Compare The Trans-Siberian Baikal Express Route by MIR Corporation vs Accessible Georgia - 12 Days by Travel for All

Days 1-2: Moscow

Enjoy a one-night stay at a five star hotel in Moscow. Tour the classic sights of this 850-year-old capital city, including expansive Red Square and the venerable Kremlin, or opt for a tour of the Tretyakov Gallery instead. In the evening depart aboard the luxury Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express private train.

Days 3-4: Kazan, Ekaterinburg

Make a stop in Kazan, the beautiful capital of Tatarstan on the Volga, where a kremlin wall surrounds the old town, and both minarets and Orthodox churches are found. Cross from Europe into Asia at Ekaterinburg. Visit the site where the last czar, Nicholas II, and his family were held under house arrest for months before the Bolsheviks executed them in July of 1918.

Day 5: Novosibirsk

Stop in Novosibirsk, a Siberian town that grew into a city due to its position on the Trans-Siberian line. Visit the massive Opera House, Lenin Square and the Ob River, flowing 3,500 miles from its source to the Arctic.

Days 6-7: Aboard Train, Irkutsk

Arrive in Irkutsk, the “capital” of Siberia. The tour includes the major sights of this cultured little city, including examples of the classic wooden architecture for which the area is known.

Day 8-9: Lake Baikal, Irkutsk

A spectacular part of the journey today is spent winding through tunnels and around cliffs along the shoreline of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake. Stop en route for a barbecue at the lake’s edge and continue to the village of Listvyanka. Visit the Limnological Museum explaining the fascinating eco-system of the lake. Return to Irkutsk for a one-night hotel stay before departure.

Day 1: Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia

Home for people with diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The name “Tbilisi” /warm/ was given to the city because of the area’s numerous sulphuric hot springs.

Meeting at Tbilisi airport

Transfer to the hotel

Breakfast at the Hotel

Spend the afternoon sightseeing, Visit Old Tbilisi :

Sameba -Trinity a magnificent cathedral erected on the top of Elia rock, the beautiful View where you can see all panoramas of all historical parts of Tbilisi

Artistic Theatre Square of The Gabriadze

The Bridge of Peace –Glass Bridge through the river see both side panorama of Tbilisi

The Asian- type coloured baths, built on hot sulphur springs – a favourite place of Tbilisi citizens and foreign guests (A. Pushkin, A. Duma, A. Tolstoy);

Visit Leselidze avenue where side by side locate Synagogue Georgian and Armenian churches and Mosque symbol religious diversity and tolerance

Georgian National Museum – you can see the sensational unique discoveries and artefacts of ancient period archaeological treasures; option

Optional welcome Dinner in a traditional Georgian restaurant with unforgettable folk music, dance and delicious Georgian cuisine or Diner in Tbilisi Funicular with beautiful park.

Day 02 : Tbilisi – Telavi – Kvareli --- Kakheti region

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Tbilisi - Telavi. - Kvareli ---Kakheti region

Breakfast at the hotel

Drive along the “Wine Route”, through the beautiful landscape of vineyards and wine-producing villages.

Town Telavi. Administrative and cultural centre of the region. The town sits on a hilltop above the Alazani valley with the Caucasus Mountains in the background. Telavi hosted The International Festival of classical music;

The Royal castle, the pantheon and the Persian-style Palace of King Erekle II (XVIII c.)

Lunch in Nadikvari Park – View of Caucasus Mountains.

Gremi castle – museum the royal capital city, the Royal Tower Ensemble. Historically, one of the important trading centres of this region.

Visit Wine Corporation “KHAREBA” wine degustation.

Overnight in Kvareli

Day 03: Kvareli – Sighnaghi- Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Sighnaghi Town of love is built on the right bank of Alazani River, on a higher hill. Royal fortified town with narrow streets surrounded by the defensive walls with 23 towers.  Here was   a place where the Georgian King used to join the army before the battle.

Dinner   the most delicious dishes are cooked with local, natural, fresh, seasonal product

Sighnaghi Historical-Ethnographic Museum where extraordinary ethnographic,      archaeological and medieval materials are kept.( expectable only first floor)

The defensive wall surrounding Sighnaghi. Because of the wall’s high location the beautiful view of Alazani Valley is well visible.

Gala dinner in Tbilisi

Overnight in Tbilisi

Day 04: Tbilisi-Borjomi-Aspindza

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Mtsketa – Town-museum. The ancient capital of Georgia. Known as “Hole Place”, is considered as the second” Jerusalem”. Situated on a plain at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, the ancient trade silk route ran here.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral – The biggest Christian temple in Georgia. A sacred place, where the Christ’s robe is kept. UNESCO World Heritage site.

Town Borjomi – Borjomi mineral water park .A synonym for healthy, pure mineral water

Day 05: Aspindza - Vardzia

Meals: Breakfast

Vardzia (Georgian Petra) rock- cut town complex founded (12-13th cc) Golden Age period during the reign of Queen Tamar. There is – well fortified monastery with 600 apartments, 28 wine-houses, churches, library, storeroom of medicines, important political, cultural, educational and spiritual centre of the country.

Vardzia is not adapted, it is rock- cut down, but surround is very good view  and outside you can see all panoramas of these rocks town)

Overnight in Aspindza

Day 06: Aspindza - Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Rabat castle, the former  largest slave bazaar till XVIII c. –  The site of ethical and religious diversity,  historical symbol of Georgian tolerance, where you can see Georgian, Armenian and Moslem  buildings of public worship standing next to each other. Within the 7 hectare castle complex there is a church, a Mosque, a Minaret and a Synagogue.

Tskaltubo is little town a spa resort that is famous for its radon-carbonate mineral springs. This unique gift of nature was not without reason called the “Living Water”. Today, modern installations give us the opportunity to treat, prevent and improve body tone.

Overnight in Tskaltubo

Day 07: Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the Hotel

Free Time.  Spa Capsule: hydro massage (optional)

 Day 08: Tskaltubo- Batumi

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Breakfast at the Hotel

Batumi – one of the oldest sea-side cities in Georgia was inhabited from as early as the third century BC. Having all the resources necessary for the resort cities, at present days Batumi became the distinguished tourist center at the Black Sea cost. Batumi is always green and sparkling.

Sightseeing:

“Old Batumi” Small, white, mostly 2-3-storied 150 years old, buildings are decorated with mythical creatures with a lot of open cafes with  aromatic hot black coffee prepared on the heated sand.

PIAZZA Batumi is one of the most beautiful squares in whole Georgia is distinguished by its painting, as well as by its exquisite mosaics and stained glass windows. Piazza Square has already become the venue of numerous entertaining and cultural events.

Dinner plus an evening Batumi laser show and dancing fountains then overnight in Batumi

Day 09: Batumi

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Batumi

Visit Gonio fortress – Roman fortification in Adjara, on the Black sea, 15 km south of Batumi, at the mouth of the Chorokhi River. The village sits 4 km north of the Turkish border.

Visit Batumi Delphinium – you can swim and take pictures with Dolphins (option);

Batumi Seaside Boulevard.

Overnight in Batumi

Day 10: Batumi – Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing

Batumi Botanic Garden is a unique place famous for its unique flora. It has a beautiful view on black sea and Caucasus Mountain.

Overnight in Tskaltubo

Day 11: Tskaltubo- Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Kutaisi   One of the most beautiful and ancient cities in West Georgia – Emeriti region. Kutaisi has contributed much to the process of Georgian unification. According to the legend Kutaisi was the final destination of the Argonauts.

Bagrati 10- 11th cc. Situated on the top of the hill, it was an ancient citadel, a royal palace and one of the most important castles from 6th to 17th c. nowadays it’s distinguished for its elegant proportions, grand size, facade composition, ornaments and relief carvings and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site,

Rest and Lunch in Village Ubisa

Overnight in Tbilisi

Day 12: Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Transfers to the airport included