Okatse Canyon
A metal walkway pinned to the canyon wall high above the river, beyond the Gordi forest.
- Time needed
- 3 h
- From Tbilisi
- 265 km · 4:00
- Road
- Mostly paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- May–October
- Entry
- ~20 ₾ + შატლი ~5 ₾
Okatse Canyon sits near the village of Gordi in Khoni municipality and has become one of the most visited natural sites in Imereti. The Okatse river cut a narrow, deep gorge into limestone, and a metal walkway around 780 metres long now runs along its wall, at points some 140 metres above the canyon floor. It ends in a viewing platform projecting into open air.
The thing to know before you go: this is not a drive-up viewpoint. The visitor centre is in Gordi, and the start of the walkway is a further couple of kilometres away. A shuttle covers part of that distance and the rest is on foot, through the old Dadiani forest park.
A realistic sequence looks like this:
- ticket and shuttle at the visitor centre
- a walk through the forest, with climbs and descents
- the metal walkway along the canyon wall and the viewing platform
- the same route back
Budget two and a half to three hours in total, and accept that only a modest share of that is spent on the canyon itself. The walkway is narrow and flexes slightly in wind, which makes it a demanding experience for anyone afraid of heights, though the structure is solid and fully railed.
Practical advice
Plan for three hours and wear proper walking shoes, because most of the visit is on foot rather than on the canyon walkway. After rain both the metal and the stone are slippery. Carry water — there is no shop along the trail. The last shuttle runs in the afternoon, so arriving after 15:00 is a gamble. Open or heeled shoes are a bad idea. Toilets and a cafe are at the visitor centre; the nearest ATM is in Khoni or Kutaisi.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi take the E60 to Kutaisi, then head northwest towards Khoni and on to Gordi — about 265 km and four hours in total. Motorway as far as Kutaisi, then ordinary asphalt, with the final ten to fifteen kilometres narrow and patchy in places, though an economy car will manage. You leave the car at the visitor centre car park and go no further by road. Fill up in Kutaisi or Khoni; there is no fuel station in Gordi itself.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
WaterfallKinchkha Waterfall
A cascade waterfall roughly a hundred metres high above Okatse, at the end of a gravel road.
CanyonMartvili Canyon
A turquoise river between limestone walls, with boardwalks and a short boat ride — Samegrelo's most visited natural site.
CavePrometheus Cave
A karst cave near Tskaltubo with lit halls, stone waterfalls and an underground boat ride.