Adjara

Adjara can be reached by air, road, rail and sea. The region’s natural areas include forests and wetlands, as well as a coastline where thousands of birds of prey from 32 species pass through between mid-August and mid-October.

For hiking, there are both individual day routes and two-day options. Cultural destinations and regional dishes are also on offer, for example in Khulo. The differences below can help you narrow down the focus of your trip.

Mtirala National Park in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara is part of the “Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands” World Heritage site. Its forests are home to rare endemic species of the Adjara-Lazeti region; several are listed in Georgia’s Red List of protected species. The park has clearly marked one- and two-day routes, as well as designated areas for picnics, camping and campfires. A tourist shelter is located at the ninth kilometre of the trail.

Kintrishi National Park is also included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It covers 13,514 hectares and offers marked, well-maintained routes of varying difficulty. Options include a one-day hike to the arch bridges of Varjanauli and Tskhemvani. A two-day hiking and horseback riding tour leads to Utgovari and Lake Tbikeli.

Another natural area is the Kobuleti Protected Area, which protects the habitats of unique waterbird species and serves as a refuge for migratory birds, as well as breeding and wintering birds. It has three easy trails: “Ispani 2,” “White Moss” and “Drosera.” Special wooden bog skis are provided for the designated one-hectare section of the sphagnum bog.

At the Goderdzi Alpine Botanical Garden in the mountainous region of Adjara, 170 wild plant species from 111 genera and 50 families have been recorded. The Batumi Botanical Garden, meanwhile, includes nine floristic regions, three parks and a Colchic reserve. Around 1,800 woody plants and 5,000 herbaceous plants grow there. Both gardens offer their own highlights if you are interested in the region’s plant life.

The Machakhela Gun Road is a marked, 39-kilometre, two-day route in Khelvachauri Municipality. Rated easy, it links historical and cultural themes with the tradition of making Machakhela guns and heirloom daggers. If you are looking for a shorter described route, the Kokoleti Trail is 15 kilometres long and takes six hours: six kilometres are a hiking section through pristine Colchic forest, while the driving section covers nine kilometres to the last inhabited homestead in the village of Kokoleti.

Another specific route leads from the village of Khikhadziri to Khikhani Fortress. The route is eight kilometres long and can be travelled on foot or by off-road vehicle. In the summer villages around the Shuamta Lakes, the traditional highland way of life in Adjara and the culture of seasonal sheep farming have been preserved. Gonio-Apsaros Fortress endured Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule in the region.

For a broader regional overview, you can also visit the pages for Khala, Keda, Sakhalvasho, Mirveti, Machakhlispiri, Kokhi, Namlisevi, Buknari, Kharaula, Khelvachauri, Gomarduli, Gorgadzeebi, Chakvistavi, Bako, Kapreshumi, Danisparauli and Khulo.

Adjara can be reached by several modes of transport: by air, road, rail and sea. Ten tourist information centres provide free printed maps and guidebooks in Georgian, Russian and English. The materials include information about recreation in the region and routes in the mountainous part of Adjara.

Cuisine can also be part of your regional discoveries. In Khulo, Kaymagi, Borano, Sinori and Nagbibora are recommended to try. If you would like to include culture and scenery in your trip, you can take these interests into account when choosing where to stay, without combining the different destinations into a single route.

When do birds of prey pass along the coast of Adjara?

From mid-August to mid-October, thousands of birds of prey from 32 different species pass along the ten-kilometre coastline.

What hiking options are available in Kintrishi National Park?

Options include a one-day hike to the arch bridges of Varjanauli and Tskhemvani, and a two-day hiking and horseback riding tour to Utgovari and Lake Tbikeli.

How long is the route to Khikhani Fortress?

The route from the village of Khikhadziri to Khikhani Fortress is eight kilometres long and can be travelled on foot or by off-road vehicle.

Which languages are available at the tourist information centres?

The free printed maps and guidebooks are available in Georgian, Russian and English.

For the broader travel overview: Georgia.