Georgia, off the beaten track

Planet

The logistics of this Rural Georgia trip have been constructed to be as environmentally-responsible as possible. Herein we're using rural, locally-owned accommodation. Case in point: half of this entire trip will side with family accommodation run by local proprietors of these rural homestays. This is evident in both Jokolo and Ardoti.

This tour is deep and penetrative, in a sense, as we even go beyond our remote homestays to include nomadic families who only seasonally occupy semi-derelict settlements. This is the case in Andaki. Protecting an endangered nomadic way of life is a not just incidental part of this trip; rather, it's instrumental in the tour design.

Although our clientele tend to be older, we nevertheless encourage travelling on foot wherever possible. This trip is purpose-designed for that eventuality. In Mtskheta clients walk everywhere. In the mountains, between Ardoti, Andaki, and Orchilo, clients will traverse everywhere on foot. This means that at least for a quarter of the time on this tour, the preferred modus operandi will involve few, if any, carbon emissions.

Overall, this tour actively stands up for heritage and conservation in the fight against unchecked human development. Whether it be actively contributing toward supporting the UNESCO-status of religious edifices in Mtskheta, training our sights on Tbilisi's old quarter, or basing ourselves in remote mountain communities, our light-footed presence places the natural environment at the forefront.

In terms of consumption and waste, with a stress on non biodegradable polymers and plastics, our tours all embed this matter from the pre-trip stage. How to dispose of plastics is detailed in our ‘What to bring’ trip notes for all trips to all destinations. Your guide will remind you where and when you can fill up your re-usable water bottle.

People

On a rural Georgia exploration, community-minded travel is integral. Because of the nature of 9-day tour where clients receive a hands-on experience, particularly with regard to a rural - predominantly agricultural - economy, it's impossible to ignore community.

All proceeds feedback into this rural economy. Owing to the remoteness of these family-run ventures, it is easy to surmise that without a steady stream of sustainable tourism, these rural settlements would succumb to the demographic pressures besetting rural communities, forcing them to resettle in urban centres for any economic salvation.

Along the way, our visitors will engage with production methods in small wineries, the cultivation of honey from bees that are well looked after, village bread making, and repeated exposure to Kist tribal culture (being the concept behind the extended homestay in Ardoti). When we run these tours two to three times a year, we are part of a wider movement that fosters these cottage industries, not only keeping them temporarily afloat, but moreover enabling them with certainties that they may make small investiture into their future wellbeing.

As regular travellers, one thing that never ceases to amaze and inspire us is the kindness and generosity of local people, often people who have very little to their name. We firmly believe that they are who make these places special should and that they should benefit from our visit. Therefore, as first preference, we use local guides and drivers who are offered fair working conditions and pay, locally-sourced supplies, and locally-owned lodges, shops and eateries. We do our best to ensure that the benefits of our tours reach as widely as possible into the communities where they operate. In fact, the only part of the operations that's not locally-derived (and therefore providing economic gains at the micro level) is us, the visitors.