Premium Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia

Salam aleykum! Welcome to Azerbaijan. When you arrive at Baku Airport, you’ll be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel. Look around and see Baku’s ancient fortified buildings standing next to Russian imperial–style squares and ultra-modern architectural wonders. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive with time to spare, maybe walk down Nizami Street and observe its Baroque, Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance architecture. After your meeting, head out for a local dinner with your new companions.

This morning, embark on a tour of the city with a local guide. Visit the fortified Old City, once the medieval capital, where your guide will weave together the history of Baku, from the rule of the Shirvanshahs to the cosmopolitan city you see today. If you like, stop by the Shemakha Gate, the Maiden Tower and Old Market Square, ending with a guided tour of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. Make sure to take plenty of photos of the panoramic views of the skyline. The rest of the day is free to explore at your own pace.

This morning, head out of the city on a half-day trip to Qobustan, about 60 km (37.2 mi) south of Baku. Stop along the way to view old oil rigs and learn how Azerbaijan was one of the birthplaces of the oil industry. Visit Qobustan National Park and one of the world’s largest open-air archaeological museums, where a local guide will share the stories of ancient rock art dating back some 40,000 years. The prehistoric carvings depict scenes of hunting, fishing and gathering. While here, visit the impressive mud volcanoes that create the surreal lunar landscape. Return to Baku in the afternoon for free time. Maybe visit one of Baku’s most significant modern landmarks – the Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid. This evening, you might like to take a walk along the waterfront to find a restaurant for dinner, keeping an eye out for the Baku Eye and Flame Towers that light up the city skyline at night.

Leave Baku and head for the Caucasus Mountains in the northwest of Azerbaijan. Watch arid landscapes slowly give way to densely forested mountains. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum and the Juma Mosque in Shamakhi. When you arrive in Sheki, visit a local craft workshop where the famous shebeke (stained-glass windows with intricately carved frames) are made by hand. You’ll also visit the acclaimed Palace of Sheki Khans to see its magnificent frescoes and stained glass. Enjoy a final evening of Azerbaijani cuisine during dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, drive to Lagodekhi – a town at the Azerbaijan–Georgia border where you’ll change transportation. From here, travel to Georgia’s Kakheti region, known for its winemaking. Stop in Sighnaghi, one of Georgia’s most stunning towns, overlooking the Alazani Valley and the Caucasus Mountains. After, travel to your accommodation in Telavi. Your hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, as well as its own cellar showcasing wines produced by female winemakers. Have dinner (outdoors if the weather’s nice) with a local winemaking family. This private culinary experience is a great time to try specialty orange and red wines, as well as chacha (a local brandy). Soak up the celebratory feel of a traditional supra feast, with plenty of delicious homemade cuisine, toasts and Georgian polyphonic music, prevalent in the Kakheti region.

Enjoy a relaxing start to your morning, then get a taste of local life at the Telavi Food Market. Wander the stalls and feast your senses on the region’s delicacies – there are specialty cheeses, wines and sweets to try! Next visit Batonistsikhe Castle, a remarkable and superbly preserved 17th-century fortress in the centre of Telavi, which was once the most important residence for the royal family of the Kakheti Kingdom. After, drive to the remote and beautiful Pankisi Valley, inhabited mainly by the Muslim Kist community. You’ll take a cultural walking tour of the valley, led by local Kists and designed to support young people in building skills and earning an income. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the valley, then return to your accommodation for a free evening.

Following breakfast, drive to Tbilisi. Check into your hotel, a historical building once owned by a noble family and overlooking Georgia’s presidential palace. The hotel has played host to aristocrats, famous writers and public figures. You’re free to explore Tbilisi at your own pace when you arrive, so you might like to wander the old districts of Georgia’s capital to see the colourful houses, patterned balconies and revamped modern architecture. Your leader will always have some great restaurant recommendations ready for dinner.