Back to Georgia

This morning we had a very painless crossing back into Georgia as the eastern border is much quieter.

Vardzia is a massive complex of man-made caves hewn from a sheer rock wall which was developed into a monastic and defensive site in the 12th century. It was built by King Giorgi III as a place where villagers could take shelter against enemy raids and was originally designed to hold up to 50,000 people. King Tamar, a female monarch, reimagined the complex as a self-sufficient city rather than just a place for temporary shelter. The climb up isn't too bad despite it being at midday.

Next stop is our hotel in Akhaltsikhe before visiting Rabati Castle for a tour before dinner.