Georgia 10-Day Itinerary 2026 with a Private Driver: Day-by-Day Plan, Routes & Costs
Ten days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Georgia: long enough to pair the capital with wine country, the high Caucasus, ancient cave towns and the Black Sea coast, but short enough to stay focused on the highlights. The most relaxed way to do it is with a private driver on fixed-price legs — no mountain-road stress, no parking, and a local at the wheel who can stop wherever the view demands. This 2026 itinerary lays out a day-by-day plan, the distances and drive times, rough costs, and how the pay-the-driver model works. If you only have a week, see our 7-day Georgia itinerary instead.
The 10-day route at a glance
| Day | Base / route | Approx. drive |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tbilisi — arrival & Old Town | airport → centre |
| 2 | Tbilisi — full day | city |
| 3 | Kakheti wine day trip | ~2 h each way |
| 4 | Tbilisi → Kazbegi (Military Highway) | ~3 h + stops |
| 5 | Kazbegi — Gergeti & valleys | local |
| 6 | Kazbegi → Gori/Uplistsikhe → Kutaisi | ~5–6 h + stops |
| 7 | Kutaisi — caves & canyons | local |
| 8 | Kutaisi → Batumi | ~2.5 h |
| 9 | Batumi — coast & city | local |
| 10 | Batumi → Tbilisi (or fly out) | ~5–6 h |
Day 1 — Tbilisi: arrival and the Old Town
Land, transfer into the centre and ease into the trip with a wander through the Old Town: the Narikala Fortress, the sulfur-bath district of Abanotubani and the cafes of Meidan. If the flight has worn you out, a soak in the Tbilisi sulfur baths is the perfect first-evening reset.
Day 2 — Tbilisi in full
Give the capital a proper day: the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Dry Bridge market, Rustaveli Avenue, a cable car to Narikala and the funicular up Mtatsminda. Our Tbilisi things to do guide covers it in depth. An easy half-day add-on is nearby Mtskheta, the ancient spiritual capital with its UNESCO churches, just 20 minutes away.
Day 3 — Kakheti wine country
Georgia is the birthplace of wine, and Kakheti is its heartland. A day trip takes in the hilltop town of Sighnaghi, the Bodbe Monastery, and family wineries around Telavi where you can taste qvevri wine made in buried clay vessels. See our Kakheti wine regions guide and the Kakheti wine day trip for the route and the best cellars.
Day 4 — the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi
One of the world’s great mountain drives. Heading north on the Georgian Military Highway, stop at the Ananuri fortress on its reservoir, the Gudauri ski plateau, the colourful Friendship Monument and the Jvari Pass before descending to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi). With a private driver these stops are yours to set; a marshrutka would blow straight past them.
Day 5 — Kazbegi: Gergeti and the valleys
The highlight is the Gergeti Trinity Church, reached by a 1.5–2 hour hike or a 4x4 shuttle, with Mount Kazbek towering behind. With time to spare, add the Gveleti waterfalls, the Dariali Gorge at the Russian border or the surreal Truso Valley. Full detail in our Kazbegi travel guide.
Day 6 — west via Gori and Uplistsikhe to Kutaisi
Drive back down the Military Highway and head west, breaking the journey at Gori (Stalin’s home town and museum) and the ancient rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe, a honeycomb of caves carved into a cliff. Continue to Kutaisi, Georgia’s second city and a handy base for the karst country. It is a long but rewarding day, which is exactly where a driver who handles the kilometres pays off.
Day 7 — Kutaisi’s caves and canyons
Around Kutaisi lie some of Georgia’s most popular natural sights: the illuminated Prometheus Cave, the boat ride through Martvili Canyon, and the dinosaur footprints and cave of Sataplia. Add the medieval Gelati and Bagrati cathedrals for history. It is an easy, scenic day from a single base.
Day 8 — to the coast at Batumi
A short drive brings you to Batumi, Georgia’s buzzing Black Sea resort with its palm-lined boulevard, quirky modern architecture and pebble beaches. Settle in and stroll the seafront promenade as the city lights come on.
Day 9 — Batumi: coast and city
Explore the Batumi Botanical Garden, the old town and the boulevard, or take a day trip up into adjacent Adjara to the Makhuntseti waterfall and arched stone bridges. The mix of subtropical greenery and seaside city makes a relaxed contrast to the mountains.
Day 10 — back to Tbilisi, or fly out
Return to Tbilisi by road (about 5–6 hours, with an optional detour to Borjomi’s mineral-water park or the Vardzia cave monastery if you have an extra night), or simplify by flying out of Batumi or Kutaisi airport, both close by. If you fly home from Tbilisi, our airport transfers guide covers the final leg.
How the private-driver model works
On OrbiTrip the platform is free and does not sell tours or take commission. You browse fixed-price transfers between towns, see the price in advance, and pay the driver directly — cash or as agreed with them. The driver is a local who knows the route, can wait at stops, and adapts to your pace. That makes a multi-day loop simple: line up your key legs (the mountain and coast transfers especially) and you have a stress-free, scenic 10 days.
See fixed prices & drivers for your route
When to do this trip
This loop works across three seasons, but each has a different character. Late spring (May–June) brings green hills, wildflowers and snow still capping the Caucasus — lovely for Kazbegi and the wine country, though high passes can be cool. Summer (July–August) is warmest and best for the Black Sea at Batumi, but Tbilisi can be hot and the headline sights are busiest. Autumn (September–October) is many travellers’ favourite: the grape harvest in Kakheti, golden colour in the mountains, clear Kazbek views and pleasant city temperatures. Winter narrows the options — the Military Highway can close briefly for snow and the coast is quiet — but it suits a trip built around Tbilisi and skiing at Gudauri. See our best time to visit Georgia guide to fine-tune your dates.
Practical tips
- Book the longer legs (Kazbegi, the Gori–Kutaisi run, the coast) ahead, especially in summer.
- Carry some cash for driver fares, guesthouses and rural stops, even though cities take cards.
- Pack layers: you can have alpine cold at Kazbegi and subtropical warmth at Batumi in the same week.
- Want more mountains? Swap the coast days for Svaneti via our Svaneti & Ushguli guide.
- Check roads.ge for mountain road status before the Kazbegi leg in shoulder season.
FAQ
Plan your ten days the easy way: compare drivers and fixed prices for each leg, pay the driver directly, and let a local handle the roads while you enjoy Georgia.