# Sataplia Nature Reserve, Kutaisi > Sataplia Nature Reserve is a forested hill 10 km north-west of Kutaisi with dinosaur footprints under a pavilion, a lit karst cave, a Colchic forest trail and a glass viewpoint, all on one loop. Allow about 1.5 hours. Foreign visitors pay **30 GEL**, with the guide included (verifying). It's open daily from 10:00 — until 18:00 in spring and summer, 17:00 in autumn and winter. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/sataplia - City: [Kutaisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors, 18+): 30 GEL (from 1 April 2026) - Georgian citizens and residents: 15 GEL - Children: Under 6 free; reduced fare for ages 6–18 - What's included: Dinosaur footprints, exhibition hall and museum, cave, Colchic forest, glass viewpoint - Hours: Spring and summer 10:00–18:00, autumn and winter 10:00–17:00 - Days off: None per the Protected Areas Agency site; some guidebooks list Monday - Guide: Included in the ticket; Georgian, English or Russian (unofficial) - VIP service: 200 GEL on top of the ticket: private guide, no queue, your choice of time - Payment: Unofficial: card or cash (lari) at the desk; marshrutkas are cash only - Getting there: Taxi or Bolt from central Kutaisi ≈ 20 min; the minibus is slow and irregular - Address: Banoja village, Tskaltubo Municipality, Imereti - Coordinates: 42.31173, 42.67507 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1933** — Kutaisi teacher Petre Chabukiani found the first dinosaur footprints here (source: National Geographic Georgia; Showcaves.com; Kutaisi Travel) - **≈ 300 m** — visitor route inside the cave — about a third of its length (source: Showcaves.com — 309 m; Tonkosti — about a third) - **Cretaceous** — age of the limestone holding prints of both predators and plant-eaters (source: National Geographic Georgia; Showcaves.com) - **900 m** — length of the cave, first explored in 1925 (source: Russian Wikipedia; Wikidata; Showcaves.com) - **1 of 5** — caves on the hill open to visitors (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti; Kutaisi Travel) - **1935** — year the reserve was created (source: English Wikipedia; Georgia Travel) - **≈ 350 ha** — area of the reserve, almost all of it Colchic forest (source: English Wikipedia; Tonkosti) - **11–14 °C** — inside the cave all year (source: Kutaisi Travel — 11 °C; Showcaves.com and Tonkosti — 14 °C) - **2010–2011** — the footprint pavilion, museum and glass viewpoint were built (source: English Wikipedia; Madloba) - **“Honey place”** — the usual translation of the name — tapli is Georgian for honey; wild bees nested in the crevices (source: English Wikipedia; Madloba) ## Sataplia tickets and opening hours From 1 April 2026, entry for foreign visitors aged 18 and over is **30 GEL**; Georgian citizens and residents pay **15 GEL**. Those figures appear for the Sataplia page of the Protected Areas Agency portal in search results and in a tour operator's notice of the April price rise, but we couldn't see them on the tariff page itself on 30.10.2026, so we mark them as verifying. Older blogs quote 17.25 or 20 GEL — previous years' fares. Under-6s go free and there is a reduced fare for ages 6–18; ask at the desk. A guide is included in the ticket — you join a group at the visitor centre. If you'd rather go alone with a guide at a time you choose, the VIP option costs 200 GEL on top of the ticket. The site opens at **10:00** every day and closes at 18:00 in spring and summer and 17:00 in autumn and winter, according to the agency's portal. Paying: Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Georgia, and the desk reportedly takes cards as well as cash (unofficial). Keep some lari in cash anyway — minibus drivers don't take cards. > **Visiting on a Monday? Call first** The Protected Areas Agency portal lists Sataplia as open every day, but several guidebooks say it closes on Mondays. If Monday is your only option, call the visitor centre on the number shown on the Sataplia page at nationalparks.ge. In autumn and winter the last entry is around 17:00 — leave central Kutaisi by 15:30 to see the whole loop. ## How to get to Sataplia from Kutaisi 1. Start at David the Builder Square by the Colchis Fountain — the easiest place to flag a taxi or book one on Bolt, which works in Kutaisi. 2. The ride up to the visitor centre is about 10 km and roughly 20 minutes. Ask the driver to wait or come back in 1.5–2 hours; there are rarely free cars at the reserve. 3. No car? Minibus (marshrutka) No. 45 reportedly runs from the bus stand by the Central Market or from the western end of Javakhishvili Street. It leaves only when it fills up, so the wait can be long. Pay the driver in cash (unofficial). 4. At the visitor centre buy your ticket and wait for your guided group; the loop starts at the footprint pavilion. 5. To head back, retrace the route — or, if you're in a taxi, carry on 15–20 minutes to [Prometheus Cave](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/prometheus-cave) and return to town from there. ## Is Sataplia worth it? Yes, especially with kids, or if you want a cave, a forest walk and a view of the city in one easy morning. The loop is short with no hard climbs, and the dinosaur footprints plus the life-size models along the path make it the most family-friendly sight around Kutaisi. If you've seen big show caves before, Sataplia's cave will feel modest — it's much shorter and simpler than Prometheus Cave. In that case go for the footprints and the glass viewpoint, and only as part of a combined trip so your taxi covers two stops. Much of the route is outdoors, so heavy rain spoils it. On a wet day, do Prometheus Cave instead and keep Sataplia for clear weather, when the viewpoint actually shows you the valley. ## What to see at Sataplia - **The dinosaur footprints** in the pavilion: two limestone layers, predators' prints below and plant-eaters' above, left where they were found. - The museum and exhibition hall, with a model dinosaur skeleton and the story of Petre Chabukiani's finds. - Life-size dinosaur figures along the path — some reportedly move and roar (unofficial), which is the highlight for most children. - **Sataplia Cave**: a route of about 300 m past stalactites, stalagmites and a small underground lake; guides point out a heart-shaped stalagmite. - The Colchic forest — a humid relict forest covering almost the whole hill, crossed by two marked trails. - **The glass viewpoint**, cantilevered over the slope, looking out over Kutaisi and the Rioni valley, with mountains on the horizon on a clear day. ## What Sataplia is Sataplia is a small protected area on the hill of the same name near Banoja village, part of the Imereti Caves Protected Areas. It was set up in 1935 around the discoveries of **Petre Chabukiani**, a Kutaisi teacher and naturalist, who explored the cave in 1925 and found the dinosaur footprints in the limestone in 1933. The visitor site as you see it today — the pavilion over the footprints, the museum and the glass viewpoint — dates from a 2010–2011 upgrade. The name is usually translated as “honey place”: tapli means honey in Georgian, and wild bees once nested in the crevices of the hill. > **Bring a layer and shoes with grip** The cave stays at about 11–14 °C all year and is damp even in summer heat. Steps and paths can be wet and slippery. If heights bother you, the glass floor of the viewpoint is entirely optional — nobody makes you step onto it. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] I'll reach the desk before 17:00 (18:00 in spring and summer) - [ ] If it's Monday, I've called the visitor centre - [ ] Cash in lari for the minibus, or a card - [ ] A warm layer for the cave and shoes with grip - [ ] Taxi driver will wait or come back in 1.5–2 hours - [ ] Decided whether to continue to Prometheus Cave ## Sataplia vs Prometheus Cave vs Okatse Canyon | | Sataplia | Prometheus Cave | Okatse Canyon | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Main draw | Dinosaur footprints, cave, forest, glass viewpoint | Large cave with an underground river and boat | Walkway along a canyon cliff | | From Kutaisi | ≈ 20 min, the closest | 30–40 min | Further, about an hour | | Time on site | ≈ 1.5 h | ≈ 1.5 h | ≈ 2 h | | In bad weather | Partly under cover | Yes, all underground | No, all outdoors | | Best for | Families with kids | Anyone fine with steps | Views | The classic day out: Sataplia and Prometheus Cave in the morning, then [Martvili Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/martvili-canyon) or [Okatse Canyon](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/okatse-canyon) after lunch. Travel time to Okatse is unofficial. ## Views and nature around Kutaisi compared Places with a view in and around Kutaisi rated by YesGo. - [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 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 - [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [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 - [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 ## Sataplia, the cave and the city in one day Morning at Sataplia for the footprints and the viewpoint, then Prometheus Cave, and an evening in central Kutaisi at the Colchis Fountain and the White Bridge. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [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 2. [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 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 Sataplia and Prometheus Cave are separate sites with separate tickets, even though most day trips combine them. Sataplia's cave is only one of five on the hill; the others are closed to visitors. ## Tips - Arrive at the 10:00 opening for a smaller group — you'll still make Prometheus Cave before lunch. - Agree on both stops and the waiting time with your taxi driver up front; it's easier than finding a car at the reserve. - Take your time in the footprint pavilion — it's the one thing you won't see anywhere else near Kutaisi. - With small children, a carrier works better than a pushchair: the cave has steps and wet patches. - Save the glass viewpoint for a clear day; in haze the Rioni valley all but disappears. - Flying into Kutaisi? Sataplia makes an easy first stop on a tour of the region. ## Questions ### How much is the Sataplia entrance fee? From April 2026, 30 GEL for foreign visitors aged 18+ and 15 GEL for Georgian citizens; under-6s are free. A guide is included. We are still verifying these prices. ### What are Sataplia's opening hours? Daily from 10:00, closing at 18:00 in spring and summer and 17:00 in autumn and winter. Some guidebooks list Monday as a day off, so call ahead on a Monday. ### How do I get to Sataplia from Kutaisi? By taxi or Bolt — about 20 minutes from David the Builder Square. Minibus No. 45 reportedly runs too, but it leaves only when full (unofficial). ### How long do you need at Sataplia? About 1.5 hours on site for the footprints, cave, forest trail and viewpoint — around 2.5 hours including the round trip from Kutaisi. ### Are the dinosaur footprints real? Yes. They are fossil prints in Cretaceous limestone, found by Petre Chabukiani in 1933 and shown in the pavilion where they were found. ### Can I visit Sataplia and Prometheus Cave in one day? Easily — they are about 9 km apart. With a taxi that waits, both fit into half a day. ### Is Sataplia good for kids? It's the most family-friendly sight around Kutaisi: a short loop, dinosaur models along the path and free entry for under-6s. Leave the pushchair for the cave. ### Do I need a tour to visit Sataplia? No. Your ticket includes a guide at the visitor centre; an organised tour from Kutaisi only saves you arranging transport. ### How cold is Sataplia Cave? Around 11–14 °C all year, with high humidity. Bring a sweater even in summer. ## How we checked Seasonal hours, the visitor route, the VIP service and the address come from the Sataplia page of the Agency of Protected Areas portal and are marked official. The same portal says “every day”, while Tonkosti and Madloba list Monday as closed, so the day off is marked verifying. The 30 and 15 GEL prices show in the search-engine listing of the portal page and match a tour operator's notice of the 1 April 2026 rise, but they were not visible on the tariff page we opened and the apa.gov.ge page returned a 404, so prices are verifying. The footprints' age varies: National Geographic Georgia and Showcaves.com place them in the Cretaceous, while guidebooks quote 160–165 or even 12 million years, so we say “Cretaceous” without a number. Footprint counts range from 163 to “over 300” across sources, so we don't give one. Madloba dates the find to 1934, the rest to 1933. Guide languages and payment are unofficial; the minibus number comes from Tonkosti and Lonely Planet. ## Sources - Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia, National Parks of Georgia portal (nationalparks.ge): Sataplia — hours, visitor route, VIP service, address, 30.10.2026 - Sataplia tariff on nationalparks.ge — as indexed by search engines, 30.10.2026; apa.gov.ge tariff page — as indexed (404 when opened) - FAHU Travel notice of new prices for western Georgia's natural sites from 1 April 2026 - National Geographic Georgia, Biodiversity in the South Caucasus: Sataplia dinosaur footprints - Showcaves.com: Sataplia Cave - Kutaisi Travel — Kutaisi tourism portal: Satapliasaurus, or three discoveries by Petre Chabukiani - Georgia Travel — Georgian National Tourism Administration: Sataplia Cave and Nature Reserve - English Wikipedia: Sataplia Strict Nature Reserve; Russian Wikipedia: Sataplia; Wikidata Q4408981 - Tonkosti: Sataplia National Park; Madloba: Sataplia Reserve; GoTrip: Sataplia tour; Lonely Planet: Sataplia Nature Reserve --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.