4x4 Off-Road Hidden Rainbow Mountains & David Gareji Caves + Hike
Description
Are you ready for a real adventure? This isn't your typical day trip - this is a trip for those who crave the thrill of discovery and the beauty of the unspoiled. Join us on an exclusive 4x4 expedition through Kakheti, exploring places only accessible by off-road vehicle. Departing from Tbilisi, we dive into the rugged terrain of eastern Georgia, taking you to the surreal, colorful Rainbow Mountains and the tranquil Mravaltskaro reservoir - a hidden paradise away from the crowds. Feel the timeless spirit at the Natlismtsemeli Monastery, where monks live among ancient rock walls, and stand in awe at the legendary David Gareji Monastery, nestled on the semi-desert slopes of Mount Gareji. Halfway we stop for a hearty Georgian lunch at the rustic restaurant in Udabno, a true taste of local hospitality. This is a small group tour with an exclusive itinerary designed for those who want to go beyond the ordinary. Are you with us?
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our 4x4 car will wait for you at the taxi parking at Europe Square. Waiting time 10 mins. For a private tour, we will pick you up from your accommodation in Tbilisi
Rustavi is a post-Soviet upcoming city of 100,000 people. With a new town square and a theatre in the process of being renovated, things are happening in this former industrial town. Only 25 minutes from Tbilisi, packed full of Soviet architecture, surrounded by abandoned factories, derelict Soviet-era parks, and dusty hills, it's something different.
Lake Mravaltskaro offers a surreal experience unlike any other. Surrounded by striking, colourful rock formations, this unique landscape will make you feel like you've stepped onto another planet. It's a pristine and unspoilt natural spot with hardly any people around, perfect for those who want to escape the crowds and immerse themselves in raw beauty. For nature lovers, Mravaltskaro Lake is one of the best birdwatching spots in Georgia. Depending on the season, you may see herons, eagles, falcons, magpies and even some rare animals such as turtles. The area is rich in flora and fauna, making each visit a different experience. Be prepared for a bit of walking to explore all the scenic photo opportunities this area has to offer. With panoramic views and a sense of untouched wilderness, Lake Mravaltskaro is a true hidden gem and a must for photographers, hikers and anyone seeking a connection with nature. Don't forget your camera - this place is full of picture-perfect moments!
Nestled in the rugged terrain of Georgia's Kakheti region, the Natlismtsemeli Monastery stands as a testament to the country's rich spiritual heritage. Founded in the 6th century by Father Lucian, a devoted disciple of St David, this active monastery is an integral part of the renowned David Gareja monastic complex. Visitors are invited to explore the numerous cave temples and the central church, which contains ancient frescoes dating from the 12th century. These well-preserved works of art offer a fascinating insight into medieval Georgian art and religious devotion. Today, Natlismtsemeli continues to function as a living monastery, providing a tranquil retreat for those seeking spiritual enrichment amidst its historic and tranquil surroundings.
Next on our itinerary is the David Gareji Monastery Complex, a sacred and awe-inspiring destination that has held deep spiritual significance for Georgians for centuries. Nestled in the rugged, dramatic landscape of Georgia's southeastern desert, this ancient monastery complex is carved directly into a massive rock formation, creating an unforgettable blend of nature and devotion. As you walk through its cave churches and monastic cells, you'll feel the serene and contemplative atmosphere that has attracted monks and pilgrims for generations. Surrounded by sweeping views of the desert hills, David Gareji offers not only a journey into Georgia's religious history, but also a tranquil escape into one of the country's most scenic and spiritual landscapes. This is truly a place where history, faith and nature come together in perfect harmony.
During our tour, we'll pause for lunch in the village of Udabno, where you'll have the opportunity to savor authentic Georgian and Svanetian dishes. A highlight is the traditional Kubdari, a hearty meat-filled bread originating from the Svaneti region. For those preferring plant-based options, the local restaurants offer a variety of vegetarian dishes, ensuring a delightful culinary experience for everyone.
Hidden away in Georgia’s semi-desert region, Kapatadze Lake is located near the David Gareji Monastery complex. This salty lake is rich in natural minerals and is renowned for its vibrant colours and tranquil setting. In summer, the lake often partially dries up, revealing glistening white salt patches that give the scenery an almost otherworldly appearance. The surrounding landscape is breathtaking, with endless hills, warm desert tones and wide open skies, creating perfect photo opportunities. In spring, the nearby almond orchards bloom, painting the dry land with soft pink and white blossom. After lunch on the way back to Tbilisi, travellers can enjoy a quiet moment to appreciate the natural beauty and capture the wild, untouched charm of the Georgian countryside at this stop. Kapatadze Lake is one of those rare places where you can experience the harmony of desert, salt and sky — providing a peaceful finale to your 4x4 adventure.
Drive back to Tbilisi
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pick-up is available only for private tour. We will contact you to clarify the time and place from where you will need to pick up.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- For your comfort and safety, we strongly recommend wearing closed-toe, sturdy shoes suitable for potentially muddy and steep terrains.
- Ambient temperature may be over 30ºC (86F) from May to October
- The altitude is the same as in Tbilisi 350 m (1150 ft) above sea level
- Our group tours may occasionally be conducted in both Russian and English simultaneously. While we aim to provide an equal experience for all participants, this may result in a slower pace or longer explanations
- Remember to bring cash or cards for your lunch, coffee, and any personal expenses. Cash will also be needed for restrooms, tips, and other incidentals.
- When visiting Orthodox churches, women are required to cover their heads and wear skirts, while men should wear pants.
- Please note that the price of this tour may vary based on several factors such as the day of the week, the number of participants, the season, and current promotional discounts. The price displayed on the site most often represents the lowest available price, with discounts automatically applied at the expense of the company. We encourage you to check the specific details for your desired date to understand the exact cost for your unique booking.
- During this off-road tour, you'll explore approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) on foot.
- We wish to assure all our guests that this tour is absolutely safe and exclusively traverses the territory of Georgia. Please be informed that the Udabno Monastery is not a part of our itinerary, and the route leading to it is completely closed. Rest assured, even without this, our tour remains a unique and beautiful experience, offering a true taste of Georgia's natural wonders. Your safety and enjoyment are our utmost priorities.
- Optional front seat upgrade for extra comfort – 30 USD (only one per group, subject to availability).
- Please note that we are not responsible for the quality or taste of the food and drinks provided by third-party partners, such as restaurants and wineries, during the tour.
- Not recommended for travellers with motion sickness
- This is not just an opportunity to see breathtaking landscapes, but also a chance to challenge yourself and feel proud of your accomplishments. Come prepared for an authentic adventure!
Reviews(144)
The scenery was magnificent, with great views of the Hidden Rainbow Mountains. Because the ground was slippery (it had rained the day before), we couldn’t hike as much as we’d planned, but it was still very nice. The visit to the two monasteries was very interesting. The off-road drive was a nice change of pace and a lot of fun. Our tour guide shared a lot of interesting facts during the tour and answered all our questions in great detail.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your review. I am delighted that you enjoyed the magnificent views of the Rainbow Mountains and had a lot of fun during the off-road sections of the day. Even though the rain from the previous day made the trails a bit too slippery for the full hike, it is wonderful to know that the monastery visits and the detailed stories from your guide made the trip memorable. Since you enjoyed the off-road experience, you might also like our 4x4 day tour to Kazbegi and the Truso Valley, which is another great rugged route through the mountains. Thank you again for choosing to explore with us, and we wish you beautiful travels ahead!
The trip is amazing. The tour guide Kobo was great.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your review! We are absolutely delighted to hear that you had an amazing trip exploring the Rainbow Mountains and David Gareji. Koba is a wonderful guide, and he will be incredibly happy to hear your kind words. We always love showing our guests these unique desert landscapes, and having a great guide makes the journey even better. We hope you have a lovely rest of your summer!
We had an amazing day out with friendly.ge visiting the Rainbow Mountains & David Gareji. From setting off our guide was brilliant at giving us lots of details on Tbilisi, the areas we were travelling through and the plans for the day. The drive was thoughtful so we had stops for the toilet, coffees, snacks - and you never felt that you were driving for long times without a break. There was a great balance to the day and we had a great time,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, Rachael. We are delighted to hear that you had an amazing day exploring the Rainbow Mountains and David Gareji with us. Keeping a comfortable pace with well-timed stops for coffee and breaks is very important to our team, so we are glad you felt relaxed throughout the journey. It is wonderful that you enjoyed the insights and details shared about Tbilisi and the surrounding areas during the drive. We would love to welcome you back for another adventure in the future.
Excellent tour with informative guide Alex who was a very professional host for the day. Safe and professional driver and clean, well maintained vehicle. Rainbow mountains and St John Monastery were great to explore without having loads of people around, made possible by this tour. Liked the tour so much we booked another with them when we got back. Just so good to be in small group and 4x4 rather than in a big bus tour group.
Thank you for your excellent review, Simon. We are so pleased that you enjoyed the distinct benefits of a small-group 4x4 tour and were able to explore the Rainbow Mountains and St. John Monastery peacefully without the crowds. Alex and our driver will be very glad to hear your compliments regarding their professionalism and the maintenance of the vehicle. The best compliment we can possibly receive is a repeat booking, and we are truly excited to host you on your next journey with us.
Jonah the guide was very helpful and informative. George the driver was very experienced with the off road driving and it was safe enough.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had a great and unique experience exploring the Rainbow Mountains and David Gareji Caves with us. It is fantastic to know that Jonah provided you with helpful and informative insights throughout the day, and that George's expert off-road driving made you feel completely safe and comfortable on the terrain. We are very proud of our team, and I will be sure to pass your kind words along to both of them. Thank you for choosing us for your adventure in Georgia, and we hope to welcome you back for another journey in the future!
The location was beautiful. The mountains look incredible and the tour guide was very friendly. We stopped on route for a toilet break and at a traditional Georgian bakery for breakfast snacks. The driver was good and the van used was a 4x4 but not a Jeep looking off road vehicle! I don’t feel the benefit of stopping for lunch before the return journey back to Tbilisi, this felt like just a time filler and I would’ve preferred to try and beat the traffic and get back to the city.
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your trip to the Rainbow Mountains and the David Gareji Caves, Lisa. We are glad you enjoyed the unique desert landscape, and that you found our guide friendly and our driver professional. We would like to clarify that we use high-clearance 4x4 passenger vans for our small-group tours. This enables our group of six guests to travel together comfortably while easily navigating the rugged terrain. We do not advertise these as traditional smaller Jeeps, and we ensure that photos of our actual fleet are included on our booking pages so that guests can see the vehicles prior to making a reservation. While we appreciate your feedback on the tour pacing, we would like to explain why the lunch stop is an important part of our itinerary. The restaurant we visit showcases authentic Svanetian culture and cuisine, which is unique and difficult to find, even in Tbilisi. This stop also directly supports small, remote communities that rely on tourism. While a shared group tour is designed to balance the comfort and cultural interests of all participants, we understand that it may not be suitable for those in a hurry. For travellers looking for a quick trip without cultural or culinary stops, there are shorter, cheaper options available on TripAdvisor. Alternatively, a private tour offers complete control over the timeline without impacting the group's shared experience. Thank you again for your valuable insights, and we wish you all the best in your future travels.
The tour was an absolutely fabulous experience and one of the highlights of my trip to Georgia! The Rainbow Mountains are truly unique and stunning, and the hike with Coba, from Friendly Georgia team, was amazing. He shared so much interesting information not only about the places we visited, but also about Georgia 's history, culture and everyday life, which made the whole experience even more interesting. The David Gareji Monastery is gorgeous, but my personal favorite was the visit to the secluded John Baptist cave monastery. Meeting the kind monk who lives there was such a memorable and peaceful experience. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Tbilisi!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this wonderful review! We are absolutely delighted to hear that our 4x4 tour to the Rainbow Mountains was a true highlight of your time in Georgia. Koba will be incredibly happy to read your kind words. He loves sharing our history and culture, and we are glad his insights made the hike even more memorable for you. The John the Baptist cave monastery is a deeply peaceful place, and it is wonderful that your meeting with the monk created such a lasting impression. Thank you for being such an amazing guest and for highly recommending our team to other travelers. We hope to welcome you back to Georgia for another adventure in the future!
This tour far exceeded my expectations. The mountains were gorgeous even with overcast skies, and the monasteries were beautiful and serene. We didn't meet any other tourists while hiking or at the St. John the Baptist Monastery, which made for a uniquely peaceful and authentic experience. The day was very thoughtfully planned, and the guide and driver were both excellent.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are so happy to hear that the tour far exceeded your expectations. It is truly special when you can experience the serenity of the monasteries and the beauty of the Rainbow Mountains without any other tourists around. We take great pride in planning these routes to offer that peaceful, authentic feeling you described. Our guests are truly amazing, and we are so grateful for your support. I will be sure to pass your kind words along to the guide and driver! We hope to see you again for another adventure in Georgia.
Thanks to Koba we went with an experienced driver and attentive to our needs to visit the Red Mountains and two isolated monasteries rich in history and spirituality. Koba was a great guide, helpful, attentive in showing us every perspective of Georgian culture and landscapes we visited. Friendly and helpful to answer our questions, plus he gave us beautiful handmade drawings from him on the moment of the Red Mountains. We will remember for a long time this incredible experience with its colors and flavors. We are really very grateful thank you!
Grazie mille per le sue bellissime parole, Daisy! Siamo davvero felici che l'escursione alle Rainbow Mountains e ai monasteri sia stata così speciale per lei. I nostri ospiti sono fantastici e apprezziamo molto quando sanno cogliere il vero valore di queste esperienze autentiche. Koba è un membro prezioso della nostra squadra e siamo entusiasti che abbia condiviso con lei non solo la sua conoscenza della cultura georgiana, ma anche il suo talento artistico, realizzando quei disegni a mano. È proprio questa passione a rendere i nostri tour indimenticabili. Speriamo di rivederla presto per un'altra avventura tra i colori e i sapori della nostra terra!
We had a wonderful day with Koba and driver “Tiger” and 3 other guests. We enjoyed the variety of the day especially the fun off road driving, good conversation, lots of stops, view points, monasteries, food, and seeing local farmers with their dogs guarding the sheep. We had a short walk to see the rainbow effect close up and it was striking. Recommend boots for muddy conditions. A lovely trip ❤️
We are so happy you had such a wonderful day out in the rural landscapes with Koba and Tiger. They are a great team, and we will be sure to pass your kind words along to them both. It sounds like you really got to experience the best of the region, from the fun of the off-road driving to those striking colors of the mountains. Thank you for mentioning the boots. That is a great tip for future guests! Having the right footwear makes a big difference when exploring the hills, especially when it is muddy. Our guests are truly amazing, and we feel very lucky to meet people who appreciate the local life and scenery as much as you did. We hope the rest of your time in Georgia is just as lovely.
