Level 4: Rigorous, but Customizable
This ‘Essential’ itinerary designed for private travel features long days walking and standing, some day hikes with hill climbing, some long days of overland travel, significant stair climbing, unpaved sidewalks and streets, uneven surfaces and steps, absent handrails, and lack of elevators. While some of these challenges are inherent in the destinations and sites, as one of our Essential Series programs this trip can be modified as needed for those travelers who are looking for a less challenging (or more challenging) program.
There is a significant amount of touring on foot, and those travelers planning to take the program as written should be able to walk at least two miles a day comfortably. During day hikes, travelers will be expected to carry a day pack with their personal belongings. Some long drives are an inevitable element of the routing this tour uses, and road conditions in the region can be bumpy and rough. Some attractions are only accessible via steep staircases with tall, uneven steps, and handrails are not always in place. Interior staircases may involve steep steps inside narrow passageways with limited light. Touring will be over a variety of surfaces, such as cobblestones, bricks, packed or loose dirt, or gravel, including uphill or downhill sections.
This tour maintains a focus on cultural interaction and the natural beauty of the Caucasus. You will be visiting private homes, sharing meals with local residents, and taking advantage of several opportunities for day hikes. It is therefore important that tour members have a desire to involve themselves in the local culture and be up for hiking/walking in order to enjoy this trip.
Please note, some Orthodox churches enforce fairly strict dress codes. Women may need to have head coverings (scarves) with them, and men and women may need to have their arms and legs modestly covered. Your guides will advise you when this is the case.
Past travelers have encountered challenges with bureaucratic service, plumbing in and out of hotels, and availability and quality of public restrooms. Accommodations in the basic program will vary from three-star hotels to basic guesthouses. Upgrades may be available in some cities, please call for details. Air-conditioning is a luxury and rarely available outside the capitals.
