Georgia travel guide

Getting there

International flights arrive at Tbilisi, Kutaisi (popular with budget airlines) and Batumi. Land borders connect Georgia with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, but check current crossing status before travelling overland.

Best time to visit: May–Jun and Sep–Oct – mild weather, mountain hiking and grape harvest.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly to Tbilisi, with live one-way and return fares from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: No bad time – winter is cold and some mountain roads close, but it's great for skiing at Gudauri and quieter city breaks.

Weather by month in Tbilisi

• 7°J
• 9°F●
• 14°M●
• 19°A●
• 24°M●●
• 28°J●●
• 32°J●
• 31°A●
• 27°S●
• 20°O●
• 13°N●
• 8°D

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Asia/Tbilisi. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 103 of 198 other passports can enter Georgia without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 52 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 43 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Georgia (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2025-03-13). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Georgia are based around Tbilisi, Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) or Svaneti (Mestia & Ushguli). Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$30–45 for a backpacker and US$70–130 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +995.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Tbilisi (Capital · old town): A charismatic capital of carved wooden balconies, sulphur baths, a hilltop fortress and a buzzing food and wine scene.
• Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) (Greater Caucasus · mountains): Reached via the scenic Georgian Military Road, with iconic views of Mount Kazbek and great day hikes.
• Svaneti (Mestia & Ushguli) (Northwest · high mountains): Remote valleys of stone towers and alpine trekking, with Ushguli among Europe's highest villages.
• Kakheti (Sighnaghi & Telavi) (East · wine region): Rolling vineyards, monasteries and the walled hilltop town of Sighnaghi overlooking the Alazani Valley.
• Mtskheta (Near Tbilisi · UNESCO heritage): Georgia's spiritual heart, with ancient churches just a short trip from the capital.
• Kutaisi (Imereti · history & caves): A relaxed city near Gelati Monastery, canyons and caves.
• Batumi (Black Sea · coast): A lively seaside city with a botanical garden, promenade and subtropical climate.
• Vardzia (Samtskhe-Javakheti · cave monastery): A spectacular cliffside cave city from the era of Queen Tamar.

Things to do

• Soak in Tbilisi's sulphur baths. Relax in steaming mineral water beneath the brick domes of Abanotubani, the old bath district.
• Hike to Gergeti Trinity Church. Climb above Stepantsminda to the hilltop church framed by the glacier-capped peak of Mount Kazbek.
• Taste qvevri wine in Kakheti. Sip amber wines aged in buried clay jars at family cellars in Georgia's wine heartland.
• Walk among Svan towers. Trek between medieval defensive towers in Mestia and Ushguli under the snowy Caucasus.
• Explore Vardzia cave city. Climb through a 12th-century monastery carved into a cliff face above the Mtkvari River.
• Join a supra feast. Share endless dishes and poetic toasts led by the tamada at a traditional Georgian table.
• Eat khachapuri and badrijani. Tuck into cheese-filled bread with a runny egg and aubergine rolls with walnut paste.
• Visit ancient Mtskheta. See the old royal capital's cathedral and the hilltop Jvari Monastery at the meeting of two rivers.

Eat and drink

• Khachapuri – cheese-filled bread, often topped with egg
• Badrijani – fried aubergine rolls filled with walnut paste
• Badrijani – fried aubergine rolls with walnut paste
• Churchkhela – nuts dipped in thickened grape juice

Money and safety

Currency: Georgian lari (GEL). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 10% in restaurants; check if a service charge is already added.

Emergency numbers: 112 all emergencies.

• The lari is the currency; cards are widely accepted in cities, but carry cash for marshrutkas, villages and markets.
• ATMs are plentiful in towns, though they're rare in remote mountain areas.
• Georgia is generally safe, but don't attempt to visit Abkhazia or South Ossetia – check your government's advice on these regions.
• Driving can be aggressive and mountain roads are narrow; choose experienced drivers for routes like Svaneti and Tusheti.