Tskhratskaro Pass
A 2,454-metre pass between Bakuriani and Tabatskuri — alpine panoramas over the Trialeti ridge, with Elbrus visible on a clear day.
- Time needed
- 2 h
- From Tbilisi
- 200 km · 4:00
- Road
- Unpaved sections
- Car needed
- Crossover / SUV
- Season
- June–September
- Entry
- free
At Tskhratskaro the Bakuriani forest ends and the alpine world begins. The pass (2,454 m) crosses the Trialeti ridge and links the Borjomi valley with the volcanic plateau of Javakheti — this is the road from Bakuriani towards Lake Tabatskuri and Akhalkalaki. The name means "nine springs", and streams really do pour off the slopes on all sides.
The road climbs out of Bakuriani in switchbacks: conifer forest first, then rhododendron slopes, and finally nothing but windswept meadows and ridgelines running to the horizon. What you get from the top:
- A panorama of the Greater Caucasus — on a clear day you can pick out Elbrus
- Lake Tabatskuri lying deep blue in its volcanic bowl to the south
- In summer, carpets of alpine flowers and shepherds' camps
From June to September a normal high-clearance vehicle gets you up; the rest of the year the road is closed by snow — in winter Bakuriani's ski lifts run up this way instead. There is a police checkpoint at the top. This is one of those routes where the road itself is the sight.
Practical advice
The weather flips in minutes: bring a warm jacket even in valley heat, as the top is permanently windy. Stock up on fuel, food and water beforehand — there is nothing after Bakuriani. After rain the surface turns slick with deep ruts, so pick a dry day. Mobile signal is patchy. First snow can arrive by late September. Return the same way or drop down to Tabatskuri.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi take the E60 to Khashuri, then to Borjomi and up the switchbacks to Bakuriani — about 190 km of asphalt, 3 hours. From Bakuriani the pass is another 12-13 km: dirt and gravel with steep, narrow stretches, roughly 40-50 minutes. In a dry summer a high-clearance SUV is enough; after rain or at the edges of the season a proper 4x4 is the better call. Fill the tank in Borjomi or Bakuriani without fail. The continuation down to Tabatskuri is dirt of the same grade.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
Bakuriani
A ski resort at 1,700 metres in pine forest on the northern slope of the Trialeti range, above Borjomi.
Lake Paravani and Lake Tabatskuri
High-altitude lakes on the volcanic Javakheti plateau at around 2,000 metres, on a major bird migration route.
Borjomi Central Park and Mineral Springs
The historic spa park where you drink warm Borjomi water free, straight from the source.
Best car for this trip
Unpaved sections
Guides
- Do You Need a 4x4 in Georgia? We rate the road surface and the minimum car class for all 267 places in our database. 227 of them need nothin
- Winter Driving in Georgia: What Closes, What Opens, Which Car Of the 267 places we map, 161 are in season in winter and 52 are flagged as not reachable year-round. The pass
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Kutaisi — 93 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.