Armenia to Georgia by Bike

On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to the group hotel. This evening your Armenian guide will provide a trip briefing before you all enjoy a traditional welcome meal. Overnight: Ani Plaza Hotel or similar

Meals:  D

Today we will have a tour of the capital. Our tour will start from the Victory Park, at Mother Armenia monument, from where you will behold a panoramic view of the city. We will then visit other sights of the capital, including the Republic Square, the Opera house, the Cascade where you will see the statue of the world-famous sculptor Fernando Botero “The Black Cat”. We will also drive via Baghramyan Avenue, where you will see the Parliament, the Palace of President, and the National Academy of Sciences. We will visit the Genocide Memorial Complex with the museum. Visit Matenadaran museum, which hosts the biggest collection of medieval Armenian manuscripts. *Please note that our trip itinerary will depend on current opening times (and days) of the museums/historic sites and therefore the order of sights visited may vary accordingly. Overnight: Ani Plaza Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,D

In the morning we will be transferred by bus to Kotayk province, where we will visit an outstanding monument of medieval Armenian architecture – Geghard Cave Monastery, a UNESCO site. We soak up the medieval Armenian architecture of the Monastery; some chambers of the monastery were carved out of solid rock. The monastic complex received its name after the Holy Lance which was kept here in the middle ages. The cave enclosures of this cultural and architectural wonder are notable for amazing acoustics. The secret of the chamber has never been found. From here we will cycle to the 1st century A.D. Garni Temple, a unique example of Armenia’s pagan past. At one time this was the summer residence of the Armenian kings located in a picturesque place overlooking a deep canyon. Apart from the ruins of the royal complex, you will also see a bathhouse with an interesting mosaic. From Garni we will cycle to the Ararat Valley which is located at the foot of biblical Mount Ararat. Here we will visit the Khor Virap monastery; this complex embodies the adoption of Christianity in Armenia in 301 AD. From Khor Virap the bus will transfer us back to Yerevan. Cycling: ~60km (mostly downhill) Overnight: Ani Plaza Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,D

In the morning we transfer to the Gegharkunik Region. Here we enjoy Lake Sevan - the “Pearl of Armenia”. This freshwater lake of volcanic origin is situated at an altitude about 6.500 feet. Its crystal–clear transparent water changes colour several times during the day. It is turquoise in direct sunlight, then turns a greenish shade, and finally becomes gray by the evening. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world located at 1900m and is surrounded by snow-covered mountains. Here we visit the 9th-12th century Hayrivank monastery, perched on a cliff with a wonderful view of the lake. Afterwards, we will cycle from Hayrivank monastery in the direction of the second largest city of Martuni. In ancient times it was known as Mets Kznut, but from 1830-1922 it was called Nerkin Gharanlugh, and in 1926 it was changed to Martuni in honour of the first Soviet premier of Armenia, Aleksandr Myasnikyan, whose nom de guerre was "Martuni". Martuni was the former capital of Gegharkunik Province, and has a church called Astvatsatsin church which was rebuilt in 1886. There is also an Iron Age fort which was excavated in 1997 by an Armenian-Italian team. Cycling: ~45km (mostly flat; dirt roads) Overnight: local hotel or homestay in Martuni

Meals:  B,D

Today we will cycle from Martuni to Tsapatagh village. The whole day we will enjoy the beauty of Lake Sevan. One of our stops we will be in Vanevan monastery, located along a gorge in the southern part of the village of Artsvanist. Vanevan monastery is an important piece of Armenian architecture dating back to the 10th century. The inscriptions on the southeastern part is evidence that the church was built in 903. Cycling: ~65km (mostly flat, dirt roads) Overnight: Avan Marak Tsapatagh Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,D

After breakfast we cycle to Dilijan - the Armenian Switzerland. We will explore the resort town of Dilijan located in the midst of the forests of Dilijan National Park. Beech and oak, as well as pine and yew are the object of environmental protection in the area. The healthy air, breathtaking nature and hospitable locals look forward to welcoming you in this picturesque corner of hospitable Armenia. We take a walk in the old town, and visit the preserved 19th century part of town. Cycling: ~85km (35km flat, 7 km ascent, 43km descent) Overnight: Diijan Resort Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,D

After breakfast we will cycle to Vanadzor, which is an urban municipal community and the third largest city in Armenia, serving as the capital of Lori Province. In Vanadzor we will leave our bicycles and take a bus to the Georgian border. Before arriving at the border we will visit the medieval monastery complex of Haghpat Monastery. Queen Khosrovanuysh, wife of the Bagratid king Ashot III, founded the monastery around 976. The monastery was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996. After border formalities we will be transfer to Tbilisi by vehicle. Cycling: ~40km (15km ascent, 25km descent) Overnight: Metekhi Line Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Following a hearty breakfast we'll check out from our hotel and make the drive to Tsalka, arriving at around 10:30. Today we have a fairly long day in the saddle. By 11:00 we'll start our ride toward the stunning Tabatskuri Lake, reaching the shores of the beautiful lake in time to enjoy a late picnic lunch in a spot where the forest meets the lake. After some time to relax and refresh, we'll jump back in the saddle for the ride to Bakuriani, a small ski resort in nestled on the northern slopes of the Trialeti Mountain range. By around 18:00 we'll have made our ascent to the top of the impressive Tskhratskharo pass (2,500m). After taking some time to soak in the panoramic views, we'll begin our long and beautiful downhill ride into Bakuriani, arriving at around 19:30. Cycling: ~60km Uphill (middle difficulty) – 25-30 km Total uphill – 900 m Total decrease – 1100m Overnight: hotel in Bakuriani

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we will explore Georgia’s Samtskhe province further. Our cycling route starts from Bakuriani and brings us to the beautiful little villages of Mitarbi and Sadgeri, located on the slopes of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. Our next stop is famous mineral water town of Borjomi. Its warm climate, mineral water springs, parks and forests made Borjomi a favourite summer resort for the aristocracy, and gave it its popular name of "the pearl of Caucasus". We will visit the Children’s Park in Borjomi and return via vehicle to Bakuriani. Cycling distance: 30km Uphill (easy)– 5km Total uphill – 100m Total decrease – 1500m Max . altitude –1900 m Overnight: hotel in Bakuriani

Meals:  B,L,D

Our day begins with breakfast followed by a drive to Bazaleti Lake where we will enjoy a coffee break near the lake. We will cycle towards Ananuri Fort (17th century) located along the Georgian Military Highway connecting Georgia to Russia and on top of the Jinvali water reservoir. After sightseeing, we get back onto our bikes and continue for about an hour, before getting in our vehicle for the short drive to Gudauri. Cycling distance: approx 40km Uphill (moderate) –15-20 km Total uphill – 400 m Total decrease – 450 m Max . altitude – 1100 m Overnight: hotel in Gudauri

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning after breakfast we will continue exploring the Great Caucasus Mountains and its remote valleys. First, we will ride over the Cross Pass (2395m) with many streams and rivers running in different directions to the Northern Caucasus territories. We will enjoy the Truso Valley which is mostly pasture hosting cattle and sheep during the summers. We will continue to picturesque Sioni Village and enjoy magnificent views. In the late afternoon, we will arrive in Kazbegi and marvel at one of the highest and most picturesque peaks of the Great Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi (5054m). Cycling distance: approx. 45 km Uphill (moderate) – 20 km Total uphill – 650 m Total decrease – 900 m Max . altitude – 2400 m Overnight: hotel in Kazbegi

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we will travel to Sno by minibus. We will cycle from Sno Lake to Kazbegi and then up to Gergeti Church (14th century). Along the way we will enjoy the marvellous views of the huge mountains surrounding us. For lunch we wil visit a local family to enjoy delicious home-made food and Khinkali dumplings. Our route then continues to Dariali Gorge – the last gorge on the Georgian territory before the Russian Border. We wiil ride up to Gveleti Waterfalls where you can relax your feet in the ice-cold mountain water. Afterwards we return to Kazbegi. Cycling distance: approx 30km Uphill (hard) – 10 km Total uphill – 400 m Total decrease – 750 m Max . altitude – 2170 m Overnight: hotel in Kazbegi

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will have a transfer to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, where we will return our bikes and enjoy the sights by foot. We set off on a walking tour of Old Tbilisi; Tbilisi is a blend of Asian eeriness and European charm. Located in the gorge of Mtkvari River it’s shaped out in accordance with the terrain and forms a very beautiful city with Mt. Mtatsminda embracing the entire town, Narikala Fortress topping up the oldest quarter of Tbilisi – Kala and Metekhi Church overlooking Mtkvari River from a rocky plateau. In this classic tour of Tbilisi you’ll see the highlights of the Old Town with beautiful Orthodox Christian Churches, Mosque, Synagogue, famous and refreshing Sulphur Baths, narrow cobbled streets with hanging wooden carved multi-colored balconies and the 19th century houses following the architectural styles of the 19th century Europe, Narikala Fortress, the glass Bridge of Peace, Freedom Square and Rustaveli Avenue. We will finish our tour on Rustaveli Avenue and transfer to our hotel. Overnight: Metekhi Line Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,D

After breakfast, the trip concludes with a group transfer to the airport.

Meals:  B