Georgia: Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi

Land at Tbilisi International Airport at 2:00 AM, meet your private vehicle, and transfer to your hotel to check in and rest. Later, head out along central Rustaveli Avenue to see the Georgian Parliament, opera house, and museums on your way to Freedom Square. Enter the historic Old Town to stroll along cobblestone alleys past the Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater and its whimsical clock tower. Experience a traditional thermal soak in the Abanotubani sulfur bathhouses, then finish your day walking along Sololaki Street among 19th-century houses and courtyards. You will stay overnight in Tbilisi.

Depart Tbilisi early in the morning for a four-hour drive to Telavi, the heart of the Kakheti wine region. Visit the 11th-century Alaverdi Monastery and its historic winery to learn about ancestral qvevri clay pot fermentation techniques and sample local wines. Continue with a one-hour drive to Sighnaghi, taking in views over the Alazani Valley and the Caucasus range. Stop at Bodbe Monastery, an important regional spiritual sanctuary, before walking along Sighnaghi's fortified town walls and winding streets. A two-hour return drive brings you back to Tbilisi for your overnight stay.

After breakfast, begin your journey north into the Caucasus Mountains along high alpine routes. Pause along the highway to view the vibrant mosaic murals at the Gudauri Friendship Monument, overlooking deep mountain gorges. Next, stop in the small village of Sno to view Sno Castle and cathedral, which also houses the residence of the Patriarch. Arrive in the mountain outpost of Juta to set out on a hike along the valley trail facing the jagged Chaukhi peaks, visiting a glacial waterfall and mountain lake. Drive back down to Tbilisi for the night.

Today you make the overland crossing from Tbilisi to Batumi, located on the Black Sea coast. The drive leads through varying landscapes from mountain foothill passes down to coastal plains. On reaching Batumi, check in to your seaside hotel and unwind. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing on Batumi Beach or strolling along the seaside promenade to enjoy the maritime air. In the evening, head out for dinner at a seaside restaurant, with time to experience the town's seaside nightlife, bars, or evening clubs. Stay overnight in Batumi.

Spend the day uncovering the architecture and coastal landmarks of Batumi. Ride the 2.6-kilometre Argo Cable Car up from the harbour to take in wide views over the Black Sea, city towers, and surrounding hills. Back along the coast, visit the kinetic Ali and Nino statue that moves in representation of tragic romance, followed by the towering Alphabet Tower dedicated to the Georgian script. You will also ride the neighbouring Batumi Ferris Wheel for alternative vantage points over the water and skyline. You will stay overnight in Batumi.

Depart Batumi for an approximate 2.5-hour drive inland to Kutaisi, Georgia's second-largest city. Start your tour with Bagrati Cathedral, an 11th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site perched on a ridge overlooking the rooftops. Head into the vibrant city centre to view the golden Colchis figures decorating the Kolkheti Fountain, and wander through the colourful buildings of the Royal District. Cross the historic White Bridge spanning the Rioni River, where modern viewing details allow photographs of the flowing water below. Check in to your hotel for an overnight stay in Kutaisi.

Head into the nature reserves outside Kutaisi for a full day of canyons and gorges. Begin at Martvili Canyon to take a boat ride through limestone cliff walls over clear turquoise river pools. Next, travel to Okatse Canyon to traverse its steel suspended walkways, which overhang deep forest gorges and culminate at Okatse Waterfall. Continue to the tiered cascades of Kinchkha Waterfall, watching mountain waters drop down sheer rock faces. Return to Kutaisi in the evening for your final overnight stay of the trip.

Have breakfast at your hotel before checking out of your Kutaisi accommodation. Your private car will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you directly to the airport for your onward flight, concluding your journey through Georgia.