Useful Information
| Language | Most people can communicate in English |
| Cost | Renting a car in Kutaisi moderately expensive(70€ per day) but by far the best option to move around Food prices were on the normal end (20€ per peson in a restaurant) Accommodation was on the low end (40€ for a triple room per night) Entrance tickets of the various landarks are cheap |
| Currency | Withdrew Georgia Lari (GEL) from ATMs using my Revolut card just to have some cash for haggling with shops and buying from small shops Card payments are accepted in most places |
| Moving around | Driving a car is by far the best option if you want to tour independently. You have to be really careful as roads are full of potholes, cows and porks that move at their will. Other drivers were at cases dangerous |
| Safety | Felt safe during most of the time. Avoid sketchy alleys if you walk during the night. |
| Time of Visit | October 2021 was a good time to visit the area if you like the colors of fall |
Day 1: Kutaisi
After your arrival in Kutaisi aiport, you should rent a car because it’s by far the most convenient way to travel. I booked mine from PaRent.ge car rental office and they are highly recommended as I had a totally hassle-free experience. Kutaisi is just a 30 minutes drive from the airport.
You can spend the rest of the day to check-in to the hotel and then walk around the city center to visit a few of the landmarks (Bagrati Cathedral, Colchis fountain, etc). Once it’s time for dinner, you will easily find many dining options. We stayed in Hotel Sanapiro which is right next to the river and we had a very pleasant stay. For dinner we tried Palaty and it was a very decent welcome to Georgian cuisine.
Day 2: Okatse Canyon, Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave
Kutaisi is interesting but your main reason of travelling to Georgia is nature. Two famous canyons are near Kutaisi and you can visit both in 1 day.
Okatse Canyon is 1 hour drive away from Kutaisi. This is the deepest canyon in Georgia and here you can walk in hanged bridges. Once you park, there is a 2.5km hike down to the Canyon. Once you reach it there is system of hanged bridges (1km long) where you can walk, take photos and admire the view. Once it’s time to go back there will be plenty of 4×4 cars to pick you up to the entrance with an extra cost in case you are feeling tired. I chose to hike back to the car so I can’t comment on the cost.
Martvili Canyon is 50 minutes drive from Okatse Canyon car parking. This canyon as opposed to the previous I visited requires minimal walking. There are a few viewing platforms where you can admire the cascaded and the mossy trees. These platforms are connected by arched bridges. You can join a short boat trip for an extra charge (15 GEL per person) where you don’t even have to paddle and enjoy the views from inside the canyon. This boat ride is highly recommended!
After visiting Okatse and Martvili canyons you can visit Prometheus Cave. It is 1 hour drive from Martvili Canyon. After paying for the ticket you can join a guided tour which is very informative. During this walking tour you pass through narrow paths while admiring very big and old rock formations. When you reach the end you have the option to join a short boat trip which ends in a parking. There you will be picked by a bus and be transferred back to the car parking you originally parked your car.
This demands a full day and I suggest Prometheus Cave to be the last stop of this day trip as it’s already dark in there and you should save daylight conditions.
Day 3: Tskaltubo Sanatorium and Batumi
Starting early from Kutaisi, after a short (20 minute) drive, you should be arriving in Tskaltubo. You can visit this small town mainly for urbex. Here you can visit an abandoned Soviet Era sanatorium.
You can park you car in the streets and then try to find an entrance through the fences of the abandoned Sanatorium. Once inside, you can explore the abandoned buildings. You can roughly spend 2 hours here and then it’t time to start driving to Batumi.
Batumi is a very advanced city that can be reached in almost 2,5 hours from Tskaltubo-Kutaisi. This is the second-largest city of Georgia and far more advanced than Kutaisi. It is a port city of significant value and is a very pedestrian-friendly city as well. You can walk in the large promenade, rent e-scooters, visit the Botanical Gardens and it’s many statues and squares. There are many nice restaurants in the central square and a lot of casinos if you are feeling lucky.
Leave a reply