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Geotour

Sataplia Nature Reserve

Imereti & Racha · Nature

Getting there
About 10 km (20 min) north-west of Kutaisi on a paved road up the hill
Best time
Year-round
Recommended stay
1.5–2 hours

About Sataplia Nature Reserve

Sataplia is a small protected area on a forested limestone hill about 10 km north-west of Kutaisi, in Imereti. In one visit you see fossil dinosaur footprints under a protective pavilion, walk through a lit karst cave with stalactites and stalagmites, and step onto a glass viewing platform above the cliff, looking over Kutaisi and the Colchis lowland. A guided walk takes about 1.5 hours and works in any weather, which makes it a good rainy-day alternative to the Okatse and Martvili canyons.

Must-See Attractions

  • Dinosaur footprints

    Dozens of footprints in the rock under a covered pavilion, with a small exhibition and life-size models.

  • Sataplia cave

    A lit walkway through a karst cave with stalactites, stalagmites and a so-called heart-shaped stalagmite.

  • Glass viewpoint

    A glass-floored platform over the cliff edge, with views across Kutaisi on a clear day.

  • Colchic forest trail

    A shaded path through Colchic forest between the sites.

Nearby

  • Prometheus Cave

    A larger show cave with a boat section near Tskaltubo, about 20 km (30 min).

  • Kutaisi

    Bagrati Cathedral and the old town, about 10 km (20 min).

  • Gelati Monastery

    The UNESCO-listed 12th-century monastery east of Kutaisi, about 20 km (30 min).

Location

View on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 10 km (20 min) north-west of Kutaisi on a paved road up the hill; Kutaisi is about 230 km (3–3.5 h) from Tbilisi.

Best time

Year-round

Best time

The cave and footprints are the same in every season; in summer the forest is green and shady, while clear autumn and winter days give the widest view from the glass platform.

Recommended stay

1.5–2 hours

Fees

About 30 GEL for foreign adults, including a guided tour in English, Georgian or Russian; children 6–18 pay 5.50 GEL, under 6 free.

Hours

Officially 10:00–17:00 every day, sometimes longer in summer; we confirm when you book.

Weather

The glass viewpoint is closed in rain and snow, but the cave and footprints stay open.

What to bring

A light layer for the cave, which is cool all year, and shoes with grip for wet paths.

Time needed

About 1.5–2 hours.

History & culture

History

The cave was found in 1925 by Petre Chabukiani, a Kutaisi teacher and local researcher, and in 1933 he also found the dinosaur footprints in the Cretaceous limestone. The reserve was founded in 1935 to protect the cave, the footprints and the Colchic forest around them. The name means "honey place" in Georgian: local people once collected honey from wild bees living in holes in the rock. Today the footprints are shown under a covered pavilion, and a modern visitor centre, walkways and the glass viewpoint make the site easy to visit.

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