Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 1
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 2
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 3
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 4
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 5
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 6
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 7
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 8
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 9
Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake 10
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Tbilisi: Private Tour to Rainbow Mountains – David Gareja – Semidesert – Lake

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Tbilisi, Georgia
Adventure ToursArts & CultureCity ToursBus & Minivan ToursEducational Tour

About this activity

Explore Georgia's dramatic southeastern landscapes in a single day: hike through the otherworldly Rainbow Mountains, visit the ancient David Gareja Lavra monastery complex carved into cliffsides, and float in a salty lake. This full-day private tour reveals Georgia's surprising geological diversity, from semidesert terrain to mineral-striped peaks, with traditional Georgian lunch included.

Meeting point: Tbilisi ( the tour includes pick up from the hotel )

Endpoint: Tbilisi ( the tour includes drop-off at the hotel )

Available dates: Everyday

Pick-up time: 09:00

End time: 18:00

Duration: 9 hours


In just 9 hours, you explore Georgian Sahara, Rainbow Mountains, David Gareji Lavra, and Lake. After all, have a late lunch with traditional Georgian tasty food and finish the tour at 6 pm.  

09:00 Pick up from the hotel

Our guide picks you up from the hotel at 09:00 and takes you to our company for the check-in procedure; then, an unforgettable trip begins.


09:45 Smart Supermarket
Duration: 15 minutes

The first place where you will stop is a shop to buy snacks. Since we have a late lunch, you should get some snacks not to feel too hungry and uncomfortable.  The second stop is at a salty lake, where you have an outstanding possibility to take some nice pictures.  


11:00 Kapatadze Lake
Duration: 15 minutes

After the lake, we continue driving through Udabno village, translated as a desert. The area where you will be traveling is the only semidesert Georgia has, And it's more than amazing to see how diverse Georgian nature is.  


11:45 David Gareji Lavra
Duration: 2 hours and 45 minutes

You will start walking toward the famous Rainbow Mountains at the end of the driving. The most impressive feature of the landscape is the mineral-rich sedimentary rock, which looks like it’s been painted with brightly colored stripes. It’s possible to hike through the Rainbow Mountains, which astonish visitors with their colors. You will walk through the Rainbow Mountains, take many mesmerizing pictures, and prepare for the David Gareji Lavra historical tour.  
David Gareji Monastery Complex is one of the most spiritual places in the country. You will hear the stories of the monastery, do a bit of hiking and see a Georgian soldier at the border of Georgia and Azerbaijan. It’s believed that St. David chose this isolated location because he wanted his Disciples to lead a life of holiness independent from the rest of society.  


15:30 Arrive at a lunch place
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes

The last place for the tour will be a restaurant where you will have a late lunch around 3:30 pm. After lunch, we will go to Tbilisi and finish the tour at 6 pm.


18:00 Drop off at the hotel in Tbilisi


Highlights:

  • Meet the best team at Traveler's Meeting Point
  • Kapatadze Lake
  • Udabno Village
  • Rainbow Mountains
  • David Gareji Lavra

Highlights

  • ✓Hike through the Rainbow Mountains' vividly striped mineral-rich rock formations
  • ✓Explore David Gareja Lavra, a centuries-old monastery carved into rock cliffs
  • ✓Float in Kapatadze Lake, Georgia's only salty lake
  • ✓Drive through Udabno ('desert' in Georgian), the country's sole semidesert region
  • ✓Traditional Georgian lunch with local flavours
  • ✓Hotel pickup and dropoff from central Tbilisi

Insider tips

  • ★Pack a swimsuit and towel if you want to float in the salty lake—the salt content makes it effortless and photogenic
  • ★Wear sturdy hiking boots and bring plenty of water; the semidesert offers little shade and the Rainbow Mountains hike is moderately challenging
  • ★Start early: the 09:00 pickup allows you to catch morning light on the coloured rock formations, ideal for photography
  • ★Skip breakfast; the late lunch (around 15:00) is substantial, and the supermarket stop mid-morning lets you grab snacks

Good to know

  • •Total duration is 9 hours (09:00–18:00); the advertised 7 hours refers to activity time only
  • •Bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses; the semidesert offers minimal natural shade
  • •Hiking involves uneven terrain and some elevation gain; moderate fitness recommended
  • •Hotel pickup is included; confirm your accommodation address during booking
  • •Available daily; no seasonal closures mentioned, though summer heat (June–August) is intense

Who it's for

Adventure and hiking enthusiasts seeking off-the-beaten-path geologyHistory and culture lovers interested in early Christian monasteriesPhotographers drawn to unusual landscapes and coloured rock formationsDay-trippers from Tbilisi wanting a complete nature and culture overview

Best time to visit

Visit September to May for comfortable hiking temperatures and clearer skies; the mineral colours pop most vividly in strong daylight, so morning-into-afternoon timing (your 09:00 start) is ideal. Summer is possible but hot and can be uncomfortable during the 2.75-hour David Gareja hike.

Frequently asked questions

From
€205
per person