Akhalts'ikhe Transportation

Akhaltsikhe's bus station is about as lively as the town gets...there are usually at least three buses waiting there at any one given moment! The four hour trip from Tbilisi costs 7 Lari (June 2005 US$1 = 1.82 Lari), and passes through Gori and Borjomi. Lying close to the border crossing at Vani/Posof, there are buses between Akhaltsikhe and the Turkish town of Ardahan...or at least I've seen Turkish buses languishing in the bus station. Ask around for times and prices.

For Vardzia, a minibus leaves once a day at an unspecified hour in the early afternoon...make a trip to the bus station in the morning to try and find out exactly when. the friendly bus driver speaks Turkish, so if you can get by in that language, you can ask him to help you find accommodation in Vardzia and find out when he will be making the return trip to Akhaltsikhe. It takes roughly 3 hours to reach Vardzia, passing through some stunning scenery en route...sit on the right hand side on the way, the left hand side on the return journey, to see the best views. 3 Lari is all you need to pay.