Caucasus - laadilikanw ka ɲɛsin sira kan

After 2 months of traveling through Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, we feel entitled to pass judgment: This region is unjustifiably neglected in travel guides and international perception. It is not only incredibly beautiful but also fascinating and diverse. We want to make it a bit more enticing for you - and then reveal why you can also visit it with your family.

Why the Caucasus?

- Because there are probably few places with so many climatic zones, different landscapes, and ethnic groups side by side. The countries are very small, and you can quickly drive from one border to the next, from steppe to jungle to high mountains. In a short period of time, you can experience the diversity of this region. We particularly enjoyed the mountain world around Juta, a village in the Kazbegi region. From there, some hiking and trekking trails led to the incredibly beautiful landscape. In Armenia, we were fascinated by the canyons, which we were able to see from nearby or from a distance. However, we were glad that we were there in September - and even then, it was still so hot at noon that we preferred to stay in the shade of a tree. Sun lovers and nature enthusiasts are in the right place.

- The prices here are extremely budget-friendly. If you travel like us - sleep in guesthouses, use public transportation, cook occasionally but also eat in restaurants - you can have a wonderful vacation for very little money. But there are also options for higher standards. Everywhere we went, there were hotels that probably have better bathrooms than the ones we saw. You have to be prepared for that: The standard of living is simply not as high as in Europe. But if you embrace it, you have the opportunity to experience a very interesting and different way of life.

- Because the infrastructure allows for uncomplicated and flexible travel! If you come from Europe, you think you have to reserve and book things in advance. Yes, you can - but by doing so, you miss out on many opportunities that may arise. Thanks to the internet and various apps, we were able to design our travel itinerary according to our current needs and wishes. We were able to book good accommodations on booking.com or Airbnb sometimes just an hour before arrival. Many hosts were very flexible, always on site, and we could often extend our stay if we liked it. The hosts also had no problem communicating via WhatsApp, which made communication easier (Google Translate and copy paste/insert). We were also able to take many bus rides spontaneously and without complications. A new discovery for us: Apps like Uber, Yandex, or Bolt quickly provide a helpful taxi driver. Negotiating with the other greedy taxi drivers drove us crazy. Often, they didn't even know how to get to the destination and wandered through the city with us. With these apps, everything is taken care of: the price, the address. No problem with a cheap local SIM card. Highly recommended for this region!

- Because the countries in the Caucasus have not yet been swallowed up by mass tourism. We ourselves have never experienced this phenomenon to such an extent, but we sensed it when we once docked in Venice. It simply was no fun to experience yourself as part of a huge swarm of fish devouring a city. We never had that feeling here in the Caucasus. Of course, tourism is probably most advanced in Georgia, and you can see people everywhere with trekking shoes and selfie sticks. We also met plenty of other Germans (retirees? bus tours?), especially in Armenia. But it is still within the limit of what brings progress and jobs. We almost always had the feeling that people were happy to see foreigners and benefited from them. In a village in Azerbaijan, people reacted to our children as if they had never seen blonde little ones before. It was very sweet how people from the other side of the street waved at us and wanted to inquire curiously.

- The food is simply delicious. In all three countries, we came across similar dishes again and again. And yet, there is such a variety. The cuisine is refreshing on the one hand, hearty and rich on the other. We were particularly amazed by the huge selection of fruits. Often, we simply nourished ourselves with peaches, watermelons, and raspberries, which can be bought on every corner. Yummy!

- Because the people are just nice. As Western tourists, we felt that people greeted us with special joy. As soon as we stood somewhere helplessly, we were approached if someone could help us (of course, not in the most touristy places). We never felt unsafe or threatened. We also had no fear for our belongings. Locals negotiated for us, translated for us, gave us food and good wishes, saved seats for us, and found accommodations for us. Hospitality is highly valued, and how nice it is to be invited by strangers for tea or a shot! Exceptions to this rule are probably stall owners at monasteries and - you guessed it - taxi drivers.

Why the Caucasus with children?

Feeling excited? Then grab your family and let's go! We embarked on the journey with our two daughters, 4 and 1 1/2 years old. If you also belong to the category of 'Young family with a taste for adventure,' then you have to read this:

- We thought we had already had positive encounters between our children and strangers in Germany and Switzerland. But here in the Caucasus, it's a completely different story. As a family with young children, we already had all the bonus points with passersby, sellers, and hosts. We were praised and given gifts, caressed and entertained, served extra quickly or allowed to go ahead, and often treated preferentially. Did our baby break something? No problem. One of our children crying endlessly? No problem. A child running towards the street? No problem - 3 men are there to help. We rarely experienced even a raised eyebrow when a child was screaming. There were often many helpful arms that wanted to distract and help. It was very nice to experience this, and we are very grateful to the people here because it made traveling as a family enjoyable.

- 'The law of the child reigns here,' a young woman told us about her home country, Georgia. And that's why children are simply everywhere. Unlike our countries, they are allowed to play around in restaurants or play soccer in public spaces. We may have more playgrounds, but here, children can really be a part of society and are not pushed aside. We particularly liked the cafes in the center of Yerevan, Armenia, which offered integrated childcare. We parents could enjoy a drink while our children were supervised and allowed to play in the cool playground in the heart of the beautiful city, all for a very low price. Awesome!

- My biggest concern before our departure was medical care. I couldn't really imagine how we would handle it if one of us needed to be treated quickly. Fortunately, it did not come to that. And I realized pretty soon how small the countries in the Caucasus actually are. Within a few hours, you can quickly reach any capital city where there are also private clinics. That reassured me quite a bit.

- Traveling here was relatively relaxed. Short distances, accommodations with families including washing machine, kitchen, and bandages. We could often extend or cancel our stays, depending on our mood. Our biggest criterion was terrace railings: Since there are no guidelines here, everyone can design their railing however they want (and maybe even a toddler can fall through it). Often, we could already tell from the photos online whether we would fit into the accommodation or not. And yet, it was nice that we could extend our stay after booking one night if we felt comfortable as a family.

- We always had access to everything we needed. There were small kiosks, plenty of pharmacies, and supermarkets open late into the night everywhere in the countries. Diapers, wet wipes, milk, or butter cookies - even at eleven in the evening, we could quickly go out and buy something. The supply was consistently good, even though we had imagined it would be more difficult in advance. Excellent!

- We were able to learn so much. In the Caucasus, there is a lot of history: monasteries and temples, ancient cities, and remnants of the Silk Road. And as parents, we didn't feel like we were missing out on anything. However, we didn't take guided tours (that would have been too exhausting for us with two small children), but set out to the sights independently, often combined with a picnic. But just like the others, we could travel through time and experience the air of the past - and meanwhile, we got to know plenty of locals and discovered the nature around the attractions.

If you have any questions or ideas, leave a comment!

We are now looking forward to the next region we will be traveling to tomorrow - Dubai and Oman, here we come!