Car rental in Borjomi from $38/day

Borjomi lies in the gorge of the Mtkvari river in south-central Georgia. The roads from Tbilisi and from Kutaisi meet at Khashuri.

• From Tbilisi. Drive west on the highway to Khashuri, then turn south into the gorge.
• From Kutaisi. The route runs west from Tbilisi before turning south toward Borjomi. Drive east over the Rikoti Pass to Khashuri, then take the same road into the gorge. This is a good start if you fly into Kutaisi on a low-cost airline.

After Khashuri the gorge is narrow and forested, and the road winds along the river. Borjomi is also a common stop on a trip between Tbilisi and western Georgia.

Delivery suits you if you arrive by train or minibus and need a car only for Borjomi, Bakuriani and the south.

You can also pick up the car in Tbilisi, where you can compare the current offers, or at Kutaisi Airport, and drive to Borjomi yourself. You then have the car for the whole trip. If you want to continue west after Borjomi, a one-way rental lets you return the car in another city, for example Kutaisi or Batumi.

Summer and the ski season in Bakuriani are the busiest times in the area.

The park has the mineral springs that made the town famous. A cable car goes up from the park to a viewpoint above the gorge. Open-air sulphur pools are further up the valley path.

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, with forest trails in the Lesser Caucasus, begins at the edge of town. Its trails are for walking, so the car is useful only to reach the start of a trail.

Bakuriani, a ski resort, is about 30 km uphill from Borjomi on a paved but winding mountain road. In summer any car can make the drive. In winter, snow and ice make the climb harder. Book a car with winter tyres, and ask for snow chains if you plan to drive up often. 322 cars can be booked with a ski or snowboard rack. For the other main ski area, see Gudauri.

Parking in Borjomi and Bakuriani is mostly on the street or at hotels. A smaller car is easier to park, especially in Bakuriani in the ski season.

Akhaltsikhe is about 50 km southwest of Borjomi. Its restored Rabati Castle has a mosque, a church and a museum inside the walls. It is an easy half-day trip or a stop on the way further south.

Vardzia is a 12th-century cave monastery cut into a cliff above the Mtkvari river, about 110 km from Borjomi. The road goes through Akhaltsikhe and past the Khertvisi fortress. Plan a full day if you want to see Rabati and Vardzia together.

These roads are paved, and an ordinary car is enough for most of the year. With your own car you can stop at the fortresses and villages on the way and choose your own time at each site. Fill up with fuel in Akhaltsikhe before the drive to Vardzia.

If you plan a loop from Borjomi to Bakuriani, Akhaltsikhe and Vardzia, check the mileage limit in the offer. Check the spare tyre and the jack when you collect the car. Before the trip, read the driving rules for visitors on the Georgia page.