Artsivi (Eagle) Gorge
A protected limestone canyon of white pinnacles near Dedoplistskaro — one of Kakheti's premier birdwatching sites, with nesting griffon vultures and black storks.
- Time needed
- 2 h
- From Tbilisi
- 125 km · 2:10
- Road
- Mostly paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- free
Artsivi Gorge is the unexpected spectacle of the Kakhetian steppe. Just 4 km north of Dedoplistskaro, this protected Natural Monument (under the Agency of Protected Areas) is a dramatic limestone canyon — white pinnacles, sheer cliff walls and a band of adjoining forest. The gorge earns its name: more than sixty bird species live here, including griffon vultures nesting on the cliffs and black storks wheeling below the rim.
A marked 1 km walking trail runs along the gorge, with viewpoints and shelters — the full loop takes about an hour on easy grades. A separate half-kilometre path climbs to the 5th-century Khornabuji fortress crowning the canyon's eastern crag; the fortress has its own entry on this site, while this page covers the gorge and its trails.
Entry is free and the gorge is open year-round. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons — in summer the Kakhetian steppe is hot. It makes a natural first stop on any trip towards Dedoplistskaro and Vashlovani.
Gallery
Practical advice
Bring binoculars — the vultures pass at rim level most often in the morning and late afternoon. In summer you need water, a hat and sun protection: there is little shade on the trail. Watch your footing near the rim — railings are not everywhere. If you have time, add the climb to Khornabuji fortress for a view over the whole Alazani valley. In dry weather ordinary shoes are perfectly adequate.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi via Sagarejo to Dedoplistskaro the road is paved the whole way — about 120 km and two hours. From the town the final roughly 2 km to the gorge is a forest gravel track that an economy-class sedan handles easily in dry weather; take care after rain. In total about 125 km and 2 hours 10 minutes from Tbilisi. The route combines perfectly with Sighnaghi and Vashlovani.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
FortressKhornabuji Fortress
A medieval fortress on a steep isolated rock near Dedoplistskaro, commanding the southern edge of the Alazani plain.
NatureVashlovani National Park
The driest and strangest corner of Georgia — semi-desert, clay badlands and pistachio woodland on the Azerbaijani border.
TownSighnaghi
A small walled town on a ridge above the Alazani Valley, with the most photographed view in Kakheti.