# Prometheus Cave, Kutaisi > Prometheus Cave is a lit karst cave with an underground river at Kumistavi, 30–40 minutes by car from Kutaisi. The guided walk takes about an hour — 1.4 km through six halls — with an optional boat ride at the end. Foreign visitors pay **40 GEL**, plus 30 GEL for the boat (verifying). Open 10:00–17:00, until 18:00 in spring and summer; closed Mondays. Allow half a day with the journey. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/prometheus-cave - City: [Kutaisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors): 40 GEL (from 1 April 2026) - Boat ride: +30 GEL, sold only together with the entry ticket - Children: Under 6 free; reduced fare for ages 6–18 - Hours: Spring and summer 10:00–18:00, autumn and winter 10:00–17:00 - Day off: Monday per the Protected Areas Agency visitor rules; the same site's main page says “every day” - Format: Guided groups only; Georgian, English, Russian or German - Where to buy: Visitor centre ticket desk at the entrance - Payment: Unofficial: card or cash (lari) at the desk; marshrutkas are cash only - Getting there: Marshrutka Kutaisi → Tskaltubo, then a minibus or taxi to Kumistavi; taxi from the centre ≈ 30–40 min - Address: Kumistavi village, Tskaltubo Municipality, Imereti - Coordinates: 42.37687, 42.60052 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 11 km** — total length of the cave — only a small part is open to visitors (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 1.4 km** — guided walking route through 6 of the 22 known halls (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia (nationalparks.ge); Georgia Travel) - **≈ 1 hour** — for the walking tour; the boat adds about 15 minutes (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia; GoTrip) - **1984** — found by an expedition of the Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography (Russian Wikipedia gives 1983) (source: Imereti regional administration; Tonkosti; Russian Wikipedia) - **26 May 2011** — opened to tourists after the route was built (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **14–17 °C** — inside all year, with high humidity (source: Kutaisi Travel and GoTrip — 14 °C; Russian Wikipedia — 15–17 °C) - **300–380 m** — boat section on the underground Kumistavi river (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia — 0.3 km; Georgia Travel — 380 m) - **6 halls** — Argonauts, Colchis, Medea, Love, Prometheus and Iberia (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia; Georgia Travel) - **Natural monument** — part of the Imereti Caves Protected Areas (source: Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia; English Wikipedia) - **Kumistavi** — its other name, after the village at the entrance (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) ## Prometheus Cave tickets and opening hours From 1 April 2026, entry for foreign visitors is **40 GEL** and the boat ride is another **30 GEL**. Those figures appear in the Protected Areas Agency tariff as indexed by search engines and in tour operators' notices of the price rise; the tariff page itself returned an error when we checked on 30.10.2026, so we mark the prices as verifying. Older blogs quote 23 or 25 GEL — those are previous years' fares. Under-6s go free and there is a reduced fare for ages 6–18; ask at the desk for the amount. The boat ticket is **sold only with the entry ticket** at the visitor centre — you can't buy it at the river, and tickets are non-refundable. The cave opens at **10:00**. Last entry is around 18:00 in spring and summer and around 17:00 in autumn and winter. You can only go in with a guide, in groups that form at the visitor centre, with tours in Georgian, English, Russian or German. Paying: Visa and Mastercard work widely in Georgia, and the desk reportedly takes cards as well as cash (unofficial). Carry some lari anyway — marshrutka drivers only take cash. > **Avoid Mondays** The visitor rules on the Protected Areas Agency site say “every day except Mondays”, and almost every guidebook agrees, even though the site's main page says “every day”. If Monday is your only option, call the visitor centre on the number listed at nationalparks.ge first. In autumn and winter the desk closes at 17:00, so leave Kutaisi by 15:30. ## How to get to Prometheus Cave from Kutaisi 1. Start at David the Builder Square with the Colchis Fountain. Minibuses (marshrutkas) to Tskaltubo reportedly leave from near the Red Bridge over the Rioni and from the bus stand next to McDonald's in the centre — ask the driver for “Tskaltubo”. 2. Ride to Tskaltubo — about 30 minutes. It is usually listed as marshrutka No. 30 (unofficial); pay the driver in cash. 3. In Tskaltubo, change to the minibus for Kumistavi (only a few a day — four, by unofficial data) or take a taxi for the last 7.5 km, about 10 minutes. 4. Fastest option: a taxi straight from the square — about 34 km, 30–40 minutes. Ask the driver to wait; finding a car back at Kumistavi is hard. 5. At the visitor centre buy your entry and, if you want it, the boat ticket in one go, then wait for your group. 6. On the way back, stop at [Sataplia](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/sataplia) for the dinosaur footprints and a second, smaller cave. ## Is Prometheus Cave worth it? Yes, if you are in Kutaisi for more than a day. It is the best-equipped cave in the region: a big, lit route, impressive formations and a boat ride on an underground river, all done in about an hour and a half on site. It works in any weather, so it is a good rain-day plan. Skip it if you have already seen large show caves elsewhere and are short on time, or if steps and damp, slippery paths are a problem — the canyons or a walk across the [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) in town are easier. Is the boat worth the extra? It is the most unusual part — a few hundred metres on the river in near-darkness, ending at a different exit. If you skip it, you walk back along the tunnel you came in by. ## What to see inside - Six halls in sequence — Argonauts, Colchis, Medea, Love, Prometheus and Iberia — each with its own colour lighting. - Stalactites, stalagmites and columns where the two have grown together; in the large halls the ceiling rises far above the path. - Petrified “waterfalls” and curtain-like flowstone. - Underground lakes and the Kumistavi river beside the walkway. - The boat stretch at the end: 300–380 metres on the river, with one more hall that walkers don't see. ## What the cave is Prometheus Cave is part of a large karst system under **Kumistavi** village, carved by an underground river. Georgian speleologists surveyed it in the 1980s, and in 2011 it opened to tourists with a concrete path, handrails, steps and lighting that changes colour from hall to hall. The name comes from legend — Prometheus was said to be chained to a rock in the Caucasus, somewhere in this part of Georgia. The cave itself has nothing to do with the myth; the halls are named after the ancient history of Colchis, the Argonauts and Medea. > **Bring a layer and good shoes** It stays at about 14–17 °C inside with high humidity, even in August heat. The path is concrete with many steps and can be wet and slippery, so wear shoes with grip. Photos and video are allowed — skip the flash. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It isn't Monday - [ ] I'll reach the desk before 17:00 (18:00 in spring and summer) - [ ] Decided on the boat — it's sold only with the entry ticket - [ ] Cash in lari for the marshrutka - [ ] A warm layer and shoes with grip - [ ] Taxi driver will wait for the return - [ ] Ready for the boat to be closed after heavy rain ## Prometheus Cave vs Sataplia vs the canyons | | Prometheus Cave | Sataplia | Martvili and Okatse | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Large cave with a river and boat | Cave, dinosaur footprints, glass viewpoint | Canyons: boat or cliff-edge walkway | | Where | Kumistavi, near Tskaltubo | Closest to Kutaisi | Further out: Okatse in Imereti, Martvili in Samegrelo | | Time on site | ≈ 1.5 h | ≈ 1.5–2 h | Half a day for both | | Indoors | Yes, any weather | Partly | No, open air | | Best for | Anyone fine with steps | Families with kids | Nature and views | With one day, the classic pairing is Prometheus Cave in the morning and [Martvili Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/martvili-canyon) after lunch. Sataplia is nearest town and fits the drive back. ## Water and nature around Kutaisi compared Places by the water around Kutaisi rated by YesGo. - [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free - [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Motsameta Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Prometheus Cave](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/prometheus-cave) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40 GEL, boat +30 GEL - [Martvili Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/martvili-canyon) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Entry 40 GEL, boat ≈ 20 GEL - [Kinchkha Waterfall](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kinchkha-waterfall) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 20 GEL for foreign visitors - [Okatse Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/okatse-canyon) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 30 GEL for foreign visitors ## The cave and the city in one day Morning in the cave, Sataplia on the way back, evening in central Kutaisi at the Colchis Fountain and the White Bridge. 1. [Prometheus Cave](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/prometheus-cave) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40 GEL, boat +30 GEL 2. [Sataplia Nature Reserve](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/sataplia) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 30 GEL, under-6s free 3. [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free 4. [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free ## Good to know Prometheus Cave and Kumistavi Cave are the same place. Sataplia has its own, smaller cave, and Navenakhevi is a different Imereti cave with a separate ticket. ## Tips - Arrive at the 10:00 opening for a smaller group, and you'll still have time for Sataplia on the way back. - Decide on the boat at the desk — you can't add it later and tickets aren't refunded. - After heavy rain the boat may not run; if it matters to you, call the visitor centre first. - With small children, bring a carrier rather than a pushchair — the route has lots of steps. - For a full day, pair the cave with Martvili Canyon — that's how most day tours from Kutaisi combine them. ## Questions ### How much is the Prometheus Cave ticket? From April 2026, 40 GEL for foreign visitors, plus 30 GEL for the boat ride. Under-6s are free. We are still verifying these prices. ### What are Prometheus Cave opening hours? 10:00–18:00 in spring and summer and 10:00–17:00 in autumn and winter. ### Is Prometheus Cave open on Mondays? Most likely not: the Protected Areas Agency's visitor rules and most guides list Monday as closed. Call ahead if Monday is your only day. ### How do I get to Prometheus Cave from Kutaisi? Marshrutka to Tskaltubo (about 30 minutes), then a minibus to Kumistavi or a 7.5 km taxi ride. A taxi straight from Kutaisi takes 30–40 minutes. ### How long does the Prometheus Cave tour take? About an hour on foot, plus around 15 minutes if you take the boat. Allow 1.5 hours on site. ### Is the boat ride worth it? If you want to see the underground river and one extra hall, yes — it's the most unusual part. On a tight budget, the walk alone covers the highlights. ### Can you visit Prometheus Cave without a tour? No, entry is only with a guide in a group, which forms at the visitor centre. You don't need to book a tour from Kutaisi to get in. ### How cold is it inside? Around 14–17 °C all year, with high humidity. Bring a sweater even in summer. ### Is Prometheus Cave good for kids? Yes, under-6s go free. Expect many steps and wet patches — a pushchair won't work. ## How we checked Seasonal hours, guide languages, route length, the number of halls and the boat ticket rule come from the Agency of Protected Areas portal and are marked official. The day off conflicts within that portal — its visitor rules say “except Mondays”, its main page says “every day” — and guidebooks list Monday, so we show Monday as closed and mark it verifying. The agency's tariff page returned a 404 on 30.10.2026; the 40 and 30 GEL prices appear in its search-engine listing and match a tour operator's notice of the 1 April 2026 rise, so they are marked verifying. The discovery year differs (1984 per the Imereti administration, 1983 per Russian Wikipedia), so we show both; temperature and boat-section length are given as ranges across sources. Marshrutka numbers and pick-up points are unofficial. ## Sources - Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia, National Parks of Georgia portal (nationalparks.ge): Prometheus Cave, Guide, Speleological Tour, How to get there, 30.10.2026 - Agency of Protected Areas tariff “Prometheus Cave” — as indexed by search engines, 30.10.2026 - FAHU Travel notice of new prices for western Georgia's natural sites from 1 April 2026 - Georgia Travel — Georgian National Tourism Administration: Prometheus Cave - Kutaisi Travel — Kutaisi tourism portal: Prometheus Cave - Imereti regional administration: on Prometheus Cave, 2015 - English and Russian Wikipedia: Prometheus Cave, Kumistavi; Wikidata Q3647379 - GoTrip: Prometheus Cave — how to get there, 2024; Tonkosti: Prometheus Cave --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.