New Year in Tbilisi and Christmas in Svaneti

Ski tour in Georgia.

The most fabulous time of the year, when all the wishes of adults and children should be fulfilled. Everything that is planned or desired always becomes reality. So your trip to Georgia for the New Year is a way to implement the fairy tale in the past or transfer yourself to the fairy-tale world of magical sensations. And the main wizards of this celebration will be us who meet you and know the exact words of the New Year's fairy tale spell. Reincarnation begins before the New Year and lasts two weeks, until Christmas. Have an unforgettable Christmas holiday in Georgia!

Get acquainted with the history and culture of one of the oldest countries in the world, learn about the method of Georgian winemaking, which is more than 8000 years old. We will relax, enjoy fresh air and delicious dishes, get acquainted with 1500 varieties of wines made in Georgia. We will celebrate the New Year with a chic national show program, learn to dance Georgian dances, take sulfur baths and rejuvenate for the New 2024.

29.12.23 - 1 day

- Meeting at Tbilisi airport, transfer to the hotel. Check-in at 14:00 must arrive in Tbilisi during the day.

In the evening, we gather the whole group at one table and get acquainted, learn Georgian traditions of feasting, toast, get acquainted with Georgian cuisine!

30.12.23 - 2 days

Kakhetija is preparing for the New Year!

Can't wait to walk along Shota Rustavelli Avenue? Take your time, we don't like to walk. We'll introduce you to our friends first. We will leave Tbilisi and go to Kakheti. Here the landscape is dominated by vineyards, in architecture - monasteries, and in songs always sing about love. The city of love is the name of Signaghi, an ancient city on a hill, which has completely preserved its fortress walls. Walking along these walls, we will view the magnificent views of the Alazan valley.

Everyone to the monastery. Women's. Because Bodbe is a monastery that cannot be missed. Here is buried the enlightener of Georgia Saint Nino. Here is the most beautiful monastery courtyard and the most beautiful view of the Alazan valley.

We'll have lunch at the winery. To the dishes of Kakheti cuisine, we will be proud to offer local wines with sonorous names: Saperavi Kindzmarauli, Rkatsiteli ... Sounds like a song, doesn’t it? It's gonna happen. Ahead we have a tasting of vintage wines from the rarest microzone of Georgia in one of the best wineries in the country. Wine factory is for true connoisseurs of wine and for those who want to become them. Everyone does. What's New Year's without wine?

We Georgians believe in St. Nino, but even more believe in the joy of life created by our own hands – in fragrant grandfather Puri (Kheti bread), sweet churchhela from grapes and nuts. We are going to cook ourselves in our master class today. Bread prepared with your own hands is a good symbol for the New Year’s table, and churchkhela is a great gift that you can take away with you and treat your friends at home. Do you want to learn how to cook hinkali? And you can.

• Signaggi
• Bodbe Monastery
• Wine factory
• telavi
• Gombor pass

31.12.22 - 3 days

Before the New Year there is a lot of turmoil in every house, and we will go to relax, enjoy the fresh frosty air in the nearest ski resort of Gudauri. For lovers of skiing and snowboarding, this is the case. The opportunity to conquer more than one slide with a height of 3200 meters. And who is not engaged in this sport – mulled wine, Georgian cuisine, sledging and all winter entertainment against the backdrop of breathtaking views of the mountains.

In the evening, we return to Tbilisi and prepare for the night fireworks. Here we provide a choice - to whom the restaurant with a show program, to whom a walk around the city and an open-air concert, who independently in a romantic atmosphere wants to retire.

• Jinvali reservoir
• Ananuri Fortress
• gudauri
• pasanauri
• Merger of two Aragvi

1.01.24 - 4 days

Happy New Year!

In Georgia, there is a sign that the luck of the next year depends on the first guest in your family (Mekvle). For this, the guest brings you sweets to the table and at the entrance throws all the good stuff around the house, so that prosperity and luck will accompany this family in the coming year.

Today we are visiting the city of Tbilisi. Immerse yourself in the history of this ancient city and feel its spirit.

Sightseeing walking tour of Tbilisi (excursion after New Year’s Eve in the afternoon). Walking around Tbilisi New Year is special, walking and visiting the old Georgian tradition.

• Old Tbilisi
• Metehi
• narikala
• Cable car
• Park Rike
• Peace Bridge
• Sioni Temple
• Old Tbilisi Caravanserais
• Abanotubani - the area of Sulfur Banya
• Anchishati
• Puppet Theatre and more

2.01.24 - 5 days

bedoba

Feast of Bedoba - the day of fate, according to the old belief, as we spend this day so it will start. For this we will go outside the city to the ancient town of Mtskheta. The first capital of Georgia was 2,000 years ago. Interesting stories, chronicles and legends of our country await you on this ancient land.

• Jvari Monastery, merger of Aragvi and Kura,
• Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
• An old cute city with panoramic views and its unforgettable soul.
• Samtavro Temple

Tonight we celebrate the day of destiny! We have a belief that you will spend this day and will be the whole year. We celebrate it with joy and solitude with higher powers.

3.01.24 - 6 days

We leave after breakfast at the hotel and leave Tbilisi. The regions of Western Georgia are waiting for us. Our country is rich and multifaceted with its nature, cuisine, wine, culture. Each region or part of the country has its own peculiarities in the local traditions we want to show you and share this wealth!

• Uplistsikhe is a cave city of the 3rd century BC. e. You want to plunge into the Christian era, feel how people were able to live 3,000 years ago, what are the priorities, art, architecture, religion. As it stood for 2,000 years and was destroyed during Tamerlane.

We move to Western Georgia through the Ricot Pass.

Kutaisi is the second city in importance, the capital of the Imereti region, the first for the history of Georgia. The most important events in the history of the Golden Age of Georgia (10-13 centuries) the Renaissance of Georgia begins here, the most important events in the history of the culture of European civilization and the creation of the term Medicine - just comes from this city. Remember the myth of the Argonauts. Many myths of ancient Greece relate to these places, the culture of the local people is deeply connected with the Silk Road and underlies many Georgian and Greek myths, such as: Prometheus, Hephaestus, Medea, Venus, Hercules, Jason, etc. The local names of these heroes have been preserved in Georgia. Kutaisi also has 3500 years of its existence and is one of the ten ancient cities in the world, where they constantly live. Here is the most delicious and salty cuisine of the country. You will hear about this and much more on the tour.

Here the temple of Bagrat - built in the early 11th century, the first Cathedral at the court of the kings of Bagrationi, the palace of the dynasty, the monastery of Gelati - the Academy of Sciences of the 12th century or the first University in Europe, where they taught all the sciences of that time including astronomy and astrology, where you can still find the remains of an ancient observatory and where the Bagration dynasty founded the tomb. The paintings of the temple from the 13th to the 16th centuries are preserved and tell many stories, the secrets of which are still not clear to historians.

Check-in at a hotel in Kutaisi

4.01.24 - 7 days

Today, our path lies through the Mengrelia region to the northernmost region of Svaneti. Mengrels and Svany are the most original region of Georgia, as the people of these places have their own language, different traditions, and have no written language. The literary language is Georgian, the church language is Georgian. They call Mengrel and Svan the home language. Mengrelia princes were close relatives of European imperial families, Prince Andria Dadiani was a European chess player and president of the Monte Carlo tournament in the mid-19th century. Princess Salome Dadiani is the wife of Ashil Murat (granddaughter niece of B. Napoleon), who came to Georgia began to restore the oldest lost grape species such as Ojaleshi, Usahelouri.

Mengrel traditions and way of life are based on the sub-trapical climate, the cuisine is different from Eastern Georgia, the houses are the character of their owners. All with a needle, beautifully, well-groomed - the cult of the guest is erected.

Unlike the subtropical climate, Svanetija is the harshest region in terms of climate and character. Based on the living conditions, traditions and local adats are just as harsh. Until recently, the law of blood feud “Vendenta” was in force. Svan towers are an indicator of the resistance and inaccessibility of not only the region, but also the clan. The clan warehouse still operates in the region, all lands, rivers, forests, pastures are divided into clans (until now). Relations between clans are based on honor, justice and mutual respect. This harsh land is decorated with breathtaking nature, mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers, works of art, architecture. The highlight of the region is its authenticity. Living in the environment of antiquity, the preserved Svan Towers and Machubi remind us of the complex life of people for thousands of years. Attracts attention as ethnos and preservation of worship to ancient deities. Svanetiah adopted the Christian faith, but did not forget the faith of her ancestors. Synthesis gives its response in modern life and the life of the locals.

In total, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level, the village of Mestia is located - the main center of high-altitude Svaneti. Here we will stay at the hotel and start exploring local traditions.

Not far from the town there are 2 skis: Zuruldi and Tetnuldi. In the morning we will give you a free day and you can enjoy skiing or snowboarding. (By the way, it is better to have your sleeve with you or book in advance at the rental)

But while we are waiting for a difficult road to the mountains, in case of snowfall, you may have to take special cars to climb to this mystical region. (Be prepared for a small change in plans, with a big snowfall, you may have to spend the night in the lowlands)

- Hotel check-in

5.01.24 - 8 days

Morning – I hope the weather will be clear and from the window opens a mountain landscape overlooking the village below, the mountains hang over us, in the distance you can see the “Bride of Tetnuldi”. Hot coffee, delicious breakfast - give a charge for a whole frosty day. In the morning, for lovers of conquering mountain peaks, we can help organize a transfer to skis. Based on the historical location of our hotel, you need to get to Zuruldi ski, and Tetnuldi is necessary in any case.

For history lovers, we organize a walk around the area, it is also possible to walk and lift a ski, only to admire our “groom mountain – Ushba”, on the slope of which we slept yesterday (lifts are not included in the price)

You need to warm up with delicious mulled wine on Georgian wine. This is a special drink - different in character from European mulled wine. It warms well and leaves taste sensations for a long time.

In the afternoon, we gather at the ethnographic museum, where you will plunge into the culture and art of this region.

Delicious and unusual local cuisine will warm you after a day with great adventures. (The temperature in the mountains reaches up to -20 degrees C. Be sure to have replaceable shoes, thermal underwear and good mood.

6.01.24 - 9 days

Again, we ask nature to give us sunshine and plenty of snow.

How does Gudauri ski differ from Svaneti? Despite the fact that the heights are almost one, the mountain range in Gudauri is more open to winds, less vegetation that preserves snow cover, weather changes more often, snow is more wet, because of the transit road, the exhaust level is higher. Snow quality is lower. Of course, accessibility and easy logistics - increases the number of visitors to the resort, but Svaneti always has snow, which in Gudauri can simply melt. Always high-quality snow coming from the Western more humid climate, the temperature is always below 0, the number of forests and preserved eco-system allows the resort to be considered the cleanest and highest quality. Unlike Gudari, there is something to do, there are historical places, there are traditions, cuisine, attractions.

So today we will go to visit the Svan family, which has kept the house in the original from the 12th century, furniture in the house since the 14th century, climb the towers of the 8th century and feel all the aromas of local life. Find out what Svan salt is and why it appeared in this region.

In the evening we celebrate Christmas according to Svan traditions.

7.01.24 - 10 days

It is so wonderful to wake up in the morning in a warm cozy hotel, eat a beautiful breakfast at Christmas and go to ride on the snow-covered slopes of the highest mountains of Svaneti. It's a day of rest and relaxation.

8.01.24 - 11th day

Today is a difficult, long move and return to the capital. What's the weather like? What contrast will we see with you after 150 km after the beautiful fairy tale in Mestia? We are waiting for the evergreen vegetation of Mengrelia and the Dadiani Botanical Garden. Lunch in Mengrelski and the road 300 km to Tbilisi.

Hotel check-in

9.01.24 - 12 days

This is the end of the story, and who listened well!

We came to the end of our story, our journey. You have heard, seen, tasted so many different dishes, wine, traditions, toasts. You just don’t list all the emotions you have. Really? Even reading this route, imagine seeing it all in Java! You will never forget such a journey. Unfortunately, in winter, few natural attractions can be seen, but most importantly, you will see the spirit of the country, capture the New Year and Christmas spirit. Start the New Year 2024 with an infected emotional mood.

We're waiting!

On this day we will say goodbye to you in Tbilisi. We'll take you to the airport.

The price includes:

• Hotels 3-4* with breakfast with a buffet
• Transfers to all relocations
• Entrance tickets for attractions
• Meeting at the airport individually
• Master classes, wine tastings
• Guided tours

The price does not include:

• Lunch
• Flight
• PCR
• Renting ski accessories at ski resorts
• Sky Pass
• Jeeps for ski resorts in Mestia (Zuruldi, Tetnuldi)