Why go
Vardzia is not another chamber inside Rabati: it is a separate rock-cut complex farther south, associated with the reigns of Giorgi III and Queen Tamar. Rooms and passages run across the cliff face, with a church at the heart of the surviving monastery.
Allow the site its own day from Akhaltsikhe. The approach, walking and return all take time, and the cliffside paths and steps deserve your attention. Check which parts of the complex are open rather than assuming every passage shown in a photograph can be entered.
Before you go
Check current opening, tickets, site access and transport in both directions with the museum-reserve before travelling. Expect steps and exposed sections, and choose footwear accordingly.
Allow extra time
Visit times are estimates for this activity only. Travel, queues and breaks are extra.
