This article covers all the relevant information required to help you efficiently plan a trip to Georgia trip from India with its capital city of Tbilisi as the base
Gone are the days when destinations like Thailand or Bali were the only viable and affordable travel destinations for us Indians. In the recent times, the world has opened up their arms for us with more and more countries offering regular and reasonable flight options, effortless visa processes, convenient accommodations and safer transportations.
Needless to say, the technology has made our world an even smaller place that it ever was. Thanks to India’s geolocation, it sits pretty close to the junction of Asia and Europe, enjoying easy access to several countries that were unheard of a decade ago.
One such hidden gem is the transcontinental country of Georgia situated at a 5.5-hour flight journey from New Delhi, India. Nestled in the Caucasus Mountain Range surrounded by surreal countries of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, it makes an excellent choice for a week long travel from India.
Table of Contents
When to Visit
The capital city of Tbilisi is pleasant throughout with winters nearing 0°C in Jan-Feb with summers peaking at 34°C in Jul-Aug. Tbilisi does not receive heavy rainfall with mild showers starting in the 2nd half of March up to first half of June, with May being the wettest month.
Of the common day-trip destinations, Gudauri Ski resort and Kazbegi are cold throughout the year with January being the coldest when temperatures drop below -10°C and Jul-Aug being the hottest at around 20°C
The recommended period to visit Tbilisi is during the shoulder season between mid February and mid-to-end March. This will not only help beat the tourist crowd; the winters get bearable and you can also witness snowfalls in the higher areas such as Gudauri. During this period, temperature in Tbilisi hovers between 1°C to 15°C with average temperatures around 8°C, while for Gudauri and Kazbegi it’s between -8°C and 4°C averaging close to 1°C.
Visa Process
Since the April of 2018, Georgia has been offering e-Visa services to residents of India. The visa issued is a 120-day multi-entry type with capped duration of stay at 30 days. Processing time is 5 working days and everything happens online.
The process is completely online and can be applied through a couple of means:
- Directly through the official Georgia e-Visa Portal (~35 USD or INR 3000)
- Through a third-party service such as Atlys (~INR 9500)
These are the primary documents required; it’s recommended that you check the updated requirements (if any) during the application process:
- Travel Document/Passport
- Document proving purpose of travel
- Proof of accommodation
- Travel and health insurance
- Document proving sufficient financial means
How to Reach
Tbilisi, Georgia can be reached by flights originating from Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. As on the date of writing this article, direct flights are currently operated only from Delhi, with average flight time of 5hr 30min.
Indigo Airlines is the primary player offering one of the cheapest and the most frequent options.
Other destinations that you can fly to from India are Kutaisi and Batumi with no direct flights currently on offer.
Where to Stay
There’s a lot of online debate on choosing your accommodation in old town vs in new town of Tbilisi. Our funda is simple – choose a stay which is at a walkable distance of more than 50% of all the local tourist attractions or the primary locations such as Liberty Square.
Most likely, you’d be covering Tbilisi on foot or on public transport or both. You should also consider the proximity of the nearest metro station or a busy bus stand while choosing your attraction.
Look for hotels with these of mandatory amenities – multi-cuisine breakfast, an in-room electric kettle, Wi-Fi and 24-hour check-in. We’ll explain more in the later section.
To help you get started, we’d suggest the personally experienced The Terrace Boutique Hotel located 400m from Funicular Amusement Park and 1.6km (20 min walk) from Liberty Square. Another suggestion would be Hotel Doesi located 3.6km from Liberty Square.
How to Travel While In Georgia
Opt for Yandex during airport transfers. Yandex is a taxi service app akin to Ola/Uber in India. The local taxis are up to 4 times costlier than Yandex.
For day trips, as discussed in our quick itinerary section below, the tour operating company will provide you with a 12-15 seater van (like Tempo Travelers in India, but with a Mercedes logo). Some of the tours optionally come with a hotel pick up service, which will most likely be a taxi pick up.
For the rest of your local tours, prefer traveling on foot. You’ll find well-paved footpaths throughout and it’s the best way to soak in the essence of the city.
Public transports are aplenty and affordable. 1-way metro ride or a bus ride cost a flat rate of 1 Georgian Lari (32 INR) per person. This can be availed by purchasing and recharging a MetroMoney card at 2 Lari (refundable if returned with purchase receipt) from any of the metro or cable car stations. This card is acceptable at metros, buses and Narikala Fortress cable car.
SIM and Cash
A local SIM is a must. Period. You can purchase it right at the exit of Tbilisi Airport main luggage belt area. At 35 Lari (1100INR) you can get an unlimited 4G data SIM with free local calls.
Use WhatsApp calls if you wish to connect home. Don’t go for Matrix or other similar offerings sold in India that provide you with international calling feature as well, but with ridiculous pricing.
Cards are accepted at most shops and eateries, big or small. Enable international transaction on your Indian credit/debit cards and you should be good to go. It comes with a small mark-up fees (up to 3.5%) though. Alternatively, get a travel card (like Niyo Global) beforehand.
It’s good to carry cash as some bakeries and local stalls are reluctant to accept cards for smaller amounts. Carry 100-200 USD in cash from India, which can then be exchanged at the airport or at one of the many exchange centres in the city.
What to Eat (and Drink)
Georgia has a rich culinary culture. Your Georgia trip from India would be incomplete without trying out dishes such as Khachapuri (cheese filled, eye-shaped bread topped with meat or veggies) and Khinkali (Georgian cousin of Tibetan momos; mostly filled with meat or mushrooms).
Being one of the oldest wine producing countries, it is a heaven for wine aficionados offering innumerable varieties of it. You can also indulge in the Georgian counterpart of Russian Vodka called Chacha, prepared from the leftovers of the wine making process.
With that said, it is often difficult for us Indians to survive merely on bread and cheese. For this very reason, it is highly recommended that you opt for a breakfast-inclusive accommodation package that includes multi-cuisine varieties. Even in absence of Indian dishes in particular, you can certainly enjoy a hefty sandwich, cornflakes, sausages, baked beans curry, scrambled eggs, fresh juices etc that get you started for the day.
For vegetarians (and particularly vegans), I recommend carrying ready-to-eat or pre-cooked Indian food along. This is where having an electric kettle in the room comes in handy.
There are a lot of different options to eat the moment you hit the streets. Finding Indian restaurants might initially be a challenge, but there certainly are several options near Liberty Square, such as Khushi Indian Restaurant. Prices would be on a higher side when compared to that of local Georgian cuisines.
Similar to Zomato or Swiggy in India, they have food ordering apps such as Wolt and Glovo which can also be explored.
For your local and day trips, carry sufficient water along with snacks (like Haldirams or Snickers) that helps prevent travel fatigue. Tap water is not recommended, carry mineral water bottles.
What to Wear
If you’re planning your Georgia trip from India between mid February and mid-to-end March, you need to be well prepared. Tbilisi’s weather can be too windy, chilly and is unpredictable. While hotel rooms are mostly centrally heated, you should certainly carry the following when you’re going out (either locally or on a day trip):
- Top: Minimum 3 layers including an inner warmer, a t-shirt/shirt and a waterproof hooded winter jacket capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -5 °C. Carry a sweatshirt or a pullover additionally for your trip to Gudauri/Kazbegi
- Bottom: Comfortable jeans or hiking trousers. Need not be waterproof. Based on the thickness of the jeans, inner warmer can be carried along (particularly for Gudauri/Kazbegi)
- Shoes: Partially/fully waterproof shoes that are sturdy but comfortable. Winter socks should be preferred
- Other items: A warm beanie, neck scarf and a simple pair of gloves should always be present in your backpack. Don’t forget sunglasses, especially during the trip to Gudauri/Kazbegi to prevent snow blindness
All these items linked above are being recommended after personal usage. These can easily be purchased online through Myntra/Amazon or from a local Decathlon store in your city.
Quick 7-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive in Tbilisi and check in to your hotel. It would be around midnight of Day 1 by this time
- Day 2: Take a walking tour of Old Tbilisi including cable car tour to Narikala Fortress area (self or guided)
- Day 3: Take a guided day trip to Gudauri and Kazbegi
- Day 4: Take a local tour of Tbilisi using a combination of public transport and taxi
- Day 5: Take a guided day trip to Kakheti/Mtskheta/Kutaisi/Borjomi based on your preference
- Day 6: Take a local Tbilisi tour to take sulphur bath, buy souvenirs and cover the remaining attractions. Then, head to airport for departure
- Day 7: Departure to your home country
Budget for the trip
| ITEM | PRICE (INR) | NOTE |
| Delhi->Tbilisi->Delhi return flight | 80,000 | Typical rates but highly dynamic |
| e-Visa fees | 6,000 | When done via official e-visa portal |
| Travel insurance | 1,500 | Pre-requisite for e-visa application |
| SIM | 1,100 | Assuming 1 SIM per couple |
| Hotel | 25,000 | For 6-night Georgia trip from India |
| Guided day trips | 16,000 | Varies based on availability and date of booking |
| Local travel (taxi+bus+metro+cable car) | 6,000 | Yandex rates considered for taxi |
| Food, drinks and water | 12,000 | 10 meals over 5 days |
| Entrance and activities | 12,000 | Amusement park, Gudauri ropeway, sulphur bath etc |
| TOTAL | 1,60,000 | Rounded off to the closest value |
Note: The provided budget is per couple based on the itinerary above (souvenirs excluded). Prices considered are average and may vary by some margin
Easy Travel Time Tips for Your Georgia Trip From India
- For the best and balanced experience of your Georgia trip from India, plan your trip between 5th and 20th of March
- Maintain a healthy 6-month trending account balance of INR 1.5 lac per person to increase your chances of visa approval
- While a lot of visa related documents are optional during the process, do not miss upon a well-written cover letter as well as a sponsorship letter if you’re travelling with someone with no or insufficient means to fund the trip
- Do not fall prey to any claims made by local taxi guys waiting at the airport to dupe you with a fake meter app.
All the above product links are non-affiliate. EasyTravelTime does not benefit from any of the purchase made using these links.
Planning a trip to Bali? Explore our curated 7-day Bali Itinerary here.
