World’s Top 10 Travel Photographer 2022 ( awarded by Oneeyeland) William Chua is back with a exciting new location for travel and photo enthusiasts.
Working with Yellow Kudu Journeys Singapore (TA03275) , a STB licensed travel agent based in Singapore, he will bring participants to explore the beauty of Georgia in Autumn

He will guide the participants along for photography and there will also be critique sessions to help participants improve on their photos

A briefing will be done prior to the trip

Workshop is open to participants of all levels, inexperienced and experienced alike, any camera users, even iphone. Non Photographing companions are welcomed as well.

Day 1 ( 16 Sept Sat) Singapore / Doha / Tbilisi 

Fly Singapore/Doha QR945 0240/0525 (7h 45m) – 4h 15 min Transit 

Doha/Tbilisi QR 255. 0940/1350 (3h 10m) 

You arrive at the airport in Tibilisi at 1350 hrs, Georgia and transfer to the hotel. Have a photography tour in Tbilisi streets. Overnight at 4 star hotel. 

Day 02 ( 17 Sept Sun ) Tbilisi – Mtskheta ( 50 – 70 km) 

Early in the morning we will photograph Narikala Castle with the city in the background, then the domes of the old sulphur baths. Return to the hotel for breakfast and take the morning to rest. In the afternoon, we will be shooting the frescoes of the beautiful Sioni Church and the Metekhi Church right on the river then the impressive Sameba Cathedral and the modern pedestrian bridge over the River Mtkvari. Drive for sightseeing of UNESCO site Mtskheta, visit Ivary Church and Svetitskhovely Cathedral. Along the way, we will stop at Jvari to photograph the confluence of two rivers, and from an elevated perspective this makes a unique and beautiful landscape shot. Back to the Tbilisi. At sunset, we will again photograph the Narikala Castle in a different lighting situation with the city and its impressive architecture illuminated artfully. Overnight at 4 star hotel 

Day 03 ( 18 Sept Mon ) Tbilisi – Kutaisi ( 330 km) 

Tbilisi – Uplistikhe 85 km 

Uplistkha – Katskhi Pilla 135 km 

Katskhi- Kutaisi 70 km 

Early in the morning, we will photograph the Mtkvari River and reflections on it. We then have breakfast and leave for Kutaisi. We also stop at Uplistsikhe, a monastic cave settlement that dates from the 9th century A.D. The rock-hewn caves are reminiscent of Cappadocia in Turkey, and there are dozens of excellent compositions both interior and exterior. Nearby the Katskhi Pillar makes a stunning picture. It is a 37 m high natural monolith with a single monk’s hermit on the top. Arrival in Kutaisi and photograph the beautifully lit Bagrati Church at night. Overnight 3-star hotel. 

Day 04 ( 19 Sept Tues ) Kutaisi – Mestia ( 255 km) 

Kutaisi – Zugdidi 115 km 

Zugdidi – Mestia – 140 km 

This morning we drive to Mestia, located in the beautiful Caucasus Mountains. The drive offers great landscape photo opportunities as well as interesting and unique “tower villages” that make you feel like you have gone back in time to the Middle Ages. We reach Mestia and photograph this quaint mountain town with the impressive Caucasus Mountains as a stunning backdrop. At twilight, the mixture of colors from the artificial lights and the cobalt blue of the sky makes fantastic travel images. Overnight 3-star hotel. 

Day 05 ( 20 Sept wed ) Mestia ( 100 km) 

We make an early departure to take advantage of the beautiful light in the mountain roads of the Caucasus. Out 4×4 vehicles will take us to a community of villages located at an altitude of over 2000 m at the foot of the impressive Mt Shkhara which is an astonishing 5181 m. This entire area offers breathtaking views, and classic landscape techniqies for capturing the grandeur that surrounds us. In the late afternoon, we will drive back to Mestia, and the entire landscape will look different because the angle of the light will be coming from the west. Overnight 3-star hotel 

Note: For visit to Ushguli village, we use 4WD Deliva minibuses, it is only 100km round trip. But road leads through the mountains and it takes about 3 hours one way. Scenery is beautiful and there is a lot of nice places for photography. 

Day 06 ( 21 Sept Thurs ) Mestia – Zugdidi – Borjomi 

Mestia – Zugdidi 140 km ( 3 hrs) 

Zugdidi – Borjomi 235 km ( 5hrs) 

This is primarily a travel day, crossing Georgia from north to South. We take a scenic road and can stop to photograph the countryside as well as local people. 

Have lunch at Ethno village – Sisa Toura 

Optional Stop in town Zugdidi for shooting of local city life 

Then we depart to town of Borjomi, this is a small town located in the famous water resort from Sovie times. 

Have walking tour in Borjomi park. Overnight 3-star hotel 

Day 07 ( 22 Sept Fri ) Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia ( 330 km) 

Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe 45 km ( 1 hr) 

Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia 60 km ( 1.5 hrs) 

Vardzia – Tbilisi 225 km ( 4 hrs) 

Morning drive to rock hewn complex of Vardzia via Akhaltsikhe. Visit Rabaty Castle in Akhaltsikhe – with its multicultural architecture, is well worthwhile. Rare examples of Darbazebi (traditional Georgian houses) 

Cluster around the castle, which was built in the 12th century and houses a mosque from 1752, a synagogue, an Armenian Church and a Catholic Church. On the way make short photo stop at Khervisi Fortress ( 10th cc). 

Arrive in Vardzia , Monastery complex is located on the left bank of the river Mtkvari. It was founded in the 12th – 23th century. Initially planned as a town fortress, the comples became a well fortified monastery, which had a significant role in political, cultural, educational and spiritual life of the country. There are two room, three room and four room cliff dwellings in Vardzia, including two storey ones, galleries and vertical tunnels, secret passes and and pharmacy. 

Day 08 ( 23 Sept Sat ) Tbilisi – Wine region – Kakheti – Tibilisi ( 300 km) 

Morning drive to explore the region of Kakheti, the biggest and most important winemaking region in Georgia, which is famous with its hospitality, delicious food, and ancient Georgian technique of winemaking which dates to the 8th Century BC and is till used to produce unique Organic Qvevri wine. First, we will visit local winery to enjoy wine tasting and village corner in Georgian style, followed by participating in masterclass and bread baking. After the degustation, enjoy lunch at winery restaurant with Georgian barbeque. Afternoon drive to the 18th century Royal Town of Signaghi. Surrounded by the longest defensive wall in the region with 23 towers. Signaghi used to be an important strategic place on the East-West trade route, where the Silk Road travellers from Asia and Europe used to pass. 

In the late afternoon, drive to Tbilisi 

Overnight 4-star Hotel. 

Day 09 ( 24 Sept Sun ) Tbilisi/Doha/Singapore 

The morning is yours to explore the surroundings for street photography before regrouping at 12 noon for your transfer to the airport for your flight home 

Tibilisi/Doha QR 235 1450/1655 (3 hr 05m) 

3h 05m transit 

Doha/Singapore QR 942 2000/0905+1 ( 8h 05m) 

Arrive Singapore at 0905 hrs on 25 sept ( mon) 

Accomodations 

Tbilisi: Courtyard by Marriott 4* 

Kutaisi: Terrance Kutaisi 3* or similar 

Mestia: Mestia Inn 3* or similar 

Borjomi: Golden Tylip 4* or similar 

Pricing (per pax, min 4 ) 

o SGD $4500 twin sharing basis 

o Add SGD $450 for single room occupancy 

The price includes: 

1. Transfer from/to Airport by comfortable A/C sprinter type vehicle 

2. Transportation by comfortable A/C sprinter type vehicle in Georgia and 4WD in Ushguli village 

3. 1 x experienced English speaking guide as per program. 

4. 1 x bottle of mineral water per pax per day 

5. Entrance fees as per program 

6. Staff accommodation in countryside 

7. Portage at the hotels and local taxes 

8. Breakfasts at the hotels as per program ( in case of early morning departure, breakfast boxes will be provided) 

7 x lunches at local restaurant ( in some cases, lunch boxes might be needed) 

8 x dinners at local/hotel restaurant as per program 

The pricing does not include: 

1. International Airfare on Qatar Airlines 

2. Passport and visa fees 

3. Airport taxes and excess baggage charges 

4. Personal and travel insurances throughout the journey 

5. Personal expenses (Drinks, Alcohol, laundryetc) 

6. Guide and Driver tips 

Email me at will03@williamchua.com for questions or reservations or watsapp me at 97577691

About William Chua

William Chua is an international award winning photographer based in Singapore. He does predominantly weddings, travel, landscapes, and wildlife photography
He has garnered awards from IPA (New York), MPA (London), PX3 (Paris), PDN, Sony World Awards,  the Black and White Spider Awards and was also awarded World’s Top 10 Travel Photographer 2022 by Oneeyeland

His works have been published in various publications (including SilverKris Magazine, Drukair Magazine, Asian Geographic, Geographical Magazine (UK) , PDN Magazine, Lux Magazine etc)
and they are also represented by Modern Art Etc, based in Los Angeles, California for sale as Fine Art Prints

As a Fujifilm Ambassador for 9 years, he works closely with Fujifilm Singapore and Fujifilm HQ in Japan and has created many videos for the launch of their new equipment. Most notably for the launch of the Fujifilm XT4 where he is one of the 4 photographers selected globally to endorse the camera.

He is also a speaker in Fujikina 2022

Having led photography workshops to China, Morocco, Mongolia, Scandinavia, Iceland, Bhutan and Africa, and given numerous talks on photography, he hopes to be able to help photo enthusiasts take their photography to the next level.