Georgia Real Food Adventure

Trip Code: KFZG

Why we love it

Spend the night in a women-run guesthouse in the Pankisi Valley, surrounded by lush, green mountains, and take part in a zhizhig galnash cooking class to learn the local cuisine., Enjoy cooking demonstrations and masterclasses by local cooks and artisans, including learning how to make churchkhela (traditional candle-shaped candy) and khinkali (Georgian dumplings)., Meet local producers at the Telavi markets, then head to a local farm and cheese maker for a tour of the factory and a delicious, included tasting., Take a hike in the striking Caucasus mountains to perhaps one of the best positioned churches in Europe – Gergeti Trinity Church., Taste some of Georgia’s favourite cuisines and dishes with included lunches and dinners, including khachapuri, khinkali, churchkhela and qveri wines., By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Hub. Donations help them improve their services and training hub to connect people, who’ve fled their homes due to war or political instability, with their new community in Georgia.

Is this trip right for me?

The cuisine of the Caucasus region includes a lot of meat. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to the Caucasus region which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

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 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 6, at an altitude of 2170m. Please refer to the Itinerary for more details.

Important information

1. A single supplement is available on this trip, subject to availability. Please contact your sales agent if you would like to book this. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Guesthouse) where you will be in shared accommodation.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. Due to current border crossing restrictions for different Caucasus nationalities, your Trip Leader may be from nearby countries. Your leader will have in-depth knowledge and extensive travel experience throughout the Caucasus. Local guides from Georgia are represented throughout the itinerary to ensure you receive a diverse and uniquely local range of perspectives.

What to bring/pack

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 it with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it 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.

Physical rating

3

Joining your group

Vera Hills Boutique Hotel, 16 Valerian Gunia St, Tbilisi, 0108, GEORGIA, Phone: +995 322002828

Alternate Joining Point


Joining instructions

Finishing your trip

Vera Hills Boutique Hotel, 16 Valerian Gunia St, Tbilisi, 0108, GEORGIA, Phone: +995 322002828

Alternate Finish Point


Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 4

Dinners included: 5

While we will endeavour to cater to dietary requirements where possible, please note that many meals and food activities on Real Food Adventures are set in advance in order to deliver a well-rounded experience of a country’s cuisine. In many countries, dietary restrictions are uncommon and not well understood. If you have dietary requirements and are concerned about whether this may impact on your ability to participate fully in all food-related activities on this trip, please speak with your booking agent so it can be determined whether your dietary requirements can be met.

Meals & Beverages:
Please refer to the inclusions section for the included meals and food activities. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are not included with meals unless specified or part of a beverage tasting activity. 

Climate & seasonal information

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).

In case of emergency

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: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

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

Accommodations

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.

Transportation