Itinerary ( be aware, that this your program is created by Maja Linder, all rights reserved)
Day 1. 09.09.2016 (Friday)
Flight to Georgia. Transfer from Tbilisi International Airport to the hostel. Overnight in a hostel in Tbilisi*.
Accommodation: hostel in Tbilisi.
* participants arriving to other cities need to get to Tbilisi on their own till 11:00 AM on Saturday (10.09.2016) the latest. We do not provide airport transfer from airports outside of Tbilisi, we coordinate arrivals and participants and advise on best transfer options.
Day 2. 10.09.2016 (Saturday)
After late breakfast in a hostel, city walk through the streets of Tbilisi. At the State Museum of Georgian Folk Songs and Musical Instruments we join a specially designed for us musical presentation on Georgian music and instruments. Afterwards we go up to the Narikala Fortress with a cable car and get back down walking to the Old Tbilisi. In the evening we taste traditional Georgian food during a feast in one of the local restaurants.
Meals: breakfast in a hostel, dinner in a restaurant.
Accommodation: hostel in Tbilisi.
Day 3. 11.09.2016 (Sunday)
After breakfast two-hour car drive to Jokolo village situated in Pankisi Gorge at the Georgian – Russian (Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingusheti) and Azerbaijan borders. On the way we visit Ujarma Fortress. Lunch at guesthouse in Jokolo. After lunch we take a short cultural tour with a local guide – we visit mosques and churches, learn about Kists’ traditions and local customs. Dinner at the guesthouse. During dinner Nazy – our host in Jokolo, tells about herself and living in Chechen society.
Meals: breakfast in hostel in Tbilisi, lunch and dinner in guesthouse in Jokolo.
Accommodation: guesthouse in Jokolo.
Day 4. 12.09.2016 (Monday)
Morning yoga or running along the Alazani river bank. After breakfast, frame drumming workshop with Xenia Uranova (3 hours)*. Lunch at the guesthouse. Concert of Sufis’ zikr by female ensemble from Pankisi – a unique Sufis’ female confraternity can be found only in Pankisi valley. We hear traditional Sufis’ zikr and learn to sing together with Kists’ singers. After a day fulfilled with musical activities we take part in culinary workshop led by Nazy’s mother. We prepare traditional Kist dinner comprising of Chechen (Jijik, Galnish) as well as Georgian (Khachapuri) cuisine dishes.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner in form of a workshop at guesthouse in Jokolo.
Accommodation: guesthouse in Jokolo.
* depending on weather conditions the workshop take place at the guesthouse or at the area of stone amphitheater 20 min walk away from our guesthouse.
Day 5. 13.09.2016 (Tuesday)
Morning yoga or running along the Alazani river bank. After breakfast frame drumming workshop with Xenia Uranova (3 hours). Lunch at the guesthouse. We meet Dziriani ensemble that leads daira drum workshop and gives us a concert of traditional Georgian music coming from another region of Georgia – Racha. We have an opportunity to try ourselves with Georgian polyphonic singing and learn through practice more details about Georgian folk instruments. If the weather allows we feast dinner together under the blue sky.
Meals: breakfast, lunch at guesthouse in Jokolo, dinner depending on weather conditions either in guesthouse or outdoors.
Accommodation: guesthouse in Jokolo.
Day 6. 14.09.2016 (Wednesday)
Morning yoga. After breakfast full-day horse tour to the shepherds’ huts in the Greater Caucasus mountains (ca. 5 hours) surrounding the Pankisi Gorge. We have picnic on the way. At the shepherds’ huts we see and learn the traditional cheese-making process. After jointly prepared dinner we sing by the campfire. Overnight at the shepherds’ huts or in tents depending on space availability.
Meals: breakfast at the guesthouse in Jokolo, packed lunch for the tour, simple dinner at the camp.
Accommodation: shepherds’ huts or tents**
**participants need to take their own sleeping bags and mats, we provide tents. Sleeping bags and mats can be also rented in Georgia – advance notice needed.
Day 7. 15.09.2016 (Thursday)
Morning yoga. After breakfast at the camp we ride back to Jokolo. Picnic on the way. After reaching the guesthouse free time for participants to read a book, walk around Jokolo village, swim in the Alazani river etc. Dinner at the guesthouse.
Meals: breakfast at the camp, packed lunch for the tour, dinner at the guesthouse.
Accommodation: guesthouse in Jokolo.
Day 8. 16.09.2016 (Friday)
Morning yoga or running along Alazani river bank. After breakfast we leave Pankisi Valley and drive towards Sighnaghi -city of wine and love, located in the Eastern Kakheti. On the way we visit Alaverdi Monastery and Ikalto Academy, where we learn about ancient wine making process with use of qvevri – part of UNESCO protected heritage. Next we stop over to have a lunch at cult place for all foodies – Matsoni House. We taste natural products like honey, matsoni yoghurt, nuts, cheese, bread. Upon arrival to Sighnaghi we meet Zedashe ensemble, that hosts workshop in Georgian polyphony and dances for us. After the workshop we have a traditional Georgian supra with Zedashe and John Wurdeman, owner of Pheasant’s Tears vineyard, who tells about wines in the Kakheti region.
Meals: breakfast at guesthouse in Jokolo, supra at Pheasant’s Tears in Sighnaghi.
Accommodation: guesthouse in Sighnaghi.
Day 9. 17.09.2016 (Saturday)
Morning yoga or running, breakfast at the guesthouse, walking tour around Singhaghi with a local guide, drive back to Tbilisi, free time for shopping, walking around Tbilisi, in the evening dinner at one of the Tbilisi restaurants.
Meals: breakfast in Sighnaghi, dinner at the restaurant in Tbilisi.
Accommodation: hostel in Tbilisi.
Day 10. 18.09.2016 (Sunday)
Transfer to the airport. Depart to the country of orgin.
Price: 850 USD (excluding flight tickets – happy to assist you in locating the cheapest flights!)
Booking fee 350 USD paid via bank transfer to 7Senses Travel account. Remaining amount (500 USD) paid in cash on the ground in Georgia directly to 7Senses Travel leader.
Group size 5-10 participants. The minimum number of participants for this trip amounts to 5 people.
Price includes: accommodation in line with itinerary – hostels and guesthouses, all transfers with comfort minivans or 4×4 vehicles in line with itinerary, English/ German/ Russian speaking leader/ guide depending on group set up, all meals in line with itinerary (Chechen, Georgian and European cuisine, non-alcoholic beverages: coffee, tea, water), supra at Pheasant’s Tears in Sighnaghi, musical program (frame drumming workshop with Xenia Uranova in Jokolo, Georgian music workshop with Zedashe ensemble in Sighnaghi, zikr workshop with Sufis’ zikr ensemble in Jokolo, daira drum workshop and concert of Dziriani ensemble in Jokolo), tours in line with itinerary (2-day horse trip into the mountains, half-day cultural tour in Jokolo, short tour in Sighnaghi, walking tours in Tbilisi), English-, Russian- and German speaking leader depending on group set up, travel insurance.
Price does not include: airfares, meals and non-alcoholic beverages not listed in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, camping equipment except for tents (sleeping bags, sleeping mats etc.) – all the necessary equipment can be rented at additional charge, all other expenses not covered by the itinerary.
All participants need to come to Tbilisi till 11:00 AM on 9th of September the latest, regardless their city of arrival to Georgia. We organize transfers exclusively from/ to Tbilisi airport. We advise on best transfers from other cities and coordinate participants to share the costs.
The below services can be added to our program at extra charge:
- Possibility to buy musical instruments (daira, panduri, chonguri),
- Possibility to buy traditional felt products made by Kist women,
- Rental of trekking and camping equipment.
