Private Driver in Georgia: Hire a Driver or a Driver-Guide
Your own car and driver by the day in Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi, or a private driver-guide for your group of 1–8 travellers
A private driver in Georgia pays off when the stops are the reason for the trip: a day in Kazbegi, the wine country of Kakheti, a week on the road. You get your own car and someone else at the wheel, private to your group, with no shared bus and no other travellers.
There are two ways to do it. A private driver can come with any car in our fleet, for $50 a day on top of the car, and knows the roads. A driver-guide also explains what you are looking at and walks round the sights with you. Both are priced for the group, not per person. Send us your dates and we reply with a route and a price. Nothing to pay now.
What you get with a private driver
- Your own car or minivan, private to your group, with no shared bus and no other travellers.
- A driver who knows the roads and meets you at the airport or your hotel, in Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi.
- A route and a price for the whole group before anything is booked. Nothing to pay now.
- Someone else at the wheel on the Georgian Military Highway, where lorry queues for the Upper Lars border can add 1–3 hours, especially on the way back.
- A safe ride home after a day of Kakheti wine. On our wine days the driver-guide doesn't drink.
Car rental with a driver, or a driver-guide?
| Private driver with a car | Private driver-guide | |
|---|---|---|
| What they do | Drives you in the car you choose and knows the roads. | Drives and guides: explains what you are looking at, walks round the monastery with you, orders lunch and changes the plan when the weather turns. |
| Where | Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi. | Private days from Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi, and multi-day tours. |
| Group | Any car in the table below, up to 8 seats. | 1–8 travellers, in your own car or minivan. |
| Price | $50 a day on top of the car. | The car and driver-guide are priced for the group; each tour page shows the price for your group size. |
| Fuel | You pay for it. | Fuel and parking are in the price of our private tours. |
| A night away | $35 a night for the driver's bed and meals. | Covered in the price of a multi-day tour. |
| Language | If you want the sites explained, ask for a driver-guide. | English by default; a guide in another language on request. |
| Suits you when | You know where you are going and want someone else to drive. | You want the places explained as well as reached. |
What a private driver costs
The car, the driver's day and the fuel cost the same whether one person sits in the back or four, so the cost per person falls as your group grows.
Car rental with a private driver
A driver costs $50 a day on top of the car, in Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi. The price of the car depends on its class and the season.
| Car class | Seats | Car alone | Car with driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 5 | $25–$40 a day | $75–$90 a day |
| Sedan | 5 | $30–$52 a day | $80–$102 a day |
| SUV | 5 | $42–$65 a day | $92–$115 a day |
| 4x4 off-road | 5–7 | $35–$170 a day | $85–$220 a day |
| Minivan | 8 | $55–$105 a day | $105–$155 a day |
| Premium | 5–7 | $120–$550 a day | $170–$600 a day |
Each range runs from the cheapest car in the class in low season (November to May) to the dearest in high season (June to October). You pay for the fuel. When the driver stays overnight away from home, add $35 a night for their bed and meals. We confirm the exact car and the total when you enquire.
A private driver-guide
You pay for the car and driver-guide as a group, so each person usually pays less in a bigger group. The table below shows our private days from Tbilisi for 2 and for 4 travellers. Longer days cost more, and each tour page lists exactly what is and isn't included.
For your own route, send it to us and we reply with a price. You can also sketch it first in our planner: its estimate covers the car and guide only, not hotels, meals or entry tickets.
Hire a driver in Tbilisi: what fits in a day
These are realistic door-to-door hours from Tbilisi, back at the same hotel at night. Each day is also a private tour with a driver-guide; the prices are the total for your whole group on that tour, not the cost of a driver alone.
| Day out | Door to door | Good to know | Tour total, 2 travellers | Tour total, 4 travellers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazbegi and Gergeti Trinity Church | 11–12 h | 152 km and 3–3.5 hours each way. In winter the Jvari Pass can close, so we check the road the evening before. | $238 | $304 |
| Kakheti wine country | 10–10.5 h | Sighnaghi is about 110 km and 1.5–2 hours east, and the roads are paved. | $278 | $396 |
| Mtskheta, Gori and Uplistsikhe | 9–9.5 h | About 3.5 hours of driving in total, the least time in the car of the full days. | $218 | $276 |
| David Gareja and Sighnaghi | 10–11 h | The last stretch to the monastery is a rough road. It is very hot in summer, so spring and autumn suit it. | $238 | $316 |
| Northern Armenia | About 11 h | Two border crossings. You cross on foot at Sadakhlo–Bagratashen, about 1.5 hours from Tbilisi, and continue with our Armenian partner's vehicle, or our own car where its insurance covers Armenia. | $278 | $356 |
| Mtskheta and Château Mukhrani | 5.5–6 h | A half day that works on an arrival or departure day. | $238 | $376 |
| Vardzia and Borjomi | 13–14 h (long day) | Part of Vardzia has been closed since the 27 May 2026 rockfall. A 2-day trip with a night near the caves takes the pressure off. | $278 | $356 |
Try not to put two long days back to back; a Tbilisi day in between helps. Not starting in Tbilisi? Kutaisi and Batumi also have international airports, and we run private days from both.
Long drives with a private driver
A driver also covers the long legs, such as the drive from Tbilisi to Kazbegi or to Batumi. The table counts distance and time from the airport, without sightseeing stops. If you only need to get there, a private transfer is simpler: the driver goes straight there, at a price per vehicle.
| From | To | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi Airport | Gudauri ski resort | 135 km | 2.5–3 h |
| Tbilisi Airport | Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) | 170 km | 3–3.5 h |
| Tbilisi Airport | Batumi | 375 km | 5–6 h |
| Kutaisi Airport | Mestia (Svaneti) | 220 km | 5–6 h |
Which vehicles
Any car below can come with a private driver. The cars come from Geotour's own fleet and from local partner companies, and the exact car is confirmed with the booking.
- Economy
- Hybrids that use little fuel. Good for two travellers in the cities, Kakheti and the main highways.
- Toyota Prius c (Aqua), Toyota Prius
- Sedan
- More room and a bigger boot for a family of four and longer drives between cities.
- Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Camry Hybrid
- SUV
- Higher ground clearance and more space. A comfortable choice for Kazbegi, Borjomi and the mountain roads in summer.
- Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson
- 4x4 off-road
- A real 4x4 for gravel and mountain tracks: Juta and Truso valleys, Ushguli after rain and, in summer, Tusheti.
- Mitsubishi Pajero iO, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
- Minivan
- Up to 8 seats for a larger family or a group of friends with luggage.
- Toyota Sienna, Hyundai H-1, Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer
- Premium
- Business sedans, luxury SUVs and a 7-seat VIP van, for a special trip, a wedding or a business visit. All of them can come with a driver.
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser 300, Lexus LX 570, Mercedes-AMG G 63, Mercedes-Benz V-Class
On our tours with a driver-guide, a sedan carries 1–3 travellers and a minivan 4–8. A 4x4 day such as Kazbegi and Truso takes up to 6 per vehicle. A local 4x4 is needed only for a few legs, such as the Truso valley, the road into Juta, Tusheti or the track to Gergeti in snow.
Which language does the guide speak?
English by default. A guide in another language, such as Russian, Hebrew, German, Spanish or Arabic, is available on request; mention it when you send your dates.
How hiring a private driver works
- Send us your dates, how many of you there are and what you want to see, and say whether you want a driver or a driver-guide.
- We reply with a route and a price for the whole group, and confirm only when you agree. Nothing to pay now.
- Your driver meets you at the airport or your hotel. If the weather or the road calls for it, the plan changes with you.
Questions about hiring a driver in Georgia
How much does a private driver cost in Georgia?
A driver costs $50 a day on top of the car, plus fuel, and $35 a night when the driver stays away from home. Car prices by class are in the table above. A driver-guide is priced for the group: the days table above shows our private tours, and for your own route we reply with a price.
Can I hire a driver in Tbilisi by the day?
Yes. Hire a driver in Tbilisi and you can come back to the same hotel at night. Tell us the date and where you want to go. We also have drivers in Batumi and Kutaisi.
How long is the drive with a driver from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
It is 152 km and 3–3.5 hours each way, so plan on a 10–12 hour day with stops (11–12 hours on our Kazbegi tour). From December to April the Jvari Pass (2,379 m) can close for hours or 1–3 days after snow. Winter tyres are compulsory on the highway, and our vehicles carry chains too. We check the road the evening before and suggest another route if it is shut. Don't plan Kazbegi for the day before your flight home.
What is the difference between car rental with a driver and a driver-guide?
With car rental you choose a specific car and add someone to drive it, who knows the roads. A driver-guide drives and also explains the sites, walks round them with you and adapts the day. If you want the sites explained, ask for a driver-guide.
Is a private driver the same as a transfer?
No. A transfer is one ride from A to B, with the driver going straight there. A driver by the day pays off when the stops are the reason for the trip. A mixed trip often works: Tbilisi on foot, a driver for the mountain and wine days.
Which language does the driver-guide speak?
English by default. A guide in another language, such as Russian, Hebrew, German, Spanish or Arabic, is available on request; mention it when you send your dates.
What is not included?
With a driver and car, the fuel. On a tour with a driver-guide, the tour page lists what is and isn't included; on day trips it is usually lunch, drinks and tips. Travel insurance is not included: since 1 January 2026 travel health insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover has been mandatory for visitors to Georgia, so arrange it before you arrive.
Can we travel with children?
Yes. Tell us early and give the children's ages and weights, so that seats can be arranged in advance. Georgian traffic rules say children under 12 should not sit in the front seat.
Can the driver stay with us for several days?
Yes. When the driver stays overnight away from home, add $35 a night for their bed and meals. For a longer trip with a driver-guide, plan your route with us and we send a price for your group.
Looking for something else?
Tell us your days and your route
Your dates, how many of you there are, what you want to see, and a driver or a driver-guide: we reply with a route and a price. Nothing to pay now.
Eteri Biniashvili, Head of Operations
Reply within one working day