You need a 4x4 for Tusheti, not for Georgia’s main roads
Not for the main roads: the routes to Kazbegi, the Gergeti church and Mestia are paved. You need a 4x4 for Tusheti, and a contract that covers gravel for roads such as Juta. Five operators publish rules allowing official gravel and mountain roads, most only for some car classes, and five permit Tusheti in some form, though WeRent says it does not insure it there.
Route rules and 4WD fleets, company by company
- good for the renter
- a cost or restriction
- claimed, no detail
- pages disagree
- source on the operator's site
- Grouped by how each company's published terms treat gravel and mountain roads; within groups by road-trip score, then 4WD share and Google reviews.
Rules that allow official gravel and mountain roads 5 companies
Cars4rent and PArent in their Difficult Off-Road class, RentUp in its 4x4 category, 4Drive on its 4x4 page (its terms conflict), and WeRent for all official roads.
| Company | Gravel and mountain roads | Tusheti | Automatic 4WD | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Good for the renter: All official roads incl. gravel and dirt are insured↗ | Cost or restriction: Off-road class only, and not insured↗ | Good for the renter: 10 of 11 models, all automatic, incl. 4Runner, Prado↗ | $200↗ | |
Good for the renter: By car class; Difficult Off-Road class: any official road↗ | Good for the renter: Difficult Off-Road class only↗ | 4 of 6 home-page best sellers; full fleet not published↗ | Good for the renter: None stated (tyres excluded)↗ | |
Good for the renter: By car class; Difficult Off-Road class: any official road↗ | Excluded for lower classes; Difficult Off-road class not restricted↗ | not published | Good for the renter: None stated↗ | |
Good for the renter: Gravel allowed and insured in the 4x4 category↗ | 4x4 with written agreement; extra 500 GEL excess↗ | 6 of 17 incl. Prado, Pajero, Delica↗ | 300–1,200 GEL by class↗ | |
Good for the renter: 4x4 page: unpaved public roads covered↗pages disagree | Good for the renter: Possible with a 4x4↗pages disagree | RAV4, Delica↗ | Claimed, no detail: Exists, amount not published↗pages disagree |
Some routes allowed with conditions, or no written limits 3 companies
OG Drive allows some gravel routes on some cars for an off-road fee and bans others; Silk Road and Cheap Car Rental publish no mountain or gravel rule. Ask before you book.
| Company | Gravel and mountain roads | Tusheti | Automatic 4WD | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cars labelled by terrain class; no written route limits found↗ | not published | Good for the renter: 5 of 9 models are 4x4 incl. Explorer↗ | Good for the renter: 0 (tyres excluded)↗ | |
No mountain or gravel restriction published↗ | not published | Good for the renter: All 3 models: Pajero iO, Patriot, X-Terra↗ | not published | |
Some routes allowed with an off-road fee, others banned↗ | Cost or restriction: Banned (FAQ)↗pages disagree | Good for the renter: 11 AWD models incl. Crosstrek, CX-5, Tucson↗ | Good for the renter: $0, incl. tyres and glass↗ |
Paved roads only, or off-road routes prohibited 4 companies
Read these rules before planning gravel stretches, even with a 4WD car.
| Company | Gravel and mountain roads | Tusheti | Automatic 4WD | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost or restriction: Paved roads only (terms)↗pages disagree | not published | Good for the renter: 37 of 50 listings flagged 4x4 incl. 4Runner, Wrangler↗ | not published | |
Cost or restriction: All off-road routes prohibited↗ | Cost or restriction: Prohibited↗ | Good for the renter: 8 model families incl. 4Runner, GX 460↗ | “No excess on standard claims”↗pages disagree | |
Heavy off-road prohibited; off-road damage not insured↗ | Cost or restriction: Off-limits, even for jeeps↗ | Good for the renter: 12 of 20 models incl. Prado, Fortuner, Wrangler↗ | Equal to the deposit↗ | |
Cost or restriction: Unpaved-road damage excluded↗ | not published | RAV4 Hybrid only↗ | not published |
No route rules published 1 company
| Company | Gravel and mountain roads | Tusheti | Automatic 4WD | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
not published | not published | Good for the renter: 7 of 8 models incl. Grand Cherokee, CX-9↗ | not published |
The rules matter more than the fleet
A Land Cruiser on a paved-roads-only contract leaves you uninsured on a gravel pass, while a Forester on a contract that covers official gravel roads does not. Ask the company to confirm your route in writing before you book, and photograph the tyres at pick-up: most operators exclude tyre damage or charge for it separately.
The right car for each road
- Kazbegi, the Gergeti church, Mestia, Kakheti: paved; most cars manage them in summer, though Car Rent Deme requires an SUV for the Gergeti church road.
- Mestia to Ushguli: much of it is now paved, but Cars4rent excludes Ushguli for its lower car classes and RentUp allows it only in its 4x4 category; check your operator's rule.
- Juta and similar side valleys: gravel; an AWD crossover is enough in dry weather if the contract covers gravel. Localrent and Car Rent Deme prohibit Juta.
- Tusheti via the Abano Pass: a body-on-frame 4x4 such as a Toyota 4Runner or Land Cruiser Prado, roughly June to October, and only with a company that permits the route.
- Winter: the Jvari Pass on the road to Kazbegi can close after heavy snow; check the Roads Department of Georgia's updates before setting out.
Common questions
Do I need a 4x4 to drive in Georgia?
Not for the main highways, Kakheti or the paved roads to Kazbegi, the Gergeti church and Mestia. A 4WD helps on gravel such as the Juta road, and is required for Tusheti. Much of the Mestia–Ushguli road is now paved, but several rental contracts still restrict it, so check the terms, not only the car.
Which rental companies allow gravel and mountain roads?
Cars4rent and PArent allow any official road with cars in their Difficult Off-Road class, RentUp insures gravel in its 4x4 category, 4Drive’s 4x4 page says unpaved public roads are covered (its terms conflict), and WeRent states that all official roads, including gravel and dirt, are insured. Localrent and Royal Car Rent publish paved-roads-only rules.
Which rental companies allow Tusheti?
4Drive (in a 4x4, though its terms conflict), Cars4rent and PArent (Difficult Off-Road class) and RentUp (4x4 with written agreement and a 500 GEL higher excess) publish permission. WeRent allows only its off-road class there and says the route is not insured. Citty, Car Rent Deme and Localrent prohibit it, and so does OG Drive’s FAQ.