David Gareja is a rock-hewn Georgian Orthodox monastery complex located in Kakheti region on the half-desert slopes of Mount Gareja, approximately 60–70 km southeast of Tbilisi. The complex includes cells, churches, chapels, refectories and living quarters hollowed out of the rock face, but visitors usually visit two spot: Lavra and, on the hill above it, Udabno, which has beautiful frescoes. 

It takes two to three hours to explore Lavra and Udabno. In July and August it can get hot there by the middle of the day, so an early start is best.

The complex is one of the most remarkable historic sites and its uniqueness is heightened by a semidesert landscape that turns green and blooms with flowers in early summer. 

The complex was founded in the VI century by St. David Garjeli, one of the thirteen Assyrian monks who arrived in the country at the same time. Despite the harsh environment, the monastery remained an important center of religious and cultural activity for many centuries; at certain periods, the monasteries owned extensive agricultural lands and many villages.  The renaissance of fresco painting chronologically coincides with the general development of life in the David Gareja monastery. From the late XI to the early XIII centuries, the economic and cultural development of David Gareja reached a peak, reflecting the general prosperity of the medieval Kingdom of Georgia. 

The monastery complex was destroyed by the Mongols in 1265, revived in the XIV century by Giorgi V the Brilliant, and then destroyed on Easter night 1615 when Shah Abbas’ soldiers killed 6000 monks and damaged many of the artistic treasures kept there. The monastery never regained its former importance, though it remains active even today, attracting visitors with its unique atmosphere.