Traveling in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Plus Iran

Seven years ago, I added the countries of the South Caucasus or Transcaucasia to my travel bucket list. I’ve kept my notes on routes and travel tips for this Eurasian region saved on my computer. The South Caucasus includes Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, neighboring Turkey, and nestled between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

 

Last year, after traveling in Northern Cyprus, I returned to Istanbul, Turkey. From Istanbul, I continued my journey to Tbilisi, Georgia. Although there’s a land route from Turkey to Georgia, it’s time-consuming, so I opted to fly from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport in the Asian part of the city.

 

I flew with Pegasus Airlines, a budget-friendly alternative to Turkish Airlines. Indonesian passport holders can enter Georgia with an e-visa, which costs $20 USD. Fortunately, I had a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa, which can also be used to enter Georgia.

 

Upon arrival at Tbilisi International Airport, I simply handed my passport to the immigration officer, a strict-looking but beautiful woman. She flipped through the pages of my passport and asked where I had traveled from. I explained that I’d come from Spain, then Turkey, and finally arrived in Georgia.

 

She took a while examining my visa, and I had to stand there longer than expected. She seemed annoyed, muttering to herself and speaking to her colleague. I started to get nervous as her expression hardened. It turned out the issue was with her computer system. Once it was back up, she stamped my passport.

 

Finally, my dream of traveling to Georgia came true. Some travelers had mentioned that tourists are given a free bottle of wine upon entering Georgia, but I didn’t receive one. After exchanging some USD for Georgian Lari (GEL), I hurried to find a bus to Tbilisi’s city center.

 

From Tbilisi International Airport, there is a regular bus to the city center, costing only 0.50 GEL. Payment is either by card or exact change in coins, which must be placed in a collection box. Coins larger than 0.50 GEL aren’t accepted. I didn’t have the exact change, and no one else on the bus had a half-GEL coin either.

 

I tried to offer 1 GEL to the female driver’s assistant, who also looked a bit unfriendly, but she refused. I offered again once we reached the city, but she still declined. So, I ended up reaching Freedom Square without paying.

 

This is the heart of Tbilisi. In the middle of the square, surrounded by roads similar to Jakarta’s HI Roundabout, stands a monument with a golden statue of Saint George on horseback. From Freedom Square, I walked about 550 meters to my accommodation, a hostel in a charming Georgian-style old house, staffed by Russian volunteers.

 

During my stay in Tbilisi, I visited historical sites, beginning with a Free Walking Tour on the first day. The tour starts at Freedom Square, a must-visit in Georgia where you can take photos with the iconic gold monument in the background.

 

The square is surrounded by important buildings like the National Bank of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall, and the Rustaveli State Academic Theater, Georgia’s oldest theater. Freedom Square also serves as a gateway to Tbilisi’s Old Town. Behind the grand, classic buildings of Freedom Square are old Tbilisi homes, some over a hundred years old.

 

In the Old Town, there are many Catholic and Orthodox churches. Our Free Walking Tour guide took us to several historic churches, food districts, shops, a traditional underground bakery, hammam baths, and the futuristic Peace Bridge.

 

The tour gave me a good sense of Tbilisi, so the next day, I explored the Old Town and its surroundings on my own, even trying food at a local diner similar to a “warteg” in Indonesia. Food in Georgia is relatively cheap, especially compared to Western Europe.

 

Besides Tbilisi, I visited Kazbegi (now called Stepantsminda) in northern Georgia, during the beginning of spring. The journey was still snow-covered, and the mountain views were breathtaking.

 

Kazbegi sits at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains at an altitude of 1,740 meters. This small town is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and one highlight is Gergeti Trinity Church, which stands at 2,000 meters above sea level. You can reach the church by trekking through scenic mountain valleys or by vehicle.

 

I chose to trek alone and encountered other tourists along the way. After more than 45 minutes, I reached Gergeti Trinity Church, where stunning views of the town and the mountains awaited.

 

With snowfall, it was too cold to stay long at the peak. The temperature dropped, chilling me to the bone. I headed back down and reached town just as the sun reappeared. I briefly considered returning to the peak for more photos, but my legs were exhausted.

 

For the rest of my time in this peaceful town, I enjoyed the serene atmosphere, admiring the snow-capped mountains in the distance. After two days in Kazbegi, I returned to Tbilisi to continue my journey to Azerbaijan.

 

Exploring Old Town Baku

 

Many people say that overland travel from Georgia to Azerbaijan is often complicated at the border. To avoid this, I opted to fly instead. I purchased a ticket with Buta Airlines, Azerbaijan’s budget airline. Before heading to Kazbegi, I applied for an e-visa to Azerbaijan. There are options for visa processing times: the faster the process, the more expensive the visa. There’s the standard processing (completed within a week), three-day processing, and an express option that can be applied for just hours before entering Azerbaijan. I chose the three-day processing option for 23 USD plus a 3 USD service fee, as I needed it within four days. The e-visa had to be printed.

 

Azerbaijan is a blend of Istanbul and Dubai, with architecture featuring Ottoman and futuristic styles. Even the airport is modern and large. Entering through immigration was smooth. I took a bus to the city center, and payments are made by card, which can be purchased from a machine to the left of the arrival hall exit. I exchanged my USD for manat to pay the fare.

 

I arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, just before the F1 Grand Prix. I stayed close to Baku’s Old City, and the streets outside the ancient walls were already transformed into a racing track. The cityscape outside the old city walls shows a striking contrast between modernity and antiquity, with “antiquity” here meaning a classical charm.

 

Modern, futuristic buildings reflecting Azerbaijan’s wealth rise alongside historical structures. For instance, there’s the iconic Heydar Aliyev Center, the flame-like Flame Towers, Baku Boulevard by the sea, and Fountain Square, a perfect place for relaxing.

 

Meanwhile, old Russian Tsar-style buildings, Turkish Ottoman, Persian, and Arab Islamic architecture fill the old city center. This area is the historic core of Baku, built in the 11th-12th centuries, with narrow, asymmetrical stone-paved alleys and ancient sites like Maiden’s Tower, Synyk Gala Castle, Shirvanshah’s Palace, Caravan Saray, and Juma Mosque. I spent five days exploring Baku’s Old City and the areas just outside its walls, mostly on foot to save money.

 

Flight to Tehran, Iran

 

Following my flight from Georgia to Azerbaijan, I flew from Azerbaijan to Iran with Buta Airlines. I was tempted to return to Iran after visiting in 2015 and planned to meet some Iranian friends from that trip. The Buta Airlines flight from Baku to Tehran is a once-daily, midnight flight, so I arrived in Tehran in the early morning.

 

For Indonesian passport holders, a visa on arrival (VoA) is available at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. It costs 45 EUR (or 50 USD) plus a 3 EUR (or 3 USD) commission and an additional 15 USD insurance fee. The visa is valid for 30 days, although you may not always get the full 30 days.

 

I planned to stay over a week in Iran, but after a lengthy police interview, I was only granted five days. It took over seven hours of waiting to receive the visa, a challenging experience, especially with other tourists in similar situations. Exhausted, I took the Metro into Tehran’s city center. Luckily, there’s a direct train from the airport.

 

In Tehran, I spent two days before heading to Yazd, a historical desert city in central Iran, where I met a friend from Couchsurfing who had visited Indonesia. This friend, who owns a few hostels in Yazd’s Old City, hosted me in his family-owned hostel near Yazd’s Jami Mosque.

 

I originally planned to stay three days, but my friend convinced me to stay longer and helped me extend my visa. In Yazd, I explored the old city, a maze-like place with ancient, mud-coated orange buildings. After four days, I said goodbye and returned to Tehran, planning to travel to Armenia next. Although there’s a flight from Tehran to Armenia, I took a bus to save money.

 

Yerevan, Armenia

 

The bus from Tehran to Yerevan departed at 1 pm. It was a comfortable ride, with lunch and drinks provided. The journey was long, reaching the border around 1 am. At the Iranian border, all passengers disembarked to show passports at Immigration. Iran no longer issues visa stickers in passports, instead giving a separate paper visa, and passports are not stamped. Exiting Iran was smooth.

 

When it was time to enter Armenia, we had to wait on a bridge marking the border, as vehicles leaving Iran undergo strict inspections. Many passengers, tired of waiting, walked to the Armenian Immigration post. I stayed on the bus in the dim, cold night until it finally arrived to take us to the Armenian inspection point. Here, the bus and passengers were checked, and I went to the Visa on Arrival (VoA) counter. Only one person was in line, but the officer wasn’t sure if Indonesian passport holders qualified for VoA and had to call a colleague multiple times.

 

Finally, I received a visa after paying in Armenian currency. I returned to the waiting area, where we waited for four hours before we could continue the journey to Yerevan. The bus resumed at 6 am, and as we drove through mountains and valleys, the morning light revealed snow-capped peaks in the distance.

 

In Yerevan, I stayed at the Green Hostel, close to the Indonesian consulate, sharing a room mostly with Indian guests. On my first day, I rested after the long journey, then explored the city on the second day.

 

Yerevan, known as one of the world’s oldest cities, is around 2,799 years old. Modern Yerevan began taking shape under architect Alexander Tamanyan, who harmonized its ancient charm with modern design. I loved the peaceful atmosphere, a blend of bustling city life around Republic Square with a tranquil vibe outside its central areas.

 

Republic Square is Yerevan’s heart, surrounded by beautiful classical buildings and buzzing with activity, especially in the evening for the fountain show. Nearby are Yerevan Opera House, the beloved symbol of Armenian pride, and the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, with Victory Park atop its stone steps.

 

Outside this central area, Yerevan is quiet, its streets serene, making walking comfortable yet slightly eerie at night due to the dim lighting and early store closures.

 

On the third day, I bought souvenirs and prepared for my journey back to Georgia, as there were no cheap flights from Yerevan. I found a more affordable option from Kutaisi, west of Tbilisi. I took a minivan to Tbilisi and then on to Kutaisi.