Borjomi
nature
About Borjomi
Wrapped in the forests of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, this spa town has drawn visitors to its mineral springs since the days when it served as a fashionable retreat of the Russian Empire and hosted the Romanovs. Sip the famous water straight from the source in the central park, wander trails alive with wildlife, and tour the regal Romanov Palace. Cap the day with trout in walnut sauce and a slower, restorative pace.
Culture
Spa traditions and nature define Borjomi. Festivals feature music, and cuisine emphasizes fresh, healthy fare.
Travel Tips
Currency: GEL; cards in big spots. Language: Georgian; some English in hotels. Safety: Very safe, tranquil. Transport: Car/train from Tbilisi; walkable.
Tours Including Borjomi
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Georgia & Armenia — 12 Days
Twelve days through two of the world's oldest Christian nations. You'll spend a week in Georgia — Tbilisi's Old Town and sulphur baths, the wine villages of Kakheti, a lone church beneath Mt Kazbek, Stalin's Gori, a rock-hewn cave town, and Queen Tamar's cliff monastery at Vardzia — before crossing south into Armenia. There, five days take in shimmering Lake Sevan, vibrant Yerevan, the holy city of Etchmiadzin, the pagan temple of Garni, cliff-set Geghard and Noravank, and Khor Virap in the shadow of Mt Ararat. One seamless Caucasus journey, fairly priced and expertly guided.
Caucasus Jeep Expedition — 8 Days
An eight-day 4x4 expedition the length and breadth of Georgia, off the tarmac and onto the mountain tracks. From Tbilisi you cross to Bakuriani via Manglisi and the volcanic Lake Tabatskuri, climb to the Vardzia cave city and Rabati Castle at Akhaltsikhe, then push west through Kutaisi and up the Enguri gorge to the Svan towers of Mestia and Ushguli. The return runs over the high passes to Gergeti Trinity beneath Mount Kazbek. Seven nights, hearty meals, and country you simply can't reach by paved road.
Grand Tour of Georgia — 10 Days
Ten days, mountains to sea, across the best of Georgia. From lively Tbilisi you climb the Georgian Military Road beneath Mount Kazbek to Gergeti Trinity, then sweep south to Queen Tamar's cave city at Vardzia and the spa town of Borjomi. West in ancient Colchis you explore the UNESCO monasteries of Kutaisi before reaching the subtropical Black Sea coast at Batumi, and finish in the wine villages of Kakheti. Ancient capitals, high passes, cave towns, seaside and wine — expertly guided, on prices that stay fair.
Georgia in 14 Days — Grand Discovery
The definitive two-week journey across Georgia, east to west and mountains to sea. From Tbilisi you explore the wine villages of Kakheti, climb the Military Road to Gergeti Trinity beneath Mount Kazbek, and visit Stalin's Gori, the cave town of Uplistsikhe and Queen Tamar's cliff city at Vardzia. Then west into ancient Colchis — Kutaisi's UNESCO monasteries — and up the Enguri gorge to the medieval Svan towers of Mestia and Ushguli, before finishing on the Black Sea at Batumi. Fourteen unhurried days, every region, expertly guided.
Classic Georgia — 8 Days
Eight days, one unforgettable loop through the heart of the Caucasus. You'll wander Tbilisi's cobbled Old Town and soak in its sulphur baths, raise a glass in Kakheti's vineyards, then climb to where a lone church stands beneath snow-capped Mt Kazbek. Along the way you'll explore UNESCO cathedrals, a rock-hewn cave town, Stalin's hometown, and Queen Tamar's astonishing cliff-carved monastery. With comfortable transport and a knowledgeable English-speaking guide, this is Georgia's greatest hits done properly — culture, wine, and mountains in perfect balance, without the rush.
Vardzia Cave City & Borjomi — Day Trip
Trade the city for Georgia's deep southwest on this full day to Vardzia, the cliff-carved cave city Queen Tamar's masons hewed from solid rock in the 12th century. It's a long drive each way, but you'll break it in Borjomi, the forested spa town where mineral water has drawn travellers for over a century. Sip the famous warm spring water straight from the source in the central park, then climb through Vardzia's honeycomb of chapels, tunnels and monastic cells with the Mtkvari valley falling away below. Real history, real distance, and a guide who makes every kilometre count.
Bakuriani
Bakuriani is a ski resort in the Borjomi district, on the northern slope of the Trialeti Range at 1,700 m, surrounded by coniferous forest. A resort since the 19th century — favoured by Russian royalty and later a training base of Soviet Olympic skiers — it is reached from Borjomi by the historic narrow-gauge "Kukushka" railway, built in 1902. Winters are moderate, with around 60 cm of snow and over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year.