Travelling across the Caucasus by train from Baku to Batumi (by way of Yerevan) Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia 1st to 25th July 2019 This journey seeks to connect the three very distinct countries which together form the Caucasus. What links them culturally? They were vibrant places during the later Russian Tzarist period. They have been places of seismic change: oil in Baku, Stalin was born in Georgia and the first Christain state was born in Armenia. They lie between hospitable Asia and the descendents of Byzantium. They also sit between Russia and Iran. They are places which have been influenced by their overbearing neighbours: invaded by Russia, Iran and the Ottoman Turks. Their geography varies from some of the highest mountains in Europe to deserts, from the Mediterranean climate of the Black Sea to the perpetually snowy peaks of the Greater Caucasus. The area may rightly claim to be the birthplace of the grapevine and very early mastery of goldsmithing. Nowadays a train line links these three fascinating countries. The party will be restricted to 11 of us in total. Travelling across the Caucasus by train The itinerary Day 3: After breakfast we’ll start the imposing mansions of the oil our Baku city tour. Visit Martyrs’ barons, built during the oil boom of Day 1: Flights from London and Alley, enjoy the panoramic view 1870-1914. After lunch we’ll drive to Edinburgh into Istanbul. Transfer by of Baku bay. Then we’ll visit the see the Gobustan rock paintings, 65 metro to Sultanahmet, the heart of Icheri Shekher (Inner town) with km from Baku, and then return to ancient Constantinople/Istanbul to its historical buildings and narrow the city by way of the Bibi Heybat our comfortable three star hotel for lanes. We’ll enter the town through Mosque. Overnight at the hotel. overnight. (-/-/-) the Shemakha Gate, visit the Palace (B/L/D) of Shirvanshakhs’ 14-17 centuries, Day 2: A walking tour of Old Istanbul (described by UNESCO as “one of the Day 4: After breakfast you will drive led by Rufus Reade. Evening check- pearls of Azerbaijan’s architecture”) to the Absheron Peninsula (30 km in for our flight to Baku, capital of the residence of one of the powerful away from the city centre), visiting Azerbaijan. Late evening arrival in Azeri dynasties, before walking to the Ateshgah, a Zoroastrian Fire Baku, on the shores of the Caspian the medieval caravansaray that was Temple (here we will see natural gas Sea, at the Heydar Aliyev Airport. one of the main halts for caravans feeding flames). Our route will take Transfer to our 4 star hotel, the travelling along the Silk Road. There us past the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Sapphire for two nights. (B/-/-) will also be an opportunity to see Centre, (by the architect Zaha Hadid). Flights and Visas Flights are not included in the price of this holiday and may be booked separately. Options include flights from London or from Edinburgh with Turkish Airlines flying via Istanbul, into Baku: the cost of the holiday includes one night in Istanbul between flights, and a free day in this great city. There are flights from Kutaisi in Georgia returning to London Luton. The airline schedules are normally available 10 to 11 months ahead of travel dates, though some airlines give less notice. Ian Dickson Travel in Edinburgh are aware of the requirements of this holiday and can book your flights: contact Mark Robson on 0131 556 6777, once the tour is confirmed. Alternatively you can book your flights directly with Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air. Georgia and Armenia do not cur- rently require visas from British passport holders, and a visa online can be acquired for Azerbai- jan and for Turkey without surrendering your passport. JOURNEY DETAILS There will be free time until we have Christianity in Georgia: the 6th Location Turkey, Azerbaijan, an early dinner and then transfer to century church at Jvari and the Georgia and Armenia the railway station for our sleeper magnificent medieval cathedral of Svetitskhoveli. From here we will Dates 1st July to 25th July train to Tbilisi. (B/L/D) drive along the Georgian Military 2019 Day 5: On arrival into Tbilisi, the Highway which heads into the Duration 24 nights capital of Georgia, we’ll be met and Greater Caucasus. We will spend the Max 10 travellers transfered to our city centre hotel. next two nights in Stepantsminda. Price £3750 (based on Before beginning our city walking (B/-/D) sharing a twin/double room). tour there’ll be a chance to catch Single room supplement £535 our breath in a coffee shop in the Day 10: From the Military Highway Deposit £375 old town. We intend to see the you can see to the north the What’s included: Accommoda- Metekhi Church (13th century), and magnificent snow covered peaks of tion in comfortable western-style the functioning synagogue, Sioni the Caucasus including Mt Kazbegi hotels (approx equivalent to 3 cathedral (6th-7th centuries) and (5047m). On what amounts to a star, rooms with attached facil- ancient, atmospheric Anchiskhati foothill sits a church which invites ities) in Istanbul, Baku, Tbilisi, Church (6th century). Transfer to pilgrimage. It’s a 4 hour round walk Yerevan, Gyumri, and Batumi, hotel. (-/L/D) though you can get a taxi if you elsewhere accommodation is in want. The path leads up through guesthouses, all meals as de- scribed in the itinerary (B/L/D) Day 6: Tbilisi is a compact city which varied woodland, until you get above (light snack lunch (or pL=picnic lends itself to a free day. The coffee the trees to a wide grass apron to lunch) and fuller dinner), all shops spilling out onto narrow reach this lovely church dedicated land transport by rail, road and lanes invite you to linger. There is to the Holy Trinity. At the end of the Istanbul metro as described in an open air market on the so-called afternoon we’ll drive to the border the itinerary, entry to all the sites ‘Dry Bridge’, with bric-a-brac and with the Russian Federation before mentioned. some antiques. Close to the centre is returning to our accommodation in Since this itinerary is published a botanic garden which makes for a Stepantsminda. (B/-/D) many months before train tickets good walk. No activities are planned are released the exact itinerary for today. (B/-/-) Day 11: We’ll head back down the may be subject to change but Georgian Military Highway pausing broadly the itinerary indicates a realistic proposal! Day 7: We will drive to the desert at the fortified monastic complex at What’s not included: your inter- area close to the Azeri border to see Ananuri. We’ll arrive in Tbilisi in national flights, luggage porter- the David Gareja cave complex and time for some leisure before boarding age, personal travel insurance, monastery (originally 6th century). the 20:20 night train to Yerevan (B/ laundry, phonecalls, all beverages For those wanting to, there is a 50 pL/-) and those meals not described. minute walk (rated moderate) up Our Guides: we will have the on to the ridge where you can see Day 12: The overnight train is due help and services of local En- the painted churches of the Udabno into Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, glish-speaking national guides in Monastery. After a picnic lunch we in time for breakfast, which we’ll Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ar- will drive across the steppe-like grass have after we have checked into our menia.Tour Leader: the tour is hotel (rooms may not be available escorted by Rufus Reade. lands to Telavi for two nights in a Walking: All walks rated easy to guesthouse. (B/pL/D) for such an early arrival time). moderate. After breakfast we’ll drive to see The tour is organised by Rufus Day 8: Telavi lies in a wide fertile Reade Tours, 40 Pilrig Street, valley: to the north are the Greater Edinburgh EH6 5AL Caucasus, and at river level are [email protected] a number of very interesting Tel 0131 554 1078 monasteries and churches. We Flights: There are UK flights from will visit the 11th century cathedral the London Heathrow and Edin- at Alaverdi before continuing to burgh with Turkish Airlines into the 16th-century Church of the Istanbul where we can stay the night. We then have a free day in Archangels at Gremi. Nearby is the Istanbul with an optional sight- one of the oldest churches in the seeing walk led by Rufus Reade country at Nekresi which involves before an evening flight to Baku. a walk uphill through trees to There are return flights from the recently restored monastery Kutaisi with Wizz Air to London/ complex. We will return to Telavi for Luton (currently on Thursdays). our second night. (B/L/D) Train travel: the cost of the Day 9: We’ll leave Telavi to drive holiday includes the cost of train via the ancient capital of Georgia tickets (inc. sleeping compart- at Mskheta, where there are two ments). The tickets will be the churches in particular which are best available class. seen as central to the history of 7th century Zvartnots (an early town which we might have heard of around us, the rivers seem wilder, experiment in building a circular since it was devastated by the Spitak and the sense of living in an extreme church) and 5th century Echmiadzin earthquake in the closing days of the environment very real. We’ll (the headquarters of the Armenian Soviet Union. We drive on beyond drive back through this stunning Church), both of which in quite the town to Marmashen where landscape for dinner and overnight distinct ways represent the birth of we’ll have a picnic lunch around a at our accommodation in Mestia.