Azerbaijan and Georgia Tours and Trips

This was a great trip covering two countries with complex histories, fascinating cultures, contemporary geo-strategic issues, great people, terrific food and wine. The two guides, Armina (Armenia) and Zura (Georgia), were excellent both in terms of organisation, but importantly for me, in explaining the history and culture of their countries. I had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed this holiday,

This was a very full-on trip to two very interesting countries. Both guides were brilliant, their in-depth knowledge and willingness to answer all our myriad questions added considerably to my enjoyment of the trip. My only criticism is that in places the itinerary was a bit too full-on, meaning that some elements were a bit blink-and-you-miss-it. For example Lake Sevan was listed as a highlight of one day but we only caught a glimpse through the window as we drove past. Cutting a couple of elements would allow greater focus on the rest. Other than that, a brilliant trip!

Armine and Alex were both super guides. Alex’s love of history shone through and her management of our safety during a (minor) hotel fire was exemplary. The itinerary was great. The only itinerary change worth considering is at Gudauri when we had an early finish and there is not much to do locally to fill the gap. Hotels were of the standard I would expect from Explore with a mixture of types, using local hotels and expectations well managed when staying in simple accommodation. Ani Plaza Hotel in Yerevan was very well located. The hotel in Dilijan had been changed to a new resort hotel which has very comfortable beds and spacious rooms but it has a very clinical and impersonal decor, slightly odd bathroom layout and the meals were reminiscent of a school canteen. It was absolutely fine for one night. The food was generally excellent with standout meals being the included dinner in Kutaisi and the final lunch together. The wines were superb. I used less cash than I expected as cards were widely accepted. I would thoroughly recommend this trip to others.

The trip was brilliant. Anna was a lovely guide with a great sense of humour. One slight improvement would be to try to jiggle the daily schedule so that lunch comes a bit later. We all had good breakfasts, then lunch was often around 12-12:30 and we weren't hungry enough to make the most of the extensive spread put before us.

A fantastic tour. Both Armenia and Georgia were superb destinations. They each had fascinating histories, outstanding food and wine and the most beautiful churches and landscapes. Both legs of the tour were really enhanced by the encyclopaedic knowledge of the guides, Armine in Armenia and Alex in Georgia. We would strongly recommend this tour.

The tour was as described, lots of churches and monasteries and long bus rides, but all the sights were very interesting and the overall experience was wonderful. Would have liked to spend more time at Vardzia and Batumi. I learned a lot about the ancient, recent and current history of this region thanks to the two excellent guides, Laura and Alex.