Georgia has become one of the most popular tourism destinations in the post-Soviet space. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the former Soviet republic every year, many of whom come by car. Yuzhny Avtomobil (Southern Automobile) headed to Tbilisi in a Skoda Superb with a team of journalists and bloggers from southern Russia.
It’s half past three in the morning, and we’re in Krasnodar, near the Skoda Avtoport Klyuchavto dealership. Our team consists of nine people and four Skodas—a Rapid, an Octavia, a Kodiaq, and a Superb. We’ve finished all the paperwork and are getting into our cars.
We have a long way to go – it’s just over 800 kilometers from Krasnodar to Tbilisi, which we should cover in 10-13 hours, including stops for photos and a possible delay at the border. There’s impenetrable fog over the city – visibility is no more than 50 meters. We line up and head out onto the highway towards Maikop. I’ve got the flagship model for my Georgian trip – the Superb liftback.
From the first meters of the journey, I want to immediately note the comfortable seating position and good visibility, and the LED headlights and fog lights perfectly illuminate the road even in thick fog. My car also has adaptive headlights, which automatically switch from high to low beam and back.
I’d also like to highlight the distance control from the car in front. On the highway, a warning about a dangerously close vehicle appeared on the multimedia screen several times; it seems like a small thing, but it’s convenient. Another useful feature is the lane keeping assist. On our highways, the electronics work perfectly, but I personally turned it off right away. When overtaking without a turn signal, you have to turn the steering wheel hard. The car begins to resist and steer back into its lane.
I’d also like to highlight the Columbus multimedia system and navigation. The interface is simple and intuitive, and you can easily switch between functions. As for the navigation, it responds quickly and does not slow down when changing the route you need. True, our Superb’s navigation maps were only loaded for Russia, so setting Tbilisi as our destination was impossible. The standard navigation instantly plotted the shortest route to the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint.
Our first stop was near Armavir, and it was already light outside. We stopped at a gas station for a cup of coffee and a croissant. Twenty minutes later, we were on our way. Traffic on the highway had become busier during the day, and after leaving our rest stop five minutes later than the others, my colleague and I lost sight of our Skoda convoy. Luckily, we had a two-liter, 280-horsepower engine under the hood. I press the accelerator pedal a couple of times, and after 10 minutes I catch up with the passengers who have pulled well ahead.
I’d like to separately note the Superb’s amazing dynamics and high-quality sound insulation. You don’t feel high speed inside the cabin, and extraneous sounds don’t penetrate. As for the handling, it’s also excellent. The car holds its ground confidently on the road and takes corners without roll. The car provides driving pleasure and a comfortable stay in the cabin. Looking ahead, I will say that after driving 8,000 kilometers behind the wheel of the Superb in one go, I didn’t feel tired at all. And this is taking into account that I got behind the wheel at four in the morning. By the way, the car has a driver fatigue monitoring system, but fortunately I didn’t need it.
Our group arrived at the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint at half past eleven; the border lines were empty, and we crossed the border in 15 minutes. At the Georgian checkpoint, everything went even faster. Further along the mountain serpentines, driving in a Skoda Superb was a pleasure.
The road from Krasnodar to Tbilisi took us about 12 hours, taking into account stops at gas stations, traffic jams, and border crossing. So, if you have the opportunity to travel to Georgia by car, then definitely take it. But I advise you to go to Georgia in the spring or fall, when there are not so many tourists, and the passes are not closed due to snowfall.
What to see on the way to Tbilisi?
Pasanauri
Pasanauri is a small village, which is considered the birthplace of Khinkali. They say that the most delicious khinkali in Georgia is prepared here, and this is indeed true. Pasanauri is located at an altitude of 1050 meters above sea level. The Georgian Military Highway runs through the village, the Aragvi River flows through it, and the Caucasus Mountains rise nearby.
Not far from here, the White Aragvi River merges with the Black Aragvi, which flows from the Guda-Makara Gorge. The village also boasts a so-called retro car museum, which a local resident brought here. The cars sit outdoors, gradually rotting.
Ananuri Fortress
Ananuri is considered the most visited and advertised fortress in Georgia. The views here are simply fantastic: a huge lake amid the mountains, a late medieval castle, and an ancient church with a tiled roof. The first Russian tourist here was Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.
Zhinvali Reservoir
This is the largest artificial lake in Georgia, 14 km long and 75 meters deep. Its waters feed Tbilisi. Zhinvali was formed by damming a mountain river, thereby flooding several villages, which are still at the bottom of the reservoir. The banks of the reservoir offer stunning views. And the reservoir itself is not inferior in beauty to the Italian Lake Como.
Mtskheta
The city of Mtskheta is located 2 kilometers before Tbilisi. Mtskheta is a picturesque museum town, the first place tourists visit when traveling to Georgia. This small town and its surroundings are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a unique history spanning over 2,500 years, it is called the “Second Jerusalem” and the spiritual center of Georgia. Mtskheta is closely associated with the name of one of the most revered Georgian saints, St. Nino of Cappadocia, as well as the official adoption of Christianity by Georgians.
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is a wonderful city, and its main highlight is its large number of attractions. This is why it is of interest to tourists in any season, because in any weather you will find something to see and do. In addition to the main attractions, which you will find in any guidebook, the city is home to many cafes and restaurants, each of which is unique. We also recommend visiting the theater and restaurant run by screenwriter Rezo Gabriadze. We also recommend visiting Mount Mtatsminda with its Pantheon, where Griboyedov is buried, and the observation deck overlooking Tbilisi. Car enthusiasts can visit the Tbilisi Auto Museum, which houses the cars of Shevadnadze, Beria, and Chernenko.
photo: Artem Kukhteyev
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AVTOPORT-KLYUCHAVTO, official ŠKODA dealer
Krasnodar, Krylataya St., 12
