In the spring of 2026, I set out to lead one of Koryo Tours’ newest offerings, an epic 2-week adventure through the heart of one of the world’s most overlooked, but incredible regions; the Caucasus.

Consisting of three countries, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, the Caucasus are home to everything from crystalline lakes and imposing mountains, to ancient churches and a hint of the Soviet legacy which once dominated the area.

Whilst this was my first time leading to the region, it wasn’t my first time visiting.

I used to take time off between tours in my younger years, and I loved the Caucasus region for its food, wine, and incredible people. However, I’d never done them all at once, instead choosing to dip in and out as I saw fit.

So going in, I knew this would be a tough, but memorable adventure.

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The Tour Plan

When first asked to build a trip through the region, I immediately decided on the order we should tackle the countries, and as such, the trip would begin in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

From there, after exploring the old city nestled inside a super modern capital, we would trundle through the stunning Azerbaijani countryside, stopping at palaces, mosques and fortresses, before crossing to neighbouring Georgia.

Whilst in Georgia, we’d see everything from traditional, yet ancient churches and monasteries and a night on the coast of the Black Sea, to visiting the birthplace of the infamous Joseph Stalin and the grand Georgia-Russia Friendship Monument.

Finally, we’d cross into Armenia, a real hidden highlight, mixing huge abandoned Soviet scientific complexes, with the simple pleasures of classic Armenian cognac.

Overall, the plan was to mix some of the classic highlights of the Caucasus, the amazing food, the friendly people, the stunning mountain ranges, and the regional history and culture, with a few extra special additions that make every Koryo tour a unique experience.

On paper, everything was set to work, but the only way to know if a tour is good enough, is to do it yourself. So we found a group of intrepid adventurers and headed for Baku!

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The Caucasus Tour

We had quite the unexpected number of travellers join the tour, and as such, my wife joined me to help coordinate the group and manage logistics whilst on tour. As a result, we first had to sort her visas (a useful aspect to research for future tourists!), one for each of the three countries.

Here we ran into our first roadblock, initially believing she wouldn’t need one for Azerbaijan, but being informed upon our arrival at the airport that in fact she did. What followed was a heated debate with the airport staff, finally allowing us to fly to Istanbul, but not approving our connection until we’d sorted the visa situation.

Luckily, we applied for an express visa before boarding the flight and prayed it would be approved before we landed.

Luckily it was! However, an embarrassing story for a professional tour leader!

Upon arrival, we met the group and embarked on our adventure, and what an adventure it was. The trip was incredible, especially since so many of our group were returning travellers, many of whom had been on tour with me before, which create an environment more akin to a reunion than an adventure holiday.

Not to mention the gifts we were surprised to receive from friendly former travellers; easter eggs for the kids, shortbread, and much else besides.

Either way, we set off on our adventure from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea, beginning with Azerbaijan.

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Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia! 

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan was interesting, but a difficult part of the trip. The heavy rains meant, despite travelling through some incredible scenery that I knew we were passing, it was tricky to see it all. However, the group maintained high spirits, and as the weather cleared we could see the country for its true, beautiful self.

Crossing into Georgia, we dove head first into the food-capital of the Caucasus, indulging each day in a meal more incredible than the last. One our first day, we started slow with a basic picnic in the stunning surrounds of the Georgian countryside. By the end, we enjoyed a traditional Georgian banquet!

The food on this adventure is amazing, for both vegetarians and meat-eaters. However, be aware that gluten-free travellers can encounter more obstacles.

Georgia

During our time in Georgia, we got to add some extras to the itinerary, like taking a Soviet-era cable car up unto the mountains, and dipping into some incredible local churches outside of our original plan.

We also spent a day in Gori, the birthplace of Stalin, one of the most well-known leaders of the Soviet Union, and himself a son of Georgia. 

We also took a ride on a train through Georgia, a chance to take in the scenery in a more romantic fashion. A few of our number attempted to twin the beautiful railway journey with the famed Georgian wine – however, we were given short shrift by the train guards who informed us alcohol is forbidden on the train.

Very quickly, we instead decided our drinks were just ‘grape juice’ and that seemed to do the trick!

Finally, we crossed into our final country, Armenia.

Armenia

Armenia is absolutely the dark horse of the tour, overlooked by many, but a complete surprise to all who were overblown by its natural beauty and incredible landscapes. This, twinned with a population of super-friendly locals, makes Armenia a real highlight.

Our local Armenian guide was amazing, with an incredible in-depth knowledge of local churches and religious sites, as well as knowing a lot about Soviet architecture, which was music to the ears of some of our travellers!

We ended the adventure in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

A true high point of the adventure was our visit to an abandoned Soviet Radio Telescope which we had spent a while negotiating special permission to access, but it was worth it. Imagine an untouched Chernobyl, with the added benefit of it being a massive radio telescope more akin to a James Bond lair than a scientific establishment.

The adventure ended with a visit to the brandy factory for a taste of classic Armenian cognac, a chance to raise a class to the Caucasus and the amazing adventure we’d had together.

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Join us on The Caucasus Adventure?

The Caucasus Tour runs every year in the spring and covers the three countries of the region, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.

For more information, independent and bespoke trips, get in touch directly!