15 Epic Things to Do in Upper Adjara: Batumi Akhaltsikhe Road Trip Guide

A complete guide to visiting Upper Adjara, with 15 epic things to do on the road from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe.

Located in the Lesser Caucasus on Georgia’s southwestern border with Turkey, Upper Adjara (Ajara) is the mountainous part of the Autonomous Republic.

Literally a world away from the capital, Batumi, and the Black Sea Coast, it is one of the few places in Georgia that feels completely unfamiliar to me – in many ways, more remote and foreign than even Tusheti.

Menacing mountains and rolling mist, summer pastures (yaylas), picture-book villages, wooden mosques and remote frontier monasteries – this is truly Georgia’s Wild West.

I had visited parts of Upper Adjara before, but inspired by the photography of Natela Grigalashvili, I finally set out to explore this region that is largely untouched by tourism in greater depth.

Beneath the breathtaking photo opportunities, I was also interested to confront the somber undercurrent that runs through Natela’s documentation: a story of isolated communities that, in many ways, have been left behind. It’s easy to romanticise the semi-nomadic lifestyle of Upper Adjara’s families, but the reality is often one of hardship and migration. Everyone we met on our journey was incredibly gracious and welcoming, and I’m truly grateful to have had this experience.

Driving the 170-kilometre (105-mile) Batumi-Akhaltsikhe Road that threads through the mountains of Upper Adjara is the most natural way to explore the region, so I’ve framed this as a road trip guide, with 15 things to see and do as you travel from west to east.

Along the way, you’ll also find tips for using shared transport to get around Adjara, a detailed report on the current state of the roadworks, suggestions for places to stay, and other practical advice to help you plan your journey.

Best time to visit Upper Adjara

Upper Adjara is a mountainous region with an extreme climate, swinging from blazing hot summers to long, bitterly cold winters. The main travel season runs from early June until mid-October, though snow can arrive early and cut it short – as it did in 2024.

We travelled in late August, when the hills were still green and everything was open. This is also the busiest time of year, and in popular areas closer to Batumi – especially around Merisi – accommodation prices peak and availability is tight. September and early October bring beautiful autumn colours, but also the risk of rain, and some smaller restaurants and attractions may already be closed. (The Dendrological Park, for example, only stays open until October 15, while the ski lifts wind down at the end of August or in early September.)

Upper Adjara also has a winter season thanks to the Goderdzi Ski Resort – one of four state-run resorts in Georgia. This area receives staggering snowfall (10–20 metres, according to some sources), making it an excellent place to hit the slopes.

The road into Goderdzi from Batumi is still under construction (more on that below) and in winter skiers rely on snowmobiles. The road from Akhaltsikhe is sealed and in much better condition, so if you’re visiting in winter I strongly recommend approaching from the east. The higher villages, however, are completely inaccessible once the snow sets in.

This guide is tailored to summer travel. Goderdzi is the only place in Georgia where I haven’t skied yet – I’ll be back to add a winter guide once I do!

How to get to Upper Adjara

The Batumi-Akhaltsikhe Road runs east to west right through the heart of Upper Adjara. While alternative roads (Bakhmaro to Ghorjomi and Gomis Mta to Khabelashvilebi) link Adjara with highland Guria, these are unsealed tracks that are only suitable for offroad vehicles.

In order to cover all the locations mentioned here, you will need your own car. A rental is ideal for flexibility and efficiency, but you could get away with hiring a GoTrip driver for an abridged version of the road trip (around 6 hours driving plus stops; see an example itinerary here).

Self-driving in Adjara is quite straightforward: some roads are narrow and windy, but they are usually quiet. All the locations mentioned in this guide have an asphalt road, with the exception of a small section of the main highway that is unpaved and being worked on now. More details below.

Batumi Akhaltsikhe Road conditions

The Batumi-Akhaltsikhe Road has been ‘under construction’ for as long as I can remember. Here is a quick recap of conditions as of summer 2025:

• Batumi to Dioknisi: Sealed road (100 km)
• Dioknisi to Danisparauli: Unsealed road (work active), with the worst section around Bodzauri (11 km)
• Around Goderdzi Ski Resort & the pass: Sealed road (30 km)
• Zarzma to Akhaltsikhe: Sealed road, with patches of works around Utkisubani (34 km)

The 11 km stretch of unsealed road is not bad at all – any sedan can manage it. The only inconvenience is the big trucks that kick up the dust. With any luck, work will be finished by next season.

Please feel free to share any updates on road conditions in the comments below.

Visiting Upper Adjara without a car

This is slightly more challenging, but definitely possible. I recommend choosing a larger hub – either Keda or Khulo – to base yourself in. Both these towns are serviced by semi-regular city buses from Batumi.

From there, you can hire a local driver to take you to the further-flung villages, or hop between the larger settlements on the main highway using buses. In summer, there are marshrutka vans to Goderdzi and Akhaltiskhe that you might be able to hitch a ride on. Check times locally in Batumi.

Where to stay in Upper Adjara

While you can complete the drive from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe in under 5 hours, if you are aiming for a slower travel experience with time for side quests to the more remote areas, then I recommend spending at least three nights in Upper Adjara.

For pacing, I suggest one night in Merisi, one night in Tago, and one night in Goderdzi. After much research, this is exactly how we did it – you can find our full itinerary at the end of this page.

My favourite accommodations in the region are:

One cabin, one glamping tent and one high-end resort is a pretty good balance. We spent an additional night at a family winery-guesthouse in Keda, but it was far from fantastic and the extra night wasn’t necessary.

If you want to include the Khikhani Fortress hike in your itinerary (more info below), I suggest adding a night at Homestay Vardtsikhe in Khikhadziri.

15 things to do in Upper Adjara on the road from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe

I have organised this list as if you were travelling from west (Batumi) to east (Akhaltsikhe). It is entirely possible to reverse the route (this is actually the way we travelled), but I will say that finishing in Akhaltsikhe gives you more options for onward travel: you could make a detour to Abastumani, cut up through Sairme and Baghdati to Kutaisi, or continue into Samtskhe-Javakheti.

This guide does not cover Machakhela Planned National Park or the popular Makhuntseti Waterfall, but you can find information about those locations in my Batumi day trips guide.

We didn’t get to see anything in Merisi due to rain, but I’ll be back to explore (and write about) that area at a future date!

Mountainous Adjara is famous for its historic mosques. More than 150 village mosques were constructed when the region was part of the Ottoman Empire and Islam was the dominant faith (Adjara was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1878). 

Around 60 of these wooden mosques survive today – most dating to the 18th and 19th centuries – and they remain an important symbol of Adjara’s cultural identity. Built by skilled craftsmen using local timber and decorated with a mix of Islamic and Georgian motifs, each one is completely unique.

The Gulebi Mosque is one of the most beautiful. Constructed completely from wood, it is renowned for its intricate interior adornments, especially the borjgali spirals – an ancient Georgian sun symbol – that are carved into its wooden pillars.

Although the Gulebi Mosque was sadly damaged by fire and is no longer in active use, the decorations – including the richly painted mihrab (prayer niche) and minbar (pulpit) – can still be seen through the windows.

Outside, a small cemetery contains a scattering of Ottoman-style tombstones. Partially concealed by an overgrown garden, their Arabic inscriptions recall the centuries of cultural and religious overlap along Georgia’s southwestern frontier.

The steep road up to the tiny Gulebi village is concrete (not asphalt) and damaged in places. Still, you do not need a 4WD. The mosque stands silently at the edge of the village (I thought it was a private house, at first), close to the trailhead for the 15-kilometre Gulebi Fortress hike.

2. Cross the Dandalo Bridge

Another thing Adjara is associated with is its arched stone bridges. These so-called ‘Tamar Bridges’ (local legend attributes them to Queen/King Tamar, Georgia’s 12th-century monarch, though in reality most predate her reign) can be seen all over the country, from Imereti to the Rkoni Valley.

The Dandalo Bridge is one of the most striking medieval bridges in Georgia and an easy stop between Keda and Shuakhevi. Dated to the 9th-10th centuries, it spans 20 metres across the Acharistskali River.

Like others of its kind, the Dandalo Bridge was built using local masonry techniques and without mortar. Its single high arch is impossibly slender at the top, emphasised even more by its flared ends. In the past, these bridges were vital for facilitating trade and pilgrimages across the Lesser Caucasus.

You can cross the bridge on foot, then carefully descend to the river’s edge for a different perspective. Be cautious, though – the water level can rise quickly and unexpectedly.

Lesser-known but even more impressive than Adjara’s stone bridges, the Khabelashvilebi Bridge is built entirely from timber. Named after one of the gorge’s clans and thought to be around 300 years old, it was constructed to connect three small, isolated villages – and it is the only surviving covered bridge of its kind in Georgia.

This style of carpentry, using corbels (timber supports) and rafters, was once common across Upper Adjara. The Khabelashvilebi Bridge is therefore not just a spectacular feat of vernacular engineering, but a rare architectural relic that has miraculously endured in a humid mountain environment where wood rarely survives for long.

This is without a doubt one of the most atmospheric places I’ve been in Georgia. Hidden in the thick forest, the bridge has a fairytale quality – I can only imagine how wonderful it is in peak autumn.

The bridge is located deep in the Chvani Gorge, a 30-minute detour via another narrow and windy – but completely sealed – mountain road. When you arrive in the village, park on the street around this point then follow the signs down the side alley, past the farm fences. You need to walk for 400 metres (about 10 minutes) each way.

The trail soon turns into a stone path. Little lanterns hang from custom-made wooden poles, and every few hundred metres, there is a carved wooden bench. I am not sure who crafted and maintains these (the residents of the village?), but it is truly lovely. It feels just like a Japanese pilgrim trail!

4. Tour the Chvani Gorge Ethnographic Museum

An unexpected treat near the Khabelashvilebi Bridge, the Chvani Gorge Ethnographic Museum is a tiny but atmospheric collection that brings Upper Adjara’s past vividly to life. The museum is a one-man operation run by local music teacher and historian Tariel.

Artefacts on display include traditional carpets, household tools, old musical instruments, Soviet relics, and even banknotes dating back to Tsarist times. Wooden snowshoes lean against the wall, while a heavy cast-iron sewing machine and colourful film posters hint at more recent decades.

When we arrived at the museum on a Monday morning, it was closed – but by chance, a family collecting plates for a wedding contacted Tariel, who arrived to unlock the door for us.

5. Meet the friendly father Kalistrati at Skhalta Monastery

Located on the southern slopes of the Adjara Mountains, about 25 kilometres from the Turkish border, Skhalta Monastery is one of the region’s most important medieval monuments.

The history of the stone basilica dates to the 13th century, and is one of the only medieval churches in Adjara to have survived the Ottoman period without being converted into a mosque.

The active monastery preserves a collection of icons and relics, including paintings that vividly portray scenes of martyrdom. One recalls the tragedy at Purtio Bridge, a nearby medieval crossing where Christians were executed – the bridge itself still stands today at the turn-off to the village.

When we visited, the heavy wooden doors were locked, but a quick phone call brought the kindly Father Kalistrati to open up and give us a personal tour. If you arrive to find it empty, look for the phone number posted on the door.

The drive to Skhalta is a detour of about 40 minutes from the main Batumi–Akhaltsikhe Road, but it is worth it to experience a secluded valley that is very different to the interior villages of Gulebi and Chvani. Though still heavily forested, this area somehow feels more exposed.

Deeper in, the trailhead for the Khikhani Fortress hike is located outside the village of Bako. You need another hour of driving to reach Bako, so if you plan to attempt the hike, it’s best to stay overnight in one of the small villages along the valley. Since the fortress is located on the border, you need to bring your passport to register with the border police.

The mountain town of Khulo is one of the largest settlements in Upper Adjara. It sits on the main road at exactly the halfway point between Batumi and Akhaltiskhe, making it the perfect location to break-up the journey (see my suggested accommodation in #8 below).

My favourite town in the region, Khulo is brimming with Soviet relics and quirky architectural details. I highly recommend stopping here for a stroll.

Start with the 18th-century Khulo Mosque, then continue to the gleaming new St. Andrew the Apostle Church, consecrated in 2019. Scenic viewpoints line the main roads, offering sweeping vistas of the mountains and Tago village, located on the opposite side of the gorge (more below).

Though the beautiful Soviet-era mosaic here was lost years ago, there are other unusual photo spots to keep an eye out for, including a cluster of decommissioned UAZ ambulances located behind the hospital.

For lunch, Restaurant ABX serves authentic Adjarian dishes – including sinori (rolled lavash with cottage cheese and butter), and Adjaruli khachapuri.

7. Ride the Khulo-Tago Cable Car to Glamping Tago

Important note: The Khulo-Tago Cable Car is under repair and on temporary hiatus. For now, you can only reach Glamping Tago by road.

The cable car from Khulo to Tago is one of Georgia’s most exhilarating rides. Built in 1985, it spans 1,919 metres and has no support pillars between stations – making it the second-longest free-span cable car in Europe. It passes at up to 350 metres above the Adjaristskali River gorge, offering sweeping views of the plunging valleys throughout the 10-minute journey.

The cable car is a vital connection between Khulo and remote Tago village. I was lucky enough to ride the retro cableway half a dozen times before it was shuttered for repairs.

On the opposite side of the valley, Tago is a beautiful little village with a mosque and a cluster of traditional houses. This is also where you’ll find the famous Glamping Tago.

A collection of Lotus Bell tents set on a ridge overlooking a sea of misty mountains, Glamping Tago is without a doubt one of the most special accommodations in Georgia. The property has an onsite restaurant called Yurtalicious, a fire pit, and even a sauna tent.

8. Admire the colourful Ghorjomi Mosque

As the mosque is still an active place of worship, visitors should dress modestly and behave respectfully. Kick off your shoes before going inside.

9. Summit the Goderdzi Pass

At 2,025 metres above sea level, the Goderdzi Pass marks the highest point on the Batumi-Akhaltsikhe Road, and serves as the natural border between Adjara and Samtskhe–Javakheti. The landscape changes dramatically as you near the summit – lush, forested valleys give way to wide alpine meadows, and the air grows noticeably cooler and crisper.

In summer, the pass is a lively spot, with roadside stalls selling honey, berries and mountain herbs, and herders bringing their cattle to graze on the high yaylas (summer pastures). If you need to buy a cold drink or a snack for the road, there is a market at the pass that accepts both cash and card, plus a couple of small restaurants.

Be aware that there are often groups of children selling bundles of wildflowers at this location, which can be a little bit confronting.

Crossing the pass is a milestone on this journey: the symbolic gateway between Adjara’s Black Sea hinterland and the high plateaus of southern Georgia.

10. Stay for sunset on the pass

If you can time your journey right, try to be at the Goderdzi Pass for sunset. As the sun dips behind the jagged ridgelines, the meadows and tall firs are bathed in amber light, and the mountains take on layer after layer of pastel tones. It’s one of the most magical moments on the Batumi–Akhaltsikhe Road – especially on a clear evening when the whole valley seems to erupt into a warm glow.

There are only a few places where you can pull over safely for photos – see the map above for the location of an ideal viewing spot (where these photos were taken).

The top lift station at the ski resort (more below) is another brilliant place to watch the sunset. Unfortunately though the lifts stop at 5pm in summer, and the dirt track demands an ATV.

Driving in the mountains after dark is not ideal, so be sure to leave yourself enough time to get back down to Goderdzi Resort safely before the last light fades.

11. Ride the lifts at Goderdzi Ski Resort

If you don’t have time for hiking, this is a great way to experience the highest reaches of Georgia’s Lesser Caucasus (the highest peak in the range, Mount Aragats – 4,090 metres – is located over the border in Armenia).

In summer, the alpine meadows are punctuated with wooden cottages, and you will surely see cows grazing on what transforms into the 8-kilometres of ski runs come winter!

The rooftops of yaylas glimmer in the distant valleys, and on a clear day, you can see all the way out to the highest ridges that mark the Turkish border.

12. Wander through the Goderdzi Alpine Garden

Inaugurated in 2016 as a satellite of the Batumi Botanical Garden, the Goderdzi Alpine Garden showcases the unique flora of the Lesser Caucasus at an altitude of 1,859-1,960 metres. Spread over nearly 10 hectares, the garden was created to conserve local ecosystems and introduce visitors to the extraordinary biodiversity of the Adjarian highlands.

Paths wind through meadows and mixed forests, where you can see species such as Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) alongside conifers and alpine plants. The point most visitors aim for is Shkernali Lake (pictured above).

While I enjoyed visiting the Garden, it was a bit crowded on a weekend in August, and there’s not all that much to see. If you are short on time, it’s safe to skip this one.

The Garden is only open from 15 May to 15 October. Entrance and onsite parking are both free. The entrance is located on the road into Beshumi (see below).

13. Explore the storybook village of Beshumi

At 2,000 metres above sea level, Beshumi is the largest and most quintessential summer settlement in Upper Adjara. For centuries, families from Batumi and the surrounding lowlands have migrated here to escape the oppressive coastal heat, turning Beshumi into a lively seasonal town between June and September.

A walk through the village reveals hundreds of wooden and tin-roofed cottages that cascade down the hillsides, many painted in bright colours that catch the sunlight against the backdrop of the forest.

The architecture is simple yet distinctive – steeply pitched gables to shed snow, wide verandahs for summer socialising, and patchwork facades of weathered timber and corrugated metal.

The haphazard layout, bareback horseriders and overall vibe reminded me instantly of Bakhmaro in Guria. Beshumi has its own summer festival, Shuamtoba, which I would love to attend one year.

The asphalt road into Beshumi starts at the Goderdzi Pass.

14. Eat at Utkisubani (Samtskhe-Javakheti)

After braving the most uncomfortable stretch of road east of the Goderdzi Pass, you’ll be glad to arrive at Utkisubani, a cosy roadside restaurant just over the border in the Samtskhe–Javakheti Region. This is the perfect place to stretch your legs and reward yourself with a steaming cup of Turkish-style coffee.

The menu is simple but satisfying – homemade khachapuri, fresh garden salads, and other Georgian classics, prepared with care by the family who runs the place. Tables overlook green fields where cows graze for one of the most idyllic views in the area.

15. Stop by Zarzma & Ude Monasteries

Suggested itinerary for Upper Adjara

Day 1: Batumi to Merisi

• Gulebi Mosque
• Merisi Waterfall & lunch at Eco House Merisi restaurant
• Overnight in Merisi at Haiku

Day 2: Khulo

• Dandalo Bridge
• Khabelashvilebi Bridge
• Khulo
• Overnight in Tago at Glamping Tago

Day 3: Goderdzi

• Ghorjomi Mosque
• Goderdzi Pass
• Goderdzi Ski Resort
• Goderdzi Alpine Garden
• Sunset in Beshumi
• Overnight in Goderdzi at Ambassadori Goderdzi

Day 4: Samtskhe-Javakheti

• Lunch at Utkisubani
• Zarzma Monastery
• Ude Monastery
• Overnight in Akhaltsikhe, or continue to Abastumani, Borjomi, Vardzia, etc.

Tips for visiting Upper Adjara

• Petrol stations can be found in all larger settlements along the main road. Make sure you have a full tank for the Khulo-Zarzma section, as options are limited on this stretch.
• Similarly, there are supermarkets, pharmacies and ATMs in every major town (Khulo, Keda, Goderdzi). Most accommodations require cash payment.
• Upper Adjara is a conservative area – especially in the smaller and more remote villages – so I highly recommend dressing and behaving modestly. Bring a scarf for visiting mosques and monasteries.
• Mobile coverage can be patchy in the mountains, especially between Khulo and Goderdzi. Download offline maps in advance.
• For real-time updates on roadworks and road closures, visit the GeoRoad Facebook Page.