Turquoise water
Between rock walls.
Paata vardanashvili — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paata vardanashvili — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Peyman Zehtab Fard — CC BY 2.0 · Lasha ge — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paata vardanashvili — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bmphotography — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paata vardanashvili — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Stanko1212 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A narrow gorge cut by the Abasha river through limestone near the village of Gachedili in the Samegrelo region, about fifty kilometres from Kutaisi, with clear turquoise water flowing between rock walls draped in moss and ferns, and small waterfalls spilling from the sides. The canyon was once a bathing place for the Dadiani family, the princes of Samegrelo, and a historic stairway of large limestone boulders still lies on its route. Today it is a protected natural monument and one of the most visited natural sites in western Georgia. Visitors start from the visitor centre on a stone-paved loop of about seven hundred metres, crossing two bridges and passing three viewing platforms over the water. A short trip by inflatable boat into the canyon between the rock walls is the highlight of the visit. Tickets are 20 GEL for foreign adults, 12 GEL for citizens and residents and 5.50 GEL for ages 6 to 18; the boat trip costs 20 GEL, and it opens daily from 10 am to 6 pm, per the Agency of Protected Areas. It gets busy on summer holidays, so come early; it is usually combined with Okatse Canyon and Prometheus Cave.
Between rock walls.
Into the canyon.
On the sides.
Near Gachedili village, Martvili municipality, about fifty kilometres north-west of Kutaisi
Yes; the two canyons are fairly close, and many visitors combine them with Prometheus Cave on a day trip from Kutaisi.