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Geotour

Photos: Jelger Groeneveld (CC BY 2.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Shovi

Imereti & Racha · Nature

Getting there
About 30 km (45 min) beyond Oni on a mountain road
Best time
June–September
Recommended stay
30–60 minutes

About Shovi

Shovi is a former mountain spa resort at about 1,600 m in upper Racha, about 30 km beyond Oni, where the Buba and Chanchakhi rivers meet below the main Caucasus ridge. It was known for carbonated mineral springs, pine forest and walks to the Buba glacier. On 3 August 2023 a huge debris flow destroyed much of the resort and left 33 people dead or missing. The resort is not operating, and the site is now also a place of mourning, so we include it only as a quiet stop on request.

Must-See Attractions

  • Valley views

    From the road above the resort you look up the valleys toward the main Caucasus ridge and south to the Shoda-Kedela range.

  • Memorial site

    The foundation of a memorial church for the 2023 victims was consecrated in 2024; visitors are asked to be quiet and respectful.

  • Debris-flow channel

    From a safe distance you can see the scale of the 2023 mud and boulder flow; do not enter it.

Nearby

  • Oni

    Upper Racha's main town, with a synagogue built in 1895 and a small local museum, about 30 km (45 min).

  • Utsera

    A smaller mineral-spring village on the Rioni, on the road between Oni and Shovi.

  • Ambrolauri

    The Racha capital and Khvanchkara wine area, about 55 km (1–1.25 h).

Location42.7000° N, 43.6833° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 30 km (45 min) beyond Oni on a mountain road; Oni is about 27 km past Ambrolauri, which is about 250 km (4.5–5 h) from Tbilisi.

Best time

June–September

Best time

Summer is the only season when the upper Racha road is reliably open and dry; in spring and after heavy rain the risk of new mudflows is higher.

Recommended stay

30–60 minutes

Heads-up

The resort was destroyed in 2023 and is closed; the way up the Buba valley toward the glacier crosses unstable debris. We confirm the road and site status before any visit.

Safety

Stay on the road and marked paths and keep well away from the debris channel, especially after heavy rain.

Respect

More than 30 people died here; this is not a place for playful photos.

History & culture

History

Shovi grew as a climatic and mineral-water resort in the Soviet period, with wooden cottages and holiday homes in the forest. On 3 August 2023 a glacier and rock collapse high in the Buba valley sent a debris flow down the Bubistskali and Chanchakhi rivers. It buried part of the resort, destroyed bridges and the access road, and left 33 people dead or missing, including children. On 3 August 2024 the foundation of a memorial church for the victims was consecrated. The resort remains closed, and no plan for rebuilding has been announced.

Accommodation

No accommodation is operating at Shovi. Stay in guesthouses in Oni or Ambrolauri.