2021 Caucasus

September 14 - 28, 2021 | 15 Days | Overland Adventure Expedition Highlights

• Discover the cultural treasures of these Kazbegi GEORGIA lesser-traveled countries. AZERBAIJAN Mtskheta Tsinandali Tbilisi • Visit six amazing UNESCO World Sheki Lake Sevan Heritage Sites—Haghpat Monastery, Yerevan Baku Echmaidzin Cathedral, Geghard, Monastery, Baku, Gobustan, and ARMENIA CASPIAN SEA Mtskheta—on this comprehensive tour. MAP NOT TO SCALE • Explore Georgia’s famous cave city, MTSKHETA GARNI TEMPLE Uplistsikhe, continuously inhabited from the 6th century BC until the 13th century, and wander through a labyrinth of cavernous halls and narrow passages.

• Savor a variety of Georgian vintages during several wine tastings.

• Enjoy stays at some of the region’s finest hotels.

• Itinerary...... page 2 > • Flight Information...... page 3 > • Meet Your Leader ...... page 4 > • Rates...... page 4 > • Know Before You Go...... page 4 > ECHMIADZIN UPLISHTSIKHE CATHEDRAL

for its important St. Astvatsatsin Church. Arrive in Tbilisi, and Itinerary check in to your Club Deluxe room at The Biltmore Hotel Based on the expeditionary nature of our trips, there may be Tbilisi. This evening, enjoy a Georgian folk show and dinner at ongoing enhancements to this itinerary. a local restaurant.

Tuesday, September 14 Sunday, September 19 DEPART USA TBILISI Board your independent overnight flight to Armenia. Today, tour Georgia’s capital city, once an important stop on the Silk Road. Despite a number of wars and fires, the old part of the city still retains much of its original layout. Its spider’s Wednesday, September 15 YEREVAN, ARMENIA web of winding streets and narrow back lanes leads you to Upon arrival, transfer to the Grand Hotel Yerevan for the Abanotubani, or “bath district,” the 13th-century Metekhi overnight. Temple, the 5th-century Sioni Cathedral, and the 6th-century Anchiskhati Basilica. Walk along central Rustaveli Avenue to Freedom Square, then browse the treasures housed in the Thursday & Friday, September 16 & 17 National Museum of Georgia. YEREVAN The capital of Armenia, Yerevan has been continuously occupied since 6,000 BC. After an orientation tour of the Monday, September 20 city center, continue to the 1st-century Temple of Garni, the TBILISI / MTSKHETA / KAZBEGI only pagan temple to survive in Armenia. The remains include This morning, visit Mtskheta, the capital of Georgia from 500 an ancient fortress, palace, and baths. After lunch at a local BC - 500 AD. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a treasure- home, visit the medieval Geghard Monastery; set at the head trove of ancient monuments. Nearby, Gori was founded in the of the Azat Valley, many of its numerous churches and tombs 7th century AD, and is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Visit are cut into the surrounding cliffs. This evening, gather at the the small house where he lived as well as the huge, palace- hotel for a welcome cocktails reception and dinner. like Stalin Museum. Continue on to the famous cave city of Uplistsikhe; carved into a rocky plateau, it dates from the The next day, visit the 4th-century Echmiadzin Cathedral, 6th century BC. Explore the huge echoing halls, meandering Armenia’s first and oldest cathedral. Continue to the ruins corridor-streets, theater, and 9th-century church. Then take a of Zvartnots Temple, a splendid example of 7th-century drive into the Caucasus Mountains along the historic Georgian architecture. Enjoy fantastic views of Mt. Ararat and the Military Highway, enjoying dramatic views of the Aragvi River surrounding pastures and vineyards from Khor Virap and Jvari Pass. Arrive in Kazbegi and check in to your Front Monastery. Return to Yerevan for a tasting at the Ararat View room at the Hotel Kazbegi for dinner and overnight. Brandy Factory.

Tuesday, September 21 Saturday, September 18 KAZBEGI YEREVAN / LAKE SEVAN / TBILISI, GEORGIA After breakfast, take a hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church, En route to Georgia, make a stop at stunning Lake Sevan, located on an isolated hilltop with gorgeous views of the valley one of three “seas of Armenia.” Continue to the Monastery and Mount Kazbek. After lunch with a local family, take 4x4 of Haghpat, built between the 10th and 14th centuries. The vehicles through the beautiful Sno Valley to the tiny village monastery’s beautiful location, set on a verdant promontory of Juta. A short hike reveals stunning vistas of the Chaukhi above the Debed River, creates an atmospheric backdrop Mountains. Return to Kazbegi with the afternoon at leisure.

ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | CAUCASUS: ARMENIA, GEORGIA & AZERBAIJAN < 2 > ANANURI FORTRESS KAZBEGI

Wednesday, September 22 Saturday, September 25 KAZBEGI / TBILISI SHEKI / BAKU Today, return to Tbilisi, with a stop en route at the Today’s drive takes you over the Muganly Pass where you spectacular Ananuri Fortress. Continue to the historic will make several photo stops for stunning mountain vistas. estate of a Georgian prince, Chateau Mukhrani. Take a Visit the Diri Baba mausoleum, historic Juma mosque, and tour of the castle and wine cellar before joining our chef Yeddi Gumbez, or Mausoleum of Seven Domes. Arrive in for a demonstration of how to prepare several Georgian Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, this evening and check in to your delicacies. Enjoy your lunch accompanied by Georgian wines Deluxe Caspian room at the Four Seasons Hotel for dinner and that are produced on site. Upon arrival in Tblisi, ride the overnight. funicular to the stunning Mtatsminda Plateau overlooking the city. Enjoy dinner at the Restaurant Funicular before checking Sunday & Monday, September 26 & 27 in to The Bitlmore Hotel Tbilisi for overnight. BAKU Baku lies on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Visit the fortress of Icheri-Shekher and the 90-foot tower of Kyz-Kalasy, Thursday, September 23 dating from the 12th century. Stroll the old town’s maze of TBILISI / TSINANDALI narrow alleys to view the 11th-century Palace of the Shirvan- After breakfast, set out to discover some of the splendid Shahs, now a museum. Other notable historic architecture churches set in the lush vineyards just outside of Tbilisi. First, includes the Law Court (Divan-Khan), the Dzhuma-Mechet visit the St. Nina Monastery, then continue to Sighnaghi, a Minaret, and the mausoleum of the astronomer Seida Bakuvi. beautiful hill-town with panoramic views of the Alazani Valley Close to Baku is the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, and Eastern Caucasus Mountains. Enjoy a delicious lunch where 4,000 rock drawings of people and animals were in town, before heading to a wine cellar to sample local found. In the afternoon, take a cruise on the Caspian Sea, with vintages. Then take a tour of Alaverdi Cathedral and embark free time to explore Baku on your own. on a short walking tour of the tiny town of Telavi. Check in to your view room at the Radisson Collection Hotel Tsinandali The next day, visit the Apsheron Peninsula, including the Estate Georgia for dinner and overnight. Temple of the Fire Worshippers—Ateshgah. Continue to the Yanardag Mud Volcaonos and Gala Village. Return to Baku with time at leisure before a farewell cocktail party and dinner. Friday, September 24 TSINANDALI / SHEKI, AZERBAIJAN This morning, depart overland for the Azerbaijan border. Tuesday, September 28 Make a stop en route at the Gremi architectural complex, BAKU / USA a church and castle dating from the 16th century. Cross Transfer to the airport this morning for your independent flight, the border and enjoy your first meal in Azerbaijan. Arrive in arriving home the same day. Sheki, an important stop on the Silk Road and a center for silk production. Visit the 18th-century summer palace of the Sheki Khans, the Museum of History, and a local handicrafts Flight Information workshop, ending at a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the You will need to purchase air fare from your home city/Yerevan and town. Check in to the Marxal Hotel & Resort for dinner and Baku/home city. Please contact our in-house Air Department for overnight. fare quotes, reservations, or other air-related questions.

ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | CAUCASUS: ARMENIA, GEORGIA & AZERBAIJAN < 3 > Meet Your Expedition Leader

GARY WINTZ – Gary graduated cum laude from Duns Scotus College in Michigan with a degree in philosophy. He has spent most of the past 40 years outside the US researching, writing, photographing, and lecturing about distant lands and cultures, and has traveled to over 220 countries and territories. Gary has worked on humanitarian projects throughout Asia and has contributed his expertise to development projects in Ethiopia for UNICEF. In 1981 he taught as a foreign expert at Chengdu University of Science and Technology in Sichuan Province in China. In 1982 he was employed by Tibet University in Lhasa, thus becoming one of the first Westerners to actually reside in Tibet since the communist Chinese occupation. Gary has met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama many times. Since 1987 Gary has worked as a consultant with development organizations and for media projects throughout Southeast Asia and has lectured on contemporary issues at various institutions, including Harvard, Yale, and the World Affairs Council. He is a longtime member of the Central Eurasian Studies Society, and the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies. Gary has been traveling to SE Asia, including Burma, since 1977, and is a member of the Burma Studies Group and Thailand Laos Cambodia Studies Group of the Association for Asian Studies.

Rates

$9,990 per person, double occupancy $11,990 per person, single occupancy Limited to 14 expedition members. GERGETI CHURCH

INCLUDED: NOT INCLUDED: • Daily activity options including nature walks and cultural tours • Airfare from home city/Yerevan and Baku/home city • All gratuities • Excess baggage charges • All accommodations • Airport arrival and departure taxes • World-class expedition leader • Transfers for independent arrivals and departures • All meals including selected beverages with lunch and dinner • Passport and/or visa fees • All entrance fees and taxes • Travel insurance • Arrival and departure transfers on group dates • Items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcoholic beverages (other than listed at left), and other incidentals • Gift certificates for recommended expedition gear • Email/Internet/fax/telephone charges • Medical expense coverage and emergency evacuation insurance

A 25% per person deposit will reserve your space on this expedition. All rates are per person, quoted in dollars, and must be paid in dollars. Rates and itineraries are subject to change. Please review our Terms & Conditions online at www.zegrahm.com/terms, or call our office for a printed copy. Know Before You Go For most activities, a relatively moderate level of exertion is required. You must be able to walk distances of one to three miles, sometimes over uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones and climb stone steps that may not have handrails. Opportunities will also be available for optional hikes requiring more exertion. Average daily temperatures will range from the low-60sºF to the high-70sºF. Travel to this part of the world requires sensitivity to local cultures and customs; at times, you may need to remove your shoes and women may be expected to cover their heads.

To reserve, visit www.zegrahm.com/caucasus-2021 or contact your travel consultant. < 4