Georgia is home to many protected areas, including nature reserves, protected landscapes, natural monuments and national parks. Many of them are covered in forests, and all feature a diverse mix of flora and fauna. From Tbilisi National Park to Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, here’s our pick of protected outdoor areas you should put on your bucket list.
Established in 1973, Tbilisi National Park was the first national park in the country. On the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, it stretches from the Mtkvari River to the Iori River at an elevation of 600m-1,700m (1,969ft-5,577ft) above sea level and is only about 20km (12mi) from Tbilisi. While the infrastructure here is not as developed as other national parks, it does offer three bike trails of varying difficulty.
In the westernmost part of the Adjara Mountains, part of the Lesser Caucasus mountain range, near the Black Sea, Mtirala National Park covers 15,698ha (38,791 acres). The visitors centre is in the village of Chaqvistavi. Trails here are well marked, with hiking routes only taking a day or two. You can have a picnic and even camp here, with designated firepits throughout the park. The best season to visit Mtirala is spring, summer and early autumn.
The Vashlovani Protected Areas, in the easternmost part of the Dedoplistskaro district, includes the Vashlovani Nature Reserve, three natural monuments – Eagle Gorge, Kaklisyure Alazani floodplain forest and Takhti-Tepa Mud Volcanoes – and Vashlovani National Park. The park’s name means apple garden; it’s home to pistachio trees, which resemble apple trees when in bloom. Hikers will find many trails of varying lengths, along with picnic spots, campsites, firepits and bungalows. However, you’ll need to check in at the visitors centre before heading towards the national park, so you’ll need to bring your ID with you.
In western Georgia, Kolkheti National Park includes the Lake Paliastomi basin and the eastern coastline of the Black Sea. It also extends to two historical parts of the country: Guria and Samegrelo. You can explore the lake and the Pichori River by boat, go fishing, birdwatching or hiking.
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Tusheti Strict Nature Reserve and Tusheti National Park, located in the municipality of Akhmeta, have 11 functioning trails, allowing you to observe and become part of its unique historical, cultural and natural beauty. Here, you can also visit Unesco World Heritage-listed villages and enjoy the views of Medieval defence towers. The tourists season here begins in June and lasts until the end of September.
On the southern slopes of the Caucasus in the far northeastern part of the country, the Lagodekhi Protected Areas include Lagodekhi Strict Nature Reserve and Lagodekhi Managed Nature Reserve. The pair as a whole was the first nature reserve in Georgia, dating back to 1912; it has a diverse mix of flora and fauna. Currently, there are five trails in the area, with the Black Rock Lake trail being the most difficult.
The Kintrishi Protected Areas, also in the Adjara region, are in the valley of the Kintrishi River and range in altitude from 300m-2,500m (984ft-8,202ft). The area has two trails that are suitable for a one- or two-day hike. The Tamara Arch and Box-Tree Stand route is the easiest, while the Yew and Lake Tbikeli route is of average difficulty. Similar to other national parks, camping sites, firepits and picnic areas are available and well marked.
Established in 2011, Javakheti National Park is part of the Javakheti Protected Areas, famous for its lakes on the Javakheti Plateau – the largest is Paravani Lake. The region is largely woodless, with only small pockets of forestland.
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is among the largest national parks in Georgia, covering more than 1,030sqkm (400sqmi) within six districts. The park has 12 marked trails suitable for either a one-day or multi-day hike. Also, there are tourists shelters, campsites, picnic sites and firepits along the trails, making this park the most well developed in the country. Besides hiking, you can bike and go horseback riding year-round.
I am a travel blogger, content writer, food lover and a passionate photographer. Four years ago I quit my editorial job at the newspaper in order to pursue my passion of traveling through South East Asia. Check out my adventures at redfedoradiary.com or follow my daily rambling on Instagram @redfedoradiary.
