Highlights of Azerbaijan & Georgia

Spend 10-days in Azerbaijan and Georgia, where historical old towns and monasteries sit comfortably alongside towering skyscrapers. Discover warmth and pride among the ostensible austerity of Azerbaijan culture, then cross into Georgia to devour medieval ruins and traditional wines alike. Visit one of Europe's largest open-air rock museums, walk through the gardens of a local Kakheti family and then chat to them about provincial life over a hearty lunch. From cities to mountains, this trip guarantees encounters that will stay with you forever.

Activities

• Baku - Leader-led night city walk
• Qobustan - Petroglyphs
• Baku - Old City Walking Tour
• Lahic - Yoghurt Making Master Class
• Lahic - Copper workshop visit
• Shamakhi - Juma Mosque
• Nij - Udin village visit
• Kish - Church
• Kish - Village Visit
• Sheki - Shebeke workshop visit
• Sheki - Khan's Palace
• Sheki - Bazaar Visit
• Kakheti - Lunch with a Local Family
• Kakheti- Gremi Complex
• Kakheti - Tsinandali Estate Visit
• Kakheti - Telavi Fresh Produce Market
• Telavi - Alaverdi Cathedral
• Stepantsminda - Gergeti Trinity Church Hike
• Tbilisi - Metekhi Church
• Tbilisi - Orientation Walk

Highlights

• Take a guided walking tour of Azerbaijan's Old Town, where views of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs are made even more spectacular by the modern skyscrapers in the background.
• The Caucasus Mountains will take your breath away in more ways than one during a hike to the 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church, which sits in splendid isolation at 2170 m.
• Be treated to Azerbaijan's national dish Piti, and stop at a traditional Georgian wine producer where the ancient, UNESCO-listed qvevri method is still used.
• Navigate the organised chaos of the farmers markets in Telavi. Your leader will be there to help you order as much fresh fruit, nuts or pigs heads as you desire.
• Explore the small ethnic villages and workshops along the way - Lahij's cobbled streets, Nij's udi community, Kish's pointed church and learn about the traditional method and unique techniques in yogurt making, copper craftsmanship and stained glass making - the perfect opportunities to make local friends and gain some authentic insights to local life.