Georgia
We’ll travel widely, exploring Georgia’s ancient wine traditions and enjoying the glories of the Georgian table, from khachapuri (cheese-filled breads) and pkhali (walnut-rich pates) to deeply flavored meat dishes such as kharcho and chakapuli, as well as the succulent pleasure of khinkali (dumplings)
next tour
2026 Dates
11-12 Days in late September and early October
11-12 Days in late September and early October
2026 dates: September 28 to October 9
We’ll be starting in Tbilisi, Georgia’s charming capital city. My travel-agent partner Deb Olson can help you arrange your flights to Tbilisi (email or call 307-745-7191), or you can do that independently. We recommend that you book by early July.
the idea
My dear friend Tamar Babuadze is my partner in the Georgia trips. She’s the founder-editor of a beautiful magazine of food and culture called Indigo, lives in Tbilisi, and is steeped in the country’s history and food traditions. She’s a wonderful traveling companion.
We did our first Georgian immersethrough trips in October 2017 and October 2019. In autumn 2022 we were able to make a first trip after the hiatus imposed by the pandemic. I’ve been on hiatus since December 2024, for family reasons. (If you read my Substack posts, you’ll know some of the story.)
the schedule
Our schedule looks like this: After a day in and around Tbilisi, we’ll drive westwards to Gori (Stalin’s birthplace), have lunch at a vineyard farmhouse, and then continue on to Kutaisi, Georgia’s historic and graceful western capital. We’ll have two days to explore the rich wine and food traditions of the area. Then we’ll drive south to the wildly beautiful high altitude region of southern Georgia called Samstkhe-Javaheti. We’ll have a hands-on experience of farmhouse cheese-making and visit the extraordinary historic cliffside ruins of Vardzia.
After that we’ll drive across the border to Armenia, through high open landscapes, where we’ll spend several days in and around Yerevan.
The last part of our travels will take us back across the border into Georgia, to spend several nights in Kakheti, in eastern Georgia. It’s a beautiful historic region that has long been famous for its wines. We’ll meet wine-makers and artisans, and visit several beautiful villages and churches, before returning to Tbilisi for a final day of conversation, exploration, and feasting.
the details
We’ll be travelling in a large comfortable van. All accommodation, food, drink, and entry fees etc are included, so the only thing you'll need cash for is any presents you wish to buy for yourself or others.
In the meantime, please email or call (307-745-7191) Deb Olson for more information.
And a reminder that we recommend you book early, because we have room for only seven people in the group.
