Georgian National Parks

Georgia is famous for its variety of nature. Mountains, untouchable woods and forests, lakes, rivers, and the outstanding cost of the Black Sea attack the attention of thousands of travelers, as well as the tourists. But, preserving all of these beauties in the way they are is getting harder and harder.

So, National Parks are being created to keep, obtain and save all these beauties. National Park is called a place, which has international values, is distinguished for a huge, naturally diverse ecosystem, and biodiversity. National Parks have undescribed importance for caring for nature and developing ecotourism.

The first national park in Georgia was founded in 1973, and was called “Tbilisi National Park”. In 1995 there was established the first national park in Georgia, which satisfied international standards as well. Nowadays, it is one of the most visited and favorite parks in Georgia, called “Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park”.

In Georgia, to sum up, there are 13 national parks, which offer travelers many interesting routes.

The Algeti National Park is situated in the municipality of Tetritskaro (which is translated as “White Spring”). It covers the east part of the range of Trialeti. In the Algeti National Park, you will see picturesque landscapes and the loveliest views. On the territory of Algeti National Park nowadays there are 5 Eco touristic routes: riding and hiking. Among them, only one is labeled, which is called “Royal Range”. It is a circular route, 16 kilometers long. To visit this park, you must first have a registration in the visitors center, which you can find in the hamlet of Manglisi.

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park- is located in the central part of Georgia. It comprises the territory of the regions of Imereti, Javakheti, and Shida Kartli. In general, it is 107 083 hectares, which is more than 1% of the territory of the whole country. It is one of the most varicolored national parks in Georgia. There are 12 well-equipped and marked paths. In some of them, it is possible to hike during any period of the year. Some of them are locked in winter and autumn, due to heavy snowfall. Also, it is dangerous for possible avalanches also. As I already mentioned, you can visit this national park in any season. But for travelers and hikers it is most charming during autumn, as at this period, they have the opportunity to listen to the blatancy of the deer. If you are lucky enough, you may even take pictures of them. The most popular paths of the national park are the Lomismta path (translated as “The Lion Mountain) and the Snowshoes Trial.

To visit the national park, one should register in Borjomi-Kharagauli Visitors Centers, they are located in Borjomi and Kharagauli.

The Vashlovani National Park is located on the extreme east side of Georgia, in Kakheti, in the municipality of Dedoflistskharo (which means “Queen's Spring” in Georgia). It consists of the territory of Shiraki Veil and is one of the marvelous landscape national parks. The park offers visitor routes within one or many days. The climate of Vashlovani is dry and normal. On the territory of the park, you will meet spread fields, deserts, and ravines. The name comes from a narrating history: there are very widespread so-called Atlas Mastic Trees,(originally, Pistacia Atlantica), which look like and ravishing apple orchards.

As for me, wandering around Vashlovani was like an adventure in Savannah, with boundless meadows, with wild animals, nomadic sheep-breeders, countless birds, bubbling gazelles. The landscape of Vashlovani is unbelievably beautiful. The mountains remind me of the surface of Mars.

From my point of view, the most majestic and magnificent routes in Vashlovani are Mijniskure (means “Boundary Gulf'') and Kaklis Kure (translated as “Walnut Gulf''). The reason is the adorable Alazani river.

To visit National Park, you must have a registration.

Tbilisi national park is located on the site of Mtskheta - Mtianeti, partially, it is on the territory of Tbilisi and Kvemo Kartli, 600- 1700 meters from sea level. The park is all over the surroundings of Tbilisi. It is an ideal place for a one-day campaign if you want to unload from stress also. On the territory of the park and nearby, there are many historical-cultural monuments: ancient towers and castles, tower steeples, churches and cathedrals, sites of former cities, ruined villages, and other stuff.

The Tbilisi National Park offers the visitors diverse complexity routes. Among them: three (easy, middle, and hard complacent routes) bicycle routes, one footway/ hiking, and one riding route (which is also middle one), through Zedazeni- Didveli- Mamkoda. It is fully labeled and arranged with two picnic places, fireplaces, and camp places for night stay

The Tusheti National Park is situated in Tusheti. This is the magnificent combination of extremely beautiful hills, mountains, Tush tiny villages, and sparkling rivers. The Tusheti National Park is hosting visitors from June to September. In other periods of the year, the way is fully covered with huge snow and it’s impossible to get there. There are sited lovely small villages, where the inhabitants stay during this period, all alone, cut out from the other world.

In the whole of Europe, the highest dorp is in Tusheti, and it’s called Bochorna. This countryside is 2345 meters from sea level and has incredible sightings. Tusheti is rich with flora and fauna as well. Mostly, there are pine trees all over, and during its blossom, healthy air blows. It is very good for the lungs. There are wild animals also: bears, wolves, foxes, rabbits, deer, gazelle, and etc. if you ever get there, see Keselo Castles, village Dartlo and Shenako.

The Tusheti National Park has 11 touristic routes, some of them can go in a day, and some of them need several days. The administrative center is situated in the village of Omalo.

The Kintrishi National Park is situated in Adjara, in the region of Kobuleti, in the most marvelous resort of the Black Sea. It's placed in the ravishing valley of Kintrishi, between the village of Ckhenvani and mountain Khino, on 300-2500 meters from sea level. Kintrishi state preserve was established as a result of the protection of very rare and worthwhile trees and endemic entities of relict woods to save unique flora and fauna. The Kintrishi National Park has a super contemporary, super high visitor center, where you can gain any information about everything you are interested in this park. The Kintrishi National Park has 3 hiking paths: Khino Waterfall, Lake Tkibeli, and Tamari Bridge.

To get there, you need to have a registration.

The Kolkheti National Park is located on the west side of Georgia and consists of the shore of the Black Sea, Paliastomi Lake, and the neighborhood of Pitchori river. The Kolkheti National Park is in the list of preserved territories of IUSN - particularly the second category. Since 1997, The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) has been keeping an eye on it. Ramsar is an intergovernmental agreement, which has the aim to save and look after the migration of birds and waterbirds habitation locations. You can visit Kolkheti National Park at any period of the year. You can plan the trips in the rivers, in the gorge of Churia and Pichkhori, also, you can have a boat trip on Paliastomi Lake or in Okro Lake (“Golden Lake''), you can even rent a motorboat, pontoon or kayak. After that, the unique Kolchi forests will catch your eye. The amazing swamp is also here. There are more than 100 different types of birds in Kolkheti National Park. Well-arranged are special towers, from where you can observe the birds.

Kolkheti National park really is a marvelous place. The brilliant seashores of the Black sea, Paliastomi underwhelming lake, and the birds flying above it, twittering lovely- is everything one should see before dying.

If you are going to visit this park, you should definitely connect to the visitor center.

The Machakhela National Park is situated in Adjara, in the municipality of Khelvachauri. The park was founded in 2012 to defend the unique biological and landscape biodiversity. To guarantee the safety of Kolchi forests and woods, the ecosystem in a long-term period. Biosafety is very important, in wild nature, we can develop tourist and recreational activities. In the surroundings of the Machakhela National Park, there are many intriguing things and historical monuments, like arch bridges, dated to different periods, towers, castles, mortared stone wine cellars, and wine presses.

In the park, there are functioning three footways, which are integrated with automobile roads as well: Mtavarangelozi path (means “Archangel’s Path”), Kokoleti Path, Twin Waterfalls Path.

You must get in touch with the Visitor Center to get there.

The Mtirala National Park (means “The Weeper”) is located in Adjara and suggests the visitors an unimagined environment. The Mtirala National Park is an ideal place to hike and rest. Here we come across well-organized paths, and small cottages, they are really the most favorite place for travelers. Here you can take beautiful pictures, see majestic panoramas, and feel how great nature can be. The national park also includes entertaining, amusing events, like Zipline, riding the horses, the park of ropes, picnic places, camping places. In the Mtirala National Park tourist season proceeds from May to October. Actually, this is the best period to observe the birds, if you are fond of them.

The Mtirala National Parks has two hiking paths: Wablnari Path (translated as “Chestnut Copse” path) and Tsivtskaro (“Cold Water” in Georgia).

In the national park, you must inform the visitor center as well.

The Pshav-Khevsureti National Park is located in the municipality of Dusheti, in one of the most ravishing corners of Pshav-Khevsureti. It has outstanding nature and location adores the visitors. On this site of Georgia, there are thousands of historical monuments, memorials, and cultural tombstones. Pshav-Khevsureti is one of the most popular places among tourists, with its strongly retained traditions, culinary, and cuisine. Here you can see Shatili, Mutso, Ardoti, Khakhabo, and the most well-known- Tanie Lake.

When you get there, you will find yourself on a quite different planet. It is like a real fantasy for visitors, as a portal to the new universe. Fairy nature, bitsy, cozy houses standing on the rocks, towers, Khevsurian terraces. Traditional culinary is also very famous and loved among visitors. The park is rich with flora and fauna, here you can meet such animals: bear, wolf, fox, chamois, tur and so on.

Kazbegi National Park is located in the northern part of Georgia, on the historic ravine slope of Kavkasioni ridge. The general area of Kazbegi is 9030 hectares. Only 30% percent of the national park is covered with wood, the rest of it Alpine meadows, moraines, arrogant peaks, and summits, eternally covered with snow, impartial rocks, and so on. The most visited places in Kazbegi are: Gergeti Sameba and Mkinvrtsveri. The national park also offers different hiking tours, as well as riding and bicycle itineraries.

The visitor center is located in the center of the lowland of Stepantsminda.

The Javakheti National Park is located in the southern part of Georgia, between the territories of Akhalkalaki and the municipality of Ninotsminda. The whole place is 14 200 hectares. In the membership of the Javakheti National park, there was also established Khanchali Lake, Bughdasheni Lake, Kartsakhi Swamp, Sulda Marsh, Madatapha Aghkvetili. On the plateau of Javakheti there are many lakes, exactly here is located the biggest lake in Georgia, called Paravani Lake. It freezes during winter. As for summer, this is the host of thousands of vagrant birds. The Javakheti National Park is an ideal place for those, who love observing birds.

There are seven towers created for hiking, riding, and bicycle tours in Javakheti. In any period of the year, it is possible to capture the most beautiful process of birds migrating. There are approximately 140 different species of them, some of them are inhabitants. The lakes are full of plenty of various fish, so it is even attractive for those, you love fishing, or find inner peace with this process. The Javakheti National Park is the one and only preserved territory in Georgia, where you can come across a real flamingo while wandering around it.

We really offer you to visit this place and see the beauty of it.

In 2020 in the list of preserved territories, there was supplemented The Erusheti National Park. The law about its creation and ruling is already received and has become effective from the first of January, in 2021. So, the Erusheti National Park will soon host the visitors and propose hiking places and other activities...

To sum up, Georgia - this little land, in spite of being tiny, is plentifully equipped with beautiful breathtaking flora and fauna. Here you will find “your place”, your home. You will discover nature's inner side.

Just visit Georgia and you will feel the power of these words, coming true in front of your eyes.