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BMW 428
Tbilisi
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Explore Georgia by car
Rent a car for Kakheti: Telavi & Sighnaghi
Kakheti is Georgia's wine country, a wide valley of vineyards beneath the Caucasus. Base yourself in Telavi or Sighnaghi and drive between wineries, monasteries and hilltop towns.
- Drive time
- 1 h 35 min from Tbilisi Airport to Sighnaghi
- Best time to go
- All year; the grape harvest is in September and October
- Road
- Main highway
The fleet
Cars for a Kakheti road trip
Any car suits the roads in Kakheti. These are available in Tbilisi, the natural starting point.
Why go
Why drive in Kakheti
Kakheti is the eastern region where most of Georgia's wine is made, in a tradition of clay qvevri that goes back thousands of years. Its two best-known towns look out over the Alazani Valley towards the Caucasus: Telavi, the regional centre, and Sighnaghi, the walled hilltop town to the south-east.
The wineries, monasteries and viewpoints are spread across the valley, and public transport between them is thin. A car lets you visit several in a day. Just plan for a designated driver, or stay the night.
Telavi
- Batonis Tsikhe, the fortress of the kings of Kakheti
- The giant old plane tree in the town centre
- Alaverdi Cathedral and Ikalto Monastery nearby
Sighnaghi
- A walk along the town walls and towers
- Views over the Alazani Valley to the Caucasus
- Bodbe Monastery, just outside town
Wine country
- Tastings in family cellars and large estates
- Qvevri wine, made in clay vessels buried in the ground
- The grape harvest, rtveli, in early autumn
Getting there
Driving to Kakheti
There are two roads from Tbilisi: the main highway east through Sagarejo towards Sighnaghi, and the mountain road over the Gombori Pass straight to Telavi. Both are paved; the Gombori road climbs over the ridge on hairpins.
| Destination | Distance | Drive time | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sighnaghi (Kakheti)From Tbilisi Airport | 96 km | 1 h 35 min | Main highway |
Drive times assume normal conditions and no stops. Mountain routes take longer in winter, and some of them close for part of the year — check the road before you set off.
Photos
Kakheti in pictures
Questions
Driving in Kakheti: questions
How far is Sighnaghi from Tbilisi Airport?
About 96 km, which takes around 1 h 35 min in normal conditions on the main road east.
Can I visit Telavi and Sighnaghi in one day?
Yes. With a car you can see both towns and a winery or two in a long day. Staying a night lets the driver enjoy the tastings too.
Do I need a 4x4 for Kakheti?
No. The roads between the towns and wineries are paved, and any car will do.
When is the best time to visit Kakheti?
Kakheti is good all year, but September and October are harvest season, when the vineyards are busiest and the wineries celebrate rtveli.
Keep exploring
More places worth the drive
Goderdzi
A young ski resort in the Adjara highlands, about three hours from the Black Sea.
3 h 10 min from Batumi AirportCars for Goderdzi
Svaneti
Medieval stone towers beneath Ushba and the high Caucasus.
4 h from Kutaisi Airport to MestiaCars for Svaneti
Bakuriani
A family ski resort in the pine forest above Borjomi.
2 h 30 min from Tbilisi Airport to BorjomiCars for Bakuriani
Gudauri
Georgia's best-known ski resort, with green high pastures in summer.
2 h 30 min from Tbilisi AirportCars for Gudauri
Book your car for Kakheti
Kakheti is about an hour and a half from Tbilisi Airport. Choose the car, then the wineries.
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