What budget for activities and outings Georgia?

A trip to Georgia can be very affordable if you sleep in family-run guesthouses and travel by public transport. Going out is also fairly inexpensive.

Culture remains affordable in Georgia, with entrance fees for museums and other tourist sites fairly moderate, ranging from 5 to 25 GEL. The increase has been quite marked in recent years, however, and is accentuated by the fact that there is now very often a difference in price between Georgians and foreigners. In this guide, we have indicated the rates for foreigners.

Sports enthusiasts or epicureans, Georgia is for you! Whether you're a skier, horseback rider or trekking enthusiast, this country will be your hunting ground. Set your sights on the Greater Caucasus, the Lesser Caucasus or the national parks. Georgia is rich, very rich in terms of sporting opportunities in very different environments. Imagine a country the size of Switzerland, with landscapes as diverse as high mountains, steppes and the Black Sea coastline stretching across a subtropical landscape. You can trek on foot or horseback for one or more weeks. Trek the famous Transcaucasian Trail, a 3,000 km long hiking trail linking the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea via Armenia and Azerbaijan. Cyclists (taking care to avoid traffic) and rafting enthusiasts will also find much to enjoy here. Epicureans can curl up in Tbilisi's baths and hotel spas, or follow the wine route to sample a beverage that, as Georgians claim, was made here several millennia ago.

In Tbilisi's souvenir stores, the price level is quite high compared with the local standard of living. You can pay for your purchases by credit card. When traveling, local people sometimes set up small roadside stalls to sell their produce. Food, bread, local specialties and handicrafts such as ceramics are on offer at unbeatable prices. Always bring small change to pay for your purchases.

Tbilisi's nightlife is supercharged, ultra-dynamic, bubbling and vibrant! There's something for everyone, with a wide range of bars, wine bars, concerts, opera houses and nightclubs at unbeatable prices. Tbilisi is constantly reinventing itself, and some of its clubs attract the world's best DJs. Night owls, you'll have plenty of choice without breaking the bank. Music festivals, especially in summer, attract huge crowds.

Batoumi, on the Black Sea coast, competes with Tbilisi in terms of nightlife, with its well-deserved summer festivals. It rightly attracts a very cosmopolitan crowd.

What budget to eat Georgia?

All categories of restaurant, of which there are a plethora, offer excellent gastronomy. These range from simple kiosks where you can enjoy the famous khatchapuri, cheese bread, on the go, which stays with you for a while, to high-end fusion restaurants.

At the very least, you can enjoy a khatchapuri to go for a few laris. If you want to take a break in a doukhani, a local restaurant often open 24 hours a day, expect to pay around 15 GEL. In a mid-range restaurant, the price of a main course is 20 - 30 GEL. Khatchapuri and khinkali are the most popular and least expensive dishes (between 1 and 2 GEL for a khinkali, often with a minimum order of at least 3 or 5). Gourmets will need to budget between 50 and 100 GEL per person for a good restaurant, and from 100 GEL for a very high-end restaurant.

In small cafés and restaurants, it's best to pay in local currency; in larger establishments, you can pay by credit card.

Expect to pay between 5 and 10 GEL for a drink in a café, and more for a cocktail in a trendy bar. Wine tastings are a must in Georgia and particularly in Kakhetia. Amber wine is one of the specialties to be sampled at this wine tasting. Prices for wine tastings vary according to the venue, the number of wines tested and whether the tasting is accompanied by a meal.

What is the budget for accommodation Georgia?

Georgia's hotels offer a wide range of establishments in all categories, from simple, sometimes very basic family guesthouses, where you'll share your daily routine with the families (shared bathroom, kitchen and dining room), to hostels, guest houses, small hotels, boutique hotels, more luxurious higher-category establishments, right up to the major international chains based in Tbilisi, Batumi and other tourist towns. In the low season, rates at the most luxurious hotels can be extremely attractive.

Generally speaking, Georgia is an inexpensive destination if you opt for accommodation in a family guesthouse. Georgia's economy being what it is, many Georgian families open a guest house to make ends meet. As a result, the number of hotels on offer is exponential, and the ever-tightening competition is pushing up the sometimes haphazard level of service. In Georgia, thanks to flexible legislation in this sector, it's just as easy to open a family guesthouse as it is to close one. Always check whether it is still in operation when planning your trip.

Family guesthouses are set up in private homes. This is the best way to meet Georgians and see how they live their daily lives! Rooms are generally en suite. We sometimes offer a private room or a bed in a dormitory.

Expect to pay between GEL 30 for a dormitory bed or single room and GEL 60 for a double. Breakfast may or may not be included. If not, you'll need to add an extra 10 to 15 GEL. The comfort is basic but very decent, the rooms are clean, and you'll really feel like you're sharing a slice of Georgian life! In some houses, you'll be able to share meals with the family and taste the local home-cooked cuisine.

Similar to guesthouses, hostels have dormitories and sometimes private rooms, with shared bathrooms and kitchens. Allow 30 GEL per person. You'll mainly meet other backpackers, but these establishments also offer excursions, transport to other towns..

Guest houses (this term can also be used to refer to pensions). These are more like the classic establishments in this category, with very moderate prices, found around the world. They are less intimate than guesthouses, with one area for families and another for guests.

Small hotels offer rooms with private bathrooms at starting rates of between 100 and 150 GEL, including breakfast. Small hotels, pensions, guest houses and boutique hotels abound in Tbilisi.

Boutique-hotels are mid-range establishments with an emphasis on warm decor, comfort and good service. They can organize excursions, book chauffeur-driven cars and more. Breakfast is included. Double rooms with bathroom and breakfast from 250 GEL (prices for guidance only, depending on occupancy and season).

For the time being,hotels of superior category and international standard are concentrated mainly in Tbilisi and Batumi. Given Georgia's tourism boom, the number of hotels in the country is growing rapidly.

Travel budget Georgia and cost of living

It's possible to travel very economically in Georgia if you prefer public transport (minibuses), family pensions and small restaurants. A budget of sixty euros per person or eighty euros for a couple per day will enable you to enjoy Georgia to the full, staying in a comfortable family guesthouse, eating in Georgian restaurants and taking a leisurely tour of the country. Bigger budgets have a whole range of choices at their disposal, with hotel establishments that can be very luxurious and with prices approaching those of the French hotel industry, particularly in Batumi, Kakhetia and Tbilisi.