The Greatest Day Hikes In Georgia

Whether you’re a serious hiker or just a beginner, Georgia offers a wide range of hiking opportunities from the Black Sea coast to the Caucasus Mountains. Most of the beautiful areas are very remote, involving intense trekking and camping under the stars. If time is short, however, there still are some routes easily covered in a day. Here’s our pick of the best.

Want to explore Georgia off the beaten path? Join our immersive nine-day trip for the chance to be led by a local along remote hiking trails, taste fine Georgian food and wine, and learn about Georgian culture through close encounters.

1. Abudelauri Lakes

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

View on Chaukhi mountain pass from Abudelauri Blue Lake in Caucasus mountains, Georgia

The Abudelauri Lakes, situated in the Khevsureti region, is popular for its three different colour lakes located not that far from each other. The green, white and blue lakes attract many visitors throughout the season. The hike starts from the village of Roshka, and to reach the final, white lake, you’ll need to walk about 8km (5mi) each way. You can easily stay at the guesthouse in the village and go back to Tbilisi the next day.

2. Gergeti Trinity Church and the glacier

Church

Stepantsminda village is a famous destination for many tourists coming to Tbilisi. Those stunning views of Mount Kazbegi and Gergeti Trinity Church lying at its foot attract many hikers and nature lovers. Walking up to the church from Stepantsminda is only 6km (3.7mi), but if you feel that’s not enough for you, continue walking towards the glacier. The total length from the village to the glacier is 22km (13.6mi) both ways and might take around nine to ten hours in total.

4. Ispani trail in Kobuleti

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

Mtirala, Georgia - July 1, 2010: Wooden hiking route sign at the Mtirala National Park in Adjara region of Georgia nearby Batumi and Kobuleti

For those who plan on staying at the Black Sea coast for a while, the Kobuleti Protected Areas offer an interesting one-day getaway from the seaside on the Ispani Trail. It’s very easy and very short, barely even a hike, but it is worth mentioning and visiting. The road takes you from the entrance of the area towards the birdwatching tower. You’ll walk through the Smekalkova Channel and if you look closely, you might be able to see a kingfisher or wetland turtles. And if this is not enough, you can continue exploring the area via White Moss Trail, which takes you along the Shavi Ghele River to encounter rare species of the country’s fauna and flora.

5. Artsivi Canyon in Vashlovani

Forest, Park

View of Alazani valley, Signagi, Georgia. Image shot 08/2019. Exact date unknown.

The trail starts at the entrance of Artsivi (Eagle Canyon in English), and you’ll pass along the limestone cliffs and reach the base of the rocks to see the rare endemic plant species that grow on the cliffs without any soil. Then, the route takes you to the viewpoints to enjoy watching flying griffon vultures. Besides this, you can even visit the remains of a medieval city-fortress, Khornabuji, by passing through the narrow forest road that looks like a natural tunnel during summer. At the end of it, you reach the 5th-century fortress built on a steep cliff. The area is accessible by car, but to get closer to the ruins you should hike a bit towards the fortress and get rewarded with amazing views of Alazani Valley and the Caucasus Mountains.

6. Truso Valley

Hiking Trail

Truso Valley, Georgia. Beautiful landscape with red mineral water spring.

Truso Valley in the Kazbegi region makes another great one-day hiking trip. Situated in the almost abandoned area towards the South Ossetia border, the valley offers stunning nature, mineral springs, ancient towers and several abandoned settlements. However, do note that you can’t walk all the way through the valley and would need to return after you reach the Georgian border station.

7. Ninoskhevi Waterfall in Lagodekhi

Park, Hiking Trail

Trekking to the Lagodekhiskhevi waterfall in Lagodekhi Nature Reserve in Georgia, Kakheti region

The Lagodekhi Protected Areas offer several trails to hike, with Black Rock Lake being the most famous one, requiring several days. However, the Ninoskhevi Waterfall Trail is only 8.5km (5.3mi) long and needs around six hours to cover. The trail goes along the Ninoskgevi River on a narrow path. The sound of the river, huge stones, little waterfalls and cool breeze of the valley make the trip highly adventurous and entertaining. The 40m (131ft) Ninoskhevi Waterfall is considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country.

8. Khada Gorge

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

Khada is a small, hidden gorge below the mountains of Gudauri, making the area less touristy and calm with breathtaking views. The gorge was a historic stronghold between Southern and Northern Caucasus with 60 towers. Several still-standing towers, a gorgeous waterfall, impressive graves and tasty mineral spring water await you here. The route starts in Bedoni village, below Jvari Pass and is only about 8km (5mi) long, where you can have a picnic along the way and relax from the busy cities you have explored earlier.

9. Tbikeli Lake

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

Tbikeli Lake is another gem of Kintrishi National Park that requires several days to hike to. However, if you take a jeep towards Khino village and stay overnight, you can easily make the return trip to and from the lake in one day. The trail from the village to the lake is 12km (7.5mi) long, offering lush nature and exceptional views once you walk above the tree line.

10. Oreti Lake

Natural Feature

Lake Oreti in the caucasian mountains in Tusheti, Georgia

Located in the Tusheti region, the route to Oreti Lake makes for a perfect one-day hike opportunity. The 27km (17mi) trail starts at the village of Kumelaurta village south of Omalo and goes up to the lake. The best time to hike up here is in the early summer when the water level is high and nature is in bloom.

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.