Leghvtakhevi Waterfall
A 22-metre waterfall hidden behind the sulphur baths — a canyon in the middle of the city that many tourists never suspect.
- Time needed
- 1 h
- From Tbilisi
- 2 km · 0:10
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- free
A real waterfall pours in the middle of Tbilisi — five minutes' walk behind the Abanotubani sulphur baths and you stand before a 22-metre cascade in a cliff-walled gorge where the city noise all but disappears.
The gorge is called Leghvtakhevi — "fig gorge", after the fig trees that once grew thickly here. The water is the Tsavkisistskali, a small stream that descends from the Botanical Garden side and joins the Mtkvari beneath the baths. The gorge is first mentioned in written sources in 1429; for centuries this was Dabakhana, the tanners' district. In 2012 the area was landscaped: paths were cleared, balconied houses restored, bridges and stairways added.
What you'll see:
- The 22-metre fall down a rock wall
- Some three hundred metres of boardwalk along the gorge floor
- Balconies overhanging the cliff edge — Old Tbilisi's calling card
In spring the waterfall roars, in summer it calms down, and in winter it occasionally freezes solid. After dark the gorge lights up in colour, which turns the walk into a different experience entirely.
Practical advice
Entry is free and the gorge never closes. The prettiest light is in the morning; in the evening the illumination comes on — both are worth it. The path is level and even stroller-friendly, though the stones get slippery after rain. Seating near the fall is scarce and midday gets crowded. Toilets and cafés are two steps away in Abanotubani. At the height of summer the flow thins out and photographs less dramatically.
How to get there from Tbilisi
You can't drive into the gorge — it is entirely pedestrian. Head for Abanotubani: from the centre towards Gorgasali Square it's 2 km, about ten minutes. Park at the paid lots by Europe Square or Gorgasali Square (hourly rates, Tbilisi Parking app), then turn into the gorge from the end of Abano Street — the waterfall is five to seven minutes on foot. An economy car is entirely sufficient; on weekends parking is harder to find, so come early in the morning.
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Nearby places
Abanotubani and the Sulphur Baths
The birthplace of Tbilisi — brick-domed sulphur bathhouses in the heart of the Old Town.
Narikala Fortress
A 4th-century citadel on the ridge above the Old Town — the defining silhouette of Tbilisi and its best viewpoint.
Metekhi Church
A thirteenth-century church on the cliff beside the Gorgasali statue, with the best view of old Tbilisi.
Tbilisi Botanical Garden
A garden in the ravine behind Narikala, ending at a waterfall — complete silence ten minutes from the centre.
Best car for this trip
Guides
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Pickup locations
Car Rental in Tbilisi — 1 km (straight line)