Kakheti Private Wine Tour
Four days in Kakheti with the people who make the wine, staying at Nekresi Estate and Ruispiri's biodynamic vineyard.
4 days / 3 nights 2–4 guestsEasy
Travel guide
Best time to visit Georgia, month by month
For most trips the best time to visit Georgia is May to October. The real answer depends on where you want to go: the wine regions open up in April, the high mountain roads only in summer, and Tbilisi and the Kazbegi day trip work all year. This is how I plan it, month by month.
By Jimmy Malania, licensed Georgian guide since 2011 · Updated
- Best overall: May to October
- High mountains: June to September
- Grape harvest: September and October
Month by month
This table comes straight from the season on each of our tours: the months each one is at its best, and the months it still runs but with more weather risk or colder days.
Spring: April and May
Spring is the season for the lowlands. From April the wine country of Kakheti, the canyons and caves of Imereti and the cave town of Vardzia are all at their best: green, mild and quiet. The canyon walkways and boat rides in Imereti open in spring.
The high mountains are still waking up. Kazbegi is at its best from May, while the higher valleys of Svaneti, Racha and Khevsureti usually still have snow. A Svaneti trip in May is possible, but the Ushguli road and the Koruldi trail may not be clear yet.
Summer: the mountains
June to September is when the high Caucasus opens. This is the season for Svaneti, when the Ushguli road and the Koruldi Lakes trail are clear of snow, for Upper Racha, and for Goderdzi, where the lakes, quad and e-bike routes run.
Khevsureti has the shortest season of all: the road over the Datvisjvari Pass to Shatili is usually open only from July to September. Every hike in these regions, with distances and times, is on the hiking page.
Tbilisi itself is hot in July and August, so in summer I keep city days short and spend the time up high, where the air is cooler.
Autumn: the harvest in Kakheti
September and October are the grape harvest, rtveli, and the liveliest time in the wine villages of Kakheti. If wine is the reason for your trip, this is when to come. The Kakheti wine region guide explains what you'll taste and where.
September is also still summer in the mountains, which makes it the one month where you can have both: the harvest in Kakheti and the high roads of Svaneti or Racha. October is possible in Svaneti and Racha too, with a higher chance of early snow.
In October the valleys around Kazbegi turn gold, and the crowds of summer are gone.
Winter: snow and skiing
From November to March the high mountain tours rest, but Georgia doesn't close. The Kazbegi day trip runs all year: the mountains are white and the Military Highway is part of the adventure. After heavy snow the road can close for a while, so I watch the forecast and adjust.
The wine tasting in Tbilisi and the Mtskheta and Uplistsikhe day trip are good any time of year. Vardzia is open all year too, but cold and windy in winter.
Winter is also ski season. Gudauri, on the road to Kazbegi, and Goderdzi in the Adjara highlands are two of Georgia's ski resorts, usually open from December into April. If you want to ski, ask me and we'll plan it around your dates.
Questions
What is the best month to visit Georgia?
If you can pick only one, September. The mountain roads to Svaneti, Racha and Khevsureti are still open, and the grape harvest begins in Kakheti.When is the grape harvest in Georgia?
September and October. In Kakheti it is called rtveli, and it is the liveliest time in the wine villages.Can I visit the Georgian mountains in winter?
Kazbegi, yes: the day trip from Tbilisi runs all year. The remote mountain regions, like Svaneti, Racha and Khevsureti, are summer trips, from June to September.Is spring a good time to visit Georgia?
Yes, for the lowlands. From April, Kakheti, Imereti, Vardzia and Mtskheta are green and quiet. Kazbegi is at its best from May; the higher mountains usually open in June.When can I ski in Georgia?
Usually from December into April, at Gudauri on the road to Kazbegi and at Goderdzi in Adjara. Ask us and we plan it around your dates.
Our tours, for every season
Kazbegi Private Mountain Tour
A day trip from Tbilisi to Kazbegi on the Georgian Military Highway, in a private 4x4 with your own guide. About three hours of driving each way.
Day trip 2–4 guestsEasy
1 day
Svaneti Private 4x4 Tour
Six days in Svaneti with a local driver-guide and a 4x4. Svan towers under Shkhara in Ushguli, the Chalaadi glacier, and the Koruldi Lakes facing Mount Ushba.
6 days / 5 nights 2–4 guestsModerate
Most popular
Goderdzi Private Mountain Tour
Five days in the Adjara highlands, with four nights at the 5-star Ambassadori Goderdzi and a khinkali class with Georgian wine.
5 days / 4 nights 2–4 guestsModerate
Imereti Private Tour
Three days in Imereti, with two nights at Liluashvili's Marani, a family wine estate, and a private Jeep Wrangler with guide and driver.
3 days / 2 nights 2–4 guestsEasy
3 days
Racha Private 4x4 Tour
Five days by private Jeep across Racha, the quiet side of the Caucasus, to Ghebi and Gona at the far end of Upper Racha.
5 days / 4 nights 2–4 guestsEasy
Georgian Wine Tasting in Tbilisi
Five Georgian wines in central Tbilisi, tasted with your group only.
Mtskheta & Uplistsikhe Private Heritage Tour
A private day trip from Tbilisi to Mtskheta, Georgia's old capital, and the cave town of Uplistsikhe.
Day trip · 6–7 hrs 2–4 guestsEasy