My Journey to the Back Country
My name is Timothy Merkel. I grew up in Baltimore, but I came to Georgia for the first time in 2009. That short visit hooked me on this country, and I moved here for my first long stay in 2011 to teach English in a few rural villages. That is where I learned the Georgian language and began exploring the incredible diversity hidden just off the main roads.
After a few years away, I moved back permanently in 2019 and have been here ever since. I spend my days making music, writing poetry, making films, hiking, and building up an exhaustive knowledge of Georgia's secrets. I obsessively explore the back country, walking for weeks on end or dragging friends out in my Jimny to hunt for medieval ruins and obscure mountains.
Eventually, I realized that I feel happiest and most fulfilled when I am sharing these raw, unfiltered experiences with people like you. That is why I started Timothy's Tours.
My Guiding Philosophy
I am not a typical tour guide, and my job is not to pamper you. I don't find this work interesting if I have to drive to the same crowded tourist traps and repeat the same generic script every day.
I am here to handle the chaos so you can safely experience a Georgia that most people never see. Whether we are exploring the desolate steppes of Kakheti or sitting around a village table piled high with feasts, I want you to feel like a true adventurer.
Every traveler's version of Georgia is a bit different. I love creating unique trips that fit the diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and enthusiasms you bring to the table. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, you have found the right guide.