Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

Entering the park through the Borjomi Visitor Centre, the change is immediate: the air cools, there is a smell of pine resin and the city noise disappears within minutes. Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park covers more than 85,000 hectares of mountain, forest and sub-alpine terrain in the Lesser Caucasus, and is one of the few places in Georgia where you can hike for several days, sleeping in huts without needing a tent.

The trail network is reasonably well marked by Caucasus standards: wooden posts at junctions, maps available at the visitor centres in Borjomi and Kharagauli, and routes ranging from half-day walks to three-to-five-day circuits. The terrain varies from river valleys with centuries-old beech trees to open ridges above 2,600 metres, with views of the peaks of the Lesser Caucasus range. The huts are basic — bunks, simple kitchen, no electricity — but functional.

The park's wildlife includes brown bears, lynx, deer and the zarali — Caucasian bison — reintroduced in the seventies after disappearing from the region. Direct sightings are rare, but on the more remote trails it is not hard to find fresh tracks in the mud or signs of nocturnal activity. In July and August the park receives quite a few Georgian visitors, especially at the entrances near Borjomi; if solitude is the goal, Kharagauli is the best entry point.

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park was created in 1995, unifying several Soviet-era nature reserves. The Borjomi area had already been a well-known destination since the 19th century: Russian nobility came attracted by the mineral waters of the Borjomula river and the cool mountain climate. The surrounding forests served for decades as an imperial hunting reserve, which paradoxically contributed to their conservation. After Georgia's independence, international organisations — including the WWF and the European Union — co-funded the infrastructure of huts, signage and ranger training that now enables independent trekking tourism.

• Borjomi-Kharagauli traverse (5 days) The full route from one end of the park to the other, crossing ridges above 2,400 metres. Requires good fitness, prior hut reservation and minimum technical gear for cold nights.
• Likani trail A half-day route from the Borjomi Visitor Centre: mixed beech and birch forest, gentle gradient and views over the Mtkvari river valley. Ideal for acclimatising before longer routes.
• Toba Hut One of the highest huts in the park, at about 2,000 metres. The usual starting point for ascending to the ridges of the Lesser Caucasus; nights here, with clear skies and no light pollution, make the hike worthwhile.
• Borjomi Visitor Centre Essential first stop before entering the park: up-to-date maps, trail condition information and the option to hire local guides. Park entry costs around 5–10 lari per person (under 4 USD).
• Kharagauli access The western entrance to the park, less crowded than Borjomi. It has its own visitor centre next to the railway station and one-day routes through oak forests with minimal tourist traffic.

Photo gallery

The main access is through Borjomi, about 160 km from Tbilisi. There are daily trains from Tbilisi Central Station (about 3 hours) and frequent marshrutkas from the Didube terminal. The Visitor Centre is about 3 km from the centre of Borjomi. For the western access, there is a train from Tbilisi to Kharagauli (about 4 hours) or a marshrutka from Kutaisi.

The trekking season runs from May to October. June and September offer the best balance: temperatures of 15–22 °C at mid-altitude, dry trails and the park not overly crowded. July and August are warmer and busier at the Borjomi entrances. In October the forest changes colour, but nights at the Toba Hut already approach zero degrees. Winter closes the high-mountain trails; the lower sections along the Borjomula river remain accessible.