The Slow Cyclist is delighted to launch its first adventure in Georgia, a 9-day journey through the Kakheti Valley, the oldest wine-producing region in the world, and Tusheti National Park in the wildflower rich mountains north of the country's capital, Tbilisi. This amazing adventure, led by one of Georgia's most accomplished and exciting guides, offers the chance to get under the skin of a country that is home to some of the most magnificent landscapes on earth.

Why Georgia?

Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, bordered to the north by the magnificent Caucasus mountains, gifted with a long and ancient history, and claimed to be the birthplace of wine making, Georgia is a fascinating mix of east and west. Since the peaceful Rose Revolution in 2003 it has returned to the world stage as a safe new country to explore.

Despite its small size, Georgia has Europe's highest level of biodiversity and has more species of mammals than any other European country. Its ancient history is evident through its magnificent monasteries, its striking stone-built defence towers, old churches and castles perched on rocky crags which dot the spectacular mountain landscape. 

“There are few things that beat cycling slowly through the oldest wine region in the world and hiking across the extraordinarily rich meadows of the Tushetian plateau,” says Oli Broom, Managing Director of The Slow Cyclist, “so I'm delighted to be able to offer such an indulgent experience to our guests for the first time this year. We are particularly excited that it is Eka, our warm, spirited, cultured and obsessively hospitable guide, who will bring the country to life for our guests, showing them the places in which she grew up and still lives. Of course, those places – the vast mountain meadows and rolling vineyards – are incredibly beautiful and not easily forgotten. This adventure is not to miss!”

What to Expect?

Vineyards, Wildflowers and Mountains of Georgia is a 9-day, moderately challenging cycling and hiking adventure that takes guests through two of the Caucasus's most beautiful regions. Two days are spent on two wheels, weaving along dirt tracks and quiet backroads through the beautiful and abundant Kakheti Valley, home to the oldest wine region in the world. Evenings will be spent tasting local wines, presented by sommeliers and vineyard owners, and toasting in traditional “tamada” fashion. After two days we journey into the awe-inspiring Tusheti National Park, high above Kakheti and deep in the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains to hike amid glorious peaks carpeted with wildflowers. Evenings will be spent under the stars eating and drinking with typical Georgian gusto, often accompanied by local musicians. Across the trip, nights will be spent in a variety of establishments, from local homes to boutique hotels.

Highlights

Georgia's spectacular scenery will for sure be the highlight of your journey. However, there is so much more to this enchanting country:

• Admiring the glorious view of Mt Kazbek (5047m) and the highest peak in Georgia.
• Hiking through alpine meadows filled with seasonal wildflowers, snow-capped mountains as a constant backdrop.
• Being hosted for dinner and winetasting at one of Georgia's best young vineyards, owned by Danish adventurer Olaf Malver and his Georgian his wife (who also happens to be your guide for the 9 days) Eka.
• Spending a night in the remote UNESCO village of Shenako, at the home of Eka's parents, perched on a hill next to a historic church.
• Wine tasting at one of the most celebrated artisan vineyards in Georgia.
• 'Taking the waters': Bathing in a traditional sulphur bathhouse in Tiblisi's old city.

Trip Profile

This 9-day Georgia adventure will include two days of cycling and four days of hiking. The terrain on the cycling elements varies from smooth tarmac roads to country paths and trails. The hiking terrain is mountainous and the days are long (up to 8 hours of pure hiking) and at high altitude (up to 3,000m above sea level). A good level of physical fitness is recommended.

Trip Dates

10-18 June, 2017 

Costs

The trip costs £1,795 per person. The price includes support (vehicles and horses), all accommodation, all meals (including wine), snacks and drinking water, all activities including two wine-tasting evenings, dedicated UK host, local guide and mountain bike and helmet hire. It excludes flights and airport transfers.

About The Slow Cyclist

The Slow Cyclist, founded in 2014 by travel writer Oli Broom, is a UK-based specialist holiday operator offering culturally immersive bicycle journeys for proper travelers, in places we know, love and feel the urge to share. Currently those places are Transylvania, Rwanda and Georgia. After spending 14 months cycling from London to Brisbane to watch a cricket match, Oli decided he wanted others to experience the world as he had: slowly, and through the eyes of local people. So The Slow Cyclist was born! Since 2014 we have hosted hundreds of guests, most of whom sometimes ride hard but are more often distracted by the food, history and people that make the places we visit so special.

"It was such a wonderful, extraordinary time you gave us all; one I will never forget. Every single surprise you organised for us was not better than the last but of equal thrill. I felt you took us into every part of the Transylvanian culture, history, people. You wouldn't get that with many tour operators. If that is what you are! But it certainly doesn't describe you and your team!" Helen Raikes - Transylvania, June 2016