Highlights Of Georgia & Armenia

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 6 reviews.

Jeremy Baker

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written May 2011
Both the scenery and the old buildings were fantastic. The guides were both exceptionally good and the food remarkably fresh and varied
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Climbing the hill to the monastery near the end of the Georgian military highway close to the Russian border.
What did you think of your group leader?
Absolutely first class.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Accept any offers of extra visits!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We particularly love Georgia - the people were so welcoming.
Ian Steadman

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written October 2010
Essentially a 'coach tour' of churches and monasteries of these two post-soviet Caucasus countries with a lot of driving, some pretty poor accommodation in Georgia and little free time and opportunity to do anything else.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Some good scenery, good food and interesting buildings but nothing 'inspirational' except perhaps for the religious devotee.
What did you think of your group leader?
The Georgian leader was poor. The included visit to the Treasury in Tbilisi did not happen because she said it was closed. We found out it wasn't and were then told it was full and could not be booked. My wife and I subsequently went on our own at our own expense. It was open and almost empty. Anything not specified in the itinerary had to be asked for including stopping to buy/eat lunch and loo stops. By contrast the Armenian leader, Mary, was excellent and ensured that we not only saw everything on our ininerary but if the opportunity presented itself en-route to add something else she did. Experienced small-group travellers should understand that these people are not really leaders but guides and do not become part of the group, socialising and on first name terms as leaders typically do. You may thus feel more of a 'customer/tourist' and less of a small-group traveller, especially as you drive around in your huge 46 seater coach.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you like coach tours and looking at churches this one's for you! If two weeks of that seems a bit much try and find a trip just to Armenia. I think it the better of the two Countries. Some great scenery, enough religious buildings to see, often in more spectacular sites than Georgia, better food, better hotels and nicer people. The Armenians also seem less diminished by their Soviet past despite its obvious and detrimental affect and seem to have a more optimistic outlook for their future. Go there once you have been to Bhutan, Ethiopia, Mali, Yemen, Nepal, Tibet, Ecuador, Antarctica, Peru, Kyrgyzstan and a few other places.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
A big thank you to all the other members of the group whose friendship and sociability added hugely to the trip and, despite my comments above, meant we still had a good time.
. . and, by the way, don't believe what they say about Georgian wine, it's not that good but it is cheap which allows you to drink enough of it not to care.
Happy travels!
Exodus Response
We apreciate Mr Steadman's feedback on his experience in 2010. Since then, the itinerary has been improved and we have upgraded some of the hotels used. Based on client's feedback in 2010 we have made every effort in 2011 to ensure that the best leaders accompany our groups in both Georgia and Armenia. Our local partner is aware of the difference between guides and leaders and regularly trains leaders to ensure Exodus' high standards are maintained. We make every effort to ensure all our small group adventures get a little deeper into a country and it is regrettable that we did not succeed with Mr Steadman in both Georgia and Armenia.
- Exodus Staff
Maria Dolors Homs Padrisa

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written October 2010
It has been a very easy travel, available to everybody (special fitness is not required), The two countries visited were very unknown for me, i enjoyed it, but at last, it was a religious travel, there are so much religious issues in this countries, all their lives goes arround it, and it is noticed and lived in some way during the trip.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
without doubt when everyone arrive to the nice and very old churches spread arroud this countries.
Also Tbilisi is charming, modern, alive, i enjoyed there very much.
What did you think of your group leader?
About the group leadres, i have to say that i was very unpleased, they do not personalise in any way, they never try to use our names (i was spain for one of them all the travel, and it bother me very much).
About the Georgian leather was, even, unpolite shouting me when i gave an opinion.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take in mind that you visit two countries, think that Georgia is colder than Armenia,
Michael Spevack

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written June 2010
An excellent holiday, only one problem in that quite a few of the group suffered from 'church overload' towards the end of the holiday. A group discussion took place in order to see whether some of the 1001 churches on the itinerary could be exchanged for some alternative destinations. No agreement could be reached at the time so yet more churches were visited. At the conclusion of the trip it was agreed even by those who were against changing the itinerary that there were too many churches and not enough variation in the trip. I wrote a letter to Exodus detailing all these matters and as a result of this future trips have had their itinerary changed accordingly.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The one and a quarter hour hike through the countryside to see the holy trinity church in georgia, stunning countryside and magnificent views of the caucusus mountains.
What did you think of your group leader?
The leaders in both countries were both excellent
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go visit and enjoy these two not so frequently visited destination
elaine nutton

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written June 2010
Armenia fantastic - should spend more time thereGeorgia disappointing after Armenia, repetitive going back through Tbilisi. far too many churches of poorer quality than Armenia. On final day majority of group couldn't be bothered getting off the coach. we had voted to change itinierary but one member wanted as is so contractually we had to go.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Beautiful churches in Armenia
What did you think of your group leader?
Armenia - great leader, knowledgeable & good logistics manager
Georgia Leader - needs to gain some life experience. felt she had the job as her dad had connections. But then that's Georgia for you!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
don't go to Georgia
Michael Peterson

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA

Written September 2009
This was an excellent trip, the Georgian part being especially enjoyable.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The friendliness of the people in both Georgia and Armenia.
The view of Mount Kazbek (16,000 feet) without any cloud.
The wonderful food and surprisingly excellent Georgian wine.
What did you think of your group leader?
We had two group leaders, one in Armenia and one in Georgia.
The one in Armenia, Svetlana, was well liked as a person by the group. She was friendly, helpful and very knowledgable. However, the expected walks did not materialise, because she seemed not to be up to leading them. We were instead asked to walk along roads where walks were listed in the trip notes.
The group leader in Georgia, Tamara, was excellent. As well as being knowledgable, friendly and helpful, she was an able leader, and had the air of authority needed to lead an Exodus group. She led some superb walks ably, having regard to the varying levels of fitness in the group. She bent over backwards to satisfy some very difficult requests. She found a superb Georgian folk dance and song concert for five of us in Tbilisi when asked (with free wine and sweets!). In fact, she was outstanding, and a typical Exodus leader.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If buying wine to take home, wait until you get to Georgia. Georgian wine is superb.
When leaving Armenia, change your Armenian money before crossing the border. It's very difficult to change Armenian money in Georgia, and if you find somewhere, you won't get a very good exchange rate.
In Georgia lunches are not included. The group got some wonderful picnic lunches from local supermarkets, for next to nothing.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This was the first year this trip had been run. There are some areas where there could be improvement. The trip was rather top heavy on churches. It would be better to have more variety. A Georgian vineyard would have been superb. Also citadels make a nice change from churches, and there are plenty of them. A few walks in Armenia would have been nice.
I wasn't a fan of walnuts until I went on this trip. It's amazing what Armenians and Georgians can do with them!
And finally, what a superb choice of accommodation in both Armenia and Georgia. Each place we stayed at was completely different to the one before and most had something unusual about them.