Day Trip To Gori From Tbilisi Full Review: DIY Vs Guide Tour
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A day trip to Gori from Tbilisi is all you need to cover the main attractions. If you are planning your next vacation in the Caucasus, specifically Georgia, this is the post for all the main things to do and see in Gori.
If you are staying in Georgia for multiple days, then it is a very good idea to spend a day in for Gori. I visited Gori from Tbilisi on my own during my last vacation there. It is a very wonderful small town with historical significance (Stalin’s birthplace) and great landscapes for pictures.
Planning a day trip to Gori from Tbilisi on your own is possible. The cost is slightly cheaper, and it is not complicated.
However, the easiest way to navigate Gori is by joining an organized day trip. There are various options online departing from and return to Tbilisi on the same day. Most of them cover the most important icons in Gori including Uplistsikhe.
I traveled to Gori on my own but I would choose day trip, if I were to do it again.
🚞 Looking For A Gori Day Tour From Tbilisi? ✅ Book Your Tour !
Day Trip to Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta, Jvari
Best valued group tour that covers not only Gori but also Uplistsikhe but also Mtskheta & Jvari. It has sufficient time for the Stalin Museum & Uplistsikhe. However, you may split 30 minutes from Stalin Museum if you want to also cover Gori Castle.
Is Gori Worth Visiting?
Yes, if you would like to discover Stalin’s birthplace (specifically the Stalin Museum). This attraction is the most unique point of Gori against other places in Georgia like Tbilisi, Gudauri, and even other Caucasian cities like Baku or Yerevan.
Additionally, the Gori castle provides a very beautiful landscape and its proximity to the ancient rock-hewn town – Uplistsikhe.
Is One Day For Enough For Gori?
Yes, one day is actually more than enough for Gori itself. All the main attractions in Gori are within walking distance. On top of that, one day is more than sufficient even if (and you should) include Uplistsikhe in the itinerary. To be exact, you need around 3 hours inside Gori city center and another 1 hour or so for Uplistsikhe.
During my last visit, I departed from Tbilisi bus station to Gori at 9 am and returned at around 7 pm. I navigated all the main, and some secondary attractions in Gori and spent 2.5 hours for Uplistsikhe.
If I were to use a day tour, I could also cover Mtskheta a city near Tbilisi on the way back. It shall save me more time at slightly higher cost.
🚞 Looking For A Gori Day Tour From Tbilisi? ✅ Book Your Tour !
Day Trip to Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta, Jvari
Best valued group tour that covers not only Gori but also Uplistsikhe but also Mtskheta & Jvari. It has sufficient time for the Stalin Museum & Uplistsikhe. However, you may split 30 minutes from Stalin Museum if you want to also cover Gori Castle.
Organized Day Trip Versus Day Trip By Yourself
There are pros and cons for a day trip from Tbilisi to Gori by booking a day tour or planning yourself. I did the day trip myself and probably would have done it via an organized day tour next time. Because by doing so I can squeeze my time to cover more main attractions.
| Item | Organized Tour | Going By Yourself | Remarks |
| Attractions Coverage | Cover all must-see attractions in Gori and Uplistsikhe. Most also cover Mtskheta or even Javri. | Cover must-see in Gori and Uplistsikhe. Have some spare time for secondary attractions before the last bus back to Tbilisi. | For the organized tour, you may need to take advantage of time assigned to Stalin Museum in Gori for the fortress. |
| Complexity of planning | Simple just book in advance | Requires you to navigate the bus from Tbilisi to Gori. Also the transportation to and return from Uplistsikhe in Gori | To save time, you should have exchanged at least 100 GEL in Tbilisi before the day trip |
| Cost | Ranges from 25 USD to 40 USD per person | 10 GEL for bus Tbilisi – Gori 50 GEL for taxi Gori – Uplistsikhe In total 21 USD | Noting that you can have extra cost savings if you have more than one person for the taxi |
| Style | Group tours are good for meeting new friends plus sharing with local guides. | Self-organized tour, you will learn about more local cultures i.e. how to navigate the bus, and can cover more side attractions. |
If you are hesitating, you can find the list of comparisons below.
My recommendation is to join an organized tour. This is because the cost is not much different. And most importantly, it covers at least one more city like Mtskheta, a UNESCO city in a day. In that, it is a best-valued option.
🚞 Looking For A Gori Day Tour From Tbilisi? ✅ Book Your Tour !
Day Trip to Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta, Jvari
Best valued group tour that covers not only Gori but also Uplistsikhe but also Mtskheta & Jvari. It has sufficient time for the Stalin Museum & Uplistsikhe. However, you may split 30 minutes from Stalin Museum if you want to also cover Gori Castle.
Main Attractions List – Gori
Stalin Museum, Gori Fortress, and Uplistsikhe are the must-sees during your day trip. Others are optional if you have extra time.
Joseph Stalin Museum & Stalin Park
The Stalin Museum and the park outside are the very first icons in Gori. This is the main reason for going to Gori for most of the people.
Inside the museum expect to see multiple artifacts, photographs, and documents of Stalin. Despite being the top 3 murderers in human history, the museum is more about Stalin’s propaganda and only a tiny part is about the dark aspect of his regime.
The entrance ticket is 15 GEL for adults and 10 GEL for students. There is a free-toliet near the ticket booth and souvenir booth at ground floor.The museum opens daily from 10 am to 6pm (except for 1st Nov – 1st Apr where they close an hour early).
Other than the Museum, don’t miss out on the Stalin statue and wagon (the train he used to use) in the Park. No entrance fee is required for the Park.
Gori Castle & Memorial Georgian War Heroes
Then just a block from the Museum, you will find the Gori Castle. Going from the Museum to the opt of the fortress takes only around 15 minutes. On the way, you will also find the Memorial Georgian War Heroes statues at the bottom of the mountain.
The castle was built in the 8th Century with a combination of ancient and medieval architectural styles. History aside, I love taking photos on the way and top of the castle. It has the best panoramic view of Gori including the Mtkvari River. On the top of it, there is a free telescope for you to explore the whole city. Unlike Tbilisi, where the icons are less attractive in winter, the Gori fortress provides you snowy scene during the winter.
Just near the fortress with less than 3 3-minute walk, you can find the circle of Georgian War Heroes. It is the site for the memorial of the bravery and sacrifices of Georgian soldiers. From there, you are able to take the best photos of the statues plus the whole castle. So don’t miss it!
🚞 Looking For A Gori Day Tour From Tbilisi? ✅ Book Your Tour !
Day Trip to Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta, Jvari
Best valued group tour that covers not only Gori but also Uplistsikhe but also Mtskheta & Jvari. It has sufficient time for the Stalin Museum & Uplistsikhe. However, you may split 30 minutes from Stalin Museum if you want to also cover Gori Castle.
Uplistsikhe
Going to Gori without Uplistsikhe is a total waste. Not to mention we are not likely to go to Georgia again in our next vacation. It is a cave town (similar to an ancient city in Capadoccia) dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. It is only 20 minutes drive from Gori. That’s why most day trip tours would also include this icon.
Other than the ancient caves and rocks, there is also a catholic church and wine cellar there. The ticket is 15 GEL and you can top up 5 GEL for wine tasting at the cellar there. The wine cellar is just near the exit. The 5 GEL includes tasting 4 types of local wine plus a snack platter with cheese and dried fruits. It is a very good deal that you should include.
This is also the site on UNESCO’s tentative list.
If you are planning the Gori day trip on your own, I recommend you take a taxi from the tourism office near the opposite of Stalin Park. The cost is 50 GEL including from Gori to Uplistsikhe, around 1 hour waiting time at the site and return to Gori. The taxi driver is very nice and you only need to pay them when you return to Gori.
Although Bolt works in major Georgia cities like Tbilisi and Gori, it does not work from Uplistsikhe to Gori. The same goes for the bus, you can take Gori to Uplistsikhe bus for less than 5 GEL. However, you can hardly find a bus from Uplistsikhe to Gori. Beware of getting stuck.
That’s why I consider a day trip tour to be a better option where you don’t need to pay the extra 50 GEL for going to this must icon.
Other Secondary Attractions In Gori
If you have an extra day or stay in Gori for more than a day, then you may be interested in other attractions. The secondary attractions include museums like the Gori Ethnographic Museum and the Great Patriotic Museum; some local arts attractions like the Underground Art and 1001 Georgian Ornaments; Or other icons like the Gori Bazar and Red Bridge.
The accommodation in Gori is in general slightly more expensive than Tbilisi. There is no hostel option near the city center and the best valued option is to stay in a mid-level hotel.
🌃 Want to stay over 1 night? ✅ Book Your Stay In Gori !
Tsera House
A budgeted guest house in Gori located within 5-minute walk distance from Stalin Museum or Gori Fortress. It is the most best-valued option in Gori and sometimes the price is even below 20 USD per night.
Schedule Your Gori Day Trip Now
Going on a day trip to Gori, is the best decision I made during my vacation to Tbilisi. The attractions are more unique than that of Tbilisi. It is one of the notable experiences to share with my friends (afterall everyone knows Stalin). Remember to book it in advance before your stay in Tbilisi.
The accommodation in Gori is in general slightly more expensive than Tbilisi. There is no hostel option and the best valued option is to stay in a mid-level hotel.
🚞 Looking For A Gori Day Tour From Tbilisi? ✅ Book Your Tour !
Day Trip to Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta, Jvari
Best valued group tour that covers not only Gori but also Uplistsikhe but also Mtskheta & Jvari. It has sufficient time for the Stalin Museum & Uplistsikhe. However, you may split 30 minutes from Stalin Museum if you want to also cover Gori Castle.
