Important Info

Trip Notes & Expectations

ACCOMMODATION

Our program fees are based on double-occupancy accommodation (see “Single Travelers” below if you do not have a travel companion and would be interested in a private room). Our accommodations are selected for safety, cleanliness, and convenient locations. While they are comfortable and well-suited for group travel, they are generally simple rather than luxury properties in order to keep the program affordable.

Private/Single Rooms: Single room accommodations in European hotels are often smaller, and may not be to the same service level as double-occupancy rooms.

TRANSPORTATION

We use a mix of transportation that gets our guests from location to location safely. Sometimes you will have full days and nights of transportation as our trips tend to cover a lot of ground. The transportation will often be an adventure in itself.

ACTIVITY LEVEL & PACE

This trip has a rapid pace, and the heat of the summer can make it quite exhausting. Please know in advance that you will see a lot, but this isn’t a relaxing vacation. This trip includes plenty of walking and some light hiking, and requires at least an average level of fitness. On the more active days, expect to walk quite a bit. In the cities, you can split apart from the group to go at your own pace. It is very hot, so make sure you stay hydrated and don’t push yourself too hard. We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.

LUGGAGE

In Europe, it can be rare to find elevators in train stations, hotels, or other public places. We use some public transport on this trip, which means you will need to carry your luggage from place to place and possibly up multiple flights of stairs. You will also need to be able to stow your luggage safely on trains and buses. You should be able to comfortably walk for 10-30 minutes at a time with your luggage. It is essential, therefore, that you pack light and bring luggage that is compact and lightweight. Carrying your luggage remains your responsibility at all times.

GROUP LEADER

All GEEO Iceland programs are led by a local Arctic Adventures guide, whose role is to take the hassle out of travel and help you get the most from your trip. They’ll share information about the places you visit, suggest activities and restaurants, and introduce you to our local friends. While not traditional guides, they have broad knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and daily life. On some excursions, local guides are used for deeper insight.
 

MUSEUMS

Most museums in Yerevan are closed on Mondays. Plan your free time/pre-nights in Yerevan accordingly.

Single Travelers

Traveling solo? You’re in good company—about half of our participants do the same.

Shared room by default. The program fee covers one person in a twin room. We’ll pair you with a roommate of the same gender if you don’t have a travel companion.

Want a private room? Most trips offer a “My Own Room” (single-supplement) upgrade. Check the price in the Add-Ons & Budgeting section, then email [email protected] to reserve it. You pay the single-supplement only if you request it.

Emergency Contacts

If you need urgent help during your trip, call the local G Adventures office first. If no one answers, leave a detailed message with your name and contact information so they can return your call as soon as possible.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS:
Tatevik Arshakyan (Armenia) +374 77 88 74 44
G Adventures Emergency Line: +44 1858 378 000
If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

If you are unable for any reason to contact the local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with the 24-hour Sales team, who will happily assist you.
Toll-free, North America only: 1 855 812 5617
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Packing List

See our blog post of staff-recommended gear to help you pack for your upcoming travels. You must be able to carry your own luggage—up stairs, on and off of transport, and during 15 to 20 minute walks. Bring one small or medium backpack or rolling bag (22-30lb) and one daypack for daily items. Space is limited on transportation, so oversized bags cannot travel.

As you prepare your packing list, we recommend checking average weather conditions for your destination.

*Laundry: Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. You can also use a local laundromat, if necessary.

Passports and Visas

Travelers are responsible for securing all required travel documents and meeting the entry requirements for every country on their itinerary, including applicable transit/layover countries.

PASSPORT
All travelers must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip dates with enough blank pages for stamps. Need to apply or renew? Start here.

ENTRY/VISA REQUIREMENTS
Visa rules change frequently—always verify the latest requirements on the U.S. State Department Country Information Pages. Non-U.S. passport holders should verify requirements with your country’s official government resources. You can also use Sherpa, a third-party service and trusted G Adventures partner to look up the latest requirements.

Money Exchange

Currency: The local currencies on this trip are the Armenian dram (AMD) and the Georgian lari (GEL). For current exchange rates, visit www.xe.com.

Credit/Debit Cards: Credit cards (especially Visa and Mastercard) are accepted at many hotels, shops, and restaurants, but not everywhere. Some vendors may also charge an international transaction fee, so check with your bank before you travel.

Cash: For small purchases, tipping, or places that don’t take cards, we recommend using ATMs to withdraw local currency while traveling. If you bring U.S. dollars to exchange, the bills must be new, unmarked, and in excellent condition—damaged or older notes are often rejected. You should bring some cash with you for emergency situations but carrying only cash is a high safety risk. ATM card/s and some cash is the ideal mix.

Emergency Funds: Bring at least $200 USD (or the equivalent in local currency) in cash for emergencies in case of ATM or card issues.
See the Estimated Trip Costs section at the bottom of this page for budgeting guidance.

Tipping

Tipping is optional but appreciated and goes a long way for the people who look after you on the trip. If you are happy with the service, use these ballpark amounts and adjust as you see fit:

– Service providers/Waiters: $1-2 USD for snacks or 10% of the bill.
– Local guides: $3-5.50 USD per person per day.
– G Adventures tour leader (CEO): $7-9 USD per person per day. (We suggest pooling contributions in an envelope and presenting it as a group)

Tipping Kitty: On some trips, your CEO may suggest a “tipping kitty” where everyone contributes at the start of the tour, and the CEO uses that pooled amount to tip service providers for the group as a whole (not including your CEO). If your CEO doesn’t mention it and you’d like to use a kitty, we recommend asking about it early in the trip. Your CEO will advise the suggested amount and preferred currency for the kitty.

Flights

Book flights only after the trip is confirmed to run. Prices tend to be lowest 90–120 days out, but that window varies by route and year. Neither GEEO nor G Adventures bear responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed.

This program begins in Yerevan and ends in Tbilisi. Check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Yerevan, and try to make it in time for the Welcome Meeting on Day 1. You can depart from Tbilisi at any time on the final day of the trip.

Plugs and Converters

There are two components to provide external power to your device: adapters and transformers (also called electrical converters). The adapter is for your device’s plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two- to three-pronged power cord to fit the local outlets. The transformer/converter changes the local voltage to the voltage used in the U.S.

Georgia and Armenia primarily use a type C outlet for two circular prongs, and the voltage is 220-230V. (Standard U.S. electrical outlets are 120V.) To use your electronics safely, you’ll need to consider:

1. Adapter (plug shape)
Adapts your U.S. plug to fit another type of socket. See our recommended all-in-one travel adapter in our Gear Recommendations post.

2. Converter / transformer (voltage)
Steps the outlet voltage down to 120V for U.S. appliances that can’t handle higher voltage.

How to know which you need: Look at the fine print on the plug or power brick. An “Input 100-240 V” means the device is dual-voltage and works worldwide with only an adapter—phones, laptops, and most camera chargers fall into this category. If the label shows “Input 120 V” (hair dryers, curling irons, some shavers), it could be damaged on high voltage. Pack both an adapter and a travel voltage converter. Converters are inexpensive and sold online or in the travel aisle of many stores.

Advice from Past Participants

“If you want to also travel to Azerbaijan while in the Caucuses, make sure you schedule that for after the trip, not before, as it is difficult to go between Azerbaijan and Armenia due to their political/military disputes. It is easy to fly to Baku from Tbilisi at the end of the trip. Anything you bring into Azerbaijan with Armenian writing might possibly be confiscated. It is easy to find day tours out Baku once you arrive in the city. I would recommend spending at least three days there.”

“I’d really stress the need to take extra days in both Yerevan and Tbilisi. Would not have gotten as much out of trip without the extra time. The itinerary mentions time at the end of the tour days to see city highlights but we got back at 6 pm tired and sweaty.”

“Bolt works great in both Armenia and Georgia. It is like Uber/Lyft.”

Weather

The weather in both Armenia and Georgia is similar. It is very hot in Yerevan and Tbilisi, but it is pleasantly mild in the mountains.