When to travel to Georgia?

When to travel to Georgia is a very common question.

When to travel to Georgia – month by month.

Visitors often ask, when is the best time to travel in Georgia? What to do in winter, or what will the weather be like in October, is it possible to go to Tusheti in May or do rafting in September? In this article I will try to give the most answers to such questions, to help you plan your trip to Georgia and make the right decisions.

January

The best time in January to travel is the New Year period and the most popular places in the bussing capital of Georgia  – Tbilisi and ski resorts are- Gudauri, Bakuriani, and Mestia.

In Tbilisi temperature is normally above 0 up to 10 degrees Celsius, but some years it can go below zero, so take warm clothes. In ski resorts be ready for -10 -15.

Also, a nice place to visit will be Kakheti. Good wine 🍷 will warm you up on a cold winter day.

February

February is the low season. In Easter Georgia, it’s usually sunny but cold. If you travel to Georgia in February, you will enjoy popular places without crowds of tourists. Recommendations are the same as for January.

March

The first month of spring is still very chilly and the weather is often unpredictable. We Georgians say mad March because of that. It can be sunny and warm the morning, but very windy in the noon and snowy in the evening. So be ready for everything.

Recommendations are the same as for winter months. You still can ski if you like.

April

Finally, you can feel Spring and it gets warm, but still the weather is absolutely unpredictable.

The best place to travel in April is the lowlands. Very good time to explore cities – Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi.

On sunny days it is highly recommended to visit Kakheti. Alazani valley is the best when you can see flowering peach gardens and snow-capped Caucasus mountains. Also in dry weather, it is recommended to visit Vashlovani National Park or David Gareja monastery.

Western Georgia will be also fine in April when the weather is mild and it is not hot. If you are landing in Kutaisi, explore Imereti and Samegrelo regions. You can visit caves and canyons, and enjoy local wines and food.

May

From the end of April high season is starting.

May is usually a very good time to travel to Georgia. Nature is fresh and green. Temperature is very mild, in the lowlands around 20-25 degrees, weather is more predictable.

Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi are still nice. Very good time for Kakheti tours.

Fantastic time for Samtskhe-Javakheti. Mtkvari gorge is full of historical monuments: Vardzia and Vanis kvabebi cave monasteries, Khertvisi and Tmogvi fortresses stunning Saro megalith fortress, and much more. Nature lovers will enjoy hiking in Borjomi-Kharagauli national park.

For western Georgia, May is also the perfect time. Racha is very beautiful this time, but it is a bit early for Svaneti. However, if you go there for hiking, it can be challenging because of snow on high passes.

May is also a great time for rafting.

June

Hot summer starts, but June is not as busy as July and August, and also not so hot.

In the cities, it gets hotter, but still not too hot to enjoy.

From mid of June roads to Khevsureti and Tusheti open, so you can visit those high mountain regions, where spring starts in June.

Trekking in Svaneti very good time, as it is not very busy yet, but rainy weather is very frequent.

Normally temperature is around 30 degrees in the lowlands and 20-25 in mountains. For high mountains take warm jackets and raincoats are a must.

If you are visiting the seaside, it is warm enough to swim and normally not too hot.

Rafting is also recommended, as water level in rivers is maximal.

July

High season for everything. In the cities, it gets too hot. Not the best time to explore Tbilisi, Kutaisi, or Batumi, unless you can easily handle 35-40 degrees. Kakheti is also not the best time, of course, you can enjoy food and wine, but it is also hot and because of the heat the air is not transparent, so you won’t enjoy views of Caucasus mountains from Alazani valley.

Fantastic time for high mountains. Only from July to the beginning of September you can do such challenging trekking as Atsunta Pass or Tobavarchkhili lakes. In Svaneti you can explore every corner and in Racha still try rafting or hiking.

For lowland Imereti and Samegrelo too hot and humid.

August

The hot season goes on! In Tbilisi nothing happens. It’s very hot, 35-40 degrees and most people take a vacation and go outside of the city. Theaters are closed, and most clubs also do not work in Tbilisi.

On the opposite side Batumi is full and bussing. If you want to enjoy the seaside city and nightlife, then Batumi will be a good choice, even if it is very hot and humid.

High mountains give some relief in the summer heat, so the best option is to skip directly to the mountains. In Tusheti and Khevsureti, you will have a chance to participate in local festivals. Perfect time for trekking. For rafting, it is a bit late, but in Racha- Lechkhumi still possible to catch waves.

September

Finally, the hot summer months are over!  September is the best time. Trekking in high mountains is still nice. In the cities, the temperature goes down and life returns to Tbilisi.

It is the best time for any activity.

In September in Kakheti grape harvest time starts, so tourists can participate in this. Also, David Gareja and Vashlovani became nice destinations again, as in summer there is too hot.

The weather in September is usually very good,  sunny and warm.

October

If October is sunny then it is the best month for photographers.  Forests change colors first in high mountains and finally in the lowlands.  Again recommended places are Svaneti, as it is the most beautiful, and Borjomi-Kharagauli national park.

Trekking season finishes, as in high mountains snowfalls can start at any time.

Perfect time for food & wine tours. Cultural tours, it is also a good time.

The first half of October is your last chance to visit Tusheti or Khevsureti. After the mid-October road is not cleaned anymore and closes officially.

Don’t forget the raincoats!  Take jackets too, if you are going to visit Svaneti, take warm clothes too.

November

Usually, November is low season. The weather still can be nice. If you visit Georgia this month,  then you will enjoy sightseeing without crowds.

Good time to explore Tbilisi, Kakheti, Vardzia, and western Georgia lowlands.

Weather is pretty cold but not freezing. In mountains, it can snow.

December

For skiing it’s still early, usually, the season opens by 20 December. So if you are visiting Georgia explore Tbilisi and enjoy Kakheti, where it is relatively warm. Learn more about snow in Georgia.

December is also the low season. The temperature in Tbilisi is around 0.

In conclusion, – When to travel to Georgia – Georgia is good to visit any time of the year, depending on what you are looking for.

If you choose the right time for the right places, then you really won’t regret the time spent in Georgia.

Have a wonderful trip!