Threads of the Caucasus 7 May -18 May 2026

USD 1,000.00

MAY 07 – 18TH MAY 2026

Step into the heart of the Caucasus, where tradition and craftsmanship are woven into everyday life. This 12-day journey explores the textile legacies of Armenia and Georgia — two ancient lands known for their rich cultural history, deep-rooted artisan skills, and breathtaking landscapes.

From Yerevan’s centuries-old carpet workshops to Georgia’s remote mountain villages, where women still spin, dye, and weave by hand, you’ll engage with local communities, participate in traditional craft workshops, and explore UNESCO-listed monasteries and colorful markets.

This tour is an immersive experience for textile enthusiasts and cultural travelers looking to discover the untold stories stitched into the cultural fabric of the region. Explore both countries’ vibrant traditions in weaving, embroidery, carpet-making, ceramics, and other folk arts. This journey includes workshops, artisan visits, cultural sightseeing, and authentic local experiences

MAY 07 – 18TH MAY 2026

Step into the heart of the Caucasus, where tradition and craftsmanship are woven into everyday life. This 12-day journey explores the textile legacies of Armenia and Georgia — two ancient lands known for their rich cultural history, deep-rooted artisan skills, and breathtaking landscapes.

From Yerevan’s centuries-old carpet workshops to Georgia’s remote mountain villages, where women still spin, dye, and weave by hand, you’ll engage with local communities, participate in traditional craft workshops, and explore UNESCO-listed monasteries and colorful markets.

This tour is an immersive experience for textile enthusiasts and cultural travelers looking to discover the untold stories stitched into the cultural fabric of the region. Explore both countries’ vibrant traditions in weaving, embroidery, carpet-making, ceramics, and other folk arts. This journey includes workshops, artisan visits, cultural sightseeing, and authentic local experiences

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Paying the deposit below for this tour, implies you have read Marigolds General Tour Information, the Terms & Conditions & the Force Majeure and, will tick the box for your acknowledgment and agreement of them at the checkout.

Suggestive itinerary . It may change .

🟪 Day 1 – 7 May: Arrival in Yerevan (Armenia)

  • Arrival at Yerevan International Airport

    • Transfer and check-in at Tufenkian Historic Yerevan Hotel

  • Leisurely orientation walk around Republic Square

  • Welcome dinner with Armenian music in a crafts-themed venue
    Overnight: Yerevan

🟪 Day 2 – 8 May: Yerevan – Carpets, Embroidery & Folk Arts

  • Visit Vernissage Market: explore handmade carpets, woodwork, embroidery

  • Tour of Megerian Carpet Factory with weaving demonstration

  • Visit Tufenkian Artisan Center

  • Explore the Matenadaran Museum (ancient manuscripts with textile motifs)

  • Workshop: Try basic Armenian embroidery or weaving techniques
    Overnight: Yerevan

🟪 Day 3 – 9 May: Excursion to Garni & Geghard – Craft Workshop

  • Visit Garni Temple (1st-century pagan monument)

  • Explore Geghard Monastery (UNESCO heritage site carved in rock)

  • Hands-on felt-making workshop with a local women’s group in Garni or Goght

  • Scenic picnic lunch or traditional house meal
    Overnight: Yerevan
    Travel: Yerevan to Garni/Geghard – 45 mins to 1 hr each way

🟨 Day 4 – 10 May: Travel to Dilijan via Lake Sevan & Noratus

  • Stop at Lake Sevan: visit Sevanavank Monastery

  • Visit Noratus Cemetery – famous for its intricate khachkar (stone cross) carvings

  • Continue to Dilijan, the “Little Switzerland of Armenia”

  • Explore the Old Town and visit the Folk Art Museum of Dilijan
    Overnight: Dilijan at Tufenkian Old Dilijan Complex
    Travel: Yerevan to Dilijan – approx. 2 hrs

🟨 Day 5 – 11 May: Textile & Felt Workshop in Dilijan

  • Full-day textile workshop with local craftswomen
    Options: natural dyeing, felt work, or embroidery

  • Optional light forest walk in Dilijan National Park

  • Tea/coffee visit with an artisan family in Gosh village
    Overnight: Dilijan

🟨 Day 6 – 12 May: Return to Yerevan via Haghartsin Monastery

  • Morning visit to Haghartsin Monastery

  • Stop at local craft cooperatives en route for handmade souvenirs

  • Return to Yerevan

  • Farewell dinner in Armenia with folk dance performance
    Overnight: Yerevan
    Travel: Dilijan to Yerevan – approx. 2 hrs

🟧 Day 7 – 13 May: Cross Border to Georgia / Arrive in Tbilisi

  • Drive to Sadakhlo border, enter Georgia

  • Scenic drive to Tbilisi

  • Check-in at Stamba Hotel or Communal Sololaki Boutique Hotel

  • Evening walk in Old Tbilisi (optional wine tasting)
    Overnight: Tbilisi
    Travel: Yerevan to Tbilisi – approx. 5–6 hrs including stops and border crossing

🟧 Day 8 – 14 May: Tbilisi – Museums & Artisan Experience

  • Visit the State Museum of Folk & Applied Art

  • Walk through Dry Bridge Market (vintage textiles, crafts)

  • Embroidery workshop with a local artisan (Tushetian or Svan style)

  • Free time in the Sololaki district (art galleries and designer shops)
    Overnight: Tbilisi

🟨 Day 9 – 15 May: Sighnaghi & Kakheti Wine Region

  • Drive to Sighnaghi, a hilltop town in the Kakheti region

  • Visit Bodbe Monastery – admire lace-inspired icons

  • Visit a local weaving cooperative or women’s felt center in a nearby village

  • Optional: Silk thread demo or carpet weaving techniques
    Overnight: Sighnaghi or Kvareli at Kabadoni Hotel
    Travel: Tbilisi to Sighnaghi – approx. 2.5 hrs

🟨 Day 10 – 16 May: Wine & Wool Experience in Kakheti

  • Morning visit to a family-owned winery with wool spinning & dyeing demo

  • Hands-on indigo dyeing or wool carding activity

  • Scenic vineyard lunch

  • Return to Tbilisi in the evening
    Overnight: Tbilisi
    Travel: Kakheti to Tbilisi – approx. 2.5 hrs

🟦 Day 11 – 17 May: Drive to Kazbegi (Mountains & Motifs)

  • Drive the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi

  • En route: Stop at Ananuri Fortress and Gudauri craft stalls

  • Arrive in Stepantsminda, check-in at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi

  • Visit Gergeti Trinity Church with stunning views of Mt. Kazbek
    Overnight: Stepantsminda
    Travel: Tbilisi to Kazbegi – approx. 3.5 hrs

🟦 Day 12 – 18 May: Village Artisan Visit & Return to Tbilisi

  • Visit local women’s artisan group making felted scarves and wool socks

  • Final shopping and farewell lunch

  • Return to Tbilisi for late-night or overnight departure
    Overnight: Optional (if late-night flight)
    Travel: Kazbegi to Tbilisi – approx. 3.5 hrs

✨ INCLUDED EXPERIENCES

  • 4+ Hands-on artisan workshops

  • Visits to 6 heritage sites (UNESCO-listed or national treasures)

  • Cross-cultural food & wine experiences

  • Private transport and experienced local guides throughout

  • All entry fees, demos, and local interactions

 

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