Cycle the historic trading route that once connected East and West and tackle the famous Goderdzi Pass (2200m)
Wild swim in the volcanic Lake Paravani and take a celebratory dip in the turquoise waters of the Black Sea
Visit the labyrinthine cave city of Vardzia, carved deep into Erusheti Mountain, and explore the Fortress of Rabati
Day 1
Check into your hotel in Tbilisi's historic old town. If you have time, it's well worth exploring as the capital is packed full of UNESCO-listed sites. Meet your guide and fellow adventurers for a briefing about the journey ahead, then sit down for your first traditional Georgian meal at a local restaurant.
Day 2
After getting your bike set up, set off early for Tetritskaro and immerse yourself in the region’s dramatic, wild landscapes. The ride begins on smooth tarmac, which gradually turns into broken asphalt as you descend towards the scenic Ktsia River. Following the river’s path, you'll tackle a challenging gravel climb leading to the spectacular Dashbashi Canyon. Here, take a well-earned break and enjoy lunch before continuing along a long, open track that stretches across the treeless Javakheti Plateau – often referred to as the 'Georgian Siberia'. Take a dip in the volcanic Lake Paravani before visiting a famous convent to try their locally produced variety of chocolates and chacha (Georgian brandy). End your day at the guesthouse enjoying a tasty fusion of Georgian and Armenian cuisines.
Day 3
Your ride today begins on a smooth tarmac road, passing the picturesque Lake Saghamo, its tranquil waters reflecting the surrounding mountains. Just before reaching Akhalkalaki, turning toward Kartsebi, the terrain shifts and leads to an exhilarating gravel descent. With over 15 thrilling switchbacks, the route winds its way down toward Vardzia – an awe-inspiring city carved into the mountainside. Seeming like something straight out of the Lord of the Rings, this ancient cave-palace-monastery was built for the fabled Queen Tamar and is still protected by a small group of monks. Explore some of the 200 cave dwellings and learn about its fascinating history of earthquakes and invasions, before tucking into another delicious dinner.
Day 4
Cycle from village to village, keeping your eyes peeled for the legendary Caucasian sheepdogs and their semi-nomadic owners. From Aspinza, prepare for a challenging ascent toward the village of Chobareti, where the road tests your endurance with gradients reaching over 12%. But the reward is well worth it – a thrilling, well-earned descent leading you straight into Akhaltsikhe. Wander the impressive 9th-century Fortress of Rabati. For castle geeks, this really is something, having been liberated many times over the centuries and now housing a mosque, an Orthodox church, a synagogue, a Catholic church and a citadel. Phew!
Day 5
Time for a big day as you tackle the legendary Goderdzi Pass. Climb your way through lush green forest and into the Adjara Mountains; as you reach the summit, take a moment to soak in the stunning 360º views before beginning the ride toward the serene Green Lake. Here, pause for a well-earned picnic lunch, with the option to take a refreshing dip in the lake's crystal-clear waters. From here you can enjoy an exhilarating 30km descent, cruising effortlessly toward your overnight stop. Tonight, as most of the climbing for the trip is done, you can relax and enjoy the potent, home-brewed chacha (grape brandy) offered by your host – Georgians take their drinking seriously and you can learn how to correctly make a traditional Georgian toast (or, join the sensible and go to bed!).
Day 6
Today’s ride takes you through the stunning Machakhela National Park, a hidden gem of lush forests and winding roads. Along the way, discover an ancient stone bridge and the fascinating remains of Soviet military defense systems, now reclaimed by nature. Cycling past traditional Adjarian villages, make your way to a set of beautiful waterfalls, where the sound of rushing water provides the perfect backdrop for a short break. From there, stop for lunch at a local restaurant with a scenic view, savouring the flavours of the region. Your journey continues along quiet backroads, leading straight into Batumi – Georgia's famous summer resort.
Day 7
Load the bikes into the truck and road trip back to Tbilisi, stopping for lunch along the way, before heading to the airport in time for your flight home. If you would prefer to finish your trip in Batumi, rather than returning to Tbilisi, please let your host know in advance (they can also arrange additional nights of accommodation and make itinerary recommendations, should you need them).
All your meals are provided for the duration of the trip. This includes:
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips are not included in the trip cost and are entirely at your discretion; however, there is usually a quick whip around at the end of the trip and most choose to leave approx. 200 GEL (£60) for the driver and the guide.
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine (opens in new tab), as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
You’ll experience a delicious mix of local and national Georgian cuisine, cooked with fresh produce that's often grown or reared by the guesthouse owners themselves. Georgian cuisine is renowned for its mix of eastern and western flavours, aromas and…
If you are arriving in Tbilisi in the early hours of the morning on Day 1, there is an "Early Check-In" option for the hotel which you can request (subject to availability) via your booking.
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Made for those who seek to push themselves and embrace the outdoors
This trip is designed for experienced cyclists with a sense of adventure. You should feel comfortable riding back-to-back days covering an average of 65km. You will be riding ...
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Sunday 28th June 2026
to Saturday 4th July 2026
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Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
It's no secret that we love cycling and many of us at HQ think it's the best way to see a country, however, we realise that organising your own trip can be a total faff. On our cycling trips, we've found a local guide who has put together a perfect route and will navigate for you all the way. We even send a van that transports your overnight luggage and provide high-quality bikes and delicious snacks to keep you going. Faff eliminated! All you have to do is turn up, pedal and take in the landscape with your fellow tourers. You don't need to be a lycra-clad 'roadie' although they're welcome too!
Have a read of our article on cycling difficulty levels for further information on selecting the right level of bike adventure for you.
You will be using Specialized Rockhopper hardtail mountain bikes with front suspension and hybrid tyres. These are light aluminium mountain bikes, perfect for riding on roads and rough tracks. The bikes are equipped with a water bottle cage and standard flat pedals. If you would like to bring your own SPD pedals and saddle, these can be fitted for you.
Bikes are available in the following sizes:
If you are outside of these ranges, our local host suggests you bring your own bike and the cost of bike hire can be deducted from your trip after booking. Please consider that your own bike may require special parts for maintenance which may not be locally available, nor possible for the support vehicle mechanics to repair, so the use of the bikes provided by your host is recommended.
On some days, yes, on other days there will be a transfer (usually under an hour, driving durations are stated in the itinerary above if over this amount) to get you between the cycling routes - this is to keep you away from busy roads and onto the best cycle routes.
The guide ratio on the trip is one guide per eight cyclists. This means that for groups of nine or more people, there will be two cycle guides. Throughout, you will also be accompanied by a support vehicle driven by a bike mechanic.
In the event of poor weather such as heavy rain, strong winds and/or storms, it is possible that conditions may become unsafe to complete the planned hikes on this trip. Your guide will assess the conditions and weather forecasts and make a decision with your safety in mind. If it becomes necessary to make a change to the planned itinerary, an alternative hike or activity will be offered.
The support vehicle will have large containers of water that you are able to top your water bottles up with. Bring a refillable bottle, it will be used well.
Extra luggage can be stored at the hotel in Tbilisi and collected at the end of the trip. There will also be a support vehicle on-hand to transfer your overnight luggage and meet you at stops if you need to grab an extra layer. The van also carries tools and spare bike parts that may be needed.
We would suggest bringing a small bag that can be attached to yourself or your handlebars for essentials like money, phone, suncream and a snack.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
The average temperature during summer in Georgia ranges from 25-35°C in the lower valleys. Up on the plateaus and in the mountains it will be colder (down to 5°C at night) so you will need to pack accordingly. Rain at this time is rare, although it could be windy.
As you will traverse the entire country, you will pass through several climatic regions, so be prepared for all seasons. By the time you reach the Black Sea, it will be hot and humid due to its year-round, moderate climate.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 288kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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