The Beauty and Sorrow of the Caucasus | A Retrospective of Our Georgia & Armenia In-Depth Tour

The sweeping Caucasus mountain range, the red wine that originated in Georgia, Armenia's legendary monasteries — these are undoubtedly captivating features. But on our October Georgia & Armenia in-depth tour, we also witnessed a side of helplessness and contradiction.

For instance, we're used to grouping Georgia and Armenia together under the term "the Caucasus," yet Georgia is predominantly Eastern Orthodox, while Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion. Each aligns itself with different major powers, and their religious cultures, ways of life, and political ideologies are entirely different.

Take Gori, the Georgian city we visited — it is actually the hometown of former Soviet leader Stalin. There's a Stalin Museum there that narrates his life in a self-glorifying manner. Yet today, Georgia harbours plenty of grievances against Russia and would love nothing more than to erase this Soviet-linked past. Ironically, this very museum generates considerable revenue and plays an important role in driving Gori's economic development.

Or take Domik, Armenia's temporary housing settlement, where we discovered that "temporary" has already lasted more than 30 years. After a devastating earthquake in 1988, the Soviet government at the time housed disaster victims in these crude tin-container shacks, promising them new homes to move into. But then the Soviet Union collapsed, the resettlement plan fell through, and economic support was cut off — leaving some families living there to this day. The spaces are cramped and living conditions harsh, yet thankfully, it still feels like home.

Traveling to a place isn't just about admiring the wonders before your eyes, nor simply sympathizing with the hardships it faces; it's about closely observing how a place defends its unique culture, how it coexists with a history it would rather not acknowledge, and how it still calls itself "home" amid adversity — it is only when sorrow and beauty intertwine that we can truly perceive a place's captivating charm.

Today, Armenia and Georgia continue to face many challenges. Armenia has painfully lost the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, while Georgia's anti-government protests continue, denouncing the authorities' suspension of EU accession talks. As travelers, there may be little we can do for them, but let us keep telling, keep remembering, and keep paying attention to their stories.

Join DeWonder's 【Caucasus In-Depth Tour】 and explore Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia all in one trip.

Step into a temporary Domik house to learn about the lasting impact of the 1988 earthquake

Hand-making Armenia's traditional dish, Arishta

Local guide explains the friendship and severed ties between Russia and Georgia

Fortunate to witness a wedding ceremony inside a 6th-century church

Visiting an underground winery in Georgia, the birthplace of wine

Enjoying a sumptuous local feast