A Pleasant 5-Day Escape to Georgia from Scorching Heat of Doha

- By: Mr. Pratik Anilbhai Padhiyar

Me and my wife Aratiba loves to travel around the world. But for the past few years, due to extensive work and a busy schedule, we have not really travelled anywhere. This year, we were ready to explore the other side of the world. After a long discussion over deciding the right country for us, we agreed to explore the wonderful and enchanting Georgia. Now, it was time to make all the bookings, and one of our friends suggested we take a holiday package from Myholidays. We contacted the team Myholidays, and they sent us a 4 nights 5-day holiday package as per our requirement. However, we did not opt for the flight tickets because we booked them a month ago.

Me and Aratiba truly liked their services, and I must tell you that the package was under our budget. Now, you must be eager to know our Georgia travel story, so what are we waiting for? Let’s start by taking a tour of Georgia.

Day 1: Arrival in the Charming Tbilisi City of Georgia

We had an early morning flight from Doha to Tbilisi; it was a smooth and comfortable flight. We landed at Tbilisi International Airport at our scheduled time. Our generous tour manager was already waiting for us at the airport. The moment we walked out of the airport, a sudden smile was on our faces. It was because of the cool and pleasant weather of Georgia. We really needed this escape from the scorching summer days of Doha. We met our tour manager; she let us understand our tour plan and itinerary details. After a meet-and-greet session with her, we were in a private sedan car towards our hotel.

Our 4-star luxurious hotel was situated right in the middle of Tbilisi city centre. As we entered the hotel premises, they welcomed us open-heartedly and made us feel at home. After completing the check-in process, we entered our standard double room, unpacked our bags and freshened up. However, our flight was just for 3 hours and 20 minutes, but we were still a bit tired and felt sleepy. We decided to take a short nap, and before that, we ordered our brunch and relished some pancakes and fried potatoes. Well, after an hour of nap, we couldn't resist stepping out of our hotel. The gorgeous and charming Tibilisi was calling us to indulge in its beauty, tradition and culture.

We planned to visit the entire city on day 2, so we just decided to roam around the city streets. As we exited your hotel and walked further, we saw the iconic Rustaveli Avenue. It's a prominent cultural and historical hub of Tbilisi named after a famous Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. This avenue has restored significant crucial events in Georgian history, including its independence. There was so much to explore on this avenue; there were so many restaurants and shops around this avenue. We bought some warm clothes as we didn't pack much. After this short shopping session, we stopped by a traditional restaurant to have our dinner. Here, we ordered khachapuri (A flat cheese bread), eggplant stew, and some mouthwatering kababs. This spot was ideal for having dinner, and in the end, I can say that it was the perfect beginning of our Georgia holiday.

Day 2: Exploring the Historical Monuments & Hidden Gems of Tbilisi

Our day 2 of Georgian adventure starts with a soulful breakfast at our hotel. It was a long-planned day, so we quickly packed a tour bag with our essentials and left the hotel with our tour guide. Our first destination was the Tbilisi Old Town; as we entered the city, we were mesmerised to see the colourful houses, balconies, and beautiful ancient churches. The Old town of Tbilisi is specifically recognised as historical and cultural hub of Georgia. It is also recognised as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

After roaming around the city, we took a cable car ride to Narikala Fortress. The stunning panoramic view of the city and surrounding mountains amazed us. This fortress provides a glimpse into the ancient military architecture and the defensive strategies of the Georgian medieval era. Our guide explained to us essential information about this fort, and I took some pictures uploaded on our Instagram handles and moved ahead towards our next stop.

We took a drive to the Abanotubani district, which is famous for its globally recognised sulfur baths. the sulfur bath is believed to be therapeutic for skin and joints. If you are visiting Georgia in April, you go for this bath. So, after learning about the benefits of this bath, we decided to take a dip. We took a private sulfur bath area and soaked ourselves into the hot and therapeutic sulfur water. It was a heavenly experience; after spending around an hour, we were ready to have our lunch. Our tour guide took us to a wonderful ancient-themed, traditional restaurant. The ambience, the surroundings and the food were out of this world. Undoubtedly, we enjoyed a great time at this place. Our next destinations were still left to explore, so after finishing lunch, we visited the Tbilisi Botanical Garden. This diverse landscape consists of unique plants, waterfalls and, indeed, a tranquil escape from the chaotic city life. We took a walk around the garden, embraced its beauty and left for our next destination.

The last and most prominent spot of our day 2 Tbilisi tour was Mtatsminda Park. The funicular ride, spectacular panoramic view and amusement park make it a must-visit for tourists. However, neither of us is so much into taking adventure rides, but our guide insisted we take one. Trusting his suggestion, we took a short roller coaster ride. You people won’t believe it, but even living in Doha, it was our first roller coaster experience. We also took a funicular ride and visited the entire park. We also took several snaps behind the scenic backdrop. This park is located in an elevated area, demonstrates natural beauty, and provides an opportunity to have a lifetime experience. This park is so big; we got tired after walking for 2-3 km. To get back our energy, we stopped by a cafe and had hot chocolate, sandwiches and chips.

Our Tbilisi day tour ended, and it was time to return to our hotel. We cannot deny it was a day full of adventures and charm. After returning to the hotel, we called our family back home, did Facetime, and ordered dinner. We were so tired that after having our dinner, we called it a day.

Day 3: A Tour to Ananuri, Gudauri & Kazbegi

Day 3 of our Georgia holiday trip was the most awaited day of our trip. It was going to be a long day tour. My wife woke me up around 7 am; after waking up, both of us finished our yoga session, took a shower and ordered our breakfast. My wife was missing home, so she ordered something simple and homely. We had baked tomato and cheese sandwiches, a bowl of fruit and a hot cup of coffee.

Around 9 in the morning, our tour guide picked us up from the hotel and we were on our way to the Great Caucasus Mountains. The snow-capped mountain peaks, deep valleys, and spectacular glacial lakes were awe-inspiring. Well, we were here to admire the beauty of this mountain, indulge in some snow activities and click beautiful pictures. First, we started with skiing, it was the best experience of our life. We acted like kids, played with fresh snow, and made snowmen. It was indeed one of the unforgettable moments of this amazing tour. After completing all the snow activities, we moved towards our next destination.

Our next destination was the Ananuri Fortress, situated on the Georgian military highway; it controlled our access to the region. This fortress has a vast history of attacks and revolts. The well-preserved walls and churches provide a deep knowledge about the intense past of Georgia. My wife particularly has a keen interest in knowing the history of places we visit. So, we thoroughly visited this fort and gathered as much knowledge as we could. This fort also provides a countryside view of Georgia. This fort is surrounded by breathtaking views and landscapes. After visiting this place, we got hungry, so we decided to have our lunch before moving towards the next destination. This time we chose an authentic place to have our lunch; we ordered shashlik, dumplings, chakapuli and labia. Every dish on our plate was delectable and full of flavours.

After lunch, we moved ahead to the next destination, which was Gudauri Ski Resort. We had already done the skiing, so we opted for snowboarding. It’s a premium winter destination in Georgia, and since it was the peak season, this resort has been full of tourists. We had to wait for around 40 minutes to start our snowboarding activity. I want to share a funny moment; I was freezing because I forgot to layer myself up. Since there was no option, I had to borrow one jacket from our guide. My wife was laughing uncontrollably, but who cares? I enjoyed the snowboarding session, and I wore his jacket only. Though I thanked him later for such a sweet gesture. Now it was the time to visit our last destination.

In our 4x4 vehicle, we moved ahead to the rugged mountain of Kazbegi to visit the renowned Gergeti Trinity Church. This church is situated on the highest peak of Mount Kazbek, a must-visit place to look at this picture-perfect location. Visiting this place was nearly an experience steeped in our Un imaginary dream. The main attraction of this church is its mesmerising location. Considering its history, this church was built in the 14th century and served as a haven for relics during wars. It is one of the significant symbols of Georgian religious heritage. This church is located at a height of 2170 meters from the sea level. If you even plan to visit this church during your Georgia trip, do not forget to cover yourself with warm layers. Due to the high altitude, the wind was chilling and fierce. However, the view was worth visiting.

Our day trip ended around 5, and we were on our way to the hotel, lost in the stunning beauty of Kazbegi. By the evening, we returned to our hotel and thanked our tour guide for accompanying us and making us witness such enticing sights. As soon as we entered our hotel room, we took a hot shower, sipped on cognac to warm our bodies and ordered our dinner. This is how we spend our day 3 in Georgia.

Day 4: A Day Full of Adventure, Romance & Charisma

It was the last day of our magnificent Georgia trip. We woke up early and took a walk around our hotel. After coming back to the hotel, we requested the kitchen staff to serve us breakfast a little early. Our plan was to cover 2-3 places, so we had to leave the hotel a bit early. Our kind hotel staff served us breakfast as advised. Quickly finishing our breakfast, we called our tour guide and moved ahead to our next destination.

Our first stop was the Kakheti, which is known as a wine region of Georgia. Our guide took us to the vineyard, which is stretching across the valleys. We stopped at one of the finest vineyards, visited the entire area and tasted some freshly squeezed wine. Believe me, we buzzed out in just a few sips of wine. We bought two fine bottles of wine and drove towards our next destination. Next, we visited the Bodbe Monastery, which, due to its connection with Saint Nino, holds immense religious significance. Saint Nino was the one who introduced Christianity to the Georgian people. The location of this monastery adds phenomenal beauty and makes it one of the must-visit tourist attractions. The interior of this monastery is also so beautiful; we lit candles and sat peacefully for a while. After spending tranquil time at this place, we moved ahead to our next destination.

We arrived next to the city of love, “Sighnaghi”. Pastel houses, cobblestone streets and significant love stories make it a must-visit place for couples. Entering this city felt like entering into a European fairytale city. Situated perched on the hilltop, this place offers a spectacular view of Alazani Valley. You must be wondering why it is called the city of love; well, this city has a 24x7 civil registry office. That’s why couples choose this city to register their marriage and spend their honeymoon in the serene beauty of Sighnaghi.

After enjoying it to the fullest, we had to visit the Chronicles of Georgia. This place has several towering pillars that are symbols of Georgian history and religion. We visited this place, took some pictures and drove back to Tbilisi. These places were more than 230 km away from our hotel, so we reached our hotel around dinner time. Since it was the last day of our holiday, we enjoyed it to the fullest. We ordered traditional food and red wine, and they set up a musical evening for us. I always wished to have such a beautiful time with my partner, and this trip was like a dream come true for me.

After our fun and entertaining dinner, we went back to our room and started packing our bags.

Day 5: Goodbye Georgia, Hope to Visit You Again

So here is the day to say goodbye to gorgeous Georgia. We had our flight in the evening and had the whole day with us. Since we were already done with the shopping and exploring almost every nearby place, I decided to sleep till late. However, in the meantime, my wife took a round of the marketplace and bought gifts for our family members. She came back around 11 am and woke me up. So finally, I had to wake up and get ready for a special lunch organised by my wife.

Our bags were packed, and there was nothing left to worry about. So, we left the hotel and arrived at See 360 restaurant. The ambience and the location were superb. My wife had already instructed the chef to serve us five-course meals from different regions of Georgia. We had our food in a relaxing and tranquil environment. During lunch, we got a call from our tour manager to be ready for the pickup at the airport by 4. After lunch, we reached our hotel, sorted the check-out process, sat in our cab and reached the airport on time. We had our flight back to Doha at 5:35 pm. It was a wonderful trip to Georgia and was a best decision to book a Georgia tour packages with Myholidays.

I would like to thank our tour manager and the generous team of Myholidays. This trip would not have turned out to be a memorable one without your seamless support. We will cherish this experience forever. Before winding up this travel story, you must read out these tips.

Tips to Follow Before Visiting Georgia

Always book a holiday package from a renowned travel agency.
Must pack a bunch of warm clothes to save yourself from freezing cold weather.
Apply for your visa in advance to avoid sudden disturbances.
Always choose Tbilisi as your primary location and book a hotel in the capital only.
Must include the transportation in your travel package.
Keep extra clothes and essentials to avoid any emergency situation.
For everyday expenditures, it is recommended to convert your present currency to the Georgian currency.
Must opt for a tour guide before visiting Georgia.

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