Day hike to Tskhradzhvari Mountain and Kutaisi

Minimum age: 7

Highlights

• Admire incredible views from the Tskhradzhvari Mountain
• We'll visit the Gelati Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• We'll also visit Nakerala Pass, Lake Shaori and enjoy a picnic lunch in nature
• After we finish hiking there will wine tasting at a local cellar followed by a traditional Rachian dinner

All about the trip

Join us to hike up the incredible Tskhradzhvari Mountain and much more on this full day of hiking. We will also visit a UNESCO monastery, Nakerala Pass, Lake Shaori, enjoy a picnic lunch in nature and then finish the day off with evening wine tasting and a traditional Rachian dinner. It's a full day of hiking fun, so remember to stretch and prepare well in advance.

The hike itself takes a whole day and the route is 8 km long consisting of medium difficulty terrain. This hike is suitable also for families with children.

Our adventure begins after we depart from Kutaisi at 9:00 and head towards the Gelati monastery. This monastery is a masterpiece of the Georgian Golden Age and was founded in 1106 by King David IV of Georgia. Now in modern times, the site is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

After enjoying the monastery, we will begin hiking to Tskhradzhvari Mountain which is located 1569 meters above sea level. From this high up you can look forward to seeing breathtaking views in all directions. In clear weather, you can see the Kolkheti lowland and also the Black Sea. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to take lots of incredible photos from up here, so remember to bring your camera!

After enjoying the views from Tskhradzhvari Mountain, we will make time for a rest and also stop to enjoy a picnic lunch in nature.

After lunch we will make our way to Racha. Once at Racha we will be able to see the incredibly impressive Nakerala Pass which divides the Imereti region from the Racha region.

Our next destination will be Lake Shaori, which is located 1100 meters above sea level and is surrounded by high mountains.

Finally, at the end of the day's hike, we will visit a wine cellar for some wine tasting. You simply must try the delightful "Khvanchkara" wine, which is prepared according to an ancient recipe. Its unique taste is because the local producers keep the wine fermenting underground in special earthenware vessels called "Kvevri". In the evening, after wine tasting, we will enjoy traditional Rachian specialties for dinner.

What is included in the price

• Picnic lunch
• English-speaking guide
• Wine tasting in a local wine cellar
• Roundtrip transportation from Kutaisi
• Dinner consisting of traditional Rachian delicacies

What is not included in the price

• Insurance
• Gratuities for your guides and hosts

Instructions

This activity is organised by Rafting in Kutaisi, Mosashvili str. 9, Kutaisi, 46001, Georgia, +995 595 41 15 47, raftinginkutaisi@gmail.com.