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Voykit pocket guide · Georgia
Gurjaani
გურჯაანი
Spend a half‑day in Gurjaani for the church, museum and mud resort; add a night if you want a relaxed wine‑festival visit.
Gurjaani is a small Kakheti town in the Alazani Valley, known for its 8th‑century church, Vachnadze museum and nearby therapeutic mud resort. It is walkable and reachable by bus or car from Telavi and Tbilisi, making a day visit easy; a night adds a relaxed wine‑festival experience.
- Country
- Georgia
- Local name
- გურჯაანი
- Best months
- Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, limited festival activity)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GEL
- Money
- Currency is the Georgian lari (₾, GEL). Change money at banks or exchange offices, not in the airport hall.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₾30–45 excl. bed · Mid ₾45–70 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Magti, Silknet (Geocell) and Cellfie sell SIMs with a passport; cheap data.
- Emergency
- Police / ambulance / fire 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check the bill for a service charge; otherwise 10%.; Drivers and guides: GEL 10–30 a day.
- Water
- Tap water is widely drunk in Tbilisi and mountain towns (check locally); bottled is cheap.
- Toilets
- Free in cafés for customers; small fees at stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a local café | ₾2–3 |
| Kebabs (shashlik) with herbs | ₾5–8 |
| Bottle of local wine | ₾8–12 |
| Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (3.1 mi (5 km)) | ₾10–12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TBS · Tbilisi International Airport
- ≈110 km (68 mi) by road, about 2 h drive≈68 mi (110 km) by road, about 2 h drive
Typical fares
- Tbilisi → Gurjaani marshrutka
- about ₾12 each way (check)
- Taxi Gurjaani → Akhtala mud resort
- ≈₾10 one way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable; taxis are available for nearby sites. Regional bus (marshrutka) connects Gurjaani with Telavi, Sighnaghi and Tbilisi.
See and do
Known for
- Church of All Saints (8th c.)
- Museum of Nato Vachnadze
- Akhtala therapeutic mud resort
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Akhtala Mud Resort | Taxi or local bus west of Gurjaani, about 10 km (6.2 mi)Taxi or local bus west of Gurjaani, about 6.2 mi (10 km) | ≈30 min |
| Telavi | Marshrutka or car via highway 5, ~30 km (19 mi)Marshrutka or car via highway 5, ~19 mi (30 km) | ≈45 min |
| Sighnaghi | Marshrutka or car via highway 5, ~45 km (28 mi)Marshrutka or car via highway 5, ~28 mi (45 km) | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Local guesthouses
- Simple rooms near the town centre; suitable for one night if attending the wine festival.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | ბოდიშიbodishi |
| Thank you | მადლობაmadloba |
| How much is it? | რამდენია?ramdenia? |
| Where is the bus stop? | სად არის ავტობუსის გაჩერება?sad aris avtobusis gachereba? |
| Can I pay by card? | მივიღოთ ბარათით?mivigot baratit? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Refusing hospitality outright
- Church: Cover up; do not turn your back to the altar; avoid: Shorts, bare shoulders, loud talk
- Supra: Follow the tamada; drink on toasts; avoid: Toasting with beer; leaving early without thanks
- History: Listen; avoid: Calling Georgia part of Russia or the region 'post-Soviet' casually
Scams and watch-outs
- Marshrutka schedules vary; check times at the central bus stop.
- Festival dates change yearly; verify the 2026 schedule on the official site.
Gurjaani is generally safe; petty theft is rare but keep valuables secure in crowded bus stations.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gurjaani yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Church of All Saints (8th c.)
- Museum of Nato Vachnadze
- Akhtala therapeutic mud resort
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Gurjaani, revision 5007765 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5007765
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Gurjaaniგურჯაანი
გთხოვთ, მიყვანეთ აქ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / ambulance / fire112
US consulate in Tbilisi; Georgian embassy in Washington, D.C.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/gurjaani). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.