"The memories will stay with you forever"

Are you looking for a travel experience beyond the ordinary? Go for Georgia (no, not in the US - Eastern Europe on the border of Asia, by the Black Sea).

Spectacular hiking in the Caucasus mountains, the very special polyfonic chanting in the many orthodox churches or by an «ordinary» (and always tasty) rural meal, follow the Silk Road with reminiscences from a rich history, stretching from ancient times through many troubled centuries, now a vibrant modern society with strong links to the past and a unique orthodox spirituality still permeating everyday life.

And if you want not only to be the ordinary tourist, but be invited into a community celebrating the very special Georgian natural wine tradition (dating 8000 years back) and try the chanting yourself, ask Cultural Travel - Georgia with Svend and Tako (and the unforgettable driver Gocha) to tailor a tour to your own special taste. The memories will stay with you forever. You may even bring with you a touch of that spirituality back home. And you will always long for another opportunity to renew friendships and dive deeper into Georgia's soul.

2014 - Marianne Mjaaland from Heggedal, Norway

"Everything was like a dream"

We were heading from Tbilisi to the Caucasus mountains – aiming for Stepantsminda located at the foot of the majestic Kazbegi mountain. We had just arrived Georgia the previous day, but were already completely amazed by the country, the traditional music and the people. The curiosity and expectations tempting us to come down here to the borderland between Europe and Asia was already fulfilled several times. At the same time we enjoyed the excitement that the travel in fact just had started.

Forcing bumpy roads and steep falls we trusted that our driver would make the right priorities and bring us safely to our destination: Stepantsminda and the Trinity church of Gergeti (Gergetis Sameba). The church is spectacularly situated on a top more than 2000 meters above sea-level, overlooking Stepantsminda and with the mountain Kazbegi rising more than 5000 meters in the background.

And off course: The day and the evening turned out the way we only could dream of and hope for. First we were invited by the priest in the unique Trinity-church to perform a Georgian church hymn, and even though not all of us consider ourselves as religious persons this was beoynd doubt a sacred moment for all of us.

In the evening in Stepantsminda the table was prepared in the best Georgian manner, a real Georgian “supra” with all possible Georgian dishes and local beer. We were enjoying the table the whole evening with speeches, toasts

and songs, the one following the other at marvellous speed. Still we hadseveral days ahead of us with new and exciting experiences – everything was like a dream and like Kazbegi mountain, we found ourselves in the sky.

Finally we walked out together in the night where the moon bathed the Caucasus mountains in silver light. Our minds were full of emotions about old as well as new established friendship, about the essential questions of life and belief, about love for our families and motherland. But maybe most of all deeply in love with this new and incredibly mighty acquaintance: Georgia.

2012 - Jacob Feght Conradi from Nesbru, Norway