The Best of Georgia and Armenia

I really enjoyed this tour of Armenia and Georgia. The hotel in Yerevan was well located and the guide was excellent. Georgia was well covered. Great guide Tamar and itinerary including extra meals was much appreciated. The only issue I had was bedbugs in the hotel in Tblisi. No one else had the problem. I tried to change room at 3am after catching a bug but was told none were available. I was given a change of bedding to remake the bed and was undisturbed by further bites. I have photographic evidence and found a google review of the hotel claiming bedbug eggs with photos. The staff denied prior problems. I advised the guide for her information. I had a different room on return to Tblisi and no bugs. Happy to provide photos.

Great itinerary for Armenia and Georgia. But would like to see more of Armenia. Excellent guides in both countries. Knowledgable, informative, gd organisers, considerate. Def gd ambassadors for their countries. Hotels very comfortable , food wonderful except one in Telavi. But view and food was excellent.

This is a rapid tour through two fascinating countries which have parallels but are surpringly distinct. Explore provided a guide for each country whose contrasts were equally important; a serious, learned older man in Armenia who had lived experience and fond memories of Soviet times and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the early Christian heritage, and a young woman born the year the USSR collapsed in Georgia who appeared modern, secular and Euro facing at the point where the two countries took opposite positions to our guides. This added hugely to the texture of the trip and I hope was planned. Regarding logistics; we barely used cash in Georgia as Apple Pay and cards are widely accepted. Cash is more widely welcomed in Armenia. We were just a week too early for the most glorious spring weather so might recommend going early May not late April. Non tour highlights were the Armenian ballet doing swan lake on our first night, a trip for a scrub in the sulphur baths in Tbilisi and really sampling local wines in both countries! Our group was small but happy and the guides were sensitive to the needs of different guests; many toilet stops are offered and the standard was generally good. Hotels were well located in Yerevan and Tbilisi and otherwise varied from soulless modernity in Dilijan to a David Lynch like out of season ski lodge in Gudauri. All had the basics covered in terms of hot water, comfortable beds, WiFi, bar, heat; just with varying levels of enthusiasm. Tour highlights were Vardzia cave town, Stalin museum, hike in Georgia (despite the blizzard!); the rock hewn monastery in Armenia and the amazing singing in both countries. Yerevan is clean, safe and supercool with free open air concerts; Tbilisi is gorgeously eclectic and also felt very safe. And the wine. Did I mention the wine?

A great trip to two quite different but fascinating countries, led by expert local guides. Incredible landscapes, from snow covered mountains, wooded gorges and of course the Black Sea coast, churches and monasteries galore, a history that makes Game of Thrones seem tame, along with great food, comfortable hotels and great company

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,