Day Trips from Batumi, Adjara (Georgia): 2026 Guide to Waterfalls, Parks and Fortresses

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Published 4 October 2026·17 min read·Prices and facts checked: October 2026

The best day trips from Batumi are Makhuntseti waterfall (minibus 77, 34 km), Mtirala rainforest with the Botanical Garden, and Gonio fortress on bus 16. Green Lake, 117.5 km into the mountains, works best as an overnight.

The best day trips from Batumi sit within 35 km of the city: Makhuntseti waterfall and Queen Tamar bridge up the Adjaristskali valley, Mtirala rainforest and the Botanical Garden to the north, and Gonio fortress with the Kvariati and Sarpi beaches to the south. Each one works by marshrutka or city bus for a few lari. Machakhela, Petra with Kintrishi, and Kolkheti's wetlands are full days of their own. Green Lake, Khulo and Goderdzi lie 110 to 120 km into the mountains, and they are far better as an overnight than as a 12-hour round trip.

This guide gives the bus numbers, the taxi and tour prices, the 2026 entry fees and which stops are really on the same road, so you can plan one trip per day without backtracking.

For a first visit, pick Makhuntseti (waterfall plus bridge, half a day), Mtirala with the Botanical Garden (one long day) and the southern coast at Gonio (half a day). All three need no car. Add Machakhela or Kolkheti if you have more days and like walking or birds; go up to the mountains for at least one night if you want Green Lake.

All distances are by road from the old bus station at 1 Mayakovsky St, where most minibuses into the mountains leave.

Take minibus 77 (Batumi-Makhuntseti-Keda) from the old bus station at 1 Mayakovsky St and get off at the Makhuntseti arch bridge after about 40 minutes. The waterfall is a five-minute walk across the road, and the fare to Keda is 3 GEL in cash.

The fall drops about 50 m into a big pool at 335 m above sea level, on the right bank of the Adjaristskali. There is no ticket and no opening time; a car pays 2 GEL to park by the entrance, a cafe works in season, and there are no lights after dark. Midday tour groups crowd the path, so come before 11:00 or near sunset. The fall is at its strongest after rain, and the rocks by the pool stay wet with spray all year: wear shoes with a grip.

Queen Tamar bridge is the stone arch bridge 300 m from the waterfall, where minibus 77 lets you off. It is smaller than most photos suggest and has no railings, so keep children close. A cafe, the rafting base and the zip-line start next to it: Travel Batumi lists the zip-line at 70 GEL, rafting at 200 GEL per boat of up to 8, and a 30-minute horse ride at 70 GEL.

To get back, flag minibus 77 on the highway in the Batumi direction. Evening runs thin out, so ask the driver on the way up when the last one passes. A taxi from Batumi costs about 50 to 70 GEL one way, or 60 to 100 GEL for a round trip with waiting.

By car, yes; by minibus, no. Mirveti sits in a side valley: going Batumi-Mirveti-Makhuntseti is 41 km instead of 34, a 6.9 km and 16-minute detour. By car or taxi the two fit in one morning; by minibus, pick one.

Mirveti is 24 km from the old bus station. The water drops 20 m next to a narrow metal footbridge, entry is free and parking costs 1 GEL. October 2026 reviews call it touristy at peak times and mention stray dogs, so go early.

Ride a minibus north to Chakvi or Khala, then a taxi up the last 14-15 km of narrow asphalt to the visitor centre. A direct taxi or Bolt from Batumi costs about 35 to 45 GEL one way, so agree the waiting time before you set off.

The national park's own page lists minibus 40 (Batumi-Chakvi, every 6 minutes) and bus 13 (every 30 minutes) from the Khopa market on Aghmashenebeli St; from Chakvi it is 15 km, about 45 minutes by car. The Batumi-Khala minibus gets you closer: Mtirala House posts its departures from Batumi at 08:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 17:50, back at 09:20, 12:20, 15:20 and 18:30, for 1 GEL. The other option is any Kobuleti marshrutka to the Chakvistskali turn-off (about 3 GEL), then a local taxi for about 30 GEL.

The visitor centre is 28 km from Batumi at 860 m. There is no entrance ticket: you pay only for extras. The Agency of Protected Areas lists the zip-line at 15 GEL (May to October), the rope park at 15 GEL, a horse at 50 GEL a day, a campsite place at 5 GEL per person and the tourist shelter at 20 GEL per person. The main walk is an easy 7 km loop along the river gorge with a small cable crossing to Tsablnari waterfall. Food inside the park is limited, so bring lunch.

Pontic rhododendron flowers from April to June, and the second half of August to October is the best time for birds. The visitor service is on +995 577 10 18 89.

Add the Botanical Garden on the same day

The Botanical Garden is on the way: Batumi-Garden-Mtirala is 31.7 km instead of 28.3, a 7-minute detour. Do the garden in the morning and the park after lunch, or the reverse in summer heat.

The garden is 9 km from the centre on Green Cape. Foreigners pay 25 GEL, Georgian citizens 10 GEL, students and pensioners 5 GEL, schoolchildren 2 GEL, and children under 6 go free. It is open 09:00-19:00. The grounds are big and steep, so plan about three hours; a paid shuttle runs on the main road. Buses 10 and 10a and minibuses 31 and 40 stop at the gate, and the marshrutka fare is 2 GEL. Visit Ajara lists picnics in the marked areas at 30 GEL per person for foreigners.

Yes, if you like walking and quiet villages. The Machakhela valley branches off the Makhuntseti road into its own side valley, so combining the two costs 28.8 km and almost an hour of extra driving: give it its own day.

The park covers 8,733 ha at 300-350 m in Khelvachauri municipality, 31 km from Batumi, and its season runs May to October. Visit Ajara describes two marked trails: Mtavarangelozi, 9 km in about 4 hours, and Kokoleti, 15 km in about 6 hours along the border. Kokoleti runs along the Turkish border and needs a border-zone permit: apply through the online form at least 10 working days ahead, as the Agency of Protected Areas requires. The visitor service answers on +995 595 08 60 75, Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00.

If you are driving, follow the marked 39 km Machakhela Gun Road: Gvara fortress, a WWII gun slit at Skurdidi, the 12th-century Tskhemlara arch bridge, Chkhutuneti waterfall and the ethnographic museum in Zeda Chkhutuneti. Visit Ajara plans it over two days with guesthouse nights in the valley; in one day, pick the bridge and the waterfall.

No public transport runs up the valley, so it is a car, taxi or tour day. Sakhva Travel runs an 8-9 hour 4WD day to Gomis Mta and Machakhela from 220 GEL per person, up to 7 people, leaving at 09:00.

Take city bus 16: it runs about every 17 minutes from 06:40 to 23:06 through Chavchavadze St and past the airport to Gonio, Kvariati and the Sarpi border. All three sit on one 20 km coastal road, so you can hop off and on in order.

Gonio fortress

Gonio-Apsaros fortress has 18 towers and has been a museum-reserve since 2010. It stands at 55 Apsaros Ave in Gonio, 15 km and 20-25 minutes south of Batumi; besides bus 16, minibuses 20, 33 and 88 stop there. It is open 10:00-17:00. Visit Ajara gives the 2026 fees: 15 GEL for foreigners, 10 GEL for Georgians, 2 GEL for ages 6-16, 3 GEL for students and free under 6; a guide costs 35 GEL and an audio guide 15 GEL. You can climb the walls and towers; in summer, go early for the heat.

Gonio Cross

The concrete cross on the hill above Gonio, at about 311-330 m, is the sunset viewpoint with views back over Batumi. It went up in 2014. It is a side climb, not a stop on the coastal road: going via the cross adds 9 km and about 21 minutes. September 2026 reviews call the access road very rough even for an SUV, so most people walk: the hike up from Gonio is 9.3 km return, about 3 hours, with 327 m of climbing. Go for sunrise or sunset, not the midday heat.

Kvariati and Sarpi

Kvariati, about 17 km from Batumi, is the last beach before Turkey: clear water, rocks for snorkelling and fewer people than the city beaches. Bus 16 stops on the main road above it. Sarpi, about 20 km south, is the end of the line and the border post, next to Georgian passport control.

A private car for the whole coast costs 92 GEL on GoTrip (Batumi-Gonio-Kvariati-Sarpi-Batumi, 34 km, driver waits), but bus 16 does the same for the price of a city fare.

Three trips run up the coast road towards Kobuleti and Poti. Petra fortress is on the way to both Kintrishi and Kolkheti, so add it to either day.

Petra fortress

The ruins of Petra fortress stand on the sea at Tsikhisdziri, by the Batumi-Kobuleti road, 21 km from Batumi and 5 km before Kobuleti. Batumi-Kobuleti marshrutkas leave throughout the day from the lot by the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit and pass the gate, about an hour in all. Several September 2026 reviews complain about inattentive staff at the gate; the ruins themselves rate 4.6 on Google.

Kintrishi Protected Areas

Kintrishi is 49 km from Batumi by road, between 300 and 2,500 m. The easy day walk is the Tamara arch bridge and box-tree trail: 1.2 km, about 1.5 hours, open all year, with an 11th-12th century bridge, St George church, 300-year-old box trees and a waterfall. Lake Tbikeli is a two-day route, April to November. By public transport, take a Batumi-Kobuleti marshrutka (1.50 GEL), then the Kobuleti-Chakhati minibus (about 40 minutes), then walk or take a taxi the last 8 km to the visitor centre. The visitor specialist answers on +995 577 59 21 12, 10:00-18:00.

Kolkheti National Park

The Kolkheti visitor centre is in Poti, 63 km from Batumi and about 1 hour 10 minutes by car. Go for the boats on Lake Paliastomi: Visit Samegrelo lists a 1-hour pontoon for up to 16 people at 160 GEL per boat, a 3-hour pontoon to the Pichori river at 300 GEL, and a 2-hour motorboat for 3 people at 100 GEL. Boats run all year; call the visitor specialist on +995 591 96 87 85 to book.

You can, but it is a long day: Green Lake is 117.5 km by road, at 2,060 m, and the mountain road takes about 3 hours each way. Travel Batumi prices an individual Green Lake trip at 820 GEL per group for 14 hours. Spend a night in the mountains instead and the lake becomes a half day.

Goderdzi is on the way: the ski area sits 2.3 km off the Green Lake road, at 1,724-2,366 m, and the pass is at 2,025 m. Skiing runs from late December to April; the gondola also turns in summer. In winter the road is paved all the way but needs winter tyres or a 4x4 in snow, and the drive grows to up to 4 hours.

Our full Green Lake guide covers the road section by section, the 4x4 options from Khulo and where to eat near the pass.

Stay a night in the mountains: Glamping Tago

Glamping Tago is our camp on the hill above Village Tago in Khulo municipality, at about 1,400 m. It is a 14.7 km side climb off the Green Lake road, so it works as a base rather than a stop: arrive in the afternoon, see Green Lake and Goderdzi the next morning with our jeep tour, and drive back down via Makhuntseti. The camp is open from 1 April to the end of October.

To get there without a car, take the Batumi-Khulo marshrutka from the Batumi bus station: every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 20:00, about 2 hours 30 minutes, about 10 GEL, with ბათუმი - ხულო on the window. From Khulo, a 4x4 taxi takes up to 4 people to the camp in 30-35 minutes for 75 GEL per car. A private 4x4 from Batumi straight to Tago costs 265 GEL per car. All the options are on our how to get here page. Coming with our transfer from Batumi, you can ask for a picnic stop at a waterfall on the way.

Four stops sit on the main Batumi-Khulo road and each adds 15 minutes or less: Makhuntseti waterfall at 34 km, the Keda wine villages around 40-60 km, Chateau Iveri in Varjanisi and Dandalo bridge at 60 km. Driving Batumi to Glamping Tago via Makhuntseti and Dandalo is 96.3 km instead of 92.4.

Dandalo is a medieval arch bridge 7.6 m above the Adjaristskali, right on the road. It is a quiet riverside picnic spot without the Makhuntseti crowds, worth ten minutes, not a trip on its own.

Keda is the centre of Adjarian wine, made mostly from Tsolikouri and Chkhaveri grapes. Visit Ajara lists tastings in Pirveli Maisi, Vaio, Dandalo, Gegelidzeebi and Koromkheti, and minibuses to Keda leave the old bus station every hour for 3-4 GEL. The KTW winery at 4 Akaki Tsereteli St in Keda has a wine shop on site (+995 595 49 93 05).

Chateau Iveri in Varjanisi is an organic winery hotel 0.9 km off the road, with tastings of its own Tsolikauri, Chkhaveri and Satsuri. Reviews praise the views, rooms and hosts; two August 2026 reviews complain about the restaurant and the service, so come for the wine and the view.

If you would rather not drive, Explorevia sells a 5-hour waterfalls and wine tour, rated 4.92 from 171 reviews, that takes in Mirveti, Makhuntseti, Queen Tamar bridge and a family wine cellar with hotel pickup, and Georgian Holidays runs a private 8-hour Adjara wine tour of three wineries from US$162 per adult in a group of four or more.

Marshrutkas cost 1 to 10 GEL, a taxi with waiting 60 to 115 GEL per car, and a shared group tour 65 to 80 GEL per person. Fares below are one way unless the row says otherwise.

The waterfalls, the Botanical Garden, the Kolkheti boats and the Kintrishi bridge trail work all year. Mtirala's services and Machakhela's season run May to October, and the high mountains above Khulo are a spring-to-autumn trip unless you come to ski.

• Spring (April-May): rhododendrons flower in Mtirala from April, and the waterfalls run strong after rain. Glamping Tago opens on 1 April.
• Summer (June-August): beach days at Kvariati, and the mountain road to Green Lake and Goderdzi at its easiest. Go to Gonio early for the heat.
• Autumn (September-October): the best birdwatching in Mtirala, and Mtirala and Machakhela still in season. Glamping Tago closes at the end of October.
• Winter (November-March): the Botanical Garden, the waterfalls, the Kolkheti boats and the Kintrishi bridge trail still work. Goderdzi skiing starts in late December and runs to April.

Glamping Tago for this

Turn the Green Lake day into a night in the mountains at Glamping Tago

Glamping Tago is our camp on the hill above Village Tago in Khulo municipality, at about 1,400 m. Instead of 6 hours in a car for one lake, you come up in the afternoon, stop at Makhuntseti and Dandalo on the way, and see Green Lake and Goderdzi on a half-day jeep tour with our own drivers.

You sleep in a Lotus Belle tent with a wood stove or in the nine-bed Half Dome dorm, eat in Yurtalicious, our vegetarian yurt restaurant, and end the day at the sauna and the campfire. Prices change with the date: see today's prices, and the jeep tours on /tours.

From Batumi

About 2.5-3 hours: 85 km of asphalt to Khulo, then 30-35 minutes up

By marshrutka

Batumi-Khulo every 30 minutes, 08:00-20:00, about 10 GEL

4x4 taxi from Khulo

75 GEL per car, up to 4 people

Private 4x4 from Batumi

265 GEL per car, up to 4 people

Beds on site

12 Lotus Belle tents and a 9-bed dorm, up to 33 guests

Season

1 April to the end of October

Hiking guide

From 150 GEL

See today's pricesContact us