Rainbow Mountains & Gareji Cave Monasteries 4x4 Tour from Tbilisi

The Hidden Rainbow Mountains of Mravaltskaro

The first big stop is near Mravaltskaro, a reservoir in the steppe south-east of Tbilisi. From here the 4x4 leaves the road and a short walk reveals hills in colours that hardly look real: bands of red, ochre, yellow, green and white laid down over millions of years of geology. There are no car parks or crowds here, just wind, open sky and some of the best birdwatching in Georgia.

You spend about an hour walking among the Rainbow Mountains with your guide, followed by a half-hour off-road drive across the coloured hills. Many people ask whether the Rainbow Mountains in Georgia are worth visiting: the colours change with the light, the season and the weather, so every visit is different, and the silence of the place is as memorable as the view. Bring a good camera and sturdy shoes.

St John the Baptist cave monastery

The Gareja desert holds a group of monasteries founded in the 6th century, cut into soft sandstone cliffs. The first you visit is the monastery of St John the Baptist, a complex of churches and monastic cells carved into a cliff face, with original frescoes still visible on the walls. It is a remote, very quiet place that few day trips reach.

You spend about 45 minutes here with your guide, climbing between the rock-cut chapels and looking out over the empty steppe. The path is rocky and can be steep in places, so closed shoes are required. As this is an active religious site, shoulders and knees should be covered, and women are asked to bring a headscarf.

David Gareja Lavra monastery

David Gareja Lavra is the main monastery of the complex and the oldest desert monastery in Georgia, founded in the 6th century by Saint David of Gareja, one of the Syrian monks who spread monastic life in the country. Its churches, bell tower and caves are built into a tall cliff, and it is still a working monastery today.

The group spends about 40 minutes at the Lavra with a guided walk through the courtyards, the cave church and the monks' cells. If you are planning a David Gareja day trip from Tbilisi, this route lets you see both the Lavra and the less-visited cave monastery in one day. Please note that the upper Udabno monastery path is permanently closed, so the tour stays entirely within Georgia.

Udabno, a village in the steppe

Udabno, whose name means desert in Georgian, is a small village surrounded by salt lakes, steppe and almond orchards. The group stops here for about 80 minutes for lunch at a family-run place serving real Georgian food: fresh bread, cheese, salads, stews and grilled meat, with vegetarian dishes always available.

Lunch is not included and is paid locally in cash, which keeps the choice flexible. After a day of walking and off-road driving, a long table in the open air of the steppe is one of the most enjoyable moments of the trip. From Udabno the 4x4 returns to Tbilisi in the early evening, with time to rest after a full day in the open landscapes of the Gareja desert.

The off-road route, Rustavi and Svanuri Castle

The day begins with a drive through Rustavi, where the group can pick up fresh pastries at a local bakery, and a photo stop at Svanuri Castle. Soon after, the tarmac ends and the 4x4 takes rough dirt tracks across the hills, the reason this tour can reach places that standard tour vehicles cannot.

The ride is bumpy and part of the adventure, so travellers prone to motion sickness should bring their own medicine; one front seat is available per trip and can be requested when booking. The walking distance over the day is about 4 km, and summer temperatures can pass 30°C, so the tour starts early. In spring the hills are covered with wildflowers, in autumn they turn amber, and in winter you may have the desert to yourself.