A Two-Week Itinerary To Georgia For Nature Lovers

Those who have heard about Georgia, know the country is famous for lush nature, Caucasus mountains, gorgeous lakes, and canyons. It’s heaven for nature and hike lovers as you won’t find super developed, high standard natural parks here. If you are a nature lover looking for an undiscovered destination for your next trip, then Georgia should definitely be on your list.

Day 1-4: Tusheti National Park

Tusheti is one of the most charming regions of Georgia, where foreigners rarely travel. And the reason for it might be the long and narrow off-road serpentine road over the Abano pass which gets dangerous in several parts during the ride, or they don’t usually have enough time to travel that far.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYa07KwFJ9k/?hl=en&taken-by=redfedoradiary

Tusheti National Park is one of the most ecologically pure regions of the country and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. Its implacable beauty and medieval defensive towers dominate each village of the area and will leave you speechless.

The best way to visit Tusheti is by a jeep tour. They will drive you from Tbilisi all the way to the most remote village of Tusheti bordering Khevsureti region. However, if you have more time to spend here, you can hike around those communities too.

Day 5: Dashbashi Canyon

Located at 1,1100-1,448-meters above the sea level, Dashbashi Canyon is distinguished by its rarity and biodiversity. Formed by the river Khrami through Dashbash volcanic plateau, the ecosystem here is rare, while flora on the steep hills of the canyon and gorgeous waterfalls create different micro-landscapes.

Day 6: Paravani Lake

From Dashbashi Canyon continue your trip towards the volcanic lake Paravani, located at the altitude of 2,073-meters above sea level. Paravani is considered to be one of the biggest lakes in the country, covering more than 37-square km.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRDld–FeSa/?taken-at=727985630

The mountains behind the lake create the gorgeous landscape you don’t want to miss. The lake is even more beautiful in winter, as it freezes completely and ice thickness reaches 73 cm.

Day 7: Abastumani

The main reason to come to Abastumani is to visit the Astrophysical Observatory. It’s located on Mount Kanobili and serves the country since 1932. The observatory is surrounded by coniferous forest, with no air pollution and stable weather.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI5odmDDPBk/?taken-at=310134646

You can tour the observatory every day from 11 am till 3 am. The tour includes an informational class, a chance to observe the very first 40 cm refracting telescope of the observatory, and a visit to the museum. If the sky is clear, you can even look at the stars from the telescope. We suggest, you call the observatory in advance and ask for the weather conditions.

Day 8-10: Borjom-Kharagauli National Park

Borjom-Kharagauli National Park is one of the biggest national parks in the country. The park is located in the Lesser Caucasus and features beautiful landscapes, and gorgeous scenery along it’s 11 different, well-marked trails. There are tourist shelters, camping sites and picnic spots for the visitors. You can set up a fire at certain places as well.

Day 11-12: Sataplia Natural Reserve and Prometheus Cave

Located not far from Kutaisi, the main attraction of Sataplia Nature Reserve are 120-million-year-old dinosaur footprints and a nicely lit 300-meters long cave. The whole area is tucked into a subtropical forest and has several panoramic viewpoints.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ1yuKQHdAB/?tagged=sataplia

Prometheus Cave (or Promete in short) is another natural wonder of the country, providing breathtaking examples of stalagmites, stalactites, petrified waterfalls, underground rivers and lakes to name a few. A 1,060-meter walking path takes you through the six halls of the cave.

After completing the trail, you can take a boat trip on the river Kumi and exit the cave this way. The boat trip is optional and costs an extra fee, however, the price is not that high. Otherwise, you can quickly exit the cave on foot.

Day 13: Martvili and Okatse Canyons

Martvili Canyon, located in Samegrelo region of Georgia, is one of the most beautiful nature spots you should see. Here, you will walk in the gorgeous scenery of emerald-green river Abasha on a boat trip and waterfalls. A 700-meter long stone-paved route starts from the visitor center and continues through the Dadiani historical trail. The area has two bridges, three viewpoints and a 30-step stair created by large limestone boulders.

Okatse Canyon, located about 40 minutes drive from the Martvili, is another marvel of the country you should not miss. With a two to three-hour pedestrian trail, you pass through Dadiani ancient forest, a 780-meters long hanging path and finish at a viewpoint.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.