From Kutaisi to Tskhrajvari Mountain and Ambrolauri

Georgia 2024 part 5

For such a small country, Georgia has a lot to offer. Even after six visits I wanted to come back and see more. High on my list was the area around the town of Ambrolauri in a mountainous region called Racha. The guidebooks on Georgia I know of barely cover this. But recent online stories about Ambrolauri made me curious, especially a post from travel blogger wander-lush about the nearby Tskhrajvari Mountain. She described it’s top as “quite possibly the most spectacular viewpoint in all of Georgia’’. So when I returned to Georgia in May 2024, I was excited to check out this mountain and the surroundings of Ambrolauri.

I started my trip in Kutaisi. As Georgia’s third largest city, Kutaisi is easily accessible and a good base to explore the west of Georgia. Here’s my experience travelling from Kutaisi to Tskhrajvari Mountain and Ambrolauri.

The route from Kutaisi

Tskhrajvari Mountain can only be reached by car, so I hired a driver named Beka via GoTrip (more practical information below). Luckily I didn’t drive myself, because I initially picked a tough route. From Kutaisi I wanted to take a scenic road to Ambrolauri via the Okatse waterfalls. As this wasn’t the common way to go, Beka made some phone calls about the road conditions. It turned out the road was in a very bad state beyond the waterfalls. We decided to drive to the waterfalls first, but then drive back to Kutaisi instead to take a well maintained road to Ambrolauri.

The Okatse waterfalls are in a river gorge. A brand new boardwalk leads along a cascade of waterfalls, the tallest 70 meters high. Guards keep an eye on the visitors. I arrived just after the ticket booth opened while there were few other visitors. The waterfalls are beautiful, very accessible and probably very crowded once the tour groups arrive. The next stop would be way harder to reach.

Tskhrajvari Mountain

We drove through a slightly hilly landscape to the town of Tqibuli, from where the mountains started and the road went up hundreds of meters. We turned left to a narrow tarmac road and parked near a massive cliff overlooking the valley: the start of the trail on Tskhrajvari Mountain. Tskhrajvari means nine crosses, which can be found on the top. Beka stayed with the car as I started my short climb. The top was just a one kilometre away, at the end of a forest trail going a hundred meters further up. Some parts of the trail had wooden stairs, though they had started to rot and collapse. Further up there were ropes and chains to hold onto during the steep bits. On a steep incline near the top I encountered three builders welding a metal staircase. A priest was overseeing their work. I used a rope to pass them, carefully trying to avoid hitting their tools.

On the mountain top is a shrine surrounded by crosses. It is at over 1500 metres altitude with a magnificent view on both the Imereti plain and the mountains of Racha. There are at least two legends about the crosses. One legend is that the nine crosses were placed to protect nine sons when they went to war. The other legend goes that a local family built the shrine to lift a curse on newborn sons. Both stories end well: the sons returned, and the family finally had a newborn son.

Walking back down I came across a family with young kids. When I saw Beka again I told him about the family and asked whether it’s common to bring kids here. He replied they would probably not go all the way to the top. Walking here used to be even harder when there were no staircases. Beka sometimes helped when the stairs were being built. Whenever he drove tourists to the trail before, builders asked him to bring wood up as well. I can imagine Tskhrajvari Mountain will attract a much bigger crowd once the metal staircases are finished.

Ambrolauri

We drove into the Racha region. Near Ambrolauri we stopped at Nikortsminda Cathedral, described by UNESCO as “one of the most outstanding examples of Georgian architecture’’. Despite being over a thousand years old, it’s original appearance has hardly changed. But it’s not just the structure that’s impressive. The inside is covered with beautiful frescoes. The cathedral is in a quiet rural area, and I was the only visitor at the time.

When we reached the outskirts of Ambrolauri we quickly stopped at the “waterfall of love’’. I read online posts recommending a visit. An artist carved a heart behind this tiny waterfall, hence the name. It’s nothing spectacular, but I can imagine people like posing for a photo here.

Though just two thousand people live in Ambrolauri, it is still the biggest town in the Racha region. It dates back to the 17th century, and the only standing structure from this era is the Machabeli Tower. There aren’t any other landmarks here. Beka mentioned people usually go here to relax or visit the surroundings. And despite lacking notable sights, I can imagine coming back to Ambrolauri and spending more time in Racha. The nearby Tskhrajvari Mountain and Nikortsminda Cathedral were spectacular, and I read there are even more hidden gems around. After getting a Lobiani, a traditional bread stuffed with beans, I had a look at the tower before getting to my next destination: Borjomi.

Practical info on travelling here

Getting a driver through GoTrip

GoTrip is like an Uber for longer trips in Georgia and Armenia. You can book a trip via gotrip.ge . After filling in an itinerary and selecting the date and time to leave, it will automatically show available drivers including prices. When confirmed the driver will contact you to meet up.

Visiting the Okatse waterfalls

The entrance to the Okatse waterfalls opens at 10.00. A ticked costs 20 Lari in 2024. Visitors usually combine the waterfalls with the nearby Okatse canyon, but the canyon was closed for renovation work in May 2024.

Visiting Tskhrajvari Mountain

There is a small parking space at the start of the trail. The trail is clearly visible and just a kilometre long. As mentioned, the stairs were in bad condition in May 2024 and there were ropes and chains for the steep bits. The parking lot and trail are not on Google Maps, but can be found on maps.me or Komoot.

Travelling around Georgia

Read my blogpost a guide to visiting Georgia for more advice on travelling around Georgia.

CaucasusArjan MookOctober 4, 2024