A Holiday.ge collection · Protected areas.

Visit Georgia's protected areas.

A short forest path in Lagodekhi, a longer Likani hike, a managed boat outing from Poti and Kobuleti's wetland trail offer different ways into Georgia's protected landscapes. Sataplia adds fossil tracks and a cave; Martvili offers a managed canyon walk. Choose an outing for its landscape, effort and access, then make a base nearby.

Green forest path in the Lagodekhi protected area — Photo: Aleksey Muhranoff · image credits

Choose and plan

Which protected-area visit fits your trip?

This is a shortlist of six contrasting visits with nearby destination guides, not a catalogue of all Georgia's protected areas. The times are editorial allowances for the selected activity, excluding transfers, queues and registration. Seasonal advice helps choose an outing; it is not an opening calendar.

Scroll the table sideways to compare all columns.

Which protected-area visit fits your trip?
Visit and base	Landscape, effort and time	When it makes sense	Access to plan
Lagodekhi nature path	Forest interpretation beside the visitor centre; 600 m, roughly 30–60 minutes. The shortest walking choice here.	A lower-forest introduction when the path is open; high-mountain trekking season is a separate question.	Start at the administration grounds. Waterfall and Black Rock Lake routes are different outings, not extensions included in this visit.
Likani Valley · Borjomi	A 7 km forest-and-ridge circuit; allow 4–5 hours walking. The most sustained hike in this selection.	Choose a day with enough daylight and suitable trail conditions. Snow or mud can change the effort considerably.	Register at the Borjomi visitor centre first, then transfer to the Likani ranger station; it is about 5 km from the centre.
Lake Paliastomi · Poti	Lake and wetland views from a managed boat; allow 1½–3 hours for the selected outing. Boarding matters more than walking distance.	Choose for water and wetland habitat. Ask about seasonal birdlife, but keep the visit worthwhile without a particular sighting.	Book with Kolkheti National Park. Agree on lake-only or Pichori route, duration, departure point and weather cancellation before travelling.
Kobuleti wetlands	Peatland plants and birds along permitted visitor paths; allow 1½–3 hours. Usually less walking commitment than Likani.	A nature break during a coastal stay. Migration adds birding interest; a dry, comfortable walking day helps.	Ask the administration which of the Ispani 2, White Moss or Drosera paths is usable. Do not assume tower access or permission to cross the peat bog.
Sataplia · Kutaisi	Dinosaur tracks, a karst cave and Colchic forest; the agency describes a 3.3 km, roughly two-hour route.	Choose for a mixed forest-and-cave outing. Indoor exhibits do not remove the outdoor walking or slippery-ground considerations.	Use the managed visitor route and confirm which cave, track and viewpoint sections are open. Arrange transport back to Kutaisi.
Martvili Canyon	A 700 m stone-paved circuit with steps and viewpoints; allow 45–90 minutes. Boating is a separate option.	Choose for a short gorge visit in suitable conditions. Rain and high water can change the available activities.	The visitor centre is in Inchkhuri, outside town. Plan for the walk first; ask separately about the boat and its current boarding restrictions.

Choose the landscape and the effort separately.

For a short forest introduction, start with Lagodekhi's interpretation path. For a substantial walk, choose Likani and reserve the day around the trail. Paliastomi is the water-based choice; Kobuleti lets a coastal stay include peatland ecology. Sataplia combines several managed attractions, while Martvili concentrates on a short canyon circuit.

A short distance does not establish step-free access. Steps at Martvili, cave surfaces at Sataplia, wetland paths and boat boarding pose different barriers. Ask about the exact route and assistance your group needs before buying tickets or arranging a transfer.

Separate the visitor centre from the trailhead.

Lagodekhi's short path starts beside its visitor centre. Likani requires a separate transfer after national-park registration in Borjomi. Kolkheti's boat departure must be agreed with the park, and Martvili's canyon entrance is outside the town. Give a driver the actual meeting point and agree on collection, not just the park name.

For a first visit, choose one principal outing near your existing base. Kutaisi can support either Sataplia or a separately arranged Martvili trip, but the two are not one continuous route. Poti and Kobuleti are separate coastal bases with different wetland experiences.

Protected status has several meanings.

The selection includes national-park routes, managed-reserve visits and natural monuments. Their visitor rules differ, and a public route through one section does not open adjacent strict-reserve land. Use the designated entrance, complete any required registration and keep to the permitted route. For boat visits, ask about safety equipment and cancellation; for trails, ask about closures and conditions rather than relying on a park's general opening hours.

Sources for this planning guide

Selected experiences · Forests, wetlands & canyons

Things to make time for.

Start with Lagodekhi for a gentler path or choose Likani for a fuller hiking day. Confirm boat arrangements at Lake Paliastomi and permitted wetland paths at Kobuleti; check Sataplia and Martvili's current visitor routes. Protected status does not mean unrestricted access: ask about registration, guides and seasonal restrictions, and allow separately for travel and visitor-centre check-in. These are independent visits; times exclude travel between places.