Bike tours in Georgia country, bike ride across Caucasus – Plan ideas

by Georgian Tour
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I had a pleasure a few times to get paid for organizing guesthouses, suggesting hikes and providing transfers support for groups of bikers, sometimes even organized bike tours but I really enjoy supporting jeeptours and groups of bikers lets say who dont hire bikes or jeeps here and want to experience the country on their own bikes. So I have some experience organizing bike trips.  I can suggest some routes but my website gives plenty of information (if not too much) for people with different taste, so your interest may differ.

Lets start with number 1 Bike tour Destination whether its regular biking on dirt roads or Mountain biking – unbeliably beautiful region of Georgia which is exotic even for Georgians and not just foreigners – Tusheti. Why to torture yourself You can just take a jeep directly from Tbilisi or the one from Alvani village to the Abano pass 2930m and descend from the top to the region of Panoramas village Omalo – 1900m (You can check elevation gains and differences on the map, wikiloc, other sites, I will try to make this article readable and interesting). The region has 3 gorges, depends on your bike and interests and time, you could ride towards Bochorna, Dochu, Beghela villages and come back, OR if you have MTB* (harder sections usually for hike or Mountain bike)- cross Nakaicho pass, You could ride towards Diklo and come back, OR if MTB to Chigho and Dartlo then. Anyway what you should not miss is riding to Dartlo Dano kvavlo, and then further to Parsma and Girevi. Staying a night in Dartlo can be always great idea. Crossing Atsunta pass can be done in 1 day from Girevi to Mutso (then car to Shatili) but it can be up to 50km and significant elevation gain as Atsunta pass is 3400m. Then you could continue exploring Khevsureti.

Dartlo, Tusheti by senderismoeuropa.com

Unless you are Mountain biker reaching Khevsureti via Atsunta pass from Tusheti or via Sadzele pass from Kazbegi, You could also ride a bike to Khevsureti from Datvijvari pass and down to Shatili, then ride to Mutso and Ardoti and back and the second overnight in Shatili, then the same car can take u to the pass to ride down and then take you to overnight there and then by the same jeep pass to Arkhoti and descend to Akhieli village where you can stay next 2 nights and explore the gorge down the river As(s)a  the second day and drive back to Tbilisi on the last day visiting Abudelauri lakes (4km walk each way from the Roshka-Arkhoti road). Total 6 days trip to Khevsureti, especially if its July, will be a memorable trip for the rest of your life. IF MTB you could cross Sadzele pass to Juta and continue exploring Kazbegi region.

Tanie Lake Trek & Trekking in Arkhoti – ethnographically richest part of Georgia

The third is Kazbegi Region – What could be more beautiful if you want a bike trip and u just have 1 day than beautiful Truso valley? Another bike trip can always be in Sno valley – towards Juta and back, or maybe just stay in one of the cottages up there. Or if you want more technical MTB then Chaukhi mountain offers it! OR even better for this reason – go up to Altihut at 3014m, see gergeti glacier, maybe stay there and descend after breakfast down to Stepatsminda – Not for regular bikers!

Lets go down a bit, Jvari Monastery can be an important biking destination near Tbilisi. You could have a look at Georgia’s old capital after riding a bike.  OR you could ride to Manglisi by bike or Didgori area, Bevreti Monastery – From Udzo Monastery to Mtatsminda if you want bike routes near Tbilisi. You could get to Sagarejo or some area near Jandara lake and ride a bike towards Davit Gareja cave town, Natslismtsemeli, Sabereebi and towards Vashlovani deserts. OR you could just get to colorful desert of Mravaltskaro from the main site and that may be enough for exploration of the deserts of the east. In Spring those deserts may look so green so its not actually a real desert. Then you could explore wine region. Ride a bike to Machi fortress in Lagodekhi National park to feel the magic of Lagodekhi forests. Explore Cheremi and Zegaani, or just explore wineries.

Wine Tour In Kakheti, some of the best wineries of Georgia – Introduction

Now from Tbilisi to the West. There can be some nice options and variations so I may improvise in this section – please study each section carefully before following. Just dont use highway but exit via South Georgia. Getting to Tsalka can be possible from Bolnisi to Tetritskaro via Dagheti and Samshvilde canyon – Dont miss bike ride to Pirghebuli monastery (all names and info are in internet, even on my website and google), Then to Alekseevka, Bediani village, Continue to Tsalka from there via Khrami HPP or Gomareti pleatau and MTB towards Javakheti directly. From Tsalka I would ride to beautiful Tabatskuri lake (from here 1 choice would be to get to Bakuriani sleep there in some nice hotel then ride towards Kakhisi lake and Chobareti via Tori village), then down to Akhalkalaki or u could find some village roads via local Armenian villages to Georgian catholic village of Khizabavra (or take a jeep not to lose time) and then descend to its orthodox neighbor megalithic village of Saro and meet local londaridze and Giorgadze families. OR cut distance by local car and from some point get to Akhalkalaki and drive to Chunchkha village, from there ride to Kvarsha church and continue towards Kumurdo then Gogasheni villages then see the pride of Georgia, arguably the most important historical monument Vardzia cave town and descend down by bike!

Incredible VARDZIA & Unknown yet Unique Sites around it

You could stay in Vardzia resort or Valodia cottages, drink their wine, then ride to Tmogvi from Vardzia, then maybe u could go up upper tmogvi and ride down back to village ( or you could go as far as Gaveti from there or Towards Toloshi but i doubt you would meet many people on the way). Getting to Akhaltsikhe better via Chobareti village famous for its old Meskhetian houses and Tenili cheese production and then beautiful Uraveli village, maybe u could just make it to Akhaltsikhe and not get to Andriatsminda and MTB to Sapara monastery and down to Akhaltsikhe.

From Akhaltsikhe its worth to cut your distance towards Kutaisi classical way via Zekari pass (then below Sairme could visit Khani village and its waterfalls)  from Abastumani crossing Borjomi-Kharagauli National park (IF MTB You could just do Lomis mta bike ride). If you wish to get to Batumi and take a train ride there, then you should follow the road via Goderdzi pass to Khulo and then down to Batumi. This is the best and classical option unless you are limited in time and prefer to get to Kutaisi in order to ride a bike to Mestia.

Lomis Mta (Mt. Lion) hiking or horseback riding route, Borjomi-Kharagauli national Park

To get to Batumi after Goderdzi pass I would have preffered even more exotic route via Beshumi down to Khikhani fortress (then to Khulo is also possible via Skhalta)  then to Chirukhi resort and down to Shuakhevi. Its possible to explore Machakhela NP, but what i would really explore in the region is Mtirala National Park if Not Kintrishi National Park! and After Khino towards Tbikeli lake and Gomis mta resort may be technical (However, taking a car to Gomis mta resort and then get to Bakhmaro resort and after this down to Chokhatauri town can be great idea). Challenges in the region can be sweaty humid climate below and fogs up in the mountains.

Mkheri, Svan Paradise – Hiking in Svaneti, Georgia

Then car at least to Zugdidi if not to Mestia and explore west Georgia’s mountains – Svaneti and Racha. Maybe I would have skipped road biking but could just do Mkheri dayhike for a daytrip to feel Svanetian mountains. Roadtrip from Zugdidi can be cut by staying in Khaishi village – there is a guesthouse there, the next stay could be in Mestia. There are cable cars there, so u could take a cable car in Hatsvali and ride down (If technical then to Tsvirmi), you could get to 1.5km walking distance to chalaadi glacier. You could take a jeep to Koruldi lakes and descend to Mestia, Or from Mazeri to Ushba waterfalls (at least get to border guards post). The best would be car to tetnuldi resort and ride down to Adishi village! then to ushguli and sleep there to watch sunset over Skhara summit from LaMaria church! The next day to cross Zagaro pass and sleep in hard to book guesthouse in Tsana.Then ride to Lentekhi via Muashi resort.

After Svaneti, worth to explore Lechkhumi, ride to Kulbaki lakes, camp at jonouli river, Get a ride to Mt. Khvamli and descend from 2000m to 500m or cross to Lakhepa, ride from Aghvi to Nakuraleshi then to Ghvirishi waterfall and eat at Zanduris Sakhli. Then ride from Labechina church down to Kvishari to taste khvanchkara wine and feel ordinary Georgian village, or ride to the waterfall in Shavra village then to Nikortsminda and tskrajvari (9 crosses). Ride down from Shkmeri or Mravaldzali may be an option, for MTB i would prefer from the pass between Sachkhere and Oni to ride towards Shaori lake through mt.Khikhata and caves of Tlughi. Now we reached mountinous Racha and here the paradise awaits. Jeep rides to Notsara and Buba and Tbilisa glacier viewpoints and descend from there. Gona village bike trip may be unforgettable memories.

Gona village, Racha

You could see this link for some route of Georgia crossing and gps data as well and some great tips:

Caucasus Crossing: Georgia

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