Day trip to David Gareja

Day trip to David Gareja is one of the most spectacular experiences during traveling to Georgia. The whole complex consists about 14 separate monasteries and all of them are famous for its diverse architecture, mural masterpieces and living quarters hollowed out of the rock face.

The colorful nature around the monastery has also an exceptional beauty, which is a mixture of semi desert, steppe landscape and rolling hills.

Highlights of David Gareja Day trip: 

√ Drive through the semi desert
√ Visiting Monastery Lavra
√ Walk to the Rainbow Mountains 
√ Udabno Village

Brief history of David Gareja

The monastery of David Gareja (known also as David Gareji) was founded in 6^th century by one of the Assyrian fathers called David. After living a few years in capital Tbilisi, he came and settled in a small, natural cave in the Gareji Desert with his two disciples Lukyane and Dodo. This place was later known as Lavra of David and became to center of monastery life of Georgia.

By the time around Lavra was formed cave-shaped monastery complex network with 14 monasteries and around 5.000 monks living there.

In the later centuries David Gareja became a strong political, economic and center of eastern Georgia. The monastery was freed from taxes, monks wrote manuscripts, tought the mural paintings and management of the church affairs of the country.

Unfortunately, the monastery was destroyed several times by invaders, but it was rebuilt by Georgian Kings every time again and existed till the end of 19^th century.
In 20^th century the territory and surroundings of David Gareja was used by soviets as a military training center and part of monasteries were seriously damaged in this time.
Only in 1997, after 6 years of Soviet Union was collapsed, military exercises were banned and spiritual live was revived again.

Dispute between Georgia and Azerbaijan

The monastery complex lies along the borders between Georgia and Azerbaijan and the fact, that part of the border is not still delimited (not officially divided and drawn up) causes debates between the two nations.

Very popular monastery – Udabno is right on the border line and its for the moment not possible for tourists to visit this site.

Itinerary

Day trip to David Gareja starts at your hotel. Our English-speaking Guide and the driver will you up at around 9 O’clock and drive directly to David Gareja.

First part of our day trip is dedicated to main part of monastery – Lavra, here you can see defending towers, diverse architecture and original caves, where Davit Gareja, spent several years together with his disciples, Lukyane and Dodo.

Afterwards we take a trip to the Rainbow Mountains of Georgia. The colorful hills of Dawit Gareja cannot be compared to the dimensions of the famous Rainbow Mountains in Peru, but they are still spectacular and definitely worth a visit.

The return journey from Dawit Gareja to Tbilisi leads through the ghost town of Udabno, which translates as "desert", where people from the mountainous region of Svaneti have been living in the most basic conditions since 1988. Here, some years ago, enterprising Poles bought an abandoned house and turned it into a very interesting restaurant where several locals work and offer visitors tasty regional specialties. The restaurant is called "Oasis" and if we want, we can have a coffee or lunch break here.

Around 5.00 p.m. we arrive back in Tbilisi and take you back to your hotel.

Includes:

• Transportation
• Guide service
• Entrance Fees
• One bottle mineral water per person
  

Things to take with you:
A windbreakerLong trousersSun hat, sunglasses, sun creamClosed shoes with good treadHeadscarf for church visits

*** Important: Due to the border demarcation between Georgia and Azerbaijan, it is currently not possible to visit the upper part of the monastery - Udabno and the associated caves and frescoes. Last updated 10.08.2023

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