The short answer: the best time to visit Georgia, the country in the Caucasus, is mid-May to June or September to mid-October. Tbilisi is warm rather than hot, the road to Kazbegi is open and the valleys of Svaneti are green, and in September the grape harvest begins in Kakheti. July and August are the months for the remote highlands such as Tusheti, and late December to March is for skiing and quiet city breaks. Georgia has several climates, so the right month depends on where you want to go.
The best time for each kind of trip
- A first trip (Tbilisi, Kakheti, Kazbegi): mid-May to June, or September to mid-October. May and June are the wettest weeks in Tbilisi and Kazbegi, so expect some showers [1][2].
- Hiking in the high mountains: July to mid-September, when the trails of Svaneti, Kazbegi and Tusheti are clear of snow.
- Tusheti and Khevsureti by 4x4: July to mid-September, while the Abano and Datvisjvari passes are open.
- Wine and the grape harvest (rtveli): mid-September to October in Kakheti. In 2026 the harvest there began on 10 September [8].
- Skiing: late December to March at Bakuriani, and into April at Gudauri [9].
- Swimming in the Black Sea: July and August. From September the rain on the coast increases.
- Fewer people: November, and mid-January to March away from the ski resorts, when Tbilisi and Kakheti are quiet and the mountains need a flexible plan.
- Blossom and green hills: April and May, which are also the best months for David Gareja and Vashlovani before the heat.
Weather by region
- Tbilisi and the east (Kakheti, Mtskheta): average highs from about 7 °C (45 °F) in January to about 32 °C (90 °F) in July and August. May and June are the wettest months, and winter is the driest season [1].
- Kazbegi (Stepantsminda, about 1,740 m): much colder. Highs are around freezing in midwinter, and even in October nights drop to about 0 °C (32 °F). In July and August highs reach only about 20 °C (68 °F), and May to August is the wettest part of the year, so pack a waterproof [2].
- Batumi and the Black Sea coast: humid subtropical and wet, with about 2,500 mm (98 in) of rain a year, around five times Tbilisi's 510 mm. September to November are the wettest months, with more than 300 mm each [1][3].
- Kutaisi and Imereti, in the west: milder winters than Tbilisi (January highs about 10 °C) and much wetter, with about 1,360 mm of rain a year [13].
- Svaneti, Tusheti and the high mountains: under snow from about November to April. The highest passes open only in summer.
When the mountain roads open
Snow, not the calendar, decides when you can reach the highest valleys. These are the usual windows; the exact dates change every year.
- Jvari Pass (2,379 m), Tbilisi to Kazbegi: open all year, but it can close for a few hours or one to three days after heavy snow, most often from December to March [4]. Our guide to the Kazbegi road in winter explains how we plan around it.
- Abano Pass (2,826 m), to Tusheti: a 4x4-only road that opens between late May and late June (on 20 June in 2026, after late snow) and closes between late September and late October [5]. Our Tusheti guide has the details.
- Datvisjvari Pass (about 2,600 m), to Shatili in Khevsureti: usually opens between mid-May and mid-June and closes for the winter in autumn [6].
- Zagari Pass (2,620 m), from Ushguli to Lentekhi and Kutaisi: open from about late May or June to mid-October. Outside that window you return from Ushguli via Mestia [7].
- Mestia, the main town of Svaneti: reachable all year on the main road from Zugdidi, with winter tyres in snow.
Month by month
January
Cold and often grey in Tbilisi (highs about 7 °C, lows just below freezing), and the driest month [1]. The ski season is in full swing at Gudauri and Bakuriani. New Year (1–2 January) is the biggest family holiday, and Orthodox Christmas on 7 January brings Alilo processions through the streets [10]. Sulphur baths and wine cellars work all winter. Our guide to Georgia in winter covers December to March.
February
Still winter, and still ski season. Tbilisi and Kakheti are quiet. In Upper Svaneti, Lamproba, a torchlit feast of St George, falls in late winter on a date set by Easter [10].
March
Changeable: Tbilisi highs about 13 °C [1], with the first blossom late in the month. Kazbegi is still wintry. The ski season ends in Bakuriani (on 29 March in 2026) and continues at Gudauri [9].
April
Green hills, blossom and highs of about 19 °C in Tbilisi [1]. This is prime time for David Gareja and Vashlovani before the heat. Late snow is possible on the Jvari Pass, and Gudauri's lifts close in mid-April (19 April in 2026) [9]. Orthodox Easter falls in April or early May; in 2027 it is on 2 May.
May
Warm in the lowlands (Tbilisi highs about 24 °C) and one of the wettest months [1]. Kazbegi's main season starts, the Truso valley walk usually becomes possible, and the Aragvi runs high for rafting. Independence Day on 26 May is a public holiday [11].
June
Early summer: highs about 28 °C in Tbilisi, and the wettest month of the year there [1]. The mountains are at their greenest, the Abano Pass to Tusheti usually opens during June [5], and the Zagari Pass road above Ushguli is open. A good month for Svaneti.
July
Hot in Tbilisi and Kakheti, with average highs of about 32 °C and many days hotter [1]. Head for the mountains: Kazbegi, Svaneti, Tusheti and Khevsureti are all open, the Juta valley is clear of snow, and the Mestia–Ushguli trek is in season. Kvirikoba, the feast at Kala in Upper Svaneti, is on 28 July [10]. The Black Sea is warm and the beaches are full.
August
Like July, and the busiest month on the coast and in the mountains. Tushetoba, with horse races in Omalo, falls in late July or early August [10]. Mariamoba, the feast of the Dormition on 28 August, is a public holiday [11]. Uplistsikhe and David Gareja are uncomfortable in the midday heat, so go early. At the end of the month the raptor migration over Batumi begins; see our Batumi birdwatching guide.
September
One of the best months: highs of about 26 °C in Tbilisi and less rain [1]. The harvest starts in Kakheti, the mountains are still open and clear, and the sea is still warm, though rain on the coast increases. The Abano Pass can start to close from late September [5].
October
Highs of about 20 °C in Tbilisi [1], autumn colour in Kazbegi, Borjomi and Svaneti, and the end of the harvest. Tbilisoba, the city festival, has been held on the first weekend of October in recent years [10], and Svetitskhovloba on 14 October is a public holiday that fills Mtskheta [11]. The Zagari Pass closes around mid-October, and Batumi is wet. Our guide to Georgia in October has more.
November
Cool and mostly dry in Tbilisi (highs about 13 °C), and frosty in Kazbegi [1][2]. The first closures of the Jvari Pass are possible and the remote regions are shut. It is low season, with lower hotel prices and new wine in Kakheti's cellars. Giorgoba, St George's Day, is a public holiday on 23 November [11]. See our guide to Georgia in November.
December
Winter returns. The ski resorts open in late December (Bakuriani on 20 December and Gudauri on 27 December in the 2025/26 season) [9], Tbilisi has Christmas markets and lights from mid-December [10], and Kazbegi is snowy when the road is open. To choose a resort, read Gudauri or Bakuriani.
When is the worst time to visit Georgia?
- July and August in the lowlands: Tbilisi, Kakheti and the cave towns are often above 30 °C. Plan early starts, and spend the middle of the trip in the mountains.
- September to November on the coast: Batumi gets its heaviest rain in these months, more than 300 mm in each [3].
- November to April in the high mountains: Tusheti, Khevsureti and the Zagari Pass are closed, and the Jvari Pass can close after snow. Keep a spare day.
- Easter week and New Year: many Georgians travel to their home villages, roads out of Tbilisi are busy, and some small businesses close.
What should you pack for Georgia's climates?
Even in July you need a warm layer and a waterproof for Kazbegi and Gergeti Trinity Church (2,170 m), while Tbilisi can be over 35 °C (95 °F). In any season, bring shoes with grip for the Old Town cobbles and a scarf or cover-up for churches. Since 1 January 2026, travel health insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover is mandatory for visitors to Georgia [12][14].
Tours by season
All our tours are private, so we plan each one around the month. Georgia Highlights in 5 days runs all year: Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kakheti, Kazbegi and Uplistsikhe, with the days reordered around the Jvari Pass in winter. From April to October, Classic Georgia in 8 days adds Borjomi and Vardzia. In summer, Svaneti in 5 days and Tusheti by 4x4 reach the high valleys. In harvest season, the Kakheti grape harvest day takes you to a family vineyard, and from late December Georgia in Winter in 6 days combines Tbilisi, Kakheti and the snow at Gudauri. See each tour page for the current price, or plan your own dates and we send you a private route with a price. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Tbilisi" (climate normals 1991–2020): en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Stepantsminda" (climate data): en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Batumi" (climate data): en.wikipedia.org
- Wander-Lush, "How to Travel From Tbilisi to Kazbegi in 2026": wander-lush.org; Roads Department of Georgia, road conditions: georoad.ge
- Wander-Lush, "Tusheti travel guide": wander-lush.org
- Wander-Lush, "How to get from Tbilisi to Shatili": wander-lush.org
- Wander-Lush, "Ushguli to Kutaisi Road: Guide to the Zagari Pass": wander-lush.org
- Wander-Lush, "Where to Go for the 2026 Rtveli": wander-lush.org
- Friendly.ge, "Gudauri ski resort guide 2025/26": friendly.ge; "Bakuriani ski resort guide": friendly.ge
- Wander-Lush, "2026 Georgia Calendar: List of Events and Festivals in Georgia": wander-lush.org
- Wikipedia, "Public holidays in Georgia": en.wikipedia.org
- Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, "Entering Georgia": geoconsul.gov.ge
- Wikipedia, "Kutaisi" (climate normals 1991–2020): en.wikipedia.org
- Government of Georgia, Ordinance No. 602 of 26 December 2025 on mandatory insurance for foreign tourists (in Georgian): matsne.gov.ge
Last checked: October 2026. Temperatures are long-term averages; mountain roads and ski seasons open and close with the weather each year.
