Whenever I’m planning a new trip or after I’ve just booked it, one of the first things I do is check what experiences are available on Viator.
Over the years, Viator has become my go-to platform for booking tours.
Now, for the sake of transparency: some of the links I share to Viator are affiliate links. That means if you book a tour through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I completely understand if that makes you a little skeptical about my opinions. But if you’ve read my previous blogs and reviews of tours, you’ll know I try to stay balanced. I would never recommend a tour I didn’t genuinely enjoy.
Tour from Tbilisi.
So, when I booked a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia, I naturally went through my usual routine, scrolling through Viator to see what caught my eye. I didn’t have too many days in Tbilisi itself, which, by the way, is an absolutely fascinating city. If I had to describe it, I’d say it feels like a blend of Kyiv (another city I absolutely loved) and Istanbul. Tbilisi has this unique fusion of Soviet history, European charm, and Middle Eastern influence.
Because my time was limited, I wanted a shorter tour—something manageable that wouldn’t leave me drained. I’ve learned about myself that while I love exploring, long tours that stretch to 12 hours can sometimes be a bit much for my social battery. A half-day adventure, on the other hand, is usually the sweet spot: enough to see something incredible, but not so long that I’m exhausted by the end.
That’s when I came across a tour to the Rainbow Mountains of Georgia. The pictures alone made me want to do the tour to see the ridges streaked with layers of red, green, and yellow mineral deposits. The tour seemed like the perfect balance: short enough to fit into my schedule, but unique enough to give me a completely new perspective of Georgia beyond Tbilisi’s city streets.
Once I booked the tour through Viator, I quickly received a confirmation email with the basic details. A few days before the trip, I also got a WhatsApp message with additional instructions and a reminder about what to expect. I really like this personal touch. Having a WhatsApp contact makes everything feel more connected—it’s quick, convenient, and reassuring to know that if I had a question or problem, I could reach someone instantly.
The meeting point was set for 9:45 a.m. at a metro station in Tbilisi, which was easy to find and very convenient. On arrival, I was greeted by a representative from the tour company who walked me to their office for check-in. There, I met some of the other travelers before we were all led to the minibus that would take us on the day’s journey.
Anyone who’s been on tours around the world will recognize the standard minibus setup, but this one stood out. It was very comfortable, with plenty of legroom, soft seats and USB charging points.
Our guide for the day, Soso, introduced himself once we were on boardand outlined the itinerary. The first planned stop was actually a supermarket. The reason was simple: there are no food options once you reach David Gareja, so we’d be buying supplies for a picnic.
As we left Tbilisi, Soso began sharing insights into the city’s history as well as the broader story of Georgia. His enthusiasm was clear, and I really appreciated that he wanted to add depth to the trip instead of just driving us from stop to stop.
At the supermarket, Soso continued to be helpful, suggesting different Georgian foods and snacks for the picnic. I actually really enjoyed this part of the tour and picked up a few local treats I hadn’t tried before.
From there, we drove about 45 minutes to our first stop: the Salt Lake. Because it had rained a few days earlier, the lake was full of water, which apparently isn’t always the case. While it was an interesting geographical feature, I didn’t find it especially impressive. It was nice to stretch my legs and take a few photos, but honestly, it wasn’t a highlight for me. I would have been fine skipping it altogether. (I’ve included a photo below so you can get an idea of what it looked like, you can judge for yourself how appealing it is.)
Back on the bus, Soso continued sharing little nuggets of history and anecdotes as we made our way to the main destination: David Gareja. When we arrived, the first order of business was a bathroom break. A quick tip: bring small change with you. The toilets cost 1 GEL.
After a short toilet break, we began the walk up the hill, passing by the monastery and making our way toward a doorway carved directly into the mountain. As the Viator listing and confirmation message had mentioned, sturdy shoes or hiking boots are recommended. The trail is fairly steep and can be tricky in parts. I was traveling light and only had my trainers with me, but as a fairly seasoned hiker, I managed without any issues. That said, a few people in our group who weren’t as experienced did find the climb a little challenging, so it’s definitely worth being prepared.
Along the way, we had a surprise encounter: a snake slithering across the path. Our guide, Soso, was just as surprised. He said it was the first time he’d ever seen one there. Thankfully, it wasn’t poisonous or dangerous.
Reaching the top was absolutely worth the effort. From the doorway in the hillside, the views were spectacular, you could look down over the monastery below and out across the dramatic Rainbow Mountains stretching into the distance. Adding to the atmosphere were a few Orthodox monks dressed in traditional robes. They didn’t speak English, but they were welcoming, friendly, and even happy to be photographed.
We had our picnic up there, with plenty of free time to just relax and soak in the scenery.
After lunch, we made our way back down into the monastery itself, where Soso gave us some background on its history. It’s fascinating how the monastery is literally carved into the rock of the hillside, blending so naturally with the landscape that it almost feels like part of the mountain itself. The backdrop of the rainbow-colored hills only made it more impressive.
Inside the church, our guide went into a much more detailed history of the site. Personally, I found this section a little too in-depth for my taste, since my main reason for joining the tour was to see and photograph the Rainbow Mountains. However, if you’re particularly interested in religious history or architecture, you’ll probably find this part fascinating.
After exploring inside the church, we were given some free time to wander around the monastery grounds. I took the chance to capture a few photos before we moved on to what everyone had really been waiting for: the Rainbow Mountains themselves.
Because it had rained heavily a few days earlier, our guide was initially concerned that the soil might be too soft or unstable for us to get too close. Fortunately, a few of us tested the ground, and it turned out to be perfectly fine. So, we carefully made our way down the hillside and were able to experience the Rainbow Mountains up close and personal.
I’ll admit, I had been a little skeptical before the tour. As a photographer, I know just how easy it is to manipulate images—to add saturation, adjust contrast, and make a scene appear far more dramatic than it looks in reality. I wondered if the Rainbow Mountains might be one of those cases where the online photos oversell the experience. But I was pleasantly surprised. While I’ve made slight adjustments to my own photos (a touch of contrast here, a bit of saturation there), what you see in the pictures is a pretty faithful representation of what you’ll actually see with your own eyes.
Being able to wander around at our own pace made the experience even better. I really enjoyed photographing the mountains from different angles and just soaking in the surreal beauty of the area. It felt peaceful, unique, and absolutely worth the effort of getting there.
Once everyone had had their fill of photos and views, we hiked back up the hill to rejoin the bus. From there, it was a direct drive back to Tbilisi, which took about an hour and a half. The ride was so comfortable that I actually dozed off for most of the journey, which was a welcome bit of rest after the hike.
We arrived back in Tbilisi around 3:00 p.m., which I thought was fantastic. It meant I still had plenty of time to explore the city and make the most of my limited stay. The tour company also invited the group back to their office for a complimentary Georgian wine tasting, which I thought was a really generous touch. However, I decided to skip it so I could continue exploring the city on my own.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Tbilisi and want a day tour that combines culture, history, and stunning natural scenery, I have no hesitation in recommending the exact same tour I did. It delivered on every level, and I think most travelers would find it just as rewarding.
