10 Days in Georgia: A First-Timer Itinerary
Ten days is the sweet spot for a first Georgia trip: 3 days in Tbilisi (with a Mtskheta half-day folded in), 2 days in Kazbegi via the Georgian Military Highway, 1-2 days in Kakheti's wine country, and 3 days in Batumi on the Black Sea coast, with a travel day built in between the mountains and the coast. Total ground cost (excluding flights) runs roughly $700-1,300 per person mid-range.
Ten days is genuinely the right amount of time to see Georgia's three completely different personalities without feeling rushed — long enough for a mountain overnight and a proper wine-country day, short enough that you're not padding an itinerary with filler. Here's a route that actually works, not a generic 'must-see' list stretched thin.
The 10-day route at a glance
| Days | Where | What you're doing |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Tbilisi | Old Town, sulfur baths, Narikala Fortress; a half-day in Mtskheta on day 2 or 3 |
| 4-5 | Kazbegi | Georgian Military Highway drive up, Gergeti Trinity Church, an overnight in Stepantsminda |
| 6 | Back to Tbilisi / travel day | Return drive, rest, or an extra half-day if day 5 ran long |
| 7 | Kakheti | A wine-country day trip or overnight — Sighnaghi's walls, a family qvevri winery tasting |
| 8 | Travel to Batumi | Train (5-6 hrs) or domestic flight from Tbilisi |
| 9-10 | Batumi | Boardwalk, Botanical Garden, Alphabet Tower, a beach afternoon if the season allows |
Days 1-3: Tbilisi
Land in Tbilisi and spend the first two full days on the Old Town, the sulfur bathhouses, and Narikala Fortress — see our full Tbilisi guide for the neighborhood breakdown. On day 3, either add a half-day trip to Mtskheta (just 20-40 minutes away) before heading toward Kazbegi, or use it as a buffer if jet lag hits.
Days 4-5: Kazbegi and the Georgian Military Highway
Drive (or take a private day-trip driver) up the Georgian Military Highway, stopping at Ananuri Fortress and the Jvari Pass on the way. Stay overnight in Stepantsminda rather than rushing back the same day — it's the single best upgrade on this whole itinerary, since it lets you catch Gergeti Trinity Church at sunrise or sunset without the midday tour-bus crowds.
Day 6: buffer or return
Build in slack here — mountain weather and road conditions can add hours to the Kazbegi return trip, and you don't want that eating into your Kakheti or Batumi time. If everything ran on schedule, use this as a relaxed half-day back in Tbilisi before Kakheti.
Day 7: Kakheti wine country
A day trip (or overnight, if you want to slow down) to Sighnaghi and a family qvevri winery — see our full Kakheti guide for the Sighnaghi-vs-Telavi breakdown. This is the day most first-timers regret rushing, so resist the urge to squeeze in extra stops.
Day 8: travel to Batumi
The train (5-6 hours, $6-15, genuinely comfortable) is the classic way to make this transfer, though a domestic flight or a roughly 6-hour drive both work if your schedule is tighter. Treat this as a travel day rather than trying to bolt on sightseeing.
Days 9-10: Batumi
Close the trip with the boardwalk, the Botanical Garden (genuinely one of the best single attractions in the country, don't skip it), and, if your dates fall in swimming season, a Black Sea beach afternoon. Fly out of Batumi's own international airport if your route allows it, saving a return trip to Tbilisi.
Shorter or longer versions
- 7 days: cut Kakheti to a shorter half-day add-on from Tbilisi, or drop it entirely and do Tbilisi (3) + Kazbegi (2) + Batumi (2).
- 14 days: add Svaneti's stone towers (Mestia and, road-conditions permitting, Ushguli) as a 3-4 day extension — it needs its own dedicated block given the travel time to reach it.
What this costs, roughly
| Category | 10 days, mid-range, per person |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | $350-550 |
| Food and drink | $150-250 |
| Local transport (trains, marshrutkas, Bolt, a driver day) | $100-200 |
| Activities and tastings | $80-150 |
| Round-trip flights (not included above) | $550-1,100 |
Common mistakes to avoid on this route
- Trying to do Kazbegi as a rushed same-day round trip on top of an already-packed Tbilisi schedule — the overnight is genuinely worth the extra day.
- Not building any buffer day into the mountain-to-coast transition — weather and road conditions can add real hours to the Kazbegi return.
- Skipping travel insurance — since January 1, 2026, it's mandatory for every foreign visitor, not optional paperwork.