Overview
What to expect
David Gareja is one of Georgia's strangest and most rewarding day trips — a 6th-century cave monastery carved into the cliffs of a semi-arid plateau, founded by David Garejeli in an isolation so deliberate the site still feels remote today.
This private tour covers Lavra Monastery, the lower complex and the part every visitor reaches, where centuries of monks carved cells, chapels, and libraries directly into the sandstone. From there, the tour continues to the vividly striped Rainbow Hills rising beside the site — a landscape unaffected by anything happening elsewhere on the plateau, and striking enough to justify the trip on its own.
The upper Udabno monastery, home to the site's most celebrated frescoes, sits near an undelimited stretch of the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, and access has fluctuated for years. Your driver-guide checks the current situation before departure and adjusts the day accordingly — Udabno is a bonus when conditions allow, not something the trip depends on.
Because the tour is private, the pace is yours, and the vehicle is suited to the rough final approach road that makes this site impractical to reach independently.
Visual preview
Gallery
1 image
Why travelers choose it
Highlights
Explore Lavra Monastery, the 6th-century cave complex founded by David Garejeli
See centuries-old frescoes carved directly into the sandstone cliffs
Walk among the vividly striped Rainbow Hills, always accessible regardless of border conditions
Attempt the Udabno Monastery ridge when current border access allows, with a guide who checks conditions before departure
Private air-conditioned, high-clearance vehicle suited to the site's rough final approach road
Pricing
Clear private tour pricing
Price from
$79
From $79 per person, depending on group size. Exact price may vary based on the number of travelers, travel dates, route adjustments, and direct booking preferences.
Adults 2–3 travelers
Price per adult for private groups of 2–3 travelers.
$129
Adults 4–7 travelers
Price per adult for private groups of 4–7 travelers.
$99
Adults 8–15 travelers
Price per adult for private groups of 8–15 travelers.
$79
Prices can depend on private group size, traveler age group, selected pickup, and route adjustments before confirmation.
Route plan
What's included on this route
Kakheti / David Gareja
Tbilisi – Lavra Monastery – Rainbow Hills – Udabno (conditions permitting) – Tbilisi
Morning pickup from your Tbilisi hotel, then the drive southeast toward the Gareja plateau, with a rougher final stretch of road. Explore Lavra Monastery's cave complex, frescoes, and chapels, then walk the Rainbow Hills — a roughly two-hour round-trip hike among the striped sandstone formations. If current border conditions allow, continue up to Udabno Monastery for its most celebrated frescoes. Return drive to Tbilisi in the late afternoon or early evening.
- Lavra Monastery
- Cave cells and frescoes
- Rainbow Hills
- Udabno Monastery (conditions permitting)
What is covered
Included / Not included
Included
- All fees and taxes
- Private transportation
- High-clearance vehicle suited to the access road
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bottled water
- Driver-guide service
- Current border-access check before departure
- Flexible private itinerary
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Booking details
Pickup, confirmation, and traveler info
Pickup and transfer
Airport: Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport, Tbilisi, Georgia
Pickup is available from Tbilisi hotels, apartments, and custom pickup locations provided by travelers. We pick up all travelers. Travelers can enter their own pickup location during booking. Pickup usually starts 15 minutes before the selected departure time.
Please share your Tbilisi hotel or apartment address when booking so the driver can confirm pickup details.
Schedule and confirmation
Booking cutoff: Stop selling 24 hours before start time
Confirmation: Direct booking requests are confirmed after communication with the traveler.
Departure times
Operating days
Travelers
Max travelers: 15 travelers
Required traveler info
Adults · 18–65
Adult traveler pricing applies to guests aged 18–65.
Youth · 13–17
Youth pricing applies to travelers aged 13–17.
Children · 4–12
Child pricing applies to travelers aged 4–12; the hike may not suit very young children.
Infants · 0–3
Infants must sit on laps. Infant seats are available on request.
Guide, access, and difficulty
Guide language: English
Audio guide: None
Written guide: None
Difficulty: Most travelers can participate
The in-person guide is also the driver, and checks current border-access conditions the morning of the tour.
Cancellation and operator rights
Standard cancellation policy. Travelers may cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time in the local timezone to receive a full refund. No refunds are given after that time period.
The operator may adjust the day's route in response to current border-access conditions at Udabno; Lavra Monastery and the Rainbow Hills remain part of the tour regardless. The operator may also cancel or reschedule for a full refund in case of unsafe weather or road conditions.
Operator
Listing: Must See Georgia
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
Contact: +995 551 18 13 58
Important notes
- This is a private tour and the route can be customized.
- David Gareja's upper Udabno monastery sits near an undelimited section of the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. Access to Udabno has fluctuated for years and cannot be guaranteed on any given day — Lavra Monastery and the Rainbow Hills are unaffected and always part of the visit.
- The final stretch of road is rough; the tour vehicle is suited to it, but the ride will still be bumpy.
- Wear real hiking shoes — terrain includes uneven sandstone and loose scree.
- The plateau has little shade and no natural water source; sun protection and your own water bottle are recommended alongside what's provided.
- The area is snake habitat; travelers are asked to stay on marked paths.
Frequently asked questions
- Will we be able to visit Udabno Monastery?
- It depends on the current Georgia-Azerbaijan border situation, which has fluctuated for years and can't be guaranteed on any given day. Your driver-guide checks conditions before departure. Lavra Monastery and the Rainbow Hills are unaffected and are included regardless.
- Is this tour worth it if Udabno turns out to be closed?
- Yes — Lavra Monastery's cave architecture and frescoes, plus the Rainbow Hills hike, are substantial on their own and make up the core of the day regardless of Udabno's status.
- How much walking is involved?
- The Rainbow Hills hike is a moderate round-trip of about two hours on uneven sandstone and loose scree; the monastery visits involve additional walking on similar terrain. Real hiking shoes are recommended.
- Why is a private tour recommended over self-driving?
- The final approach road is rough and better suited to a high-clearance vehicle, public transport options are unreliable, and a local driver-guide can check the day's border-access status before you commit to the drive — something self-drivers have no easy way to confirm in advance.
- Is there an entrance fee?
- The monastery itself is free to enter. The tour price covers transport, the vehicle suited to the access road, and the driver-guide.
- What should I bring?
- Sturdy hiking shoes, sun protection, and extra water — the plateau has little shade and no natural water source beyond what's provided on the tour.
Private customization
Want this tour customized for your group?
Request direct booking and adjust pickup, route details, timing, family needs, and travel pace before confirming your trip.
