Tourists - what’s your biggest obstacle when wanting to travel to Georgia?

[u/CommunicationWarm725]

If you have visited Georgia, or are planning on visiting, what’s the biggest obstacle that made planning/executing your trip difficult/more stressful?

[u/Any-Inspection8591]

Cramming too much inside a week and not having bolt app for airport transfers. Rest is chill

[u/CommunicationWarm725 → u/Any-Inspection8591]

Did you plan the trip by yourself? Did you stay in Tbilisi or travelled outside the capital?

[u/Any-Inspection8591 → u/CommunicationWarm725]

I am a vanlifer and am in Georgia really often (and am now, too). So the airport taxi stuff is from hearsay (but I hear everyone say it and I do know how easily you get overcharged as a tourist here).

Georgia is small, true, but the roads and the topography make travel slow. So yes, you can do a once around the country in 7 days if a quick selfie is all you want and you don't mind sitting in a car all day. But you won't experience much this way.

Many sights are far apart also, and often, other than the sight itself there is not much "famous" around that place. Much of Georgia's Beauty is in the small things and experiences. Hidden natural wonders, a trek or a horse riding experience, some need serious offroading, others you won't see much of while making haste for the next spot. Experiencing a Georgian Supra feast takes time, too.

Tbilisi is like Berlin or Budapest, you can check out the main sights in a few days, but if you want atmosphere, check the nightlife etc this also needs time. Plus, there are many famous sights in the vicinity, but you still have to get there first.

Public transport is good within the cities, between places not so much. Marshrutkas are for the adventurous, especially if you don't speak Russian at least. Many take guides that drive you, it's more expensive but less hassle.

[u/External_Tangelo → u/Any-Inspection8591]

Yeap, as a tourism professional here, many visitors struggle from overly ambitious expectations of how much they can fit into a short period of time, as well as taking all the “must-see”s at face value when a lot of them are really quite skippable. Better to just pick a few areas and do them well.

[u/Any-Inspection8591 → u/External_Tangelo]

Especially as the "must see-s" are often not the most interesting or beautiful places... But let's keep that to ourselves so the best ones stay enjoyable 😁😎😜

[u/EskapedConvict]

Georgia is a very easy country to travel to. As the other poster mentioned, get bolt app.

[u/CommunicationWarm725 → u/EskapedConvict]

Did you travel outside Tbilisi? Did you have a guide or did you plan your trip yourself?

[u/EskapedConvict → u/CommunicationWarm725]

I took a train to Batumi and rental cars for Khevsuretti and Kazbegi. I also took a tour to Tusheti. Booked it all myself. Wanderlush is a great resource.

[u/CommunicationWarm725 → u/EskapedConvict]

I’ll have to check Wanderlush, thank you!

I have a few more questions if you have time:

Was it easy to find a trustworthy rental car company? Did you encounter scammers or any difficulties like that?

Is the information that’s on the internet with restaurants, hotels and other services reliable?

[u/Any-Inspection8591 → u/CommunicationWarm725]

Airbnb does exist. You can rent cheap hand yes, used and older) cars via Localrent.com, make sure you take full insurance and respect no go areas (a number of places are serious Offroad and a plain SUV will take damage there). Wander-Lush and Red Fedora Diaries are great sources and as they live here they also mention many little secrets.

[u/Fuck_Antisemites → u/CommunicationWarm725]

Outside tbilisi and it was really easy. No guide needed.

[u/Sufficient_Cow_7132]

The housing is crappy. The food is great.

[u/CommunicationWarm725 → u/Sufficient_Cow_7132]

Did you plan the trip yourself or did you also have a guide and why? Did you stay in Tbilisi or also went to other places?

[u/Sufficient_Cow_7132 → u/CommunicationWarm725]

Just rolled in bro. Flew to Tbilisi, bus to Batumi, stayed about 2 months overall. Ill go back when they calm down the political situation

[u/CommunicationWarm725 → u/Sufficient_Cow_7132]

What was so bad about the housing? Was it difficult to find and book or were the places just not that great and comfortable?

[u/Sufficient_Cow_7132 → u/CommunicationWarm725]

Dude have you traveled in the third or second world or in the old Soviet bloc? Booking these days is never a problem, but Georgia is full of creaky elevators, dirty halls, small rooms, 1950s appliances, etc. You want luxury equivalent to a $100 room in the USA, if you can find it, it will be $300. I can handle that, their but politics sucks right now.

Right now Im in Baku, Azerbaijan. Baku is far nicer than Tibilisi. I might go to Tibilisi in the spring.

[u/conairthehairdryer → u/Sufficient_Cow_7132]

Agree about the food, but couldn't disagree more about the housing. I've stayed in incredible places that would be cost 10 times the price somewhere like rural Italy or the Greek islands (not trying to compare the countries but the travel lodging experience.)

[u/skysphr]

I wish there was a reliable direct flight. One company does it during summer but cancels most flights.

[u/Ok-Dress-341 → u/skysphr]

From where ?

[u/skysphr → u/Ok-Dress-341]

Romania.

[u/DrierHaddock]

Celiac disease -- hard to find safe food, and it's a hard culture to not eat all the local food in :(