Georgia & Armenia Adventure

This trip involves a reasonable amount of walking so be sure to bring sturdy walking shoes and comfortable clothes. To make the most of the trip, it's best if you have at least a moderate level of fitness. There is an included hike on Day 8, at an altitude of 2170m. Please refer to the itinerary for more details.

The diversity of the seasons here makes for incredible scenery, but the weather in this region can be unpredictable. It’s best to wear layers at all times of the year in case conditions change. There may occasionally be itinerary changes due to road closures.

This trip covers a lot of ground so there are some long travel days. Some of the roads in Armenia and Georgia, particularly when visiting villages, can be a little rough. This may mean that some of the journeys could take a little longer than expected. Please review the itinerary for details.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
3. Due to current border crossing restrictions for different Caucasus nationalities, your Trip Leader may be from a nearby country. Your leader will have in-depth knowledge and extensive travel experience throughout the Caucasus. Local guides from Georgia and Armenia are represented throughout the itinerary to ensure you receive a diverse and uniquely local range of perspectives.

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.

Many travellers carry their luggage in a compact smaller suitcase or backpack with wheels. We recommend your bag has carry straps or handles so it is easy to lift and carry for the times you are unable to wheel it (ie. on rough surfaces or up steps).

If you are taking overnight trains, or primarily using public transport then the smaller your luggage the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well.

You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, swimming suit, waterproof pouch/bag for phone, hiking shoes and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your group leader or local representative will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination and if it is you can simply refill with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water it is better to buy the largest available and distribute into your smaller bottle for the day. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip you will need to carry at least 2L of water with you.

Ani Central Inn Hotel, 20 Tigran Mets Avenue, Yerevan, ARMENIA, Phone: +374 10540708, Fax: +374 10545000

Ani Central Inn Hotel (previously known as Hotel Silachi) is located around 10 minutes walk from Republic Square. Facilities at the hotel include free WiFi, restaurant, bar and 24 hour front desk. Each room is fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and safe, as well as a private bathroom with a hairdryer and free toiletries. Breakfast is included.

Alternate Joining Point

A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.

For your confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met in the arrivals hall of Yerevan International Airport (EVN) by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign. If your flight arrives ahead of schedule, please approach the Hertz desk and let them know about your transfer booking. In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please call +37 499 25 3311.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi. Depending on the time of day that you arrive you can expect the ride to take approximately 20-30 minutes and cost the local currency equivalent of USD15.

KMM Hotel, 10 Mefsalmune David King street Metekhi Turn, Tbilisi, 0103, GEORGIA, Phone: +995 322747185

Located in the Avlabari district in the historic Old Town of Tbilisi, the hotel has modern, comfortable rooms with en suite bathrooms, minibars and cable TV. There is free WiFi on site. The Avlabari Metro Station is 250 m from the property. A buffet breakfast is included. Avlabari is a great choice for travellers interested in city walks, old town exploring and local food.

Alternate Finish Point

If you have a confirmed departure transfer your leader will advise your pick up time the day before your trip ends.

Alternatively, please ask your leader or hotel staff for assistance in arranging a taxi or instructions to reach the airport by public transport.

Breakfasts included: 10

Lunches included: 4

Dinners included: 3

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.

WEATHER
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit the Caucasus. Summers can be very hot and humid with temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. This is a great time to escape to the mountains to cool off. This is a beautiful, fertile region so bring an umbrella and expect rain at any time of year.

WARM CLOTHING
Temperatures can be low in the spring and autumn months, especially at altitude, so bring a set of warmer clothes including thermal underclothes and a fleece jacket.

HIGH ALTITUDE ROAD CLOSURES
There is a chance of potential changes to the itinerary due to heavy rain, flooding and snow at higher altitudes, which often affect roads and bridges, making travel difficult or impossible (particularly in remote areas).

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid's Local Operator: +49 8024 4679 540

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.