Guria stretches from the Colchian Lowlands to the surrounding mountain regions. In western Georgia, it includes 22 kilometers of Black Sea coastline. This variety offers different perspectives on the region: wetlands and Colchian forests sit alongside mountain forests and alpine meadows, while religious history and living traditions complement the natural experiences. When planning your accommodation, it is therefore worth first considering which aspect you want to shape your stay.
Colchian Forests and Mountain Landscapes
Kolkheti National Park extends into Guria. Its landscape features include Lake Paliastomi, the eastern border zone of the Black Sea, unique wetlands and Colchian forests. Visitors interested in wetlands and forest landscapes will find a different focus here than in the region’s higher-lying areas. The park offers boat trips on Lake Paliastomi, as well as along the Paliastomi–Pichori and Paliastomi–Pichori–Small Paliastomi routes. Reservation and weather conditions can vary, so it is best to check the options in advance.
Guria National Park covers 15,310 hectares within the municipalities of Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti and was established in 2024. Its landscape ranges from wet Colchian mountain forests at elevations between 300–400 and 1,800–1,900 meters to alpine meadows extending from 1,800–1,900 to 3,000–3,500 meters. Wildlife also varies by season: up to 272 vertebrate species may be recorded there at different times of year. The park therefore brings together several elevation zones and landscape types rather than representing just one natural environment.
Shekvetili: Trees and Music
In Shekvetili, the 60-hectare Shekvetili Dendrological Park lies between the mountains and the sea. It contains more than 200 trees from 29 species, including trees more than 300 years old. A walkway lined with dense bamboo passes information boards that describe individual tree, plant and bird species in detail. The park thus combines botanical diversity with a path where visitors can seek out different species.
A different sound defines Shekvetili’s Musicians’ Park, where sculptures depict Georgian and international musicians. As visitors approach them, music plays continuously. The Dendrological Park and Musicians’ Park offer different experiences within the same town: trees, plants and birds in one, music and figures of musicians in the other.
Monastic History and Local Traditions
The Jumati Monastic Complex stands on Mount Jumati in Guria, 15 kilometers from Ozurgeti. The monastery dates back to the feudal period and played an important role in the region’s religious and educational life. The complex’s main church was built in the 6th century, renovated in the 12th century and painted in the 18th century. Its history of construction spans several centuries, giving the site a different historical dimension from the region’s nature parks.
Local traditions and foods are also part of Guria’s character. Chokhatauri’s weekly Sunday market offers homemade cheese, milk, nadughi and cottage cheese, poultry, cattle, local tobacco, tea, nuts, cornmeal, and acacia, linden and chestnut honey. In autumn, homegrown fruit and vegetables are also available; offerings at individual stalls may vary. In the village of Shukhuti in Lanchkhuti Municipality, the traditional game Lelo, a precursor to rugby, is kept alive. It is played once a year at Easter. If you want to include the market or the game in your trip, keep the relevant day of the week or date in mind.
Bakhmaro: Seasonal Mountain Activities
Hiking is the main summer activity in Bakhmaro. The trails pass through a landscape of alpine meadows and spruce and fir forests. In winter, visitors can go sledding; Bakhmaro is particularly appealing to freeride enthusiasts and extreme sports lovers. Summer and winter offer different activities, which is worth considering when choosing when to travel.
Travel conditions also depend on the season: an asphalt road leads to Bakhmaro, but in winter a snowmobile is needed to travel safely on the snow-covered road. Check road conditions locally. A route through Guria starts in Ozurgeti, passes through the resort town of Nabeghlavi and climbs toward Bakhmaro; three days are recommended for the trip. This route information and the winter conditions are useful reference points when planning your accommodation around the experiences you have in mind.
More to Discover
The two sides of Orkari Canyon differ considerably. The left side is not technically accessible on foot and leads at the end of the road to a waterfall with an elaborately constructed staircase. The right side is a much more difficult route for professional climbers using specialized equipment. Terrain and season can affect access; assess the conditions and equipment locally.
Discover more destinations: Ureki, Grigoleti, Shekvetili, Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Adjara, Imereti.
Go to the main travel overview: Georgia.
