Guided Mtskheta, Gori, and Uplistsikhe Tour

10. Tbilisi: Guided Mtskheta, Gori, and Uplistsikhe Tour

Your tour will begin in the morning as you are picked up from your hotel, after which you will begin with a drive through the fertile lands of the Kartli region. Your first stop is the 6th-century Jvari Monastery, which is located 19 kilometers away from Tbilisi. Here you will receive an introductory story of the area, whilst enjoying the wonderful panorama of the conjunction of the two rivers Aragvi and Mtkvari, the Armazi Mountains, and the city of Mtskheta. You will then drive 88 kilometers west of Tbilisi to Gori, a city in the Kartli province. Gori was an important military stronghold in the Middle Ages, and at the foot of a sand-stone hill stands the Medieval Gori Fortress Tskhra-kara. You will do a short walk around the area, before then continuing to the Stalin Museum. Excursions in Joseph Stalin's museum will take about 30 minutes, with the museum consisting of 3 sites. Following your museum tour, you will drive to the ancient temple town of Uplistsikhe. Translated as the “Fortress of the Lord“ and dating back to the 6th century B.C., this town is mentioned in the "Chronicles of the 1st Century A.D". Here the echoing halls, long meandering corridor-streets, chambers of pagan worship, and even the remains of the oldest theater in Georgia are all carved into the rocky plateau and waiting to be explored. You will then drive back to Tbilisi passing through the ancient capital Mtskheta, which presents a living museum including the UNESCO Heritage Listed Site of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, as well as other architectural landmarks. You can take a walk through the historical part of town, and enjoy a relaxing evening tasting local sweets at the souvenir shopping rows.

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What people are saying about Uplistsikhe

Overall rating

4.9 / 5

based on 606 reviews

This was the highlight of my 3 day Georgia trip. I loved everything from the ancient cave city of Uplistsikhe to the Stalin museum in Gori. Gori was also where I ate the best meal of my trip, which was made even more amazing by the traditional Georgian dance performances. As amazing the places were, I don't think I would have enjoyed even a fraction of what I did if it weren't for our guide May. She is extremely knowledgeable about Goergian and Soviet history and touring with her and hearing her talk were very educational for me. As someone, who loves to travel for the history and culture of the place, I felt she was the best guide I could have asked for.

Great trip! Our guide Mimi was knowledgeable and a great companion on the trip. She knew a lot about both the history of Georgia and modern Georgia which gave the tour an added bonus. Would recommend this to anyone who wants to experience more of Georgia!

All stops excellent.My personal favourite was the caves,Stalin museum in Gori and lunch with local dancing.

Metro was an excellent guide! Very informative tour! Highly recommend this company for tours from Tbilisi.

Fantastic Day trip to see some of the most important historicsl sights of Georgia