MTB and wine in Georgia
Join us for a unique MTB-adventure in the Caucasus!
About
Georgia is considered by many as the birthplace of wine-production, and this tour goes to the heartland of Georgias wine-district, Kakheti. We have put together a spectacular combination of Caucasian singletrack, vineyards, visit to the amazing Pankisi-gorge and city-life in the vibrant and charming Tbilisi. We will visit during the harvest and take part in the traditional grape-harvesting, while the mountains are bathed in autumn-colours!
Dates 2024:
20. September – 27. September
29. September – 5. October
This is a tour with fixed dates and you can sign up for the tour even if you are not meeting the minimum requirements for group size. Once you have signed up we will confirm the tour when we have enough guests to meet the minimum requirement.
- Difficulty
Intermediate - Group size
4 - 6 persons - Duration
7 days - Price
1850 EUR
- Included in the price:
- NMIG guide for 6 days
- All accommodation
- Alle meals from local produce
- All transport in Georgia
- Wine-tasting and tour in a wine-museum
- Traditional Chechen folk evening with folk-music and dance
- Itinerary
- The area
- Practical info
Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrival in Tbilisi in the early hours, and transport to the hotel where we will rest a bit till around noon. After a hearty breakfast we will either go downtown for a sightseeing in the magnificent old town in Tbilisi, or if time allows go for a short pedal on some of the urban trails around Tbilisi.
Day 2:
Tbilisi is a fantastic mountainbike town and along the ridges leading down towards the city there are some excellent singletracks that we will explore. We will finish the day with a ride all the way back down to our hotel in Tbilisi.
Day 3:
Another day of enjoying the urban trails around Tbilisi, before we mount our car to explore the wine district of Kakheti. While the harvest is in full swing, we can relax and enjoy the fruits of previous years!
Day 4:
After breakfast we will enjoy some of the dry and flowy trails in Kakheti, with the High Caucasus as a dramatic backdrop! We will finish a bit early for us to have time for a wine-tasting. In the afternoon we will be transported to the Pankisi-gorge, an amazing valley inhabited by Chechens, and its unique culture and history.
Day 5:
In the morning we get transport up to about 2000 meters, and we bike toward the saddle of a ridge where we either go straight down to the valley or aim for a summit at 2500 meters. Both from the saddle and the summit we have an amazing view of Kakheti and Tusheti national park. The trail down is among the most spectacular trails we have ever ridden, and takes us all the way down to the valley from the alpine summits. We finish our stay in Pankisi with a Chechen folk evening with traditional folk-music and dance.
Day 6:
We pack our bags and leave them in the car after we get a ride up to 2100 meters from where we will pushbike up to the summit at 2400 meters. What awaits is 1800 vertical meters on a fantastic and playful trail, which takes us in the direction of Tbilisi. At the end of the trail we will get picked up and transported back to the big city. A truly worthy ending of our tour. We wrap it all up with a farewell-dinner in the vibrating and charming Tbilisi.
Day 7:
Departure from Tbilisi.
If you have any questions or want more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on audun@urortskiogsykkel.no
The area
Georgia
Georgia is located quite far south and is at the same longitude as Monaco. This means you can expect a fairly similar climate as around the Mediterranean. The Kakheti-region is among the driest areas of Georgia, and on our tours in September/October it is usually between 15 and 25 celsius. The mountains are still close and we will be biking up to around 2500 meters. Even though the Caucasian mountains are very fertile and usually mild in temperature, there will still be quite a big difference in temperature from the valleys to the mountains.
We will be biking on singletracks, doubletracks, rough dirt-roads, freeride on mountain ridges, and beautiful trails through the forest.
Practical info
Level of difficulty
Advanced
You are confident in all aspects of mountain biking
You can handle most technical terrain, include rocky and root trails, along with features such as switchbacks, medium logs (15 cm high), and low-level obstacles
You’re comfortable with most advanced level trails (although you may walk a few sections)
You can ride 6-8 hours a day at a steady pace over several days
You have little trouble climbing 1,000 vertical meters (3,280 ft.) in a day on fairly steep terrain
(Levels: 6-7 skill level, 7-8 fitness level.)
Click here for more info on our reference for skill and fitness levels.
How to get there
Tbilisi has good connections from most major European cities. Most of the flights arrive in the early hours, which is why we also have managed to include biking already on the arrival day. If you are in doubt on what flights to choose, or need any help please don´t hesitate to contact us.
Accommodation
On our tours double-rooom is the standard for almost all accommodation. On some mountain farms, huts or the like family rooms or rooms that sleep more than two might occur. If you want a single-room there might be some additional costs.
Equipment
We recommend full suspension bikes on all of our tours. We will issue a recommended packing list for every tour. Please note that the packing list is issued as a reference, and Urørt ski og sykkeleventyr AS is not responsible for failing to include any particular item or misspellings on this list.
Terms of payment
When the order is placed an invoice for the deposit, equaling 30 % of the total price, will be issued. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. The agreement between the parties is not binding until the deposit is paid in full. To read our full terms and conditions click here.
Your guides
CEO at Urørt and NMIG certified MTB guide
Audun holds a passion for mountain-adventures, and especially secret gems off the beaten path. Through Svaneti Backcountry and Urørt, he has been organizing guided ski-tours to Svaneti since 2013, and he has first-hand knowledge of the skiing, culture, and local partners of the area.
As a mtb-guide he is at the top of his game in this own backyard, in the neigbouring mountains to Rondane National Park, or at exotic destinations like Georgia. Wherever the tour goes he is ready to show you the best trails adjusted to your level and needs.
Weather and climate
Georgia is located quite far south and is at the same longitude as Monaco. This means you can expect a fairly similar climate as around the Mediterranean. The Kakheti-region is among the driest areas of Georgia, and on our tours in September/October it is usually between 15 and 25 celsius. The mountains are still close and we will be biking up to around 2500 meters. Even though the Caucasian mountains are very fertile and usually mild in temperature, there will still be quite a big difference in temperature from the valleys to the mountains.
We will be biking on singletracks, doubletracks, rough dirt-roads, freeride on mountain ridges, and beautiful trails through the forest.
Urørt ski- og sykkeleventyr AS is a member of Reisegarantifondet