Georgian community tourism: a top 5 Karavanly experience
GEORGIAN COMMUNITY TOURISM
A top 5 Karavanly experience
In late 2020, I spent several days travelling around Georgia with Karavanly, a hop-on/hop-off tour company that removes the hassle of solo-travel and encourages you to travel at your own pace, while also bringing you to some wonderful and little-known areas of Georgia you might otherwise never think (or know!) to see. Detailed information about their tours can be found on their website or other travel blogs, so I’ve summarised a few of the top community experiences they offer. I encourage you to take a Karavanly trip and check them all out.
Visiting a homestay in Pankisi Gorge
Pankisi Gorge is a deeply misunderstood area of Georgia. It differs wildly from most of the country in both religion and ethnicity, with 75% of the population being ethnic Kists of Chechen origin who are devoutly Muslim. Historically it was a recruiting and transit ground for Chechen rebels, but recent years have seen a rehabilitation of its image and the introduction of community tourism. There are a number of guesthouses in the area, but given the opportunity I would absolutely recommend staying with Leila, pictured above, who runs her guesthouse with her daughter and mother. The guesthouse is beautiful, the food absolutely amazing and much of it home-grown, and Leila and her family are incredibly gracious hosts who are more than happy to explain the history and culture of the area. As an added bonus, the Pankisi region as a whole is unbelievably beautiful, and should you wish to ride horses or hike, there’s plenty of opportunities.
2. Traditional cheese making in Samtskhe-Javakheti
Georgian cheese is one of the country’s most beloved products, and as with the wine I’m genuinely shocked it’s not better know abroad (my theory is they eat everything and have nothing left to export). Karavanly took us into the mountains of Samtskhe-Javakheti to visit the remote town of Andriatsminda. Mzia, pictured, is one of the last remaining tenili cheesemakers - a type of salty string cheese that is entirely hand made and is, frankly, delicious. Watching the cheese-making process, and afterwards trying the cheese itself with a very strong chacha accompaniment, was an exceptional - if very alcoholic! - experience.
3. Visiting a tea farm and homestay in Guria
Finding out that Georgia has a storied history of tea production was something of a surprise to me, so Karavanly bringing us to a wonderful guesthouse and tea plantation in Guria was very welcome. Set in the charming countryside of the rolling Gurian hills, the tea farm has three generations of the same family working and tending to it with great care and attention. Alongside wonderful tea, they also offer comfortable rooms to stay in, sprawling gardens, woods and creeks to explore, and of course, make excellent food for guests to enjoy.
4. touring Gorelovka village, a community visit and bird-watching
This was one of the first stops on our trip and the hospitality certainly left an impression - groaning tables of food, wine and chacha were complimented by gracious hosts and boundless enthusiasm. Samtskhe-Javaheti sits on the border with Turkey and Armenia, and boats amazing landscapes of sweeping plains and hills. The region attracts many types of migratory birds, which makes it ideal for bird-watchers and nature enthusiasts. Alongside this, the fascinating homes of the Doukhobors in Gorelovka village, a religious group exiled from Russia in the late 19th C, are architecturally unlike almost any other buildings in Georgia, and offer a fascinating glimpse into a small and unusual community.
5. watching Qvevri masters at work
Where would Georgia be without wine? Georgia is the oldest wine-making region on earth, and the most essential component (besides grapes of course) is the qvevri, a clay pot that is used to ferment and store the wine. Watching certified qvevri masters work their craft with absolute care and precision, while explaining the process of wine-making from start to finish is fascinating - particularly if you’ve been in Georgia for a while and have drunk enough quality wine to wonder how it came to be such a dominant drink in the country.