# Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park > Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is a huge protected forest in the Lesser Caucasus that starts on the western edge of Borjomi town. There's no entrance fee, but you must register at the visitor centre (23 Meskheti St) before hiking — it's open 9:00–18:00 on weekdays and 9:00–16:00 at weekends. A short trail takes 2–3 hours, a full day hike 6–8, and the big routes 2–4 days with nights in shelters. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-kharagauli-national-park - City: [Borjomi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi), Georgia - YesGo score: 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Borjomi visitor centre: Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–16:00; closed 1 and 7 January and Orthodox Easter. Trails open year-round — start in the morning - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free to walk: no entrance fee in the official price list - Registration: Required at the Borjomi or Kharagauli visitor centre before any trail - Visitor centre: Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–16:00; closed 1 and 7 January and Easter - Shelter night: 20 or 30 GEL per person depending on the hut; pupils and students 10 GEL - Tent pitch: 10 GEL per person per day - Rental: Tent 20, sleeping bag 5, backpack 10, bike 35, snowshoes 20 GEL a day - Time needed: 2–3 hours for a short trail, 6–8 hours for a day hike - Address: Visitor centre: 23 Meskheti St, Likani, Borjomi - From the centre: ≈ 2.3 km: walk ≈ 30 min, taxi ≈ 6 min - Payment: Not officially stated — bring Georgian lari in cash - Coordinates: 41.83715, 43.37105 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **No fee** — to walk the trails — but registering at the visitor centre is mandatory (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (Services and Fees); nationalparks.ge; TripLinkHub) - **23 Meskheti St** — the visitor centre in Likani, on the western edge of Borjomi (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia; Georgian Travel Guide; OpenStreetMap) - **43–54 km** — length of the two classic multi-day treks, Trails 1 and 2 (3 and 4 days) (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (trail descriptions)) - **1995** — park founded with support from WWF and the German government; opened in 2001 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Eurasia.travel) - **2,642 m** — Mount Sametskhvario, the park's highest point, on Trail 2 (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (St Andrew Trail)) - **2,198 m** — Lomi Mountain (Lomismta) — on a clear day you see the Greater Caucasus and Elbrus (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (Nikoloz Romanov Trail)) - **Six** — municipalities the park spreads across, from Borjomi to Baghdati (source: English Wikipedia) - **Since 2006** — wild goats are being bred for reintroduction near Atskuri ranger station (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (Panoramas Trail)) - **Yew trees** — a Red List species, grow in the Likani valley (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia; Georgian Travel Guide) - **IUCN Category II** — a national park under the international classification (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) > **Register before you set off** Every trail in the park requires you to sign in at a visitor centre first. It's free and takes a few minutes, and it means rangers know who is out there — phone signal is patchy on most routes. At weekends the Borjomi centre shuts at **16:00**, and it's closed on 1 and 7 January and at Orthodox Easter, so plan your start around that. ## Is there an entrance fee? No. The official price list from Georgia's Agency of Protected Areas only charges for overnight stays, gear rental and tent pitches — walking in costs nothing. A few older guidebooks mention a paid hiking pass, so ask when you register, but don't expect a ticket booth. If you stay the night, a bed in a tourist shelter is **20 or 30 GEL** per person depending on the hut (10 GEL for pupils and students), a tent pitch is 10 GEL a day and the Marelisi hotel 25 GEL. The visitor centre rents tents (20 GEL), sleeping bags (5), backpacks (10), bikes (35) and snowshoes (20 GEL a day). Book shelter beds there in advance. **Payment:** the agency doesn't say whether the visitor centre takes cards, so carry Georgian lari in cash. Marshrutkas (shared minibuses) and village taxis are cash-only in practice. ## What is Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park? It's one of the largest protected areas in the Caucasus, stretching across the Lesser Caucasus from the Borjomi gorge west towards Imereti and into six municipalities. Georgia created it in **1995** with help from WWF and the German government, and it formally opened in 2001. Its core is the old Borjomi nature reserve right behind the spa town. Spruce, fir and beech forest gives way to subalpine meadows higher up, and in the west, around Kharagauli, to damp Colchic woodland. The top is **Mount Sametskhvario at 2,642 m**. Red deer, brown bears and wolves live here, though you'll see tracks far more often than animals. Near Atskuri, the park has been breeding wild goats since 2006 to return them to the mountains. For a visitor in Borjomi, the park means waymarked trails — anything from a two-hour loop by the visitor centre to a four-day traverse with nights in wooden huts. ## Best day hikes from Borjomi - **Information Trail** — starts at the visitor centre, about 3 km and 1.5–2 hours. Steep at first, then easy forest paths. Pick this if you have half a day or kids in tow. - **Likani Valley loop** — about 7 km from Likani ranger station, 5 km up the valley from the visitor centre (take a taxi). A gentle riverside forest walk. - **Footprint Trail** — about 13 km and 6–8 hours from Likani over the ridge to Kvabiskhevi village on the Akhaltsikhe road, with roughly 800 m up and down, old yews and views over the gorge. Catch a marshrutka or taxi back from the main road. - **Day one of Trail 1** — Likani to the Lomi Mountain shelter, 15 km and 5–6 hours uphill. Not an out-and-back day: you need to sleep at the top. - **Winter** (December–February) — snowshoe routes from Likani and Atskuri, with snowshoes rented at the visitor centre. ## Multi-day treks and shelters The park's flagship routes, as described by the agency: **Trail 1, Nikoloz Romanov** — 43 km over 3 days from Likani ranger station (930 m) via Lomi Mountain to Marelisi, moderate. **Trail 2, St Andrew the First-Called** — 54 km over 4 days from Atskuri via Amarati shelter and Mount Sametskhvario, difficult. **Trail 3, Panoramas** — a 34 km two-day loop from Atskuri, also difficult. Atskuri ranger station is 27 km from the visitor centre on the Akhaltsikhe road, so you'll need a taxi. You sleep in tourist shelters (Lomismta, Amarati, Sakhvlari and others) or your own tent. Huts are basic and may have no electricity — carry all your food. Trails 1–3 can also be ridden on horseback — ask about horses at the visitor centre. ## How to get to Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park 1. Start at the gates of [Borjomi Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) by the Ekaterina spring on 9 April Street. 2. Walk west along the main street (Kostava St) past Borjomi Park station — about 10 minutes. 3. Cross the bridge over the Kura to the bus station on Meskheti St, where marshrutkas from Tbilisi (Didube) and Kutaisi arrive. 4. Keep going west along Meskheti St towards Akhaltsikhe for about 800 m to number 23 — the visitor centre sits by the park entrance. In total ≈ 2.3 km, about 30 minutes on foot or 6 minutes by taxi. 5. Register and pick up a trail map. The Information Trail starts right here; for Likani ranger station (≈ 5 km) or Atskuri (27 km) take a taxi — staff can call one. Bolt works in Borjomi, but there are few cars. 6. From the end of the Footprint Trail at Kvabiskhevi, flag down an Akhaltsikhe–Borjomi marshrutka or call a taxi from the highway; pay in lari cash. ## When is the best time to go? The park is open all year, but **May to October** is the hiking season for most people. Caucasian rhododendrons and orchids flower in May and June, summer forest is cooler than town, and October turns the slopes gold. From December to February the high trails are under snow and only the snowshoe routes make sense. From October to April you may meet shepherds' dogs near flocks — give them a wide berth. Start any full-day hike in the morning: setting off after lunch is too late, especially in autumn when it gets dark early. ## Before you hit the trail - [ ] Reach the visitor centre before closing and register - [ ] Offline map downloaded — no signal on most trails - [ ] Ankle boots and long trousers - [ ] Water and food for the whole day — no cafés in the park - [ ] Lari in cash for taxi, marshrutka and shelter - [ ] A taxi number for the way back - [ ] Morning start so you're back before dark ## Is it worth it? Yes, if you like walking and have at least half a day. This is real wild forest on Borjomi's doorstep: half an hour's walk from town to the trailhead, and an hour into the climb you'll have it nearly to yourself. With a night or two to spare, the treks to Lomi Mountain and Sametskhvario rank among Georgia's best hikes outside the Greater Caucasus. Not really, if you're in Borjomi for one day for the spa town itself. There are no tidy paths, cafés or rides — just forest and steep climbs. In that case walk through Central Park to the [sulphur pools](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-sulphur-baths) and save the national park for another trip. ## National park, Central Park or the Green Monastery? | | National park | Central Park | Green Monastery | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Wild forest with marked trails | Spa park with the mineral spring | Monastery in a forest gorge | | Entry | Free, registration required | Paid | Free | | Where | Likani, ≈ 2.3 km from the centre | Town centre | ≈ 10 km on the Akhaltsikhe road | | Time needed | 2 hours to 4 days | 1.5–2 hours | ≈ 1 hour + travel | | Best for | Hikers ready for climbs | Everyone | Quiet, churches, short trips | One day in Borjomi — go for Central Park. Two days — give the second to the national park. ## Views in Borjomi: compare and choose Borjomi spots with views, rated by YesGo. - [Borjomi Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial) - [Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-kharagauli-national-park) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free entry, registration required - [Kukushka Train (Borjomi–Bakuriani Railway)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/kukushka-train) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Not running; new fare not announced - [Rabati Castle](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/rabati-castle) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 20 GEL for foreign visitors ## A short hike and the spa town in a day Morning on the Information Trail from the visitor centre, then the Romanov Palace nearby in Likani, and after lunch Central Park with the sulphur pools at its far end. YesGo works out the timings and walks. 1. [Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-kharagauli-national-park) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free entry, registration required 2. [Likani Palace (Romanov Palace)](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/likani-palace) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, outside view only 3. [Borjomi Central Park](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-central-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial) 4. [Borjomi Sulphur Baths](https://yesgo.io/georgia/borjomi/borjomi-sulphur-baths) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry ## Don't mix them up "Borjomi Park" usually means Central Park, the paid spa park with the spring in the middle of town. The national park is the huge forest around it. Borjomi is also the mineral water brand, and Kharagauli is a separate small town in Imereti with the park's second visitor centre. ## Tips - Register the evening before — then you can hit the trail as soon as it's light. - For a first taste, the Information Trail is enough: forest and gorge views without a long climb. - For the Footprint Trail, take a taxi to Likani ranger station and a marshrutka back from Kvabiskhevi. - Nights up high are cold even in summer — for a shelter stay bring a warm layer and a sleeping bag. - After a long hike, soak in the sulphur pools at the far end of Central Park. - Save 112, Georgia's emergency number, before you go — it's the one to call from the trail. ## Questions ### Is Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park free? Yes, walking in is free. You only pay for shelter nights (20 or 30 GEL), tent pitches (10 GEL) and gear rental. ### Do I need a permit? You need to register — free — at the visitor centre in Borjomi (23 Meskheti St) or Kharagauli before any trail. ### How do I get to the park from Borjomi? Walk west along Meskheti St to the visitor centre: about 2.3 km, 30 minutes on foot or 6 minutes by taxi. Likani ranger station is another 5 km by taxi. ### What are the visitor centre opening hours? 9:00–18:00 Monday to Friday and 9:00–16:00 at weekends. Closed on 1 and 7 January and at Orthodox Easter. ### What's the best day hike? For a few hours, the Information Trail from the visitor centre (about 3 km). For a full day, the Footprint Trail from Likani to Kvabiskhevi, about 13 km and 6–8 hours. ### Can I hike without a guide? Yes. The trails are waymarked; register, get a map and download an offline map, as there's often no signal. ### How much is a night in a shelter? 20 or 30 GEL per person depending on the shelter, 10 GEL for pupils and students. Book at the visitor centre. ### When is the best time to visit? May to October. Rhododendrons bloom in May and June; in winter the high trails are snowbound and only snowshoe routes are open. ### Are there bears? Brown bears and wolves live in the park, but meeting one on the popular trails is unlikely. Don't leave food out at camp and keep clear of shepherds' dogs. ## How we checked Shelter and rental prices, visitor centre hours and closed days come from the official Agency of Protected Areas price page, which also gives the lengths, days, altitudes and ranger-station distances for Trails 1–3. That page lists two shelter prices — 20 GEL in a general line and 30 GEL next to the named huts (Likani, Sakhvlari and others) — so we give both. It lists no entrance fee; free registration is confirmed by nationalparks.ge and TripLinkHub, but some guidebooks mention a paid pass, so the Entry row is marked as being checked. Sources disagree on the Information Trail (3 km per Eurasia.travel and TripLinkHub, 6 km per Georgian Travel Guide); we give 3 km. The Footprint Trail's 13 km is shared by Eurasia.travel, Georgian Travel Guide and Lonely Planet. Published figures for the park's area don't agree (647 to 1,093 km²), so we leave area out. Walking time and distance from Central Park are our own estimate from OpenStreetMap. How the visitor centre takes payment isn't officially stated — unofficial. ## Sources - Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia: Services and Fees — Borjomi-Kharagauli Protected Areas (rental, shelters, visitor centre hours, days closed) - Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia: trail pages for No. 1 Nikoloz Romanov, No. 2 St Andrew the First-Called, No. 3 Panoramas - nationalparks.ge: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park — registration, seasons, rules - English and Russian Wikipedia: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park; Wikidata Q1545224 - Eurasia.travel: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park — history, short trails, wildlife - TripLinkHub: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park — registration, Information Trail, transport - Georgia.to: Trails of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park - Georgian Travel Guide: visitor centre, Footprint Trail, Information Trail - Lonely Planet: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park — Footprint Trail - OpenStreetMap: visitor centre (23 Meskheti St), Likani ranger station, distances from Central Park --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.