1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 3 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi worth booking?
1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi is a 9-hour experience in Tbilisi, Georgia, from $115 per person. It scores 59 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 5/5 rating across 3 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 59 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (3)
- Duration
- 9 hours
- From
- $115 per person
Art, history, countryside, food, spectacular landscapes. Kakheti has it all. If you only have one day free, Join to this David Gareja and Signagi day trip from Tbilisi to discover the region’s highlights Accompanied by a
What you get
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from/in Tbilisi
- Bottled water
- Transport by comfortable 4WD car with A/C
- small masterclass with show elements of Georgian Bread making
- art historian and friendly tour guide (Maybe operated by a multilingual guide)
- Hiking 30/40 min
About this experience
Art, history, countryside, food, spectacular landscapes. Kakheti has it all. If you only have one day free, Join to this David Gareja and Signagi day trip from Tbilisi to discover the region’s highlights Accompanied by an accomplished local guide. Explore caves with monumental painting in semi-desert Udabno, feast your eyes on colorful landscapes and salt lakes of picturesque region. Then discover the city of love which is located on the top of hills next to Caucasus ridge and Alazani valley Wine country. Highlights • Visit city of love • Spectacular mountains views along the Alazani valley • Soak up the old-world atmosphere as you explore cave monasteries on foot • Small group and Private tour ensures a personalized experience • Round-trip with Jeep from Tbilisi to David Gareja and Signagi
What's included
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from/in Tbilisi
- Bottled water
- Transport by comfortable 4WD car with A/C
- small masterclass with show elements of Georgian Bread making
- art historian and friendly tour guide (Maybe operated by a multilingual guide)
- Hiking 30/40 min
Not included
- Tips for the guide (Suggested 10-20%) per person
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase) - Wine tasting in two wineries each person will costs 25 EURO include 3 glass of wine
What you'll see and do
Explore caves with monumental paintings in semi-desert "Gareja Country" and feast your eyes on colorful landscapes and salt lakes of picturesque region. Then discover the city of love which is located on the top of hills next to Caucasus ridge and Alazani valley wine country. Your driver and local tour guide will pick-up you from your accommodation place in Tbilisi, and travel into the semi-desert area of Southeast Georgia by Rustavi Hwy and then to offroad with Jeep 4x4, where the main David Gareja monastery complexes (Lavra and Natlismcemeli monasteries) awaits. Settle inside your comfortable, where you can relax as your guide shares stories about the region, it's an early middle ages one of the most remarkable religious and cultural center of Georgia. The complex was founded in the 6th century by St. David Garejeli on of the thirteen Assyrian fathers.
1 minutes here · Admission included
First stop will be Monastery Ioane Natlismtsemeli (Joan Baptist), The monastery dated 6th century; and has great examples of asceticism monasteries lifestyle in Georgia. Founded by St. David Garejeli one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who arrived from Mesopotamia to Georgia to strengthen Christianity in the country. monastery rewards all travelers who hike to explore it with a dazzling variety of monumental paintings, cave structure and landscape. Feast your eyes on colorful landscapes as you travel to the sacred monastery and see the monumental paintings inside caves within Natlimcemeli monastery. Enjoy undivided attention of your guide shares stories with you about the monastery.
20 minutes here
Before arriving to main monastery from right side of mountain slope you will see Chichkhituri tower, which was part of monastery with the same name. in early medieval time it was living place for the head of monastery Lavra.
Pass by without stopping
Arriving on Parking lot
5 minutes here · Admission included
Before leaving David Gareja complex your guide will take you, to short 30/40 min hike in beautiful Rainbow (colorful) Hills formed by volcanically sandstone and minerals, there are few places on earth where Mother Nature gives such an awesome display of colors. Main monastery from David Gareja Monastery Complexes with tomb of St. David Gareji. spirit center for Georgians and orthodox communities. Great example architecture constructions. has overlooks to colorful hills
30 minutes here
Second drive to the sacred Lavra monastery to plunge into the Georgia's middle ages history and architecture. Main monastery from David Gareja Monastery Complexes with tomb of St. David Gareji. spirit center for Georgians and orthodox communities. Great example architecture constructions. has overlooks to colorful hills
20 minutes here · Admission included
After a short, 20 minutes’ drive from Lavra you will see village Udabno, it’s built in the 1980s as a USSR project, was designed for militaries but project wasn't implementation by government. since Georgia get independence here was relocated inhabitants from Svaneti Region they are environmental migrants. it was almost Forgotten village, but after, Polish initiative group decided settle here many things changed. Here is great possibility to get experience of Georgian & Polish hospitality in Semi desert area of Georgia
Pass by without stopping
From Gareja, travel to the village Badiauri, there is possible to visit locals bread bakeries and participate to bake Georgian bread. It’s made of white flour and has half-moon shapes
15 minutes here · Admission included
Signagi or Sighnaghi is a town in Georgia's easternmost region of Kakheti and the administrative center of the Signagi Municipality. Word Sighnaghi in Turkic language means shelter or trench. Nowadays it's calls as a city of love. It's one of Georgia's smallest towns but popular tourist destination due to it's romantic narrow streets, organic amber wineries, marriage palace where foreigners also allow to take service of it. At the final stop of your travel day captivating City of love awaits you. Signagi or Sighnaghi XVIII century town is with rich history, fortifications and defense walls. Option to take a guided tour to explore the town’s historic center, wander amid the tiny streets as you learn about their history. Visit to highest tower and tiny streets to admire spectacular views on Alazani valley and Caucasus ridge with staggering rugged mountain peaks. Or, make the most of some free time to set your own pace, roam the streets of old town and perhaps enjoy with Georgian cuisine, wine tasting or a coffee in the sun alongside the locals (own expense). Meet other visitors to the area and indulge in local treats such as Churchkhela, dry fruits and Tklapi.
60 minutes here · Admission included
If you would like to explore Sighnaghi individual and taste some natural wines, we suggest you Small cozy restaurant, located on the highest point of town, famous with Amber/orange natural wines. OKRO'S WINES is made from the best, selected grapes of Saperavi variety. Great place to enjoy with lunch and spent free time Return to Tbilisi in the evening, and finish your tour with a drop-off at the start point.
Pass by without stopping
Bodbe Monastery of St. Nino
You will continue your trip to Bodbe monastery with spectacular views, 9th century three-nave basilica, ring ball tower and modern church. The Monastery of St. Nino at Bodbe with himself is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex and located 2 km from the town of Sighnaghi, Kakheti, Georgia. Originally built between 7-9th century, it has been significantly remodeled, especially in sthe 17th century. The monastery now functions as a nunnery and is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Georgia. From viewpoint possible to enjoy spectacular views on famous valley Alazani, the main wine producing area of Kakheti Wine Country.
25 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Tbilisi
Next to Big Bicycle monument - If you will Write us your location in Tbilisi we can even pick up you from your accommodation place
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 10 minutes before departure.
Ends at
Next to Big Bicycle monument - If you will Write us your location in Tbilisi we can even pick up you from your accommodation place
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- ru, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 10 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Taste of Georgia
Know before you go
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum drinking age is 18 years
- May Be operated by a multilingual guide
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Photos
Traveler reviews
3 verified traveler reviews for 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Come join David Kalama in Africa
We had a fabulous two week trip to Kenya in September 2024, led by David Kalama. This is the 4th time we have traveled with David and were proud to share our love of Africa with two other couples. He is fun, knowledgeable and passionate about his homeland and every day is a new adventure with loads of fun, interesting facts, and first class accommodations and meals in the heart of everywhere he leads you to.
Response from the operator: Glad to hear you had nice experiences. Unfortunately review written in wrong place. Our tours are in Georgia and other two states in Caucasus, this is only our tour’s geography areas. Highly recommended to find agency who deserve this 5 star review from you. Regards, Zurab from Taste of Georgia - Organized Caucasus Adventure Travel.
via Tripadvisor
Breathtaking
Definitely a very worthy investment. I was very happy to have been advised by Zurab (the guide) to wake up early for the sunrise. Im not an early riser in general so it was not easy but it was totally worth it. The drive is friendly and you will reach in maximum 2 hours to the location. Everything was a surprise for me, I think I should have asked Zurab more questions before because the trip requires a lot of hiking uphill and walking and I wasn't prepared for it. I advise you to wear very comfortable shoes and clothes. Regardless of the fact that I was not in a good shape at all, and it was very difficult for me to hike, especially the first 20 minutes... I can say I was super happy i did it. The views from the top cant be compared with anything. Totally beautiful, peaceful. The idea of going early for the sunrise view was great, but also because we were literally the only 3 people in the entire mountain. It was amazing. One of the best experiences ever. On another note, Zurab is fantastic. Very knowledgeable, passionate about history and his country and also very caring and attentive. The hike had parts that could be considered a little dangerous and he made me feel very safe and looked after. I found that SUPER! Zurab came with Jaba who was driving us. And he was no short of amazing either, he was very caring and helpful especially on the difficult parts of the hike. Once you reach the top the hike becomes very friendly and Zurab will take you to see the caves and paintings which is really something espectacular, especially because the stories he will share about them are very interesting. The views over Azerbajan are incredible too... This trip is a must, and going with Zurab is a must too... im sure he is not like any other guide... he will make sure to make you feel like a VIP and he will prepare everyting especially for you... he is a great photographer too so you will come back with unique pictures!! Dont let the hike scare you.... its worth it!
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $115 to $300
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 1
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Taste of Georgia, who run 3 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 56.9.
See everything Taste of Georgia runsWhy this scores 59
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Tbilisi.
How much does 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi cost?
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Prices start at $115 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Tbilisi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi take?
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Plan for about 9 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Tbilisi is not rushed.
Is 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 59 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 3 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Tbilisi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 9-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi?
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Around 1 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Tbilisi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Tbilisi and add a light layer if any part of the 9-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does 1-Day Trip to David Gareja Monastery with Rainbow Hills & Sighnaghi from Tbilisi start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Tbilisi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Tbilisi?
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On Outty we rank every Tbilisi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Kakheti Wine Region Tour + 10 Premium Wine Tastings & Sunset, Tbilisi:Evening Walking & Talking Tour with Wine & Boat Ride, Tbilisi:Mtskheta,Jvari,Bazaar,wine tasting,Chronicles of Georgia. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Tbilisi?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Tbilisi?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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