The Lower Loop
Kakheti, the region encompassing the Alazani Valley, is the “wine basket” of Georgia. It is like the Napa Valley, but without the snooty people, outrageous prices, and weak pours. My kind of place and my kind of people. It is truly paradise.
Wedged beneath the rolling green Gombori mountains to the west and the dark, menacing Caucasus mountains to the northeast (Georgia’s natural border with Russian Dagestan), the Alazani is an ancient valley filled with chocolate-cake colored soil, neat rows of trellis covered in green foliage, and bright yellow sunflowers. The Alazani River, rushing out of the wild Tusheti region, cuts quietly through the center of the valley unnoticed.
There is so much more to Kakheti than the wine. Once a medieval trade/caravan center, it was targeted and crushed by the 13th century Mongol invasion as well as the Persians – not once, but twice. Despite these invasions, many historical churches, monasteries and palaces remain and can provide you with wonderful, pre-drinking cultural activities in the morning.
A truly great day in Georgia involves a balanced mixture of BC and AD historical sites, a few scrambles up to worthy viewpoints/monasteries, 2-3 carb-heavy meals, and a lot of great wine. Look no further than the Alazani Valley.
Time Needed
At least two days, though wine lovers could easily spend a week or more here.
Distance from Tbilisi
1.5 hours
Reason to Go
Stunning churches and monasteries, incredible Caucasus mountain views, and access to the famed Tusheti mountain region, all within two hours of Tbilisi. Oh, and some wine.
Transportation to/from Kakheti
Marshrutky from Tbilisi cost around 10 lari and take just under two hours. However, unless you plan to hire a local guide, having a set of wheels to yourself are essential for doing the northern and southern loops detailed below.
Accommodation in/around Kakheti
There are a multitude of lodging options in Telavi, from upscale to simple. Guesthouses are always the best, though. Check booking.com for the latest options.
Food
There are also a multitude of dining options in and around Telavi. Always check online resources like TripAdvisor, as they will be the most up to date.
Regional Combinations
Upper Kakheti, based out of Telavi, can easily be combined with a tour of Lower Kakheti, based out of Sighnaghi. In addition, a side trip to the otherworldly Davit Gareja monastery cave complex can be tacked on to the front or back end of either of the above. And lastly, for those headed to Tusheti out of nearby Alvani, schedule a day or two of celebratory wine-drinking after a long trek. It will be worth it.
Any or all of these options are wonderful reasons to get out of Tbilisi and into the countryside.
A great way to enjoy Upper Kakheti is to base yourself in Telavi. And the best (and cheapest!) way to base yourself in Telavi is in one of the wonderful guesthouses. For around $25, you’ll have a bed, bathroom (sometimes shared), home-cooked meals, homemade wine, and often a wonderful garden to explore, as shown above.
Telavi is truly wonderful – you can’t go wrong with any of the guesthouses. From nearly anywhere in town, you will have a stunning view of the Caucasus mountains to the northeast, the natural barrier between Georgia and Russian Dagestan. Shown above is an example of a guesthouse dining table for guests (located on a private patio overlooking their beautiful garden and courtyard). This was less than $25/night! (With food, wine, and overall hospitality and friendliness included.)
Yet another wonderful guesthouse feast. Imereti cheese, fresh tomato/cucumber salad, pork mtsvadi, tonis puri bread, chicken salad, peppers with crushed walnut paste, beef kebab, and some red wine.
Recommended Itinerary
There are a ton of professional, experienced, and most importantly local outfits that can design and deliver custom Kakheti tour packages for reasonable prices.
However, if you’re on a budget, have specific preferences, or just want the freedom to explore on your own, a great way to see the Kakheti region is by hiring or renting your own transportation. Then, you can split the region into two loops – an upper and lower loop.
The Upper Loop is described here, which we recommend as Day One of a two-day stay in Telavi. Below is the lower loop, our recommended Day Two.
The Lower Loop – Gremi, Kvareli, Gurjaani, and Tsinandali
Cultural Sites: Gremi Citadel, Nekresi Monastery, Kvelatsmina Monastery
Wine Sites: Khareba Winery, Chavchavadze Estate and Winery, Schumi Winery
Morning: Wake up. Surprise! You won’t be hungover. Georgian wines made the traditional way are notorious for their purity – they were organic before “organic” became a thing. Things like sulphites and other additives are frowned upon, resulting in a refreshingly normal feeling the next day. However, if you indulged in some of the European-style wines, you may be out of luck.
Regardless, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with a view of the Caucasus mountains and get ready for another wonderful day in eastern Georgia.
Depart Telavi and head northeast into the valley, back towards Napareuli. You’ll cross the Alazani River by bridge and then make a hard right, to the east, towards Gremi. After about 19km from Telavi, your first stop is impossible to miss – the Gremi Citadel will be located atop a hill on your left, overlooking the valley just as it did hundreds of years ago when Gremi was the capital of Kakheti.
Gremi served as the capital of Kakheti for over 200 years, 1466-1672. It was a major transit hub along the Silk Road and had all the inner workings of a stunning 16th century Georgian hub – baths, caravanserai, markets, and palace. You are probably sick of hearing this, but the Persian invasion of 1616 resulted in the destruction of all of the above – all that remains is the citadel. Even worse, the Kakhetian queen, Queen Ketevan, was tortured to death by the Persians for after refusing to renounce Christianity. Georgia breeds some strong women!
In addition to the citadel grounds, you can visit the Church of the Archangels, built in 1565, or climb the 15th century tower. The panorama is fantastic, with sweeping views of the Alazani Valley below.
From Gremi, continue 10km east towards Kvareli until you see signs for a left turn towards Nekresi Monastery, your second stop of the morning. The monastery is 4km off the Kvareli road, however you’ll be forced to park in a designated lot 1.5km from the monastery itself. From here, staff will direct you to board a marshrutky (1 GEL) that shuttles visitors up and down the steep hill all day (alternatively, if you are looking for a steep walk, this is your opportunity – no better way to fully appreciate the difficulty in building these 4th century monasteries than to make the trek yourself).
Nekresi Monastery is notable as the site of one of the very first churches built in Georgia, though a significant amount of repair/rehabilitation has occurred over the past decade. Once you make it to the top, the views are wonderful – you basically have a view of the valley from the opposite side (of Telavi).
The site contains multiple structures, both churches and palaces. Shown here is the interior of a partially reconstructed 9th century bishop’s palace.
The “mariani”, or wine cellar of the bishop’s palace.
The first and second churches you’ll encounter, shown above looking back downhill, are extremely unique. The three-nave complex, essentially three churches in one, is unique to 8th and 9th century Georgian church designs. Just above it, in the foreground, is the tiny, original Nekresi church from the 4th century (also repaired and rehabilitated).
It is hard to imagine how the early Georgians managed to build such impressive structures in such inaccessible locations using 4th century techniques and technology – this is a recurring reaction you may have throughout Georgia.
After returning via marshrutky to the parking lot, get back on the road towards Kvareli. Within just a few minutes, you’ll see signs for both Kvareli and the Khareba Winery. Winetasting will start a bit earlier than usual today, but that’s perfectly fine because you’re in Georgia!
While the gate, garden and grounds of Khareba Winery are impressive in their own right, it is their use of Soviet era tunnels as a wine cellar that make the winery truly unique. Stretching hundreds of meters deep into the mountainside, the tunnels were originally used to store delicate ammunition requiring stable, cool temperatures throughout the year and over time. Now, Khareba Winery has converted the entire tunnel complex into a massive wine cellar – apparently both wine and gunpowder enjoy the same living conditions!
Bring a sweater or jacket for this tour and tasting – you may get chilly.
Once you’ve enjoyed a tasting or two deep in Khareba tunnels, head south out of Kvareli, rejoin the main road, and continue south back across the Alazani River and valley towards Gurjaani. You’ll make a hard left at the “T” intersection once you cross the railroad tracks – from here it is a short 3-4km drive east/southeast to Gurjaani. 2km south of Gurjaani, you’ll see signs for the Kvelatsmina Monastery. There is a designated parking area and a short 300m walk along a gravel path to the church.
Dating from the 8th and 9th century, Kvelatsmina Monastery is the only two-domed church in all of Georgia. It is also unique in its use of cobblestone for the exterior construction. Going out of your way to visit the “only two-domed church in all of Georgia” may seem like a detour off Route 66 to see the “world’s largest tomato”, but this couldn’t’ be farther from the truth. Like all the original monasteries of Georgia, there is a unique sense of peace, quiet and reflection within the walls of these national treasures.
The interior is especially worth the detour, featuring a unique two-tier balcony overlooking the nave.
Once you’ve made it back to your car, you’ll want to head back to the main road and turn left, heading northwest back towards Telavi. About 15km later, or 7km before Telavi, you’ll come across the village of Tsinandali (a name you may already be familiar with, as this is the home of the famous Tsinandali grape and wine). Look for signs to the Chavchavadze Family Estate and Tsinandali Winery – this is your next stop. Park in the designated area, pay the small fee for the tour (5 GEL), and walk through the grand entrance – this property is truly a gem. You’ll have plenty of time for wine and cha cha tasting after the tour.
The Chavchavadze Family Estate is a sprawling property, garden, and now winery southeast of Telavi overlooking the Dagestan mountains. Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, the son of Georgia’s first ambassador to Russia, lived here in the 19th century with his family. Sadly, tribesmen from the Dagestan mountains raided the house in 1854, kidnapping women and children and forcing Alexander’s son to mortgage the house for ransom.
The house now serves as a museum and sometimes includes rotating art exhibitions. Included in the tour is the Tsinandali Winery – although wine is no longer made on the estate, the property contains a 16,500 bottle collection with some as old as 1814. Before or after your tasting, make time for a stroll in the garden and around the property – it feels like a traditional English palace garden, but includes a surprising amount of unique trees and plants.
The dark, menacing Dagestan mountains, looming in the distance across the Alazani Valley. In 1854, Dagestan tribesman came out of these mountains, across the valley, and raided the Chavchavadze home, kidnapping over 20 women and children for ransom.
Georgians do balconies the right way.
Also located in Tsinandali is the famous but small Shumi winery– you’ll see it off the main road and signs will point you in the right direction. In addition to spectacular wine, tours will take you into the cellar and through a small museum, with an in-depth display of the cha cha distillery process included.
The best part about the Alazani Valley, and Georgian wine in general, is that there is no sense of superiority or condescension in the local wine culture. Wine is simply a part of Georgian life – an integral component to their approach to hospitality. Rather than sniffing for hints of blackberry or oak while swirling a tiny, clarified pour in a fancy stemmed glass, Georgians prefer to toast to family, love, and country while repeatedly chugging earthy, amber wine out of rams’ horns. My kind of people.
Shown above is a simple, yet extremely effective vineyard outside the Shumi Winery. No fancy trellis and no excess time spent on perfect grass between the rows. No one cares what your selfies will look like with this background. The vines are happy with their soil, sun, and water just as it is. And the wine is great as a result.
You’ll find none of the Napa Valley nonsense in the Alazani – just good booze made and drank the same way it has for thousands of years.
Commercial wineries in Kakheti blend old and new techniques to keep the modern wine drinker happy while also catering to local tastes. Above is the Shumi cellar, included in the tour.
Also included in the tour is an outdoor museum displaying a traditional Kakhetian winemaker’s shop. Kakhetians could press, ferment, extract, and drink the wine all in one place, in addition to distilling the must into cha cha.
Once the fine juice is extracted from the top of the must, the must can be scooped into a separate vessel, boiled and distilled repeatedly until declared “cha cha”. Cha cha, for those who haven’t had the pleasure, is a local grape-skin moonshine grappa that is surprisingly versatile – it functions as lighter fluid while tasting like it at the same time! It is a very big deal in Georgia.
And as always, if you’re in luck, a giant Caucasus mountain sheep dog will be nearby.
From Shumi, you can finish the loop with the final 7km back to Telavi. Depending on your timing, there are plenty of restaurants in town and nearby (links).