In summer 2011, Dutch cyclists Blanche & Douwe spent a month cycling through Georgia, in eastern Europe.
They experienced amazing hospitality, breathtaking landscapes (with plenty of places to wild camp!) and delicious food.
Blanche made a video about their trip, and we love the story that it tells. Below the video you’ll find extra tips from Blanche & Douwe, to help in planning your own bike trip in Georgia.
1. What were your cycling highlights of Georgia – the places you’d tell other cyclists that they should absolutely visit?
The Svaneti stretch between Mestia and Lentekhi via Usghuli was amazing cycling. Imagine very rough off-road roads that take you through small mountain villages, beautiful nature and alongside glaciers.
We also loved the route from the Vardzia monastry towards Tbilisi: green hills with many birds, flat grasslands, rustic villages with a kind of cowboy-like attitude, and flat grasslands with lovely wild camping spots at the lakes.
The region of Tusheti was nice, but next time we’ll go walking around Omalo as the hills are too steep for bicycles that are loaded down with luggage.
2. What time of year do you think is best to visit?
We visited in July but it was too hot and humid for comfort, and we were glad to leave before the worst of the heat in August. June would be a great month as the snow has disappeared and heat is not yet that fierce. Watch out for landslides though!
3. Are there any resources you can recommend, for cyclists planning a trip around Georgia?
We used and loved the Bradt Guide for Georgia and Armenia
15th November 2011 at 2:58 pm #
I hope you liked our video. If you like to see more cycle touring videos go check out WorldCycle Videos – for all who enjoy the adventure of cycle touring the world. Get inspired and add your films! We have around 1230 cycle touring videos :>
http://vimeo.com/groups/wereldfietser
4th December 2011 at 9:00 pm #
I am really excited about your beautiful video, as it is my dream to get to that part of the world… I wonder of it’s possible to get there from the Turkish side? Any suggestions or advice would be so very welcome… Having got to Budapest I am going to take a break in Sicily than start again towards Turkey when I have some clue which way to go!
Congratulations on such a gorgeous piece of camera work and the sheer !
Warm wishes, Jenny
6th December 2011 at 5:43 pm #
Hi Jenny,
Thanxs for your compliments! Keeps me going :> Yep you can get there via Turkey. There are two border crossings and the one by Sarpa is open the other one I don’t know. Do you make films yourself?
8th December 2011 at 11:53 pm #
Hi to all,
it is great to read your report, seeing your film and photos.I am planning a tour in Georgia if possible around the Caucasus.
Anybody is going to join me even on a short section ?
http://kerekparos62.hu/de/Partner_zu_Radtouren_gesucht_in_Alpen_Karpaten_in_Bergen_Partner_zu_Radtouren_in_Alpen_Karpaten.html#Georgien
[email protected]
11th December 2011 at 7:38 pm #
Glad you enjoyed! :>
Have a nice trip in Georgia. You gonna like it Andras!
14th June 2012 at 6:31 pm #
Hello,
I’m not riding by bike (I’m slightly disabled) but I loved your beautiful video on that amazing country, Georgia. I’m flying to Batoumi then by train to Tbilissi and by jeep/minibus to Svanetia. Your views give me so much pleasure that I’m really looking fwd to visiting a few historical places, old churches and having some contact with local people (who seem so nice and welcoming foreigners) though limited (I don’t speak Georgian of course nor a word of Russian). My question is with food : I’m kind of a vegetarian, I don’t eat meat (mammals) though I can eat chicken and fish and of course cheese and vegetables. Is that possible to get chicken or fish in some places (mmm, looking at those beautiful fish at Lake Paravani… ;-)) ? Thank you so much for the beautiful pictures and I wish you the best for your trips to come,
Claude
14th June 2012 at 6:41 pm #
Hi Claude,
Thank you for your compliments for my film, keeps us going during the long editing hours ;-). Yes there are plenty of things you can eat as a vegetarian. The main staple will be the Kachapuri – the cheese bread. Together with some salad delicious. Do try the roasted aubergine and walnuts. In the mountains you’ll eat not a lot vegetables but home made dairy products anyway. Have lot’s of fun!
Blanche
18th February 2013 at 10:20 pm #
Hi guys
It looks like you had a great time, video looks amazing!!!
My friends and I are planning to go on a 2 weeks cycling trip in Georgia, don’t really want to plan everything to the smallest detail but idea is to cycle from Mestia to Tusheti (approx. 530 km) in 10 days. We’ve looked to the maps and planned rough route but like I said don’t rally want to plan things too much – just go with the flow 🙂
Do you guys have any tips for travelling in Caucasus, advice, must see places etc.
Kristine
2nd September 2013 at 11:40 am #
my friend and i want to do about one month cycling in Georgia as well
we both like more offroads than uproads
could you plz recommend us a route in Georgia which has more off roads on the way and its beautiful also?
reagrds from IRAN
Reza le velo
2nd April 2014 at 3:05 pm #
Thanks for interesting and informative video. I’ve been in Georgia some 8 years ago. And inspired as well by this video – I’m going to take bike tour this october. I still remember georgians – crazy driving and flocks of animals on roads, but it looks like it’s possible to manage and enjoy.
19th August 2014 at 11:27 am #
When in October are you planning to do it? Since I am doing this solo maybe we could catch up and have some common rendezvous points along the way.
26th September 2014 at 5:40 pm #
I’m starting 6th of october from Tbilisi. Initial plan is to take a train to Zugdidi and then pedal Svaneti. But actually I started my planning just now, so I’m still lloking for options. If you have some ideas – drop a line. joe(then-email-sign)tvnet(dot)lv
17th June 2014 at 8:03 am #
Georgia is a fantastic country to visit by bike. I live in Tbilisi – if you need help with your tour get in touch through my website http://www.georidersmtb.com
19th August 2014 at 11:26 am #
Hi,
I am planning to do a solo cycling trip around Georgia in October and would like a few suggestions about the route that you took. Would you be kind enough to share one with me. Also did take your bikes with you or did you get them in Georgia?
Thanks in advance for your help!
1st April 2015 at 11:01 pm #
Hello,
We are a cycling couple and have planned to cycle in Georgia two month later. This is the first attempt to get information. Would you please give me some advice about the people over there and the roads. We’ve made one month trip in Turkey last year and honestly every thing from people to the roads were fantastic!. We wish it would be even better in Georgia! Thanks
8th April 2015 at 10:05 am #
I did some 800km last october. Started from tbilisi, then lesser Caucasus, later high Caucasus – Svaneti. There is a map – I hope you can see it here. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=lv&authuser=0&mid=zst1KIgJhCjY.kEvH-Wf30wgQ
In short – blue line is train or lift. Dots are cycle route. Orange dots – overnight. You can say – it is a popular route – meaning some few hundreds cyclists do it every year, but there are many other ways to cycle.
There are very informative tour notes with pictures from russian speaking cyclists, for example: http://angelika-aisa.livejournal.com/279.html
Probably with google translate manageable to read. My conclusions:
– beautiful, beautiful country. Almost everywhere you go.
– extremely nice people, some georgian or russian speaking will help a lot
– avoid busy tarmac roads when cycling. georgian drivers see a lot of dogs and other animals on roads. like cyclists for example. it’s just they think it’s ok to pass just inches away. and there are a lot of car accidents on roads. it’s a myth they drive crazy, but without accidents
– in mountain areas be ready to meet caucasian dogs (where else on the world) – with or without shepherds. normally you just get away really ascared. just be ready to hop off bike and salute for five minutes or so. there are a lot of different ways people get away from dogs, but that is what worked for me.
– go there and enjoy it. it was my second time in georgia, but first time cycling. Everytime i go there I fall in love with Gergia.
– and thanks to Blanche & Douwe, Angelica and other travellers for inspiring and informative videos and travel blogs.
– go for Bradt guide, if you choose one. i heard there is another good brand, but I havent seen it. LP is poor.
– honey hostel in Tbilisi (find Zura) is a good place to stay and look for good info for hiking and other extreme activities within Georgia.
25th July 2015 at 7:35 pm #
Hi, we are now in Tbilisi and we want to go to Svanetia. But we was told that it’s not possible to travel by train to Zugdidi with bicycles. Have you any suggestions?
Thank you very much
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