Guria

• Guria lies in western Georgia in the Colchian Lowland and has a 22-kilometer Black Sea coastline.
• Guria National Park covers 15,310 hectares within the municipalities of Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti.
• The region’s experiences include national parks, Shekvetili Dendrological Park, Jumati Monastic Complex, and seasonal activities in Bakhmaro.

Kolkheti National Park extends across Guria and includes Lake Paliastomi, the eastern border zone of the Black Sea, wetlands, and Colchian forests. In Guria National Park, humid Colchian mountain forests alternate with alpine meadows. The mountain forest landscapes lie at elevations from 300–400 to 1,800–1,900 meters above sea level; the alpine meadows range from 1,800–1,900 to 3,000–3,500 meters.

Wildlife is also shaped by the seasons: up to 272 vertebrate species can be recorded in Guria National Park at different times of year. Shekvetili Dendrological Park offers a different focus. The 60-hectare recreational area between the mountains and the sea includes more than 200 trees from 29 species, including trees over 300 years old. A walkway lined with dense bamboo and information boards about tree, plant, and bird species give the visit a botanical focus.

Kolkheti National Park offers boat tours on Lake Paliastomi and along the Paliastomi–Pichori and Paliastomi–Pichori–Small Paliastomi routes. At Shekvetili Dendrological Park, the focus is on trees, plants, and birds. At the Musicians’ Park in Shekvetili, you’ll encounter sculptures of Georgian and international musicians; as you approach them, music plays continuously.

The two sides of Orkari Canyon are very different. The left side is not technically accessible and leads, at the end of the road, to a waterfall with an elaborate staircase. The right side is a considerably more difficult route for professional climbers, who use specialized equipment. You should take these differences into account when choosing a suitable nature experience.

Jumati Monastic Complex stands on Mount Jumati, 15 km from Ozurgeti. The monastery, dating from the feudal period, played an important role in Guria’s religious and educational life. Its main church, St. Archangels, was built in the 6th century, renovated in the 12th century, and painted in the 18th century. In Shukhuti, a village in Lanchkhuti Municipality, the traditional game Lelo is kept alive: the predecessor of rugby is played once a year at Easter.

For an insight into local produce, Chokhatauri’s weekly Sunday market is a good place to start. It offers homemade cheese, milk, nadughi and cottage cheese, poultry, cattle, local tobacco, tea, nuts, cornmeal, and acacia, linden, and chestnut honey. In autumn, locally grown fruit and vegetables are also available.

In summer, hiking is the main activity in Bakhmaro, amid alpine meadows and spruce and fir forests. In winter, visitors can go sledding; Bakhmaro is also attractive to freeride enthusiasts and lovers of extreme sports. Getting there requires special consideration: although an asphalt road leads to Bakhmaro, a snowmobile is needed for safe travel on the snow-covered road in winter.

A route through Guria begins in Ozurgeti, passes through the resort of Nabeghlavi, and climbs toward Bakhmaro. Three days are recommended for this trip. If you are looking for a hotel or other accommodation, you can focus your search on the type of experience you have planned, such as coastal areas and parks or hiking and winter experiences. The destinations described offer different thematic options to help you decide.

For more regional information, see our pages on Shekvetili, Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, Grigoleti, and Ureki. Other destinations featured in our Georgia selection include Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Kvemo Kartli, and Tbilisi.

Where is Guria?

Guria lies in the western part of Georgia in the Colchian Lowland and has a 22-kilometer Black Sea coastline.

What landscapes does Guria National Park include?

The park includes humid Colchian mountain forests at elevations from 300–400 to 1,800–1,900 meters, as well as alpine meadows that extend from 1,800–1,900 to 3,000–3,500 meters.

What is the route to Bakhmaro described here?

It begins in Ozurgeti, passes through Nabeghlavi, and climbs toward Bakhmaro. Three days are recommended for the trip. In winter, a snowmobile is needed for safe travel on the snow-covered road.

When is Lelo played in Shukhuti?

The traditional game Lelo is played once a year at Easter in the village of Shukhuti.

For the broader travel overview: Georgia.