Rehabilitation in Georgia after treatment: a clinical programme or a spa resort
Rehabilitation after treatment can mean two quite different things: clinical rehabilitation, carried out by doctors and physiotherapists, or a stay at a spa resort with thermal and mineral waters. Which one you need, and whether you need either, is decided by your treating doctor. We take their written recommendation and arrange everything else: finding a place, transfers, accommodation and an interpreter. We work with you in English and Russian, and in other languages with the help of an interpreter.
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On your doctor's recommendationThe format of rehabilitation is chosen by the treating doctor, not by a coordinator
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From clinic to resortTransfers, accommodation and documents in a single plan
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Costs up frontThe facility's price and our fee shown separately, in writing
In short: how we arrange rehabilitation in Georgia
- Whether rehabilitation is needed, in what form and when it should start is determined by the treating doctor. We do not change, add to or shorten their recommendation.
- Clinical rehabilitation is a medical process: physiotherapy, exercises and medical supervision in a specialised facility or a hospital department.
- A resort stay is a different format: a sanatorium or hotel near thermal and mineral waters, with a more relaxed daily routine.
- We describe the resorts' properties as the resort municipality or the official tourism authority describes them. We make no medical claims of our own.
- We arrange the transfer from the clinic, accommodation, an interpreter and the handover of your documents to the rehabilitation doctor.
- You pay the facility directly. Our fee is separate and, if any facility pays us a commission, we tell you before you make your choice.
Clinical rehabilitation or a resort: how do they differ?
These two formats are often confused, because both are called "rehabilitation". The table shows how they differ in terms of organisation. Which one is right for you is something only your doctor can tell you.
| What you want to know | Clinical rehabilitation | A stay at a spa resort |
|---|---|---|
| Who is in charge | A rehabilitation doctor and physiotherapists, as prescribed by the treating doctor | The resort or sanatorium doctor, if the facility has one; they prescribe the procedures |
| Typical request we receive | At discharge, the doctor prescribed physiotherapy or a programme to restore movement | The doctor considers that a resort stay after treatment is possible or advisable |
| Where you stay | As an inpatient, or in a hotel or apartment near the facility, attending during the day | In a sanatorium or hotel at the resort |
| Documents required | Discharge summary, the operation report if there is one, the treating doctor's recommendation | Discharge summary and the doctor's opinion that a resort stay is acceptable for you |
| What we do | Find a place, check language and dates, arrange transfers and accommodation | Check which procedures the facility offers, arrange the journey and accommodation |
Some patients need both, one after the other: clinical rehabilitation first and then, with the doctor's permission, a few days at a resort. Others need neither, because the doctor recommends rehabilitation at home with their own physiotherapist. Both are perfectly normal, and our plan follows the doctor's decision.
Tskaltubo, Borjomi, Sairme and Nunisi: how do official sources describe these resorts?
Georgia has several well-known spa resorts, places where natural mineral and thermal waters are used for drinking and bathing. The descriptions below are not our medical assessment: they are what the resort municipality itself or the Georgian National Tourism Administration says. The latter is the state agency that presents the country to tourists and runs the georgia.travel website.
Tskaltubo (Imereti, western Georgia)
The official website of Tskaltubo Municipality describes the resort's radon thermal water, which has a natural temperature of about 35 degrees. According to the municipality, the water is used for problems of the limbs, the peripheral nervous system, the heart and blood vessels, the skin, metabolism, and endocrine and gynaecological conditions, while the karst caves are used for bronchial asthma, hypertension and neuroses. The same source states that a course lasts 20-24 days.
Borjomi (Samtskhe-Javakheti, southern Georgia)
According to the website of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, Borjomi's mineral water of volcanic origin is used for diseases of the stomach, liver, gall bladder, kidneys and endocrine system, while the baths help the bones and joints, circulation and the respiratory system.
Sairme (Imereti)
As the same source describes it, Sairme has warm thermal water for bathing and four kinds of drinking mineral water, which are used for problems of the kidneys, gall bladder and digestive system.
Nunisi (Kharagauli Municipality, Imereti)
The Georgian National Tourism Administration describes Nunisi as a resort with naturally warm water for drinking and bathing, used for skin problems and diseases of the nervous system, and considers the local air good for the lungs.
From the doctor's recommendation to your first day of rehabilitation
The five steps we follow to arrange rehabilitation, whether you have already had treatment in Georgia or are still planning it.
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Written recommendation
We ask the treating doctor to write down what kind of rehabilitation is needed, when it can start, for how long and with what restrictions. If this is already in the discharge summary, that is enough.
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Finding options
We select facilities with the right profile and ask about available dates, the staff's languages, wheelchair access to rooms and what the price includes. You receive a written comparison.
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The doctor's confirmation
We show the chosen option to the treating doctor, who confirms whether it matches their recommendation. Only then do we book.
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Passing on your documents
With your consent, we send the discharge summary and recommendation to the rehabilitation doctor in advance, translated if necessary, so that you do not have to tell your whole story again on the first day.
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Journey and accommodation
On the day of discharge, the transfer leaves from the clinic door and your accommodation is already prepared. At the end of the first day we call you to check that everything happened as agreed.
Transfers, accommodation, length of stay and insurance
Transfer from the clinic to the region
Tskaltubo, Sairme and Nunisi are in the Imereti region, whose main city is Kutaisi, while Borjomi is in Samtskhe-Javakheti. The journey there from a Tbilisi clinic takes several hours, so we choose the vehicle according to your mobility: an ordinary car, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or, if the doctor requires you to travel lying down, medical transport provided by our ICU ambulance and ground transfer service. Getting to and from the airport is described on our airport pick-up and transport page.
Accommodation for you and your companion
When choosing a sanatorium or hotel, we check what really matters after surgery: a lift, step-free access, a bathroom with grab rails, the distance to the treatment building and a room for the person accompanying you. You will find the general accommodation arrangements on our accommodation page.
Length of stay and visa
Rehabilitation extends your stay in Georgia, so we check the dates before you arrive. If your country is on the government list whose citizens may stay visa-free for up to a year, this rarely becomes an issue. Citizens of some countries, however, receive an e-visa, which for citizens of India and Egypt, for example, is issued for 30 days. A short-term visa cannot be extended while you are in Georgia, so we calculate the whole period of treatment and rehabilitation in advance. We explain the details on our visa and entry page.
Mandatory insurance for the whole period
Since 1 January 2026, foreign visitors have needed a policy covering health and accidents from the day of arrival to the day of departure, with a sum insured of at least GEL 30,000, in Georgian or English. If rehabilitation delays your return, the policy must also be extended for the extra days. Bear in mind that a travel policy usually does not cover planned treatment or rehabilitation: it meets the entry requirement but, as a rule, does not pay for the course itself.
Who pays whom
You pay the rehabilitation centre, sanatorium or hotel yourself, at their prices. We confirm the payment method, card or bank transfer, with the facility in advance and do not guarantee any particular method. Our coordination fee is a separate line that you see in writing before work begins. The whole process, from choosing a clinic to returning home, is described on our main page for international patients.
Frequently asked questions about rehabilitation and spa resorts
Can you advise me which resort or rehabilitation centre I need?
We do not make medical choices, nor are we able to: that is a matter for your treating doctor, who knows your diagnosis, the operation you have had and any possible contraindications. Our role is logistical. We take the doctor's recommendation and find facilities that match it, compare dates, language, accessibility and what the price includes, and then show the chosen option to the doctor for confirmation. If the doctor says rehabilitation at home would be better, we build the plan around that and will not offer you a resort.
How long does a course of rehabilitation last?
The length is set by your doctor according to your condition, and there is no general answer. Resorts publish their own recommendations: for example, Tskaltubo Municipality states that a course there lasts 20-24 days, but that is a description of the resort, not your prescription. In terms of organisation, the length affects two things: your visa or visa-free period of stay, and the mandatory insurance, which must remain valid until the last day of your stay. We check both before you arrive, so that neither runs out halfway through the course.
Should I do rehabilitation in Georgia or after I return home?
Your treating doctor decides this and often chooses a combination: the first days or weeks on site, the rest at home with your own physiotherapist. In terms of organisation, both are possible. If you stay in Georgia, we arrange the facility, accommodation and transfers. If you go home, we ask the doctor to set out the rehabilitation plan in writing, translate it into your language and pass it to whoever you name. That way your physiotherapist does not have to work from a verbal account and can continue the programme from where it stopped in Georgia.
In what language are rehabilitation and procedures carried out?
That depends on the facility. Staff speak Georgian, often Russian too, while the level of English varies. So when we compare options, we ask who will be speaking with you and in which language, and we note the answer in the comparison. If there is no common language, we arrange an interpreter: on site when the doctor explains the programme or assesses your progress, and by phone for everyday questions. Physiotherapy exercises are often explained by demonstration, but restrictions and warnings must always be understood in words, so we never leave those moments without an interpreter.
Can the person accompanying me stay with me, and what do they need?
In most sanatoriums and hotels a companion can stay in the same room or an adjoining one, which we confirm when booking. Inpatient rehabilitation has stricter rules, and some facilities do not allow a companion to stay overnight, so we look for accommodation nearby. A companion is a traveller in their own right: they too must meet the entry rules for their own citizenship and have mandatory insurance for their entire stay. These two things are often forgotten, so we check both together with the patient's documents.
What happens if I feel worse during rehabilitation?
The first person to tell is the facility's doctor or the staff on duty, who assess your condition on the spot. In a life-threatening situation in Georgia, call 112, the single emergency number for ambulance, police and fire services. Then let us know: we put the rehabilitation doctor in touch with your treating doctor and, if needed, arrange transport to the clinic and an interpreter. Even then, medical decisions are made by doctors. That is why, before rehabilitation starts, we always confirm how you can reach the treating clinic at night and at weekends.
Related to arranging rehabilitation
- Care after surgery while you are in Georgia A nurse, a caregiver and equipment at your hotel or apartment, from discharge until your flight.
- Returning home after treatment Clearance to fly, a medical escort and documents for your doctor.
- Medical document translation Your discharge summary and rehabilitation report for the doctor in your country, in their language.
Your doctor chooses the format, we arrange the journey
Send us your discharge summary or the doctor's recommendation. We will tell you what options there are, when you can start and what the costs are made up of.