More than two days on the road. A Belarusian woman shared her experience on a bus tour to Georgia
Delicious food, clean sea, and taxis twice as cheap as ours. Minsk resident Aliaksandra Kalantai went on a bus trip to Georgia in July and told a journalist from Myfin.by about her expenses and impressions.
Travel, accommodation, and breakfasts — $465
The Belarusian woman deliberately did not want to go to noisy Batumi and chose the suburban village of Gonio, located almost near the border with Turkey, famous for its 1st-century ancient Roman fortress and the cleanest sea in the region.
The tour, which included travel with accommodation and breakfasts, cost $465. Another 300 BYN had to be paid for the tourist service.
"We left at 6 PM on Sunday and were at the hotel in Georgia by 6 AM on Wednesday. During this time, one night was spent in a transit hotel in Russia. The borders, by the way, were crossed very quickly. To Georgia – in 3 hours 20 minutes, back – in one and a half hours."
"We had a contract with the tour agency Zefir Travel. The 10-day tour also included several excursions. We stayed at the 'Voyage' hotel, two hundred meters from the sea."
Although breakfasts were organized on a buffet basis, the menu could not be called diverse; practically the same food was served every day.
For lunch or dinner, however, Aliaksandra chose something interesting, alternating between establishments offering Georgian and European cuisines.
"Prices varied greatly, everything depended on the restaurant. For example, at the 'White House' restaurant, five khinkali, a salad, and lemonade cost me 29 lari (about 33 BYN), while at Elle, just a salad and lemonade cost about 50 lari (56 BYN). We ate delicious and inexpensive Georgian cuisine at the 'White House' and 'Farelev Bar Orel' restaurants."
Internet for the entire trip — $17
Aliaksandra really liked Gonio: the aroma of ancient eucalyptus trees, crystal clear water, and mountains overhanging the sea.
"Three years ago I rested in Kobuleti, and it was wonderful there too. I made a comparison for myself: if you plan to travel a lot to different places, it's more convenient to stay in Kobuleti. But if you want a quiet holiday in one place and occasionally go to Batumi, then it's better to choose Gonio. The only thing I missed there was a market where I could buy inexpensive fruits and get treats to take home."
During the trip, the Belarusian woman paid with VISA cards from Alfa-Bank and Priorbank. She spent $17 on internet for the entire trip, buying an eSIM with 5 GB through the international service Airalo.
When a taxi was needed, she used "Yandex Go" with a linked Belarusian card. Through the app, it was much more profitable than using the services of local freelance taxi drivers. Sometimes, a trip cost half as much as a similar distance in Minsk.
The exchange rate between lari and the Belarusian ruble was almost identical at the time of publication.
"One day we went from Gonio to the Batumi Botanical Garden (entrance 25 lari). On the way back, local drivers asked for almost twice as much, explaining that they would then have to return."
It wasn't without unpleasantries. On the way to the Botanical Garden, the driver didn't speak Russian and tried to clarify which entrance we needed. Due to the language barrier, a misunderstanding arose: he took us to a different entrance, and the cost of the trip recalculated, turning 24 lari into 40. It was unpleasant.
"Otherwise, prices were more than acceptable. Trips on mountain roads were especially surprising: for a 10-minute journey, the cost could be only 4 lari, although in fact, it took longer due to narrow roads and many sharp turns."
Gonio Fortress — 15 lari, Shekvetili Dendropark — free
Excursions from the tour agency included a panoramic tour of Batumi with a boat trip and a trip to Tbilisi and Mtskheta.
Along the way, tourists stopped near the Zhinvali Reservoir and at an observation deck where the confluence of two rivers can be seen. For 15 lari, Aliaksandra visited the Gonio Fortress and, for free, the Shekvetili Dendropark, which she liked more than the Batumi Botanical Garden: entrance is free, and in addition to beautiful plants, you can see flamingos, peacocks, and other animals.
"In Tbilisi, we independently took an unusual funicular ride — that cost 25 lari. Of the additional excursions, we only bought one — a trip to Gomis Mta. It cost 130 lari, which included transfer and a picnic that practically replaced both lunch and dinner for us. Additional expenses that day were: 10 lari for transfer to Batumi and back, 6 lari for toilets, and another 6 lari for water and ice cream."
"Unfortunately, we weren't lucky with the weather at Gomis Mta. The main goal was to see the famous sunset above the clouds, but instead, we spent about five hours in a thick fog. However, I don't regret going at all. We had a great company from Belarus and Kazakhstan, so there was no time to be bored, and we managed to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, despite the weather."
Total trip — about $1160
Aliaksandra carefully calculated all expenses. In Georgia, she spent almost as much on food and entertainment as the tour itself cost: $453. In transit through Russia, she spent 3,642 Russian rubles (about $43): 2,032 ₽ for hot meals, 1,530 ₽ for snacks and water, and another 80 ₽ for paid toilets.
"Stops for hot food were only once or twice a day, so there weren't huge expenses. And after constant snacks on the road, I didn't want to eat much. A hot dog at a gas station turned out to be more expensive than most other meals. For a hot dog, latte, and eclair, I paid 797 Russian rubles, while at a canteen, potatoes with sauce, vinaigrette, and tea cost only 320 rubles."
The final cost of the trip was about $1160.
"During my vacation, I made decisions more with my heart, so I can't say I regret any expenses. But objectively, many people don't need trips exclusively by taxi, daily sun lounger rentals, or dinners at beautiful but expensive restaurants."
What to take on the road
The trip, the Minsk resident believes, was 100% worth its money. By saving on travel, she managed to spend more on entertainment, excursions, and delicious food. And she was left with many impressions. Even the main difficulty of a bus tour — the lack of a full night's sleep — did not spoil them at all.
Moreover, the traveler prepared: she took a blanket, neck and leg pillows, a sleep mask, and compression stockings for the trip.
"You can also take earplugs, as there's always some background noise on the bus. But this format of travel is not for everyone. Perhaps someday I myself will give up bus tours, but there will only be one reason — physical fatigue from long hours on the road and a constant lack of sleep."
"The Georgian Military Road is truly worth taking a bus tour for. When you are surrounded on all sides by magnificent mountains of incredible beauty, you stop feeling tired from the journey and realize that this moment will stay in your memory forever."
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Comments
Это ж в одну сторону, я правильно посчитал?
"Выехалі а шостай гадзіне вечара ў нядзелю, а ў гатэлі ў Грузіі былі ўжо а шостай раніцы ў сераду" - ну, то есть 60 часов и три ночевки. В автобусе. И назад - столько же.
"У кошт 10‑дзённага тура ўваходзілі" - это при 10дневном туре.
Ад. Гребаный АД на земле.