Khikhani Fortress

Khikhani is among the highest fortresses in Georgia, standing above two thousand metres on a rocky crest in Khulo municipality. It lies south of the Adjaristsqali valley, beyond the ridge, and is invisible from below: you have to want to go. The fortress is medieval, mostly attributed to the 10th to 13th centuries, and had one clear purpose. It controlled the crossing from upper Adjara southwards towards Shavsheti and the old lands of Tao-Klarjeti. This was a frontier line of the medieval Georgian kingdom, and Khikhani was one of its knots. What survives: - Fragments of the outer wall, following the contour of the rock — the masonry completes the natural defence rather than repeating it - The remains of a cistern cut into the rock, essential for withstanding a siege - The footing of a tower at the highest point This is a ruin, not a restored monument. Anyone expecting Ananuri-style walls will be disappointed. What you get instead is the best view in Adjara: ridge behind ridge to the south as far as the Turkish mountains, and the Goderdzi massif to the north. The approach starts from Khulo or from the Skhalta valley, with the final stretch on foot. This is not an afternoon stroll — four to six hours in total, weather changes fast at that height, and snow lies on the approach into June.