Georgia

This page is about Georgia, the country in the Caucasus between the Black Sea and the Caspian, not the US state.

Is Georgia safe to visit?

Yes. Georgia has low crime and a US Level 1 advisory. Most visitors to Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Svaneti and the wine region of Kakheti have no trouble. Three things need attention: mountain roads and erratic driving, the political protests that have run in Tbilisi every day since late 2024, and the two Russian-occupied regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where you should not go. We score Georgia 74, a little above Turkey.

The protests in Tbilisi

The protests began on 28 November 2024, when the governing Georgian Dream party said it would pause preparations for EU accession until 2028. That followed the October 2024 parliamentary election, which the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary says international observers described as fundamentally flawed. By 9 September 2026, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary counted the 650th consecutive day of demonstrations.

The government's response has been tough. In the first weeks, police used water cannon, tear gas and batons, and hundreds of people were detained. Parliament has since raised penalties: under amendments passed in October 2025, wearing a mask at a rally or blocking a road can bring up to 15 days in detention, and fines of 5,000 lari for blocking the road outside Parliament have reached about 2 million lari in total, according to the legal group GYLA. The OSCE's human rights office, ODIHR, has said that peaceful protesters continue to be detained and fined and that such fines go against international standards. The government says the unrest is being organised by outside forces.

For a visitor, the practical risk is small but real. Rallies centre on Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, mostly on Saturday evenings and anniversaries, and can spread elsewhere. The FCDO warns that foreigners who take part may be questioned when leaving or refused entry next time. Watch from a distance or not at all, and keep a route away from Rustaveli in the evening.

Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the boundary lines

Russia has occupied Abkhazia, in the north-west, and South Ossetia, north of Gori, since the 2008 war. The US says do not travel there and the UK advises against all travel, plus all but essential travel next to the boundary lines. Those lines are often unmarked and away from roads, and people who stray across can be detained by the local de facto authorities. Unexploded weapons remain near the lines and around the Red Bridge crossing to Azerbaijan. At the Davit Gareja monastery, the Azerbaijani border runs unmarked along the ridge; stay with the border guards' directions.

Entering Georgia from Russia through either region is illegal under Georgian law and can mean up to 4 years in prison.

Mountain roads and driving

Georgia's roads kill far more people than Western Europe's. The Interior Ministry counted 469 deaths in 2025, the highest since 2019, or about 129 per million people against an EU average of 44. A third of those killed were pedestrians. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists badly lit roads outside cities, stray livestock, confusing right of way, poorly maintained cars and erratic driving.

The mountain routes are where visitors are most exposed. The Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi crosses the Jvari Pass, and the road to Mestia in Svaneti winds for hours above river gorges. Rain and snow bring landslides and close roads, especially in spring. Marshrutka minibuses are cheap but often driven fast. Hire an experienced driver for mountain trips, avoid driving at night, and do not drink at all if you drive; the legal limit is lower than the UK's.

Health and the outdoors

Disease risk is low, but stray dogs are common and rabies is present, so get treatment the same day if you are bitten or scratched. Vipers are active in early summer, and anti-venom is rare outside big towns. Altitude sickness can affect people at Gudauri and on Kazbek. Tbilisi has adequate private clinics, but care elsewhere is limited, and mountain rescue can be slow. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls off-piste skiing very dangerous, partly because avalanche information is hard to get.

How to stay safe in Georgia

• Keep away from rallies on Rustaveli Avenue, especially on Saturday evenings.
• Do not approach the boundary lines with Abkhazia or South Ossetia without a guide.
• Book taxis through an app such as Bolt rather than hailing them, and check for working seat belts.
• Hire a driver for Kazbegi and Svaneti, and check road closures after rain or snow.
• Buy your own drinks and be wary of strangers who invite you to a particular bar.
• Save 112 for police, fire and ambulance.

How we scored it

Violent crime (87) and petty crime (80) are the strongest factors, in line with the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's view that crime is low. Road safety (62) is the weakest, followed by conflict (70), which reflects the occupied regions and the continuing protests rather than any threat in the main tourist areas. Natural hazards (70) cover earthquakes, landslides and avalanches. The latest homicide count, for 2023, is of registered cases rather than victims, so confidence stays medium.