One of the most popular tourist destinations in Georgia, the region of Adjara has so much to offer beyond its beautiful capital Batumi. Check out the magnificent little seaside town resorts of Gonio, Kvariati, Sarpi, Shekvetili and Chakvi, ideal for those who love relaxing by the sea with a tasty cup of a coffee prepared on hot sand, a secret which only Adjarians know. Add a piece of honeyed Bakhlava to it, or savor the well-known Adjaruli Khachapuri, and you’ll have yourself a gourmet feast and an experience you’ll not easily forget.
If you’re in the mood to sprinkle your stay in Adjara with a bit of adventure, get ready to explore its breathtaking nature and head to the Batumi Botanical Garden, Machakhela National Park, Mtirala National Park, Kintrishi or Ispani protected areas, and Green Lake. And for history-lovers, Petra and Gonio fortresses are ready and waiting for you. Got your head spinning with possibilities? Then we’ll take them one-by-one to help you decide. We’ll start with the Batumi Botanical Garden.
Batumi Botanical Garden was founded back in 1912 and is considered to be one of the richest botanical gardens in the world. Located in the Mtsvane Kontskhi (Green Cape) zone, 9 km from the city of Batumi, it is spread across 111 hectares of land, and offers visitors a plethora of flora from Australia, New Zealand, the Himalayas, East Asia, North and South America, Mexico and the Mediterranean.
English, Russian, German and Turkish-speaking guides are available at a 50 GEL charge, while the entrance fee is 8 GEL. Take it all in from an electro car for just 30 GEL.
Mtirala National Park
Mtirala National Park was founded in 2007 on the initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Georgia, Agency of Protected Areas, WWF, and the Government of Norway. Located in the Kobuleti-Chakvi Mountain range, 1638 meters above sea level, the place is known as one of the rainiest and wettest areas in the region (Mtirala means “crying”). The national park is said to have the rarest examples of both flora and fauna.
The brilliant Mtirala National Park zip-line attraction costs 15 GEL and is open 10 AM - 8 PM for those 12-years and up.
Machakhela Protected Area is located on 8733 hectares of land in the gorge of the Machakhela River, 25 km from Batumi and 300-350 meters above sea level. It was created in 2012 to preserve and maintain the unique biological and landscape diversity of the area. 95% of the territory of the national park consists of chestnut, hornbeam and alder forests. You might spot the Caucasian bear, Caucasian bee and Caucasian Salamandra on the park territory.
Kintrishi Protected Area was founded in 1959 and consists of the Kintrishi Preserve and the so called Kintrishi Protected Landscape, situated near Kobuleti, with the territory’s lowest point at 250-300 meters above sea level and its highest at 2000 meters. The main water artery of the preserve is the River Kintrishi. An arched stoned bridge on Kintrishi River dating back to the XI-XII centuries, often called Tamari Bridge, thought to be from the period of Georgia’s Queen Tamar, is one of the must-see spots, together with the box-trees which reach up to 12 meters in height. To find these treasures, follow the 1200-meter walking trail which ends in a waterfall.
If you decide to camp while there, the picnic area costs 15 GEL per day. You can hire a sleeping bag for 5 GEL per day and a backpack for 5 GEL per day. Horse riding is available for just 35 GEL per day.
Ispani Sphagnum Peatlands, Sphagnum Dome
Spread over 77 hectares, 28 km from Kobuleti, this area is made up of the Kobuleti Strict Nature Reserve (Ispani I) and Kobuleti Managed Nature Reserve (Ispani II).
The Sphagnum Dome is a lake with a layer of Sphagnum (25-45 centimeters) which is said to never sink into the water. With the water, the peat moss makes a smooth dome rising 4-5 meters above it, best seen from the panorama tower.
Even during the pouring rain, the dome remains dry. Sphagnum is like a sponge, able to absorb much more water than its weight. There are unique habitats at Ispani untouched by humans. During autumn and winter, you can see lots of migrating birds there and the Ispani Sphagnum Peatlands are on the RAMSAR Convention List of Wetlands of International Importance.
Green Lake
Green Lake is located 120 km from Batumi in the mountainous part of the Adjara region, beside the Goderdzi Mountain pass. Tucked between the high mountains and encircled with spruce-grove and beech trees, Green Lake is sure to mesmerize you. If you want to stay longer, camping is possible around the lake and accommodation is available at the Goderdzi and Beshumi resorts.
Petra Fortress
Dated from the VI century AD, the ruins of Petra Fortress can be found at Tsikhisdziri. The ancient city-fortress held high strategic, political and economic importance, and was built by the order of Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Researchers believe that the Kadzhi Fortress mentioned by Shota Rustaveli in his immortal poem ‘The Knight in the Panther's Skin’ is the fortress of Petra-Tsikhisdziri.
Gonio Fortress
Just 15 km from the city of Batumi, in the little town of Gonio, you will find a true hidden jewel: the Gonio Fortress, or as it’s often called, the Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, one of the oldest of its kind in Georgia, with a history going back to the Roman and Ottoman empires. One of the oldest references to the fortress is that of Pliny the Elder in ‘Natural History’ (1st century AD). The Fortress territory has a tomb which is considered to belong to Apostle Matthew– one of Jesus Christ’s 12 disciples. The myth of the Argonauts is also connected to the Gonio-Apsaros fortress: According to legend, this was the place where Apsyrtus, King Aet’s son, killed by Jason, was buried.