Armenia & Georgia Real Food Adventure

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enquire now 10 Days From NZD $2,818 pp twinshare
 Small group
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Discover the rich flavours and centuries-old Caucasian classics of Yerevan, Tbilisi and beyond

Taste the punchy flavours of Armenia and Georgia on this 10-day food adventure. Begin the journey in Yerevan, contrasting traditional Armenian barbecue, grilled trout and tolma with the many spicy aromas of the local markets. Continue the adventure in Georgia, where the charming facades of Tbilisi and the snow-dusted peaks of the Caucasus are the backdrop for culinary adventures, both hands-on and leisurely. Enjoy the region’s most iconic and celebrated dishes, all washed down with a delicious array of Georgia’s famous local wines.

Why you’ll love this trip

  • Prepare your own tolma (vine-wrapped rice, herbs and lentils) and join a masterclass with a local family to learn how to make khinkali (Georgian dumplings).
  • Join local families for traditional homecooked meals, sampling Armenian trout with a family in Garni and make a Georgian barbecue with a family in the Kakheti region.
  • Take a hike in the striking Caucasus mountains to perhaps one of the best positioned churches in Europe – Gergeti Trinity Church.
  • Taste the region’s most iconic dishes, including chaqafuli (beef or lamb in plum sauce), mtsvadi (meat skewers), churchkhela (nutty Georgian candy) and khachapuri (cheese breads).
  • Enjoy a glass or two of the locally produced wine and learn about the unique Qvevri tradition of using clay pots to create delicious, unfiltered and organic drops.

Itinerary

Day 1: Yerevan

Welcome to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. After meeting with your guide at 6pm in the hotel lobby, head out with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner in a local restaurant. Here the main dish is khorovats – skewered and spiced meats, such as pork, grilled on a barbecue. It’s the most representative dish of Armenian cuisine enjoyed in restaurants, family gatherings and feasts.

Day 2: Yerevan

After breakfast, set off on a city tour around Yerevan with a local guide. This includes a visit to the local market, the best place to browse the fresh fruits, dried fruits and many aromatic spices that Armenia is known for. Then, visit a local home where you’ll learn how to make the traditional Armenian dish known as tolma, delicious parcels of rice, herbs, lentils and tomato wrapped in vine or cabbage leaves, which you’ll then enjoy for lunch.The home also serves as an ethnographic museum, so be sure to have a look around before you leave. The rest of the day is free for your own discoveries. You may like to visit the Zvartnots Temple. Built in the 7th century, destroyed in the 10th century, and excavated in the early 20th, this World Heritage-listed marvel is impressive even in its ruined and partially reconstructed form. Another option is a visit to the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, one of the oldest standing churches in Christendom.

Day 3: Yerevan

After breakfast, visit Geghard Monastery, a magnificent monument of medieval Armenian architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next up is the Symphony of Stones, a remarkable natural collection of hexagonal and pentagonal basalt columns that resemble the pipes of an organ. From here, head to the Temple of Garni, a monument of the Hellenistic period and an impressive piece of ancient Armenian architecture. Next up, enjoy lunch in a local house, sampling some delectable Armenian grilled trout, accompanied by salads, rice, fruit and tea or coffee. Your hosts will demonstrate how to make lavash, a soft, thin unleavened flatbread so essential to Armenia that it’s on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you’re keen, try making some for yourself. Drive to back to Yerevan and enjoy a free evening – perhaps visit the Armenian Brandy Factory for a taste of various aged brandies, the classic Ararat variety is considered the pride of many generations and a symbol of Armenia.

Day 4: Tbilisi

Start early today, saying goodbye to Armenia and hopping aboard a public bus to Georgia’s capital city, Tbilisi. Enjoy the scenery or catch up on sleep on the way. On arrival, take some time to settle into your hotel, then head out to a local wine bar to sample wine made by the bar’s female owner. For your first taste of Georgian cuisine, you may like to go out and try one of the country’s oldest and most delicious dishes for dinner. Shqmeruli is a hearty combination of succulent chicken with a garlic and milk sauce.

Day 5: Tbilisi

Today you will explore Tbilisi with a local guide. Starting from the Metekhi Church, which has magnificent views over old Tbilisi, stroll through winding streets to the city’s main sites. Enjoy the terraced streets, colourful houses, patterned balconies and modern architecture. End the tour at the ancient Narikala Fortress, with panoramic views of the city and surrounds. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant specializing in khachapuri (cheese breads). Taste several varieties – all different shapes, styles and fillings. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore the sites and tastes of Tbilisi at your own pace.

Day 6: Telavi

Today you will travel into the Kakheti region, surrounded by both snowy Caucasus mountains and fertile valleys and famous for its wines and welcoming hospitality. Your first stop is the 16th century Gremi Architectural Complex, which you’ll explore with a local guide, followed by lunch with a local family. Familiarise yourself with the local life and make ‘mtsvadi’, a famous Georgian barbecue dish, and learn the ritual behind its preparation. Afterwards, watch a demonstration on the making of ‘churchkhela’, a type of Georgian sweet, and give it a go yourself! After lunch, drive to a traditional Georgian wine cellar, where you’ll learn the secret behind the unique method used to create this delicious beverage. Arrive at your night’s accommodation in the early evening.

Day 7: Gudauri

This morning, join your leader for a walk around the market to discover fresh local produce. Then, drive to Georgia’s ancient capital and religious centre, Mtskheta. Here you’ll meet with a local guide and tour World Heritage-listed marvels: Jvari Church, which dates back to the 6th century, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, dating back to the 11th century (where the Robe of Christ is buried). Afterwards, drive up the famous Georgian Military Highway, which leads to the Georgian-Russian border. On the way there, visit the 17th-century Ananuri architectural complex, as well as the two churches and the fortress that overlooks the Zhinvali water reservoir. The views here are spectacular and the carvings on the churches are some of the best samples of Georgian art out there. Today’s drive through the Caucasus Mountains is a memorable one (it can get slow, steep and windy up here). In the evening, sit down to dinner at a local guesthouse in Gudauri (2200m above sea level) where you’ll spend the night.

Day 8: Gudauri / Stepantsminda

Start the day with a drive to Stepantsminda. From here, it’s a leisurely 2 hour walk up through beautiful valleys and woodland to Gergeti Trinity Church. Weather permitting, you might catch a glimpse of one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus, Mt Kazbegi (5047 m). After the walk, visit a local family located in Gudauri, where the host will teach a masterclass on how to make khinkali (Georgian dumplings). Drive back to Gudauri in the late afternoon, where you will enjoy a free evening.

Day 9: Tbilisi

Leave Gudauri this morning and head to Tbilisi for an afternoon at leisure. You may like to take a dip in the city’s famous sulfur baths, take a walk along the river, check out the Tbilisi Concert Hall and Public Service Hall, or grab a great coffee and check out the artist pop ups at Fabrika. In the evening, head out for a farewell dinner at a traditional Georgian restaurant featuring chaqafuli (beef or lamb in a fresh plum sauce).

Day 10: Tbilisi

Today your adventure comes to an end after breakfast. There are no activities included on this day and you are free to leave at any time. If you would like to spend some more time in Tbilisi, please contact your booking agent to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

INT – KFZG

Images Courtesy of Intrepid Group 

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