Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click here to go to our general FAQ, which has essential information that applies to all of our programs.

Resources to Learn & Teach about Armenia and Georgia

Visit our recommended reading page to see the list of books GEEO recommends reading before your program (this is not required reading). We also have lesson plans and Pinterest boards that may be useful for you as you learn about your destination and prepare to bring lessons back to your classroom.

Terms and Conditions

It is very important for you to visit our Terms and Conditions page before signing up for this program.

Cancellation policy

All cancellations must be submitted to GEEO in written form by emailing your request for cancellation to travel@geeo.org. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your written cancellation request, please call us at 1-877-600-0105. Verbal cancellation requests will not be honored.

• If you cancel 60 days or more prior to departure, all your program fee payments will be refunded besides your $350 deposit which is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, you will receive a 50% refund and your deposit is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you will receive no refund, but your deposit is kept on file for future use

Trip Notes

1. YEREVAN MUSEUMS: Most museums in Yerevan are closed on Mondays. Plan your free time/pre-nights in Yerevan accordingly.
2. 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.

Group Leader Description

All GEEO/G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of G Adventure's group leaders, which they refer to as Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. Our itineraries often have plenty of free time to explore on your own. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting – we think it’s the best of both worlds. For this program, we typically have a different tour leader in each country. Your Georgian tour leader will meet you at the border between Armenia and Georgia. This way you have native guides throughout.

Fitness Level

This trip includes light walking and hiking that is suitable for most fitness levels. In the cities, you can split apart from the group to go your own pace. It is very hot, so make sure you stay hydrated and don't push yourself too hard.

Single Travelers

Half of the people that travel with GEEO are traveling by themselves, so please don’t worry if you have no one who can join you on your trip. Our pricing is based on double occupancy or, in other words, two people to a room. You never have to pay for a single room unless you want one. GEEO can find you a roommate of the same gender. Most of our trips have a "My Own Room" option, also known as a "Single Supplement," which is an extra fee that will allow you to have a room to yourself. If you want to room alone, please email travel@geeo.org. To see the price for the "My Own Room" option, please click here where you can look up your trip in the extra services spreadsheet.

Joining Instructions

Day 1 is an arrival day, and no activities have been planned. Upon arrival to the city on Day 1, or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation with us, please make your way to the joining hotel. Please note: Check-in time will be in the afternoon. Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note at reception from your tour leader. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on Day 1, usually between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., at which you will get a chance to meet your tour leader and other travelers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details! If you miss the Welcome Meeting, your tour leader will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need and with instructions for the next morning. From the airport, you can take a taxi to the hotel. We recommend the taxi company Aerotaxi, which should cost about $10-12 USD. You can also download the Bolt app, which is a service much like Uber/Lyft that is used in both Armenia and Georgia. We would recommend downloading Bolt and setting up your profile before departing for this trip. You will need a data plan in order to use the app.

Emergency Contacts

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local G Adventures office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible. Ms. Astghik Hakobyan (Armenia) Tel: +374 10 541463 Mob: +374 95/96 419312 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: 1 888 800 4100 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 For absolute emergencies after office hours, please contact +44 7817 262559 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.

Packing List

Please read this article on GEEO’s blog for our staff’s suggestions on the best gear to pack for your upcoming travels. You must be prepared to carry your own bags and be comfortable carrying them up and downstairs, on and off transportation, and to hotels. As a rule, we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bags, which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 22-30 lb. Most travelers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size. No XXL bags please! A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person plus a daypack per person. Health & Safety (Required!)

• N95/KN95 Face masks (At least three per week)
• Hand sanitizer
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Quick Covid Test/Antigen Tests (At least 5, and for longer trips, 3 per week of travel)

Suggested Checklist

• Clothes for churches – shorts that go below the knees; shirts that cover shoulders
• Raincoat and/or umbrella
• Personal clothing for warm to hot weather – we recommend packing 8 days of outfits so you only have to do laundry once; covering shoulders is advisable
• Sturdy walking shoes – running shoes are fine too
• Sport sandals or flip-flops
• Daypack
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Water bottle
• Watch or alarm clock
• Toiletries – Important: some hotels do not give you soap and shampoo
• Camera
• First-aid kit, including lip salve, Aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking

Optional Checklist

• Travel pillow
• Money belt
• Phone/Tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi
• Chargers for electronics as well converters/adapters, if needed
• AirTags or Tile trackers
• Packing cubes
• Earplugs
• Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can buy snacks when you get there too, so don't go crazy here
• Ziplock bags
• Reading/writing material
• Hand sanitizer/baby wipes

Document Checklist

• Passport (with photocopies)
• Travel insurance (with photocopies)
• Airline tickets (with photocopies)
• EUR/USD cash
• Credit or debit card
• G Adventures vouchers, pre-departure information, and dossier
• Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
• GEEO Classroom action plans for your group – this is sent 10-30 days before departure

Laundry

Laundry service is offered by most of the hotels.

Passports and Visas

All GEEO trips require that the participant have a valid passport. Please see our general FAQ for information on obtaining a passport. As with all of our trips, we try to provide the most accurate information we can, but governments sometimes change visa rules. It is your responsibility to double-check the information we provide below by searching here. Americans do not need a visa for Armenia and Georgia. Non-American participants should check with their government or nearest Armenian and Georgian Embassies to find out if they need a visa.

Money Exchange

A mix of cash (USD or EUR to exchange), credit cards, and debit cards are the best way to ensure you have enough money at all times. The currency in Armenia is the Armenian Dram (ARD) and in Georgia, you'll use the Georgian Lari (GEL). In a quick pinch, some banks can arrange a cash advance off of a credit card, but you'll lose time trying to find a bank that will do it. The other problem is that they'll dispense cash at the official exchange rate, which is well below the black market rate – you'll lose buying power because most merchants who calculate costs in dollars do so at the black market rate. Travelers' checks are not recommended, as only a limited amount of banks work with them.

Tipping

Although not compulsory, tipping is expected and is an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you throughout your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There will be several occasions during this trip when there is the opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers that we use. You may do this individually, or your tour leader will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Ask your tour leader for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. Also, at the end of your time in each country, if you felt your G Adventures Tour Leader did an outstanding job, tipping is also expected and appreciated. The precise amount is entirely a personal preference. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however, as a guideline 20-25 USD/EUR per person, per week can be used.

Vaccinations

We legally cannot give you any medical advice. However, we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, infectious hepatitis, and polio. It is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. GEEO recommends contacting Passport Health, (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/) which has travel clinics throughout the U.S. Please take this seriously!

Flights

We find the best prices for flights are often available 60 days before departure, but of course this varies greatly from route to route and year to year. We advise that you wait until this trip is confirmed before booking non-refundable and non-changeable flights. GEEO and G Adventures bear no responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed. Your trip begins in Yerevan and ends in Tbilisi. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Yerevan. You can arrive at any time of the day you choose, but we strongly urge you to arrive by 6:00 p.m. on Day 1 for the group meeting. You can depart from Tbilisi 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. The adapter is the plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two to three-pronged power cord to match the prongs required by the local outlets. The transformer changes the local voltage to that required by your device. Georgia and Armenia primarily use a type C plug, which is the same two circular prong plug you find in most of Europe. Their voltage is 220 Volts in Georgia and 230 Volts in Armenia. U.S. outlets are 120V. Most new devices (phones and laptops) can handle the different voltage rates, but some devices only work on the U.S. standard of 120V. Check your device to see what voltage range it handles. Most transformer blocks will have an "Input" line that defines its voltage capacity. For example, "Input: 100-240V" means that it will work on voltages from 100V to 240V. If your transformer can't handle the different voltage, you'll need to purchase a voltage converter. You can find world regional voltage converters power packs at various vendors.

Expectations

Before you decide on traveling with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the information about the program you are considering. Remember, our programs are quite adventurous.

• The purpose of the accommodation is to provide a safe, well-located place for you to sleep. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised, but do not expect luxury as we are trying to keep these trips as inexpensive as possible.
• You must be able to easily carry or roll your luggage, so do not over-pack.
• Many of our programs occur in locations where it is very hot during the day. Please make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities, which sometimes include day hikes with your daypacks.
• We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.
• Please make sure you understand the role of your tour leader on this trip as they are not the traditional “guide” you may be expecting. While our trips are educational, they aren’t study/lecture trips. We want you to learn through exploring, and much of your experience will be based on how active you choose to be in acquiring knowledge and interacting with locals.

Hopefully this is the kind of adventure you are interested in!

Itinerary Disclaimer

While it is our intention to adhere to the routes described on our website, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The information on our website is a general guide to the tour and region, and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

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 all of these countries is similar. It is very hot in Yerevan and Tbilisi, but pleasantly mild in the mountains.