How to Get to Vardzia in 2026: Best Day Tours & Shared Transport Options

This detailed transport guide explains how to get to Vardzia cave city from Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi or Akhaltsikhe – including the best way to do a Tbilisi to Vardzia day trip.

Nestled deep in southern Samtskhe-Javakheti region, close to the borders with Turkey and Armenia, Vardzia is Georgia’s largest and most impressive cave city complex.

Sweeping in scale and rich in history, Vardzia is unsurprisingly a fixture of most travellers’ Georgia wish-list. But because of its remote location and the time it takes to get there, it can be difficult to figure out the best way to travel to Vardzia and just where to fit it into your itinerary.

Having visited Vardzia and the surrounding area half a dozen times now, I know the ins and outs of this journey well. In this guide, I’ll run through the different transport options available from Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi.

This guide has been updated for 2026. Always double-check times and prices locally before you travel.

Important: There are two Vardzias in Georgia. If you are self-driving, be careful not to select the wrong one on Google Maps! The Vardzia you want to navigate to is this one, not the village of Vardzia in Imereti.

Looking for more information about visiting Vardzia? My Vardzia Visitor’s Guide contains helpful tips and background for exploring the site itself.

Distances & travel times to Vardzia

• Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia: 60 km / 1.5 hours
• Kutaisi to Vardzia: 230 km / 4-5 hours
• Tbilisi to Vardzia: 225 km / 4-5 hours
• Batumi to Vardzia (via Khashuri): 230 km / 6-7 hours
• Borjomi to Vardzia: 100 km / 2 hours (see this guide for details)

Vardzia transport at a glance

Best starting point for Vardzia: Akhaltsikhe. If you want to use shared transport or avoid a very long day on the road, spend one night here and visit Vardzia the next morning.

For a guided day trip to Vardzia: Depart from Tbilisi. I recommend this private tour with Friendly.ge, or this alternative off-beat itinerary.

For a flexible Vardzia day trip: Book a private driver with GoTrip.ge and customise your route from Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Borjomi or Akhaltsikhe. Here is my suggested itinerary.

To reach Vardzia with shared transport: Spend a night in Akhaltsikhe rather than attempting the journey in a single day. From there, you can continue to the caves by marshrutka or taxi.

For a self-driving Vardzia adventure: Rent a car through Local Rent and drive across the Javakheti Plateau and Paravani Lake – it’s epic! This is the first stage of my recommended Georgia Road Trip Itinerary.

Avoid: Trying to visit Vardzia from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi by public transport as a same-day round-trip – connections are limited and you won’t have enough time at the caves.

Akhaltsikhe is the closest major city to Vardzia and the most logical departure point for visiting the caves. There are a few other things to do in Akhaltsikhe (including the amazing Akhaltsikhe Fortress), so it’s actually a great place to spend a night or two.

→ See my Akhaltsikhe city guide for suggestions.

Because there are no direct buses to Vardzia from Kutaisi or Batumi and limited services from Tbilisi, anyone who is travelling by marshrutka should plan to transit through Akhaltsikhe first.

Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia bus

There are several different marshrutka minivans that leave from Akhaltsikhe’s main bus station and drop passengers off near the entrance to Vardzia caves. In summer, there are four vans to Vardzia from Akhaltsikhe:

• 10.30am
• 12.20pm
• 4pm
• 5.30pm

Travel time is around 90 minutes, and the fare is 8 GEL.

Another option is to take a van to a village close to Vardzia then continue on by local taxi: Aspindza (40 mins to Vardzia; vans daily at 11.30am and 5pm); or Toloshi (20 mins to Vardzia; one van at 3.10pm).

Akhaltsikhe Bus Station is located next to the railway station on Tamarashvili Street (see the exact location here on the map). It is very well organised, with printed timetables and a ticket desk.

Purchase a ticket from the cash counter before you board the van or direct from the driver. Drivers will depart early if their van is full, so as always, I recommend arriving 30-40 minutes ahead of time to secure a seat.

You can double-check van times locally at tourist information, located inside Akhaltsikhe Castle right next to the ticket desk.

Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia taxi

If the bus times don’t line up or you want more flexibility, another option is to take a taxi to Vardzia from Akhaltsikhe. This should cost around 80-100 GEL round-trip including wait time while you visit the caves.

Make sure you ask the driver to stop at this viewpoint on the way.

Drivers wait near the bus station. If you’re staying at Old Street, my recommended hotel in Akhaltsikhe, the owners can arrange a driver for you.

Driving from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia

If you have a rental car, this is a very pleasant and easy drive. I’ve done it half it dozen times myself. The road is fully sealed all the way to the caves and it’s very scenic as you follow the river valley. Parking is available right at the entrance to Vardzia.

An alternative route through the village of Apnia brings you down the Mtkvari River valley via a snaking, very scenic road to approach the caves from the south. This road is unpaved and only suitable for 4WDs.

I recommend hiring a car from a local agent through Local Rent. Make sure you read my driving tips before you set off.

It takes around 4-5 hours to travel to Vardzia from Tbilisi by road via Akhaltsikhe – potentially a bit longer if you’re going by van.

If you only have one day for Vardzia and you need to be back in Tbilisi the same night, I highly recommend joining an organised tour or hiring a driver rather than relying on a van.

If you are on a budget and limited to shared transport, there are alternative day trips from Tbilisi that require less driving – including the caves at David Gareja and Uplistsikhe.

Tbilisi to Vardzia day tours

Because of the long driving distance, most organised tours to Vardzia combine the caves with stops at Akhaltsikhe Castle and Borjomi Central Park. You need at least 1.5-2 hours for Vardzia itself, so you should look for a tour that doesn’t rush through the caves.

The best Vardzia day trip I’ve been able to find is this private tour with Friendly.ge. It runs for the full day (around 12 hours) and includes a private English or Russian-speaking guide. I have been partnering with this company since 2020 – their guides are excellent, and in my experience, their drivers are always safe.

→ Book here on the website and use the promocode wanderlush for a 10% discount.

→ Or book the tour here on Viator.

Other Vardzia day tour options from Tbilisi include:

• This budget-friendly group tour with Budget Georgia
• This alternative tour via Paravani Lake and Javakheti, with a local lunch in the village

For greater flexibility, you can hire a private driver for this route and travel without a guide or group. I recommend using GoTrip – here is their pre-set itinerary, which you can easily customise.

Tbilisi to Vardzia bus

Marshrutka vans to Akhaltsikhe and Vardzia depart from Bus Station Nige, located inside the big Didube Bus Station (AKA Okriba).

See my Didube Station guide and video tour to see exactly where the ticket desk is located.

As you exit the metro at Didube, make a sharp left across the little carpark towards the Bank of Georgia and Pharmadepot. You will see the small ticket desk and vans waiting to leave for Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi and Bakuriani. There is a cash desk here where you can buy your tickets right next to the bank. There is a bathroom to the left of the ticket office.

Unfortunately, bus services to Vardzia have been scaled back significantly in recent years. There is only one direct van from Tbilisi to Vardzia every other day of the week, departing at 10.10am for 22 GEL.

The better option is to transit through Akhaltsikhe. In the morning, vans to Akhaltsikhe depart from the same spot every hour on the hour, starting from 7am. The last van leaves Tbilisi at 7pm.

The journey takes around 4 hours, and tickets cost 15 GEL. If you are travelling in the late afternoon or during the off-season you might have to change vans in Khashuri (departing every 40 minutes for 10 GEL).

When you arrive in Akhaltsikhe, alight at the bus station to transfer to another van (or a local taxi) to travel the rest of the way to Vardzia.

While possible, van isn’t the best option as it involves a bit of waiting around (not to mention a very long day of marshrutka-ing, which is not all that comfortable!). Return services from Vardzia are very limited – there are only 3 vans per day (more info below).

So for example: If you take the 8am van from Tbilisi, you can connect to the 12.20pm van to Vardzia. Leaving Vardzia, there is a van at 3pm, which will get you back to Akhaltsikhe in time for the 5.30pm van to Tbilisi. This gives you 1.5 hours at the caves.

There are now plans to reinstate a passenger train service between Tbilisi and Akhaltsikhe. I will update this section when there is more information.

Tbilisi to Vardzia taxi

A more flexible (and comfortable!) alternative to marshrutka van is a private taxi. I recommend using GoTrip to book either a one-way or round-trip transfer. Having your own driver takes the pressure off and will give you the opportunity to explore more of the area and spend longer at the caves.

GoTrip is a 24/7 door-to-door service. Tariffs are fixed in advance, and you can stop for photos whenever you like along the way.

Here is my suggested GoTrip route from Tbilisi to Vardzia and back, with a few of my favourite stops (Akhaltsikhe Castle, Khertvisi Fortress and Vardzia Resort for lunch) included along the way. Prices start from a very reasonable 100 USD for the whole car.

Driving from Tbilisi to Vardzia

There are two ways to drive to Vardzia from Tbilisi: Via the main east-west E60 highway through Gori, Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe, or via the southern road through Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions.

I have driven both routes many times, and although the main highway is slightly faster, I prefer the second option: It’s more scenic, less busy, and there are plenty of things to see and do along the way, including Paravani Lake and Gorelovka.

This alternative Vardzia day tour follows a great itinerary through the south and includes some offbeat hidden gems along with the caves.

Kutaisi is about the same distance from Vardzia as Tbilisi. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach the caves, travelling on the highway via Khashuri, Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe.

Kutaisi to Vardzia day tours

Budget Georgia, my preferred tour company in Kutaisi, offers small group day trips to Vardzia departing from the city centre. Tours are available throughout the year, including in winter.

→ Check prices and availability here on Viator.

Kutaisi to Vardzia bus

There are no direct vans to Vardzia from Kutaisi – you need to transit through Akhaltsikhe.

There are two direct marshrutka vans from Kutaisi’s Central Bus Station to Akhaltsikhe, departing at 8.20am and 2.50pm. Additionally, there are vans to Adigeni at 9.30am and Abastumani at 11.30am that can drop you off in Akhaltsikhe along the way.

Tickets cost 20 GEL, and the trip takes about 5 hours. Double check times locally.

Kutaisi Central Bus Station is located on the western side of the river near the McDonalds. See the exact location here. Once in Akhaltsikhe, you can connect to a Vardzia marshrutka or taxi as described above.

Kutaisi to Vardzia taxi

A private round-trip transfer to Vardzia from Kutaisi with GoTrip with extra sightseeing stops starts from 250 GEL for the car.

→ See my suggested itinerary here on GoTrip.

Driving from Kutaisi to Vardzia

There are two ways to drive to Vardzia from Kutaisi: Via the main highway through Khashuri, Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe or on the Zekari Pass via Abastumani and Sairme.

The second option is much more scenic (one of the most beautiful drives in Georgia, in fact) but you do need a 4WD as the road is partially unsealed. This is only an option for summer (June to October) – the Zekari Pass is closed during winter.

It takes around 6-7 hours to travel to Vardzia from Batumi by road via Zestafoni, Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe. There is a shorter route through Upper Adjara, but the road is only open in summer (May to October).

It’s not possible to get to Vardzia from Batumi and back in a single day – you will need to spend the night in Akhaltsikhe or somewhere nearby.

Batumi to Vardzia bus

There are a handful of vans to Akhaltsikhe from Batumi every day, including a morning van at around 8am. But it’s usually more convenient to take a van part-way and then transfer to a second marshrutka. The new east-west highway bypasses Kutaisi, therefore Khashuri is the best place to change vans. Buses travelling to Tbilisi from Batumi pass through Khashuri.

Marshrtuka vans depart from Batumi Intercity Bus Station on Mayakovsky Street (see the exact location here). It’s a tad chaotic and schedules are not signposted so you’ll need to check times and fares locally.

Batumi to Vardzia taxi

A private transfer to Vardzia from Batumi will cost around 130-150 USD.

→ Find a private driver here on GoTrip.

Driving from Batumi to Vardzia

There are two ways to drive to Vardzia from Batumi: Via the new highway through Khashuri (this is the route marshrutka vans take), or via the Goderdzi Pass.

The Goderdzi mountain road through Upper Adjara is extremely beautiful, but it is still partially unsealed and only open in the summer months (May to October). A 4WD is not required.

To travel back to Akhaltsikhe from Vardzia, marshrutka vans depart from the carpark near the entrance to the caves at:

• 8.30am
• 10.30am
• 3pm

Taxis can be difficult to come by. The Visitors Centre might be able to help, or you could pop into a nearby restaurant or guesthouse and ask someone to call a driver for you. Bolt app does not work in this part of Georgia.

From Akhaltsikhe, you can then connect to buses bound for Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Borjomi, or find your way to Gyumri or Yerevan.

For most travellers, staying a night or two in the area is a much better option than trying to squeeze Vardzia into a day trip. The city of Akhaltsikhe is a convenient base, or you can find some excellent accommodations in the villages around the cave complex.

In Akhaltsikhe, I highly recommend taking a room at Guesthouse Old Street. The location halfway between the bus station and the castle is perfect. The owners are very kind and can help organise tours and transport for you. Check rates and availability on Booking.com.

A quick 3-minute drive or 30-minute walk from the Vardzia caves ticket desk, Vardzia Resort is a great option if you want to stay close to the caves. Rooms and common spaces are beautifully decorated with antique kilims. There’s an outdoor pool and bicycles are available to hire. Check rates and availability on Booking.com.

If you have your own car or you don’t mind staying a bit further out, Guest House Aleksandre is a lovely little property in the village of Tmogvi, 6 km north of Vardzia. Private rooms are very simple but cosy with ensuite bathrooms. Aleksandre and his wife are very accommodating hosts and can prepare amazing Meskhetian food for you. Check rates and availability on Booking.com.