Lagodekhi Protected Areas

Lagodekhi was established in 1912 and is the oldest protected area in Georgia. It runs up the southern slope of the Caucasus from the floor of the Alazani Valley to peaks above three thousand metres, and that range of altitude is what gives it its variety: hornbeam and beech forest low down, subalpine meadow higher, then rock and scree at the top. Chamois, bezoar goat, brown bear and red deer all live inside the reserve.

Most routes start from a single base, the visitor centre in Lagodekhi town. The short option is the Gurgeniani waterfall, three to four hours there and back on a well-marked forest path that stays cool even in summer. A step up are the Mashavera falls and the nine-kilometre circular forest trail, both comfortable half-day walks with a solid climb in the middle.

The reserve's headline objective is Black Rock Lake, a glacial lake at around 2,800 metres directly on the Azerbaijani border. The trek takes two or three days with a night at a bivouac site or shelter, and runs from June to October; snow lingers well into May. Registration at the visitor centre is compulsory for every walk, and because the upper route enters a border zone, you must carry your passport for the multi-day trek.