Machakhela National Park

The Machakhela valley is the least altered corner of Adjara. The Machakhlistsqali comes down from the Turkish frontier and joins the Chorokhi near Gonio; the valley is narrow, steep on both sides, and the forest is close to untouched. A national park was declared here in 2012, running from Lashkarisheni up to the border. The woodland is what botanists call Colchic relict forest — a habitat that survived the last glaciation intact. Chestnut, beech and oak above, and beneath them an evergreen understorey of rhododendron, cherry laurel and box. Bear, lynx and chamois are all recorded, though your chance of seeing one is close to nil. What you will certainly notice is the density: on the valley slopes, sunlight barely reaches the ground. The cultural side of the valley matters just as much: - The Machakhela rifle — in the 18th and 19th centuries smiths here made the finest handmade firearms in the Caucasus; the craft has all but vanished, but individual pieces are still kept in the villages - Arched bridges, several of them, the best known near Tsivaleti and Chikuneti - Wooden houses with carved balconies on stone footings, still lived in The park has a visitor centre and marked trails, though the infrastructure is more modest than at Mtirala. That is exactly the point. No coaches come up here, and on a Saturday you can easily find yourself alone on the path.

Gallery