9 Day Mototravel Adventure

We leave the vineyards of Kakheti behind and set our course west, riding toward Tbilisi. The road takes us through open countryside before gradually merging into the capital’s lively outskirts, offering a striking contrast between quiet rural roads and urban energy. After crossing Tbilisi, we continue toward central Georgia, where the landscape opens up into wide plains framed by distant mountains.

for the night is Gori, a city steeped in Soviet history and the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. For those interested, we can visit the Stalin Museum. We unwind in comfort at the Gori Inn, enjoying its sauna, pool, and excellent facilities.

Distance Covered: 180 KM

Riding hours: 3.5

Average speed: 50 KM/H

Highest point: 1600 M

It is time for Georgia’s spectacular North again. Racha: A mystical region that often is left undiscovered by many foreign tourists. Racha has been compared to Switzerland cause of its serene calmness, abundant lakes and the impressive mountains surrounding the area. We spent the night at Temuri’s guesthouse. He builds and makes almost everything you see at his guesthouse himself, this includes the skinned bear and wolf skins. His wife will prepare the most delicious specialties from Racha for us. In the garden local ham is freshly smoked, chacha is distilled and bread is being baked in the stone over. On most nights there is also live traditional Georgian music being played in the gorgeous garden. This is Georgian hospitality at its best.

Distance Covered: 200 KM

Riding hours: 4

Average speed: 50 KM/H

Highest point: 1900 M

We start the day by exploring Western Racha. The curvy roads through this green mountainous region are a Valhalla to ride through. Beautiful views are interchanged by beautiful gorges and views over the greater Caucasus. Afterwards we ride through Imereti and enter Guria. The latter is the smallest region of the country but home to a lot of natural beauty and legends alike. With quiet windy road we ride towards Ozurgeti. From here the famous Gomismta, a small village situated high in the mountains, is close by. Because of the proximity of Gomismta to the sea there is permanent cloud hanging down below from where we ride. The beautiful ‘’museum like’’ guesthouse where we spent the night also produces its very own vines next to the backyard. Naturally we can try some of these.

Distance Covered: 250 KM

Riding hours: 4.5

Average speed: 55 KM/H

Highest point: 2200 M

We head closer towards the Black Sea Shore after which we head up North. We ride towards Svaneti. A region known for its distinct culture and independence throughout history. Even the Soviets could never fully exert their influence out here. The regions remoteness and moreover the local aversion to authority contributed a lot to that. Svaneti still feels like a different world altogether with many local customs and pagan traditions still intact.

One characteristic of the regions cultural distinctness is very visible from the twisty mountain road up here: The traditional Svan watchtowers. These towers were built from the 10^th – 12^th century and used as defense towers. Up until the 1990’s they were also used to settle local disputes.

Distance Covered: 250 KM

Riding hours: 5

Average speed: 50 KM/H

Highest point: 2000 M

We spent another day and night in Svaneti. There is simply too much to discover out here. Ride on mountains which peaks are the highest of Europe. Climb one of the historic watchtowers or a ride to Ushguli, Europe’s highest permanently inhabited village.

Distance Covered: 0-150 KM

Riding hours: 0 – 3

Average speed: 30 KM/H

Highest point: 2700 M

From the high mountains of Svaneti we ride into the low lands of the historic Colchis empire. Through the witty backroads of higher Samegrelo we head down South. In case the weather is hot Samagrelo offers an abundance of cold water springs waterfalls to cool down and start riding the motorcycles freshly. Afterwards we end up in Kutaisi, Georgia’s second biggest city. We dine at Palaty, a beautiful ‘’bohemic’’ restaurant with the best local food. After the more ‘’barbaric’’ mountains of Svaneti, Kutaisi’s small town charm will do a lot of good.

Distance Covered: 250 KM

Riding hours: 5

Average speed: 50 KM/H

Highest point: 2400 M

Today we ride from Kutaisi towards Vardzia. Another region that offers nature totally different from anything we have seen so far. You might feel you travelled between continents today. We have two options today, either we take a 35 KM-long off-road pass from Sairme to Abastumani with stunning views over the biggest national park of Europe. Or we ride the paved roads via Borjomi. In both cases we end up in Samtskhe-Javakheti. The region is not only famous for its cliffs and natural beauty, it is famed for its numerous cultural and historical treasures as well. The region can be seen as the cultural birthplace of current day Georgia.

One of these cultural sights is the Vardzia cave complex. A monastery secretly build in the 12th century behind a rock that offered protection from invaders. After an earthquake the rock and thereby the complex’s cover tumbled down.

Distance Covered: 250 KM (asphalt) / 165 KM (with 35 KM offroad)

Riding hours: 5 /  5

Average speed: 50 / 35 KM/H

Highest point: 2000 /  700 M

Today we take the small road connecting Georgia’s East and West. We ride through the hills and mountains of the south. The road we ride used to be a section of the historic Silk Road that crossed these lands. With these beautiful scenes and its many curves we head towards Tbilisi. Closer to Tbilisi the road towards the Didgori Battle Memorial is certainly one to not forget.  Brand new tarmac with views reaching far into Armenia. The memorial itself was built in remembrance of the Georgian-Seljuk wars. Georgia, being outnumbered, defeated the Seljuk Turks which ignited one of Georgia’s most prosperous eras.

Coming from the mountains behind Tbilisi we enter the city with some great viewpoints and the sun falling down over the city.

Distance Covered: 240 KM

Riding hours: 4.5

Average speed: 55 KM/H

Highest point: 1100 M