12 days in the Caucasus – Does this route make sense? And should we rent a car in Georgia?

[u/Alone-Celebration452]

Hey everyone :)

My friend and I (both 25M) are planning a 12-day trip across the Caucasus this September. We're flying into Baku and out of Yerevan. We know it's not enough time to fully do justice to each country, but we're locked in on seeing all three and trying to make it work efficiently.

We're into mountain scenery, good food and wine, and a bit of nightlife. Here's what we're thinking so far:

day 1: baku – arrive in the afternoon, walk around the old city, maybe check out the waterfront and try to catch a vibe in the evening

day 2: baku – day trip to Gobustan, Yanar Dag, Atashgah Fire Temple, etc. might squeeze in some architecture or beach stuff if there's time

day 3: baku – slow morning, fly to tbilisi in the afternoon (€69 flight), explore a bit and check out the nightlife

day 4: kazbegi – drive up north, stop at Mtskheta and Jvari, Ananuri Fortress, Gudauri viewpoint. sleep in Kazbegi

day 5: kazbegi – hike to Gergeti Trinity. not sure if we should also try to do Truso Valley (ATVs look amazing) this day or keep it simple

day 6: kakheti – long drive south through Gori (maybe check out the Stalin museum?) and Uplistsikhe cave city, then head to either Telavi or Sighnaghi to sleep

day 7: kakheti – wine tastings and chilling. probably visiting Tsinandali Estate, Shumi, and maybe Khareba Tunnel

day 8: tbilisi – drive back late morning, explore the city properly (sulfur baths, Narikala Fortress, etc), maybe nightlife

day 9: tbilisi – morning in the city, then fly to yerevan in the evening (€82 flight)

day 10: yerevan – explore the city, Cascade, markets, cafes. possibly hit Khor Virap if time allows

day 11: yerevan – day trip to Garni + Geghard, maybe Lake Sevan or Dilijan if we're feeling ambitious

day 12: fly out in the morning

So here’s what I’m wondering:

– is this too much time in Georgia compared to Armenia or Azerbaijan? we feel like it deserves the extra days but curious what others think

– is the Kazbegi > Gori > Kakheti route efficient or too much in one day?

– is Truso Valley worth squeezing in or would that just be overkill?

– Telavi vs Sighnaghi as a base for Kakheti – which one feels more relaxed but still close to wineries?

– most importantly: should we rent a car in Georgia? it would cost about €350 total for 6 days (~€200 each with fuel). is that worth it for the route above, or would marshrutkas and day tours do the job just fine?

Any feedback from people who’ve done something similar would be awesome. Maybe I missed important stops. Thanks :)

[u/Diligent-Life444]

My advice is to rent a car in Azerbaijan for a day and just have nice drives for the day and night, it’s really cool especially when the city has low traffic depends on the day tho