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Geotour

Photos: Philipp Weigell (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Mtirala National Park

Adjara & Black Sea · Nature

Getting there
About 30 km (40 min) from Batumi via Chakvi, the last section on a narrow rural road up to the Chakvistavi visitor area
Best time
May–October
Recommended stay
Half a day to 2 days

About Mtirala National Park

Mtirala National Park protects Colchic rainforest in the hills behind Chakvi, about 30 km (40 min) north-east of Batumi. Its name means "crying", after rainfall of up to about 4,500 mm a year, among the highest in Georgia. From the visitor area in Chakvistavi, a marked trail follows the river through boxwood and ivy to a waterfall and a small gorge lake, and a longer two-day loop climbs to about 1,250 m. It suits nature lovers, birders and families escaping the coast.

Tours Including Mtirala National Park

See the tour

Must-See Attractions

  • Chakvistavi trail

    A marked forest walk from the visitor area to a waterfall in Colchic boxwood and a small lake between cliffs; allow 3–4 hours return.

  • Tsivtskaro loop

    A 16 km circular route climbing from about 260 m to 1,250 m, usually done over two days with a night at the park's tourist shelter.

  • Zip-line

    A 200-metre zip-line between trees near the visitor centre, May–October.

  • Rhododendrons and snowdrops

    Pontic rhododendron flowers in April–June and Woronow's snowdrop in March.

Nearby

  • Batumi Botanical Garden

    Seaside garden on the cliffs at Green Cape, about 20 km (30 min).

  • Sakhalvasho raptor count site

    Hilltop station of the Batumi autumn raptor migration count, in the hills above Batumi (about 45 min).

  • Batumi

    About 30 km (40 min).

Location41.6975° N, 41.8895° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 30 km (40 min) from Batumi via Chakvi, the last section on a narrow rural road up to the Chakvistavi visitor area.

Best time

May–October

Best time

May–June brings flowering rhododendrons and fresh green forest, and late August–October is the season for migrating raptors; July–August is hot and humid, and rain is possible in every month.

Recommended stay

Half a day to 2 days

What to bring

Waterproof jacket and boots; the trails are muddy most of the year.

Fees

Entry to the trails is free; the zip-line, shelter and equipment hire are paid.

Season

The visitor season runs May–October.

Birdwatching

The best period is from the second half of August to October, during the raptor migration over the Batumi area.

Time needed

Half a day for the waterfall and lake; two days for the Tsivtskaro loop.

History & culture

History

The national park was established in 2006 to protect one of the best-preserved stretches of Colchic temperate rainforest, a relic forest type that survived the Ice Ages along the eastern Black Sea. It is managed by the Agency of Protected Areas.

Local Cuisine

Guesthouses in Chakvistavi cook Adjarian home food: borano (cheese melted in butter), fresh corn bread and local honey, with tea from the old Soviet tea plantations of Chakvi.

Accommodation

A few family guesthouses in Chakvistavi village at the park entrance, park tourist shelters and cottages (about 30 GEL per person) and campsites; most visitors stay in Batumi.