Georgia
Jul 4–11, 2027 · 7 days
Jul 4–11, 2027
7 days
Up to 14 participants
Gravel Cycling
The challenge
Picture a cold morning in the Didgori Valley. Your breath hangs in the air. You clip in, and the road…
Read the full brief
Picture a cold morning in the Didgori Valley. Your breath hangs in the air. You clip in, and the road tips up into the hills. This is where our ride begins. Seven days on a mountain bike, right across Georgia, from Tbilisi to the caves in the west.
I'm Sean Conway. I've spent years stacking long, hard challenges end to end, the length of Britain and back. So trust me when I say this one is hard, and it earns its name. Day two throws 67 km at you with 1,560 m of climbing. Day four is the big one, 91 km down through old volcanoes to the cliff caves at Vardzia, carved into rock in the 12th century.
You'll join a team, not a crowd. We ride past Paravani Lake under big open skies. We stop at Khertvisi Fortress, high above the river. We eat a proper lunch at Chobareti's Oda, the kind of meal you talk about later. A support van follows all the way, so you just ride and take it in.
If you stay on for the extended days, we climb to the Zekari Pass, a long grind up through green forest. Then a soft morning spin to the Prometheus Caves before the drive back.
The legs will ache. Some climbs will make you dig deep. But that effort is the whole point of this expedition. At the end, you'll sit down to a Georgian dinner, tired and full, watching the light drop over the hills.
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We read every application. Small group — and I want to get the group right. If this sounds like you, apply below.
Day-by-Day
Day 1
We land at Tbilisi Airport. Then it's a short ride, just 25 minutes, into the city. Your afternoon is free. Rest up, or walk the old town streets. In the evening you'll join a team for a welcome dinner. There's a live Georgian folk show too. Tonight we sleep at Tbilisi Hotel Museum, music still in our ears.
Day 2
Day 2 is where we start riding. A bus takes us up to the historic Didgori Valley. Then we clip in and ride to Tsalka via Manglisi. That is 67.3 km, with 1,560 m of climbing. The trail winds through alpine slopes and deep forest. It is hard. The support van follows. Big skies, and a packed lunch on the road.
Day 3
Today we ride 50.4 km along Paravani Lake. No bus, just open road and big skies. We climb 840 m and drop 330 m. It sits high, so the air feels thin. We pass the old Poka Monastery on the way. Lunch comes packed. Dinner waits at a family guesthouse. Just water, sky, and the slow turn of your wheels.
Day 4
Day 4 is the big one. You'll ride 91.2 km from Gandzani to Vardzia, dropping 1,490 m through old volcanic land. We climb 710 m too. We stop at Khertvisi Fortress, high above the rivers. Then on to Vardzia, a cave town carved into a cliff back in the 12th century. Packed lunch on route.
Day 5
Day 5 takes you from Vardzia to Akhaltsikhe via Chobareti. You will ride 68.3 km, climbing 970 m and dropping 1,220 m. We stop at Chobareti's Oda for a proper local lunch. In Akhaltsikhe, you'll join a guided walk round the grand Rabati Fortress. This closes the core riding days. Old stone walls, tired legs, warm food.
Day 6
Today the Core group heads home, but you'll clip in with me. We climb hard from Akhaltsikhe to the Zekari Pass, near Abastumani, through thick green forest. That's 41.5 km and a big +1,330 m up. A packed lunch keeps you going. Then we load the bikes, drive 80 km to Kutaisi, and eat well at Tina's. Legs burning, smiling.
Day 7
Day 7 is short but sweet. We ride 21 km from Kutaisi to the Prometheus Caves via Tskaltubo, climbing 260 m along the way. Inside, the cave formations are something else. Then we swap bikes for the drive back to Tbilisi. We stop for lunch and taste wine at Guramishvili's Cellar. Cool stone, deep glasses, roads winding home.
Day 8
Day 8 is where we say goodbye. You'll wake up in Tbilisi and grab a good breakfast at the hotel. Then it's a short 25 km transfer to the airport. No riding today. Just full legs, a few new mates, and Georgia still sitting in your head as you fly home.