How to plan a Georgia trip from Dubai with your family

When the Gulf summer hits 45 degrees, Georgia is one of the easiest escapes for a family: a three and a half hour flight, green valleys at 20 degrees, snowy peaks you can see from your hotel window, and a capital where children love the cable car as much as the grown-ups do. This guide covers the paperwork for Gulf citizens and residents, the flights, food and a relaxed 7-day plan.

Exchange basis: AED 1 = about GEL 0.71 (24 October 2026).

Georgia trip from Dubai at a glance

Flight time	About 3 h 30 non-stop from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or Dubai
Visa, Gulf citizens	Visa-free, up to one year
Visa, UAE residents	Visa-free for 90 days in 180 with a valid Emirates ID (conditions below)
Visa if you need one	AED 75 (USD 20) per person
Best family season	June to September in the mountains; December to March for snow
Currency	Georgian lari (GEL)

Georgia visa for Gulf citizens

Good news for Emirati, Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Omani families: all six GCC countries are on Georgia’s list of countries whose citizens can enter and stay without a visa for up to one year. Bring your passports, a return ticket and your hotel booking, and you are set.

Georgia visa for UAE residents (expat families)

If you live in the UAE on a residence visa, you can usually travel visa-free too. According to the Embassy of Georgia in the UAE:

• holders of a valid UAE visa or residence permit can stay 90 days in any 180 days
• the Emirates ID must be valid on the day you enter and the day you leave Georgia
• your passport needs at least 90 days of validity

There is one important exception. For some nationalities (the embassy lists, among others, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Morocco, Syria and Yemen) the UAE visa must be multiple entry and valid for at least one year when you cross the border. If yours is shorter, apply for a Georgian C1 visa.

Residents of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are covered by the same type of rule: Georgia’s Ordinance No. 256 lists all six Gulf states among the countries whose visa or residence permit lets you enter visa-free for 90 days in 180.

If your family needs a visa

The C1 tourist visa costs USD 20 / AED 75 per person, and each family member needs their own application and payment. The embassy’s checklist includes:

1. passport and UAE residence visa or Emirates ID (valid more than three months beyond your trip)
2. hotel booking and return flight ticket
3. three months of bank statements
4. travel or health insurance covering at least GEL 30,000 for the whole visit
5. for children: a copy of a parent’s passport and a consent letter

Applications in the UAE include an appointment at the embassy’s consular section, so start a few weeks before your trip.

Flights from the Gulf to Tbilisi

From the UAE, Air Arabia flies non-stop from Sharjah (about 3 h 25) and Abu Dhabi (about 3 h 35), and flydubai serves Tbilisi as well. From Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, check for direct seasonal flights first and otherwise connect through the UAE or Doha. Summer school holidays and Eid are peak times, so book early.

7-day Georgia itinerary for families

Day 1: Arrive in Tbilisi

Check in near the Old Town. In the evening, ride the cable car to Narikala Fortress for the view over the river and the colourful balconies, then stroll down through the Abanotubani bath district, home to the historic Juma Mosque.

Day 2: Tbilisi with children

Cross the glass Bridge of Peace into Rike Park, then take the funicular up to Mtatsminda Park, a hilltop amusement park with rides and the best view of the city. Dinner: try khachapuri, the boat-shaped cheese bread every child seems to love.

Day 3: The road to the mountains

Drive the Georgian Military Road north, stopping at Ananuri fortress by the reservoir and the viewpoints above Gudauri. Overnight in Stepantsminda (Kazbegi).

Day 4: Gergeti and Kazbek

Take a 4x4 up to Gergeti Trinity Church for the classic view of Mount Kazbek. The air up here is cool even in August, which is exactly why Gulf families love it. Return to Tbilisi in the afternoon.

Day 5: Borjomi

Drive west to Borjomi, the forest resort famous for its mineral water. Walk the central park, taste the spring water and enjoy the slower pace.

Day 6: Bakuriani or the park

Ride up to the mountain village of Bakuriani for meadows in summer or sledging and skiing in winter, or spend another easy day in Borjomi’s park. Overnight in Borjomi.

Day 7: Back to Tbilisi and fly home

Return to Tbilisi (about 2 h 30 by road) and fly home, or fly out of Kutaisi, which is closer to Borjomi.

Halal food and prayer in Georgia

Tbilisi makes it easy: you will find many Turkish, Arab and Iranian run restaurants serving halal meat. Georgian cuisine also has delicious meat-free dishes, such as khachapuri (cheese bread), lobio (bean stew) and pkhali (vegetable and walnut dips). Pork is common in traditional kitchens, so ask before ordering meat in the countryside. For Friday prayers, the Juma Mosque in Abanotubani is the best known mosque in the capital.

Family tips

• Car with driver is the easiest way to do the mountain days with children; mountain roads are winding, so bring motion sickness tablets.
• Pack layers. Tbilisi can be warm in July while Kazbegi needs a jacket in the evening.
• Insurance is required for visa applicants and wise for everyone.
• Cash is useful in villages; cards work almost everywhere in Tbilisi.

Prefer lakes and green valleys closer to home? Try our 6-day Trabzon trip plan, or go further with a 5-year Schengen visa for Saudi citizens.

Want more city breaks within a short flight of the Gulf? Our sister site TripKompass has a day-by-day plan for Baku.