11 Day Trips From Kutaisi: Soviet Spa Town, Canyons & More

Kutaisi is almost in the center of Georgia, making it relatively easy to visit some of the most charming and fascinating places in Georgia. You can even explore the Imereti region and go to Samegrelo and Racha. In this post, I give you all the best day trips from Kutaisi you need to take to make the most of your Kutaisi itinerary. 

Popular and Less-known day trips from Kutaisi

Geguti Palace

Located 7 km south of Kutaisi, Geguti Palace once belonged to the Georgian monarchy and is one of the rare examples of the survived medieval Georgian architecture, as we typically have churches and monasteries of that time. 

It’s believed that the palace was built on the remains of a small Roman fort. Before the palace’s construction, a much smaller house with a fireplace had stood at the site from the 9th century. Later, it broadened to become the royal hunting palace, and King David IV the Builder stayed there during his hunting in the woods of Imereti. 

David’s grandson, King George III, completely rebuilt the house and converted it into the grand palace as a royal residence for Georgian kings near Kutaisi, the second capital of Georgia. His daughter, the famous King Tamar, frequented the palace throughout her reign. In the 13th and 14th centuries, additional facilities and a palatine chapel were built next to the palace.

Although the Palace of Geguti may be in ruins today, you can still imagine its grandeur as you walk through it. Spanning about 2000 square meters, this once-magnificent palace, mostly made of brick, sits atop a 2.8-meter-high stone platform. 

At its center is a vast cross-shaped audience hall, which once had a 14-meter-wide dome supported by squinches. Private quarters for the royal family, treasury rooms, and storage spaces surrounded this central space.

During the late Middle Ages, when the Georgian Kingdom fragmented, the Palace of Geguti became a residence for the kings of Imereti. Over time, however, it was abandoned and fell into ruins, eventually facing destruction in the 19th century. It was partially restored in the 1960s. 

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 10 am to 6 pm; Closed on Mondays
• Entrance fee: adults – 5 GEL

Gelati and Motsameta Monasteries 

One of the first-day trips from Kutaisi is visiting Georgia’s most important religious sights. Due to the proximity to each other and Kutaisi, it’s easy to combine visiting both in one morning and have some time off to enjoy Kutaisi sights. 

Gelati Monastery is one of Georgia’s most important medieval buildings and is believed to be the quintessence of local architecture. Located 11 km from Kutaisi, the monastery was founded by David Agmashenebeli, translated as David – the Builder, the most powerful king of Georgia between the 12th and 13th centuries. His grave is also located here. 

Enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Gelati Monastery complex includes different buildings, but the most distinguished one is the Monastery of Holy Mother of God and its gorgeous frescos. 

At the very center of the church, there is a fresco of St. Mary with Baby Jesus in her hands and ringed with archangels Michael and Gabriel. Those frescos are typical Georgian creations and have no analog in medieval art. 

Motsameta monastery is located close to Gelati and was built to immortalize the names of two brothers – David and Constantine Mkheidze. This religious building dates back to the 11th century, but the first church was built in the 8th century. 

Breathtaking deep gorges and mountains surround the church. The name in English translates as ‘the place of martyrs’, and several legends are connected to it. According to one of them, the Dukes of Argveti, David and Constantine, were tortured during the Aran invasion.  

Tskaltubo Spa Town

If you need to choose one place from this post of day trips from Kutaisi, choose Tsklatubo. It used to be a famous spa resort in the Imereti region. However, today it’s most famous for its caves, particularly Prometheus cave (more on it below). Even though the cave is very close to Tskaltubo, I decided not to include them together. 

I recommend spending more time in Tskaltubo admiring gorgeous abandoned sanatoriums and spending an entire day here rather than going to slightly overcrowded, overpriced, and overrated Prometheus. BUT if caves are your thing, by all means, read all about it down below. 

Back in Soviet times, Tskaltubo was a popular destination due to the healing properties of its hot thermal waters. There were dozens of sanatoriums and resorts to host thousands of people from all over the world. 

Today, most of those resorts are abandoned and halfway demolished. However, there are a couple that has been renovated to international standards. Those resorts have distinguished architecture that makes you feel like you traveled back in the 1950s. 

Prometheus Cave 

There are several karst caves in the territory of the Tskaltubo municipality, but the most famous one that every traveler visits is the Prometheus Cave. Others don’t have a developed tourist infrastructure and are not accessible to visitors.  

This karst cave is rich with stalactites, stalagmites, and stalagmites, to name a few, and is illuminated with colorful lights. The space of the cave is 46.6 ha, while the length of some rooms is around 80-100 meters. 

You are not allowed to wander in the cave on your own. Instead, you wait for a group of people and a guide to enter. During the high season, the cave gets lots of visitors, especially from organized tours, so you need to stand close to the guide to hear the details and history. 

In total, you walk around 1420 meters underground before you reach the exit. If you want, you can take a boat ride out of the cave for an additional fee. Otherwise, you walk through a tunnel where a service bus is waiting for you and takes you back to the cave entrance. 

• Opening hours: every day; 10 am – 6 pm
• Entrance fee: Georgian citizens & residents – 12 GEL; Foreigners – 25 GEL. 

Georgian tea at Renegade Tea Estate

Visiting Renegade Tea Estate on a half-day trip from Kutaisi takes you on a journey of the fascinating world of Georgian tea, how the team behind the company revived the old Soviet tea farm, and how they make their high-quality teas. 

Georgia is known for its centuries-old tea-growing heritage, and Renegade Tea Estate stands as a shining example of the country’s commitment to producing exceptional teas. 

Book a tour to discover tea fields, learn about the traditional tea-making process, and savor the exquisite flavors of handcrafted teas, all while immersing yourself in the scenic beauty of the countryside. 

A visit to Renegade Tea Estate offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of Georgian tea culture and indulge in a truly memorable tea experience.

Chiatura and Katskhi Pillar

Visiting Chiatura is an excellent option for day trips from Kutaisi to explore relatively unknown Georgia. Combining Katskhi Pillar with Chiatura could be challenging but doable if you use public transport. You’ll need to coordinate Marshrutka’s departure times perfectly. Go to Katskhi Pillar first and then continue your adventure in Chiatura. 

Katskhi Pillar is a natural limestone pillar in Katskhi village, 62 km from Kutaisi. The name of the pillar is believed to derive from the Svan language (one of the three languages spoken in Georgia) and means’ peak.’ 

The pillar is a fascinating natural wonder with a height of approximately 40-45 meters. The area of its top is around 150 sq. meters, and the lower part of the pillar is narrower than the upper one, creating a negative tilt. 

There’s a monastery on top of the pillar, which is only accessible to monks. The current church was restored between 2005-09, but no one knows how people transported the materials back in the day to construct the first church. 

Chiatura used to be a famous manganese town in Georgia which was founded in 1879. During the Soviet times, it saw its heyday. The manganese from here was sent all across the Soviet Union and other countries of the world as well. 

Ride Soviet-time Cable Cars

The town is divided into lower and upper Chiatura. Due to its vast amount of manganese mines, the Soviet government developed a plan to help workers to get to the mines quickly. Due to its mountainous landscape, the means of transport was chosen as a cable car. The town has dozens of cable cars connecting neighborhoods and mines with each other. And sometimes Chiatura is called ‘a cable car town’ among many foreigners. 

Today, the town still produces manganese in different quantities than before. Therefore, most of those cable cars are not operating anymore. And those which do, have not been renovated since its opening in 1954! Riding those cable cars are FREE of charge! 

I am afraid of heights, and taking a cable car that has been in use without any reconstruction for more than 60 years does sound scary, but trust me, it’s not as bad as it sounds. On the contrary, it’s a fascinating experience I would love to do again. 

Visit cave monastery

This monastery is just outside of Chiatura. It has a unique location; to get to the monastery, you need to climb the stairs and walk the tunnel. The church is situated in the cave, that’s why it’s called Mgvimevi.

The best way to get to Mgvimevi is to ask the driver of Kutaisi Chiatura marshrutka to drop you off at the entrance staircase of the monastery and then walk around 2km back to Chiatura to explore the town. 

How to get to Chiatura and Katskhi Pillar: To get to the town and the pillar, you need to take a minibus (marshrutka) from Kutaisi to Chiatura from the central bus station. Minibusses leave every hour from 8:20 am to 5 pm. 

You can ask the driver to drop you off at the road that leads to the pillar. You’ll have to walk around 2 km to get to the monument. If you want to continue your trip to Chiatura, you’ll need to walk back to the main road and wait for the next marshrutka towards Chiatura. 

Alternatively, you can get a Bolt taxi from Kutaisi to Katskhi Pillar, which should cost you around 50-60 GEL one way, depending on the demand and traffic. If you prefer to join a tour from Kutaisi, check out this full-day trip.

Sataplia Nature Reserve 

Sataplia Nature Reserve, located 7 km from Kutaisi, is a place where around 200 footprints of dinosaurs were discovered in 1933. The Nature Reserve spans around 330 ha of land and features a cave, a conservation structure of dinosaurs’ footprints, an exhibition hall, and a panoramic viewpoint, to name a few. 

The Sataplia Cave is around 900 meters long. Like Prometheus Cave, colorful lights illuminate the stalactites and stalagmites. 

After visiting the cave, wander through the forest, walk to the panoramic viewpoint, and visit the bio-speleological museum to learn more about the area. 

• Opening hours: every day; 10 am – 5 pm
• Entrance fee: Georgian citizens – 10 GEL; Foreigners – 20 GEL. 

Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha Waterfall 

Exploring Okatse Canyon is another popular option for day trips from Kutaisi. It is considered the deepest canyon in the country, located around 50 km from Kutaisi. 

Nestled in Zeda Gordi village, the canyon offers breathtaking views of the surrounding gorge. The canyon’s length is 16 km with a depth of 35-50 meters. In some parts, the canyon’s walls align with each other and create beautiful, natural stone bridges. Unfortunately, you can’t explore the whole canyon as it still needs to be thoroughly studied and has only a 1.5 km long hanging iron walkway built several years ago. 

To explore this true natural gem of Georgia, you must first get to the visitors center, buy the ticket and get ready for a 2.5-kilometer walk. You’ll need around 2-3 hours to spend here. Taxis offer you a ride from the visitors center to the canyon entrance, but they are highly overpriced and might ask you 50 GEL, including the wait time. 

Walking on your own is absolutely doable with a relatively easy track. Coming back might be a challenge. 

If you are up for another beautiful sight in the area, you can hike towards the Kinchkha waterfall from the Okatse Canyon Visitor Center or ask one of the taxi drivers to take you there. 

Kinchkha, also known as Okatse waterfall, is one of the tallest waterfalls in Georgia. This three-step cascading waterfall flows from massive stone slopes and joins the river gorge of Satsikvilo. 

First, it falls from 25-meter high slopes, then from 70-meter high to the flatland, and then makes a third fall from a 20-meter high rock. 

There’s a marked iron trail to walk through the short valley toward the last fall of the waterfall. 

• Okatse Canyon opening hours: every day; 10 am – 5 pm
• Okatse Canyon entrance fee: Georgian citizens – 12 GEL; Foreigners – 20 GEL. 
• Note: Visitors must be at least 1.20 meters tall to be allowed in the canyon. 
• Kinchkha Waterfall opening hours: every day; 10 am – 5 pm
• Kinchkha Waterfall entrance fee: Georgian citizens – 12 GEL; Foreigners – 20 GEL

Martvili Canyon 

Martvili Canyon is another stunning natural gem of the country, located in the Samegrelo region and 50 km from Kutaisi. I had seen dozens of gorgeous pictures before my visit, so I was excited to manage a trip here finally. However, I was very disappointed not because of its beauty, but because of the service offered here. 

Firstly, the canyon is famous for taking a boat trip through green gorges and emerald water. I was okay with that, but when we got there, we found out that the boat takes you for only around 300 meters, and the trip lasts for approximately 10 minutes. 

Moreover, it was packed with tourists even though we came one hour after the canyon was opened. There were so many boats that we bumped into each other. We visited in the summer season, so at all costs, avoid visiting Martvili Canyon in the summer. I have heard spring and autumn are the best times to avoid massive crowds here. 

Unfortunately, unlike Okatse Canyon, where you walk for 1.5 km on the trail through a gorge, the walking path here is short. It took us a maximum of 10 minutes to walk, and we were done with everything! 

Don’t get me wrong, the place is absolutely stunning, with its plant-covered small bridges and turquoise water, but what I paid and what I was offered in terms of infrastructure got me thinking if it was worth the effort. 

Now you know these small details about the canyon, so I leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth it. 

• Opening hours: every day; 10 am – 5 pm
• Entrance fee: Georgian citizens – 12 GEL; Foreigners – 20 GEL; Boat – 15 GEL

Zugdidi

Zugdidi is the central city of the Samegrelo region and is around 2hr drive away fr Kutaisi. Therefore, if you are after less-known day trips from Kutaisi, consider exploring the city’s most iconic sights and indulging in mouthwatering Megrelian cuisine. 

I recommend renting a car from LocalRent (a more affordable company) and driving to Zugdidi from Kutaisi. Even though there are a few things to see and do in Zugdidi itself, visiting a few sights nearby the town is much easier with a car than public transport when doing a one-day tour. 

Alternatively, spend the whole day in Zugdidi, admiring the only European-style castle in Georgia – Dadiani Palace-Museum, walking through their massive garden, trying various Megrelian dishes, or meandering through its bazaar, to name a few. 

If you want to avoid driving, marshrutkas run daily from Kutaisi to Zugdidi from early morning till late afternoon. 

Shaori Reservoir, Nikortsminda, Abmrolauri

The mountainous region of Racha is still an undiscovered area for many tourists. However, after road reconstruction and a shorter highway connecting Tbilisi to Ambrolauri, Racha has been gaining popularity for the past two years. 

You can visit some iconic Racha attractions within a 1-2hr drive from Kutaisi. Like in the case of Zugdidi, I advise renting a car to give you more flexibility. 

On your day trip from Kutaisi to Racha, your first stop would be Shaori Reservoir, the biggest lake in the region, nestled at an altitude of 1100-1200 meters and surrounded by mixed deciduous trees. In terms of size, the lake is 7.1km long, 2.7km wide, and 14.5 meters deep. 

Don’t miss a short stopover at Nikortsminda Cathedral, which represents the Georgian cross-dome architectural style and features some of the most beautiful fresco paintings and carving examples of late-Medieval Georgian ecclesiastical art.

Afterward, finish your day tour in Ambrolauri, the main town of the Racha region, to try local cuisine and the most famous wine variety – Kvanchkara- and see some great artwork of Georgian painters at its Fine Art Museum, to name a few.