ONE DAY TOUR — DMANISI

• DAYS TOURS

Duration: 10 – 12 hours

Tour programme : Tbilisi – Bolnisi – Dmanisi – Tbilisi

The region of Kvemo Kartli was formerly known as Trialeti. This region of Georgia is inextricably linked not only with the history of the country since ancient times, but also with the history of all mankind.

It was here that during the excavations the five oldest hominid skeletons in Europe were discovered, attributed to the species Homo Georgicus, about 1,800,000 years old, it was here that the remains of clay vessels with seeds of cultivated grapes dating back to the 6th millennium BC were found, which allowed scientists to talk about Georgia as the birthplace of winemaking.

Visit to the Tsurtavi Fortress. Tsurtavi is one of the last fortresses of this type, which was built in the kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti. The area of the fortress is 2 thousand square meters. The height of the walls is 6 meters. There are towers at the corners of the fortress. Another tower stands in the center of the eastern and western walls. The first of them is the main entrance to the fortress. On the facade you can see a bas-relief depicting chained lions. All towers are equipped with loopholes, embrasures for stones and cannon vents. To date, on the territory of the fortress, there is a functioning convent named after the Holy Great Martyr Queen Ketevan.

Visiting the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the monastery complex. The church was built on the top of Mount Elia, at an altitude of 820 meters above sea level, from where the most beautiful places of the area open up. This place is rich in history. Since ancient times, there was a small church in the name of the apostles Peter and Paul. Stone terraces on the mountain, where vineyards have been planted and vines of various varieties have been grafted, are simply mesmerizing and every tourist will want to see this with their own eyes. These terraced vineyards have no analogues in the country. The monastery has its own cellar, because monastery winemaking occupies a special place in the history of Georgia.

Visit to the Sioni of Bolnisi. A similar type of temples in Georgia began to be erected by the end of the 5th century. Bolnisi Sioni is the very first basilica built in Georgia and still preserved. Surprisingly, today the temple has reached almost unchanged. The construction of Sioni coincides with the reign of the legendary king Vakhtang Gorgasali. The significance of the temple and its influence on the culture of Georgia is great. Firstly, the Bolnian basilica is the oldest in the country. And, secondly, there are inscriptions on the facade of the temple, which are the first examples of Georgian Asomtavruli writing. On the eastern façade of the basilica there is a cross – later called the Bolnisi Cross – which is depicted on the modern flag of Georgia.

Visit of Bolnisi – city with different names: Katarinenfeld, Luxembourg and currently – Bolnisi. In past centuries, there were German villages in the Kvemo Kartli region. The German history of Bolnisi began in 1818 when the Germans were evacuated from Swabia. The German settlement was originally called Katarinenfeld. At that time, the city had a clear linear layout, and the main street was called Tifliser Strasse. In the center was a crossroads, from which a Lutheran church stood to the south. The houses have an unusual shape, which is not typical for the architecture of Georgia.

Visit  to the medieval fortress of Kveshi – built between the 7th – 9th centuries, on a low accessible rock. The fortress of Kveshi represented the royal and princely residence. Until the end of the 18th century, it served as one of the main outposts to deter enemy forces penetrating this region from the south. An important trade route has passed through here for centuries. The fortress is special in that it was a kind of meeting point between Western and Eastern cultures. The surrounding area offers a beautiful view.

Visiting  the  Settlement of Dmanisi – the most important cultural monument in the Kvemo Kartli region. People settled here as early as the early Bronze Age – around 3000 BC. During archaeological excavations, the remains of an ancient man were found. The analysis proved that fragments of the jaw and skull belong to Homo erectus, and their age reaches 1.8 million years. Further, many more fragments were discovered and scientists managed to reconstruct the appearance of the so-called Dmanisi Homo georgicus.

Visiting  the Sioni of Dmanisi –  located on the territory of the ancient city – one of the 5 Zion temples in Georgia (VI-VII centuries), in which fragments of ancient paintings have been preserved. In the upper part of the Settlement there is an ancient fortress. These are the ruins of a once grandiose structure. The ruins of three towers have also been preserved, all of them facing south. The most important defense of the fortress is its location. It rises on a high hill, and there are gorges on both sides, which made it almost impregnable and protected the city from invaders.

The price of excursions $ ( US Dollar)                             

From 20 USD 

The price depends on the number of people and varies(±)  from 20 USD  to 40 USD.

Price Includes:  Transport, Service of professoinal guide.

The cost of each excursion is discussed individually.

For more information, do not hesitate to call or write Viber/WhatsApp +995 599 25 65 19  or in mail :  info@georgiavoyage.ge 

*Timetables : on request

*The tour programs are based on our experience and the opinions of our completely different customers. These are semi-finished circuits, this programs can be easily redone. Add or subtract the number of excursion days. Sort or redo the excursion day, change the sequence, the duration, prices …

Every day excursion is a stand-alone destination. It is the separate route with the calculation of the distance and the comfortable movement between the excursion points. Each tour and each itinerary is examined at the time of the request. Also, at the desire of the tourists, they can change the already booked and paid program.