{"id":394,"date":"2015-06-14T14:50:27","date_gmt":"2015-06-14T11:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ants-in-pants.com\/?p=394"},"modified":"2018-01-02T22:46:35","modified_gmt":"2018-01-02T20:46:35","slug":"caucasus-july-august-2013-itinerary-and-practical-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ants-in-pants.com\/en\/blog\/caucasus-july-august-2013-itinerary-and-practical-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Caucasus (July-August, 2013): Itinerary and practical advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

In summer 2013, we had a month long tour around Caucasus<\/strong>, including its Northern Russian part, Armenia, Georgia, Abkhazia, and Azerbaijan<\/strong> with their lovely people, yummy food and incredible stories. Some people assume that these are dangerous countries, but they are not unless you do certain things. This post is about what to keep in mind when traveling in Caucasus, and how to plan the trip.<\/p>\n

We started the journey from Riga (which we reached from Tallinn by Ecolines 4,5 hours bus). One flight Riga-Baku cost 118 euros per person (by Airbaltic), and coming back from Sochi to Minsk was 140 euros extra (each, Belavia).<\/p>\n

This is the map of the places<\/strong> we aimed to visit:
\n\"Route\"<\/a>
\nSo all in all the route<\/strong> was the following (sorry, google map doesn\u2019t fit it): Riga \u2013 Baku (including Janardag, Gobustan and mad vulcanoes) \u2013 Shaki \u2013 Balaken \u2013 Lagodekhi \u2013 Telavi \u2013 Signakhi \u2013 Tbilisi \u2013 Yerevan \u2013 Garni- Gegard \u2013 Yerevan \u2013 Khor Virap \u2013 Naravank \u2013 border with Nagorno Karabakh \u2013 Tatev \u2013 Yerevan \u2013 Sevan \u2013 Dilijan \u2013 Erevan \u2013 Tbilisi \u2013 Gori \u2013 Zugdidi \u2013 Mestia \u2013 Ushguli \u2013 Mestia \u2013 Zugdidi \u2013 Batumi \u2013 Gonio \u2013 Tbilisi \u2013 Stepantsminda \u2013 Vladikavkaz \u2013 Nalchik \u2013 Terskol (Elbrus) \u2013 Mineralnye vody \u2013 Sochi \u2013 Abkhazia \u2013 Sochi \u2013 Minsk<\/p>\n

The detailed day-by-day plan<\/strong> of the trip with the references to posts about every day
\n1. Baku-Yanardag-Baku<\/a><\/em>
\n 2. Baku-Gobustan-Baku, night train to Shaki<\/a><\/em>
\n 3. Half a day in Shaki, then Sheki-Belaken-Bakurtsikhe-Telavi<\/a><\/em>
\n 4. Telavi and around Kakheti<\/a><\/em>
\n 5. Tbilisi, night train to Yerevan<\/a><\/em>
\n 6. Yerevan-Khor Virap-Tatev<\/a><\/em>
\n 7. Tatev \u2013 Carahunge \u2013 Noravank \u2013 Yerevan (Armenia)<\/a><\/em>
\n 8. On Armenian hospitality (a lot) and Kloster Geghard (a bit)<\/a><\/em>
\n 9. Mountain lake Sevan, Dilizhan and Molokan village Fioletovo (Armenia)<\/a><\/em>
\n 10. Brandy company \u201cNoah\u201d in Yerevan: about the right way to drink Armenian cognac<\/a><\/em>
\n 11. How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi<\/a><\/em>
\n 12. Gori (Georgia) \u2013 Stalin\u2019s Motherland<\/a><\/em>
\n 13. Uplistsikhe, ancient town in a rock in Georgia<\/a><\/em>
\n 14. Mestia \u2013 the capital of mountainous Svaneti (Georgia)<\/a><\/em>
\n 15. Ushguli \u2013 Svaneti mountain settmenent<\/a><\/em>
\n 16. Georgian Beach Getaway: Gonio<\/a><\/em>
\n 17. Batumi<\/a><\/em>
\n 18. Kazbegi, Georgia<\/a><\/em>
\n 19. Elbrus surroundings: what to see and how to get there<\/a><\/em>
\n 20. Mount Elbrus \u2013 One of the Seven Summits<\/a><\/em>
\n 21. Resting on the Beach in Abkhazia: Practicalities<\/a><\/em>
\n 22. Sightseeing in Abkhazia: our impressions<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Basically, we followed this route, and we still think in many ways it is the best route around Caucasus, because<\/strong>:
\n1. The border between Azerbaijan and Armenia is closed, so if you want to go to both countries you have to go through Georgia. First go to Azerbaijan, as Internet is full of unpleasant stories on what happens if you do vice versa \u2013 the border guards of Azerbaijan noticing Armenian stamps in you passport can create a variety of problems: arresting, prohibiting to enter the country, etc. While you are in Azerbaijan it is better not to mention that you are heading to Armenia, and not to mention Armenia at all.
\n2. There is the same trouble with Abkhazia: you can enter in only from Russia, as Georgia does not recognize Abkhazia as a legally sovereign country and have the border with it closed.
\n3. If you decide to go to Nagorno Karabakh, check the visa requirements and their relationship with Azerbaijan. It is likely that you will have to register on the arrival. Don\u2019t talk about the war and don’t make any pictures of military machines or soldiers.<\/p>\n

The precautions<\/strong> about what to say and what not to say may be too serious, but highly recommended: the relationship between different peoples in Caucasus may be complicated.<\/p>\n

If you do not have a month for Caucasus, we would recommend at least 2-3 week trip<\/strong>
\nBaku, Gobustan, mud volcanoes (2 days are enough)
\nKakheti \u2013 Telavi and around (2 days)
\nYerevan, at least to visit restaurant \u201cKavkaz\u201d!
\nGori (1 day)
\nKhor Virap or Noravank, you may choose
\nTatev, but only in case you stay in the place we recommend and do what we recommend in the post about Tatev. Otherwise it is too far
\nMestia, Ushguli \u2013 2 days
\nBatumi and surroundings in case you want some time at the sea \u2013 we recommend prefer it to Abkhazia!
\nKazbegi, Elbrus \u2013 keep in mind that the weather in the mountain may be cloudy and it will be the waste of time. Check the weather forecast in advance and have some alternative in your head.<\/p>\n

NB!<\/strong> You will hardly avoid hitchhiking, unless you buy tours. Public transport is a problem \u2013 even if it exists, it often doesn\u2019t have any timetable, but you\u2019ll love hitchhiking along with adorable Caucasians, as hitchhiking is the first sign of their unbelievable empbracing hospitality.<\/p>\n

Language:<\/strong> Russian will be extremely helpful, however, many young people, guest house keepers, and tour organizers speak English.<\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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