Where wishes come true - Kintrishi National Park

Authenticity of the pristine nature of Kintrishi National park, with 2 hiking trails of different levels of complexity, will take your breath away. This is one of the best places for hiking, camping, horse riding in a wild, making fire on special places, watch birds and animals. On the short path there is a tourist shelter near the Tskhemvana village and a place for picnic and camping. Two-day route of Kintrishi, that keeps you wander, can be completed both on foot and on horseback. It starts from a tourist shelter in Tskhemvana and goes to the lake “Tbikeli” (1900-2000 m. above sea level). The main inhabitant of the lake is the Caucasian Triton, which is listed in the Red Book of Georgia.

The protected area of the park offers to see the surrounding villages, historical and cultural attractions, churches, the bridge of the 12th century - it is said that if you are crossing the bridge for the first time and you make a wish, it will inevitably come true!

So while visiting Adjara remember: miracles can happen!

Mountain that cries - Mtirala National Park

On Mtirala mountain in Chakvi, which is the highest across Eastern Europe to Central Asia at the altitude of 1,381, the annual rainfall levels reach 4,000-4,500, that’s why the place is called Mtirala (crying). The mountain slopes are distinguished by their biodiversity here.

Mtirala National park, covering 15, 698 hectares boasts with the forests and groves, as well as Paleogene period flora from around 25-50 million years ago. 284 types of plants and 95 animal species inhabit the territory which also includes endemic and relict specimens. Some of them are enlisted in the ‘Red List’ of Georgia.

While enjoying the beauty of nature you can also entertain yourself with attraction like zip line, rope park, adventures to the observation of vegetation, some picnic and camping sites are arranged in the park as well. Hiking trails are entirely road-marked, allowing overnight hiking tours.

Historical gun road of Machakhela - Machakhela National Park

“Machakhela Gun Road” is one of the most interesting routes in Adjara. Here you’ll be able to see - Machakhela Gun Monument, where the Machakhela Gun history starts. Machakhela became popular because at that time there were no flint guns anywhere else. “Machakhela Guns” were very resistant and their bullets went far, it was the main reason why they were superior to other guns. While traveling this route you can see Machakhela Gun Monument, medieval Gvara Fortress, World War II gun slit, the arch stone bridge in the 12th century in village Tskhemlara, Chkhutuneti waterfall, and Ethnographic Museum of Machakhela Valley. 95% of the park territory is covered by broadleaf forests: Chestnut, redwood, oak, hornbeam and alder groves. Hazelnut, Georgian nut, yew, rhododendron, elm tree, iris and other species also grow here. The local endangered species include Caucasian honey bee, brown bear, Caucasian salamander.

Roaming around in virgin forests of Machakhela National Park, you can choose the favorable path and walk through the chestnut and beech trees to the Archangel Mountain road.

Feel free like a bird… Kobuleti Protected Area

If migratory birdwatching and swamp vegetation interest you, then Kobuleti Protected Area is the place to go when you visit Adjara. The Batumi Migration Corridor is one of the largest, ranking 3rd in the world. The Birdwatching festival is celebrated annually in early September since 2012, and there are always a lot of people willing to attend it. This protected area was created in 1998 in order to preserve the unique wetland ecosystems that are recognized by RAMSAR convention and represent highly valuable natural heritage sites. This territory is the habitat for migratory, nesting and wintering bird species. Botanists are compelled by the boreal species: sphagnum or white moss and insect-eating sundews (Drosera).

Ispani Sphagnum Peatlands

Approximately 28 km from Batumi, this protected area stretches over 770 hectares and comprises the Kobuleti Strict Nature Reserve (Ispani I) and Kobuleti Managed Nature Reserve (Ispani II). The Ispani Sphagnum Peatlands are on the RAMSAR Convention list of wetlands of international importance. The Ispani peatland is an unexhausted source of oxygen and plays a great part in the cycle of carbon production. At the same time, it plays a significant role in regulating the regional and local climates. In 1964, while excavating a drainage canal, an ancient settlement dating back to fourth and third centuries BCE was discovered. Humans are supposed to have settled in the area between five and six thousand years ago.

Kobuleti Protected Area offers favorable conditions for educational and scientific tours as well. The tourist season lasts from May to October here.

The place where you get stuck in the moment - Green Lake

On the northern part of the Arsiani range, just 7 km away from Goderdzi pass, 2058 m above sea level there is magical place where Green Lake is located, surrounded by the forests where you can face any color created by nature. The depth of the lake reaches 19.4 m and feeds on the snow, rainfall and underwater springs.

The Green Lake is a popular destination amongst hikers. The area is dotted with campsites and picnic spots but you may also stay on nearby pastures, in summer villages and resorts where you have possibility to taste delicious cuisine of mountainous Adjara.

Alpine Botanical Garden

If you are an active tourist, and you want to see the most interesting places while in Adjara, be sure to add the Alpine Botanical Garden to the list of the must see attractions. The road to the garden, stretching for 115 km, will fill your camera’s memory card with amazing and colorful pictures of the mountainous Adjara: the abundance of evergreen vegetation, rivers, waterfalls and rural houses.

One of the attractions of the Alpine Botanical Garden is the Honey House. It was built to popularize the traditional Georgian beekeeping with the use of “dzhara” - a wooden beehive for the bee domestication of the most ancient way. In the Honey House you can see the main attributes of traditional beekeeping, as well as acquire the necessary beekeeping skills. If you want to stay longer in nature, breathe the purest mountain air and watch beautiful panoramas of mountainous Adjara, you can pitch a tent and stay in the garden for several days.

One of the constitutive parts of the Alpine garden is the stone garden which is being arranged by Georgian and foreign specialists.

I am in heaven - Batumi Botanical Garden

Did you know that to pass an eye over all the continents of the world is possible in a day, and that it will not take tens of thousands miles and 8 300 hours of your life? Visit Batumi’s subtropical paradise and you will see for yourself. It is really amazing – how once impenetrable, inaccessible Caucasian forest became a pearl of the world flora with the centennial parks composed of trees from different continents. And the story starts from the French gardener Michael D’alfons who was the first to introduce new plant species in Adjara which he started in 1881 in order to embellish his garden nearby Chakvi.Once this territory was covered by Colchian forests, abundant with redwood, chestnut, Tilia Caucasia, cherry laurel and rhododendron trees.

From 2,037 hardwood species in the garden, 104 are endemic Caucasian and 1,540 are introduced. These plants are grouped according to their origin in 9 phytogeography sections, including Australian, New Zealand, East Asia, Himalaya, North America, Mexico, South America, Mediterranean and Caucasus subtropical sections. Batumi Botanical Garden is the board member of BGCI. It is also connected with over 140 botanical gardens from around the world, as well as the universities and research centres.