From beautiful nature, rich culture to magnificent historic and ancient landmarks, Georgia has plenty of things to offer, whether you are on a romantic getaway or a family vacation. It is one of the perfect and the cheapest destinations for those who love to travel on a budget and explore new places.
But, how to travel in Georgia on a budget? Well, when it comes to planning tours in Georgia or any other place, money is an important thing to consider. Ranging from flights, accommodation, transportation to the meal, it is important for you to document all of your expenses well in advance.
Talking about Georgia, it is surprisingly cheaper as compared to other places. Here, you are likely to find things free of charge that may include accommodation, meals, and more. You must have heard about Couchsurfing. Well, it is gaining huge popularity in Georgia. People will welcome you with open arms to stay at their flats for no charge. And, if you talk about food and drinks, Georgians are well-known for their hospitality. So, you need not worry about the expenses on food, meals or drinks, you may even find yourself at Georgian traditional Supra if you are lucky enough.
However, if in any case, you end up paying for your stay, food, and other things, then here are a few budget travel tips that can help you save most of your money while traveling.
Accommodation
You can easily find a number of cheap hostels, daily rentals or homestays starting from $5 per night. On Airbnb, you will find plenty of reasonable accommodations to choose from starting from $5 to $ 16 for a private space. However, it is always suggested to book your accommodation way before the tourist season begins as then it might be difficult for you to find a comfortable and reasonable place to stay. Try to find accommodation near the metro stations Rustaveli, Tavisupleba or Avlabari, you can save money on transport this way and be close to all the landmarks of the city.
Transportation
Transportation is not very expensive in Georgia. If you are looking for budget travel in Georgia, you can easily find minibusses or marshrutkas that will drive you around the city and common tourist places. However, if you are good at a budget, you can hire a private taxi or cab that will cost a maximum of $2 which is quite cheap. The bus, metro, and marshrutka will cost you about $0.20 to $0.30 that is very reasonable as compared to private cabs or taxi. However, the taxi drivers will always be trying to squeeze the most out of your pocket realizing that you are not a local. So, you can always consider booking a taxi through a mobile application.
Food and Drinks
It is always good to save some extra on food and drinks when traveling to Georgia. The price of food may vary from city to city and even the restaurants. So, it is always suggested to do your research well in advance so that you can plan your food budget accordingly. You can take the help of the internet to know about the average food prices including breakfast, dinner, drinks, and more. However, make sure to avoid eating in the tourist areas as they can be a bit expensive. Try to taste as many dishes as possible even on a budget, because Georgia is famous for amazing traditional cuisine all over the World, so don’t miss a chance!
Activities
There are a lot of things that you can do in Georgia. In addition, the country has many cool places and museums that are not be missed. The average ticket price of a museum may range from $0.60 to $2.00. However, you will also find museums and places that do not charge anything. Svetitskhoveli, Kazbegi Sameba are a few of the liturgical art and architecture that are a must-visit when in Georgia.
Souvenirs
You can easily find the traditional handmade jewelry, postcards, bracelets in almost every tourist area at very reasonable prices. However, make sure to buy the souvenirs from the shops within the city and not to wait until you get to the airport as then you may have to pay triple the price. And remember Churchkhela and Wine from Georgia is always the best idea!
So, the aforementioned are some of the budget travel tips for a comfortable and enjoyable trip to Georgia. You can cut down a lot of your costs by following these tips and not spending blindly on tour packages. And, talking about the budget backpackers, it is one of the cheapest destinations to travel however if you plan smartly.