Georgia-Armenia-Azerbaijan have had very troubled pasts which kept traveller’s away from these little pieces of heaven. This region is now open to tourism like never before and this mountainous region is as welcoming as its people.
This Georgia-Armenia-Azerbaijan Itinerary will give you a sensory overload as you experience both Middle-Eastern & European cultures while you travel deep into the heart of the Caucasus. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were also part of the ancient silk route, so keep an ear out for the many folklores and stories during your travels here. Long post alert!
HOW TO PLAN YOUR ROAD TRIP
Georgia , Armenia and Azerbaijan offer E-Visa services for most nationalities. Ensure you have pre approved visa’s for all countries if you are planning a road trip. This will make the border crossings much simpler.
IMPORTANT TRAVEL TIP
Azerbaijan and Armenia have long standing conflicts with each other, the dislike felt more at the Azeri side, and all borders between these countries are closed. It is best to start your road trip from Azerbaijan and make your way through Georgia and not the other way around. Why? Having an Armenian stamp on your passport leads to a lot of questions at the Azerbaijan airport.
CROSSING BORDERS
SELF DRIVING in the Caucasus is highly recommended but NOT for crossing borders. It is quite difficult while crossing borders as inter-country car rentals are hard to find in these countries. Many travelers have faced issues while crossing borders in rented cars. The best alternative is to either use public transport or hire a car with driver to cross borders.
2 WEEK GEORGIA-ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrive in Baku-AZERBAIJAN
Day 2 Gobustan Mud Volacano, Gobustan National Park, Yanardag and Atesgah-AZERBAIJAN
Day 3 Qabala-AZERBAIJAN
Day 4 Qabala and Laza-AZERBAIJAN
Day 5 Kakheti,GEORGIA
Day 6 Tbilisi, GEORGIA
Day 7 Gudauri, GEORGIA
Day 8 Tbilisi, GEORGIA
Day 9 Tbilisi/Yerevan, GEORGIA/ARMENIA
Day 10 Mt Aragat, Lake Kari & Khor Virap, ARMENIA
Day 11 Lake Sevan & Sevanavank, ARMENIA
Day 12 Hankavan Hot Springs, Garni and Geghard Monastery, ARMENIA
Day 13 Yerevan, ARMENIA
Day 14 Time to head home
DAY 1 & 2 BAKU
Boutique Hotels In Baku:|Boutique Hotel Baku|Dinamo Hotel Baku|Citrus Boutique Hotel|
The capital city of Azerbaijan, Baku is the perfect example of a seamless blend of the East and the West. Numerous skyscrapers on one side and a charming old town with Soviet Era influences on the other, it is popularly referred to as the lovechild of London & Dubai.
Also Read: Explore Baku in 48 hours
Gobustan Mud Volcanoes
MUST-DO LIST WHILE IN BAKU
- Gobustan Mud Volcanos/Gobustan National park
- Yanar Dag- The burning mountain
- Ateshgah- A hindu temple
- Old Town
- Try the local Azeri fruit jams. It is usually served as a side dish with tea.
DAY 3 & 4 GABALA (GEBELE) & LAZA
Where to stay in Gabala:|Qafqaz Sport Hotel|Where to stay in Laza: |Shahdag Hotel & Spa|
Time to enjoy the quieter regions of Azerbaijan. Gabala and Laza are popular winter destination among skiers. During summer, Gabala is seen more as a wellness retreat among the mountains with cooler climate, greenery all around and state of the art wellness and ski resorts. Gabala is popularly known as the Switzerland of Azerbaijan.
Visit the nearby village of Laza– Home to the Caucasian Albanians, popular for its famous waterfalls and scenic but challenging hiking trails. This is also the closest you can get to Russia from this side without a visa 🙂
MUST-DO LIST WHILE IN GABALA
- Long walks along the winding country lanes of Gabala
- Gabala has amazing ski slopes
- Visit the Nohr-Gul Lake
- Try fruit lavash & Paklava
A picnic spot at Gabala
DAY 5 KAKHETI, GEORGIA
Where to stay in Kakheti: |Schuchmann Wines Chateau & Spa|My Sweet Home|
You can hire a car or take a bus to Georgia from Gabala. 4.5 hours away from Gabala, Kakheti, the wine region is your first touch point in Georgia. Wine is an integral part of your vacation in Georgia, so why not enjoy it at a vineyard?
Scenic drive to the vineyards
MUST-DO LIST IN KAKHETI
- Wine Tour at Winery Khareba
- If you are planning to buy wine, its best to do it here.
- The best grape seed oil in the region is found here.
DAY 6 TBILISI
Where to stay in Tbilisi: |Courtyard By Mariott|
After a relaxing day at the vineyards, time to head into the hustle & bustle of the capital city of Tbilisi. Just a 1.5 hour drive from Kakheti, you can either take a bus or cab. Once in Tbilisi, enjoy a walk along the Freedom Square area, exploring the various wine bars, restaurants, stores and cafe’s. Also do check out the tour companies operating near Freedom Square for day trips within Georgia.
Tbilsi City tour
MUST-DO LIST IN TBILISI
- Rustaveli Avenue
- Tbilisi Funicular
- Freedom Square
- Old Tbilisi & The Bridge of Peace
- Abanotubani Sulphur Baths
- Mamadaviti Church
- Narikala Fortress
- Try Khachapuri
- Enjoy local wine paired with cheese
DAY 7 GUDAURI
Where to stay in Gudauri: |Rooms Hotel|
A 3.5 hour drive from Tbilisi, the winding road up to the mountains will make you squeal in excitement & fear at the same time. This drive is extremely scenic and the Kazbegi mountain ranges are a sight to behold.
Also Read: 10 Fun Things to do in Georgia
The most beautiful setting for a church-Gergety Trinity Church
MUST-DO LIST IN GUDAURI
- Gergeti Trinity Church
- Georgia-Russia Friendship Monument
- Paragliding
- Hiking trails along Mt. Kazbegi
At the Russia-Georgia Peace Monument
DAY 8 TBILISI
You will definitely have some spillovers from Day 6 in Tbilisi. Treat this day to enjoy true Georgian hospitality, wine & dine and enjoy the historical sights in this city.
Wine&Dine, Georgian Style
DAY 9 TBILISI/YEREVAN
Where to stay in Yerevan: |Tufenkian Historic Yerevan Hotel| Ibis Yerevan Center|
You can either get a taxi, shared van or a bus from Tbilisi (Freedom Square) to Yerevan. The total travel time including border change takes about 7 hours. We took a shared van which accommodates up to 7 people and is a cheaper option as compared to a private taxi. The cheapest option is to take a bus. The day will mostly be spent in travel and all you would want to do once you reach Yerevan is to order room service and sleep.
Also Read: 10 fascinating things you didn’t know about Armenia
DAY 10 Mt ARAGAT, LAKE KARI & KHOR VIRAP
You can station yourself in Yerevan and either book normal tours or private tours to explore Armenia. Enjoy Khor Virap Monastery and the stunning views of Mt.Ararat (situated in Turkey) from here. The drive to Mt. Aragat is so much fun and the views at the top are literally unreal. Lake Kari atop the mountain is just pure wow! A tour would normally take 5-6 hours and you can get back to Yerevan by late evening.
Also Read: The best day trips from Yerevan
Stunning views of Mount Ararat from Khor Virap Monastery
DAY 11 LAKE SEVAN
One of world’s high altitude lakes, Lake Sevan is cooler and windier than other parts of Armenia. You can do a day trip to Lake Sevan from Yerevan or stay a night. The best time to visit Lake Sevan is July & August. There are many hotels by the shore offering spectacular views of the lake. Check hotels here.
At Sevanavank
MUST-DO LIST IN LAKE SEVAN
- Try the local fresh water fish
- Visit Sevanavank Monastery
DAY 12 HANKANVAN HOT SPRINGS, GARNI & GEGHARD MONASTERY
Hankavan thermal springs is believed to have medicinal properties and best enjoyed in cooler weather. The feeling of warmth is a welcome change in the bitter mountain chill and you will thoroughly enjoyed it in spite of the questionable color of the water (!)
Garni is the only pagan temple in Armenia dedicated to the sun goddess Mythra. This architectural wonder is worth visiting and it brings in a deep urge to meet the great people behind this wonder.
Carved out of rock, Geghard monastery was believed to have housed the spear that was used to wound Jesus Christ. The moment you step into the monastery, you feel a deep sense of peace and quiet. We were lucky enough to visit the monastery after closing and were the only ones inside. *Goosebumps*
Hankavan Hot Springs
The architectural wonder of Garni
The soulful Geghard Monastery
DAY 13 YEREVAN
The last day of your trip is to be spent at leisure enjoying a full day exploring Yerevan. Lively streets and cafe’s will greet you at every corner in this city.
MUST-DO LIST IN YEREVAN
- Stroll around the Republic Square
- Visit the History Musuem
- Try Oghee (Fruit Vodka)
- From Putin to Clooney to Kardashian, all have dined at the Dolmama Restaurant in Yerevan. Fancy a visit?
Also Read: How to spend 48 hours in Yerevan?
We really hope this article has helped in your planning process. Comment down below or click that ‘Contact Us’ button if you have any questions. We would be super happy to help!
Happy Travels!
Hi how did you travel from baku to georgia and what was the approximate budget for the trip?
Hey Susan,
We stayed a couple days in Qabala and from there took a private taxi into Georgia.It costed us about $100 but I have been told that you can haggle and bring it down further. The cheapest option is to take a bus but it also takes the longest time to reach.
Hi,
Me and my boyfriend will visit Caucasus in the next September and we are undecided if rent a car for all the countries (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia) or if we use public transportation and be a bit limited by the times and location. it was easy to cross boarders? you use the same car in all the countries?
Best regards,
Joana
Hello Joana,
Border crossing between these countries on a rented car can be quite chaotic as many travelers have had bad experiences. The best option would be to rent a car in each of these countries separately and use public transport for the border crossing.
Safe travels!
Love from both of us
Hi
I’m muizz from South Africa , love traveling as well , if u flew into Baku Azerbaijan, then with driver to drove , Azerbaijan , Georgia then Armenia
From where did u fly out again . Return ?
Did u book ur flight into Baku and out of Yerevan , was that not expensive ?
Also you hired a car m driver between all 3 countries , Aprox wat did the car with driver cost ? And wat were the implications of fuel & driver accommodation on this trip etx ?
Were planning a trip with out kids
Our last trip was Albania , Macedonia & Kosovo
Thank you
Johannesburg
South Africa
Author
Hi Muizz, we love hearing from fellow travelers 🙂 Your last trip sounds so inviting, we hope to take that route soon.
Now, to answer your question, we flew into Baku and flew out of Yerevan as it did not make sense for us to take a round trip. Also, if you have an Armenian stamp on your passport, most likely you will face issues trying to enter Azerbaijan. Read up about it to see if there has been any changes in this situation lately. The flights costed us a bit much, but it was still cheap due to off-season.
You can get a one-way taxi from Azerbaijan to Georgia (do haggle) and from Georgia to Yerevan, you can take a mini bus (cheap yet fast). In all these countries, you can take day trips each day so you do not have to retain a car & driver.
Nice trip!! Planned to travel to the US this summer, but then… corona happened. Thinking to travel to Georgia instead, this is how I came across your itinerary. Do you mind asking what was the overall cost of this two-week-long trip? (excluding international flight as it can vary from country to country, me personally would go there from Denmark)
Thanks!!
Author
Hey Nandor, We hear Georgia opens its borders on June 15th.We love the fact that you are planning your future trips. So are we:) The trip costed us between $1000-$1500. Looks like post Corona travel may be slightly more cheaper. We would love to hear about your experiences on this trip so it would be amazing if you could message us here or on our Instagram handle @coupleoftravels. Travel Safe!
Hi
Hope all fine with you, I am planning my next visit as same as yours fly to Baku and travel to Georgia and Armenia and fly out from Yerevan, How did you travel inside all these countries and how did you cross borders,was it in a bus or rented car or self driven rent car
Regards
Kabeer
Author
Hi Kabeer,
Happy to hear about your travel plans and honestly super excited! This is surely going to be an amazing trip.
So traveling WITHIN Baku- Walk and local day trips with car & driver. You can cross border between Azerbaijan and Georgia either by bus or private cab. Within Georgia, we rented a car. Crossing borders between GE & Armenia, we took a shared minibus. You can book day trips (Car with driver) in Armenia with your hotel.
Happy Travels!