5-Day Cradle of Wine Tour in Georgia from Tbilisi: Mtskheta, Mukhrani, Chardakhi, Sighnaghi, Numisi and Velistsikhe

You will have an amazing opportunity to learn about different ways of winemaking and taste many local wines and dishes…
Georgia is First in Making Wine: Grape pips found on Georgian soil are believed to be from the V-­IV millennium BC.
Georgia is First in Variety of Wine: Georgia has over 500 native grape varieties and 8,000 years of winemaking history.
Georgia is First in Qvevri Winemaking: Traditional Georgian clay pots, or qvevri, used for fermentation date as far back as the VI-­V millennium BC. UNESCO added this winemaking method to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Day 1: Tbilisi
Arrival in Tbilisi. You need to reach the hotel. (You can check in any time after 14:00 Tbilisi time). Tour will start after meeting in the lobby of the hotel at 19:00 Tbilisi time (UTC 04:00) and drive to Restaurant Funicular, where you will have welcome dinner.

Day 2: Tbilisi - Mtskheta- Mukhrani - Chardakhi - Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with guide and driver. Today your journey begins by visiting the sites of the old capital of Georgia Mtskheta, such as Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) and Jvari Monastery (6th century). Afterwards, enjoy a wine tour to Chateau Mukhrani founded in 1878 by the Prince of Mukhrani, heir of the royal family of Georgia. You will see Ivan Mukhranbatoni’s royal palace, gardens and old cellars, stroll through vineyards, and visit the ultra-modern winery. You will have an opportunity to taste the finest wines of Georgia and delicious Georgian cuisine. After lunch, you will visit Iago’s Wine that is small boutique winery producing QVEVRI wines from organic vineyards. Coming back to Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi.

Day 3: Tbilisi - Sighnaghi - Numisi - Velistsikhe - Kvareli
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you will explore centuries-long history of Kakheti wine culture. In the morning, visit Bodbe nunnery, where Saint Nino was buried and Sighnaghi, a beautiful town founded in the 18th century that overlooks amazing Alazani Valley and spectacular Great Caucasus Mountains. After we will visit Numisi winery. The cellar is built in ancient classical architecture with white river stones and bricks. The cellar introduces excellent arched wine storage, with old limestone wine presser (Satsnakheli) & 33 clay pitchers (Qvevi) sunk underneath the ground. From Numisi we will explore Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking –Velistsikhe Veranda, where you will taste wine from QVEVRI (clay pitchers). After tasting wines we will go to Kvareli and have dinner in Khareba winery restaurant. Check into the Hotel. Overnight in Kvareli.

Day 4: Kvareli - Nekresi monastery - Chelty winery - Alaverdi cathedral - Matsoni house - Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. This tour includes Historical monuments and wine cellars. So we start our trip from Nekresi monastery - is one of the largest monastery complexes in the Kakheti region of Georgia and was founded by St. Abibo Nekreseli, one of the famous thirteen Syrian fathers. We will have a chance to see the production of Georgian Traditional “Kvevri” with a national flavor, as well as to visit the Chelti factory, where wine is produced according to the classical and traditional methods. Chelti winery is equipped with advanced technologies which make it possible to control the wine quality at any stage of its making. The Wine Company “Chelti’ also uses 8000 years experience Georgia gained in winemaking. We will visit Alaverdi Cathedral, one of the most important medieval monuments in all of Georgia. It was built in the beginning of the 11th century, and was one of the tallest buildings of its time. In Alavedi you will have opportunity to taste Georgian traditional Matsoni - The most healthful of all yogurts. You will try yourself at harvesting and squeezing grapes for wine (subject to seasonality). Coming back to Tbilisi by the beautiful Gombori pass. Overnight in Tbilisi.

Day 5: Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. End of the tour.