Prometheus Cave
A karst cave near Tskaltubo with lit halls, stone waterfalls and an underground boat ride.
- Time needed
- 2 h
- From Tbilisi
- 250 km · 3:45
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- All year
- Entry
- ~25 ₾ (ნავი ~20 ₾ დამატებით)
Prometheus Cave lies by the village of Kumistavi near Tskaltubo and is the most spectacular karst system open to visitors in Georgia. It was only discovered in 1984 and opened to the public in 2011, which is why the infrastructure here is far better developed than at other Georgian caves.
The system contains more than twenty halls, of which six are laid out for visitors. The walking route is about 1.4 kilometres along concrete paths and bridges, past stalactites, stalagmites, petrified stone waterfalls and an underground river.
The lighting is coloured and theatrical. Whether that improves on a raw, unlit cave is a matter of taste, but the scale and the formations are genuinely impressive regardless.
Practical details:
- the temperature stays around fourteen degrees all year
- visits run as guided groups and last roughly an hour
- at the exit you can take a boat along the underground river for a separate fee
- the concrete underfoot is permanently wet
The cave combines naturally with Tskaltubo's abandoned Soviet sanatoriums and with Sataplia reserve to make a full day out of Kutaisi, and all three sit within twenty kilometres of each other.
Gallery
Practical advice
Take a jacket without fail: it can be thirty degrees outside and fourteen inside, and an hour underground at that temperature feels long. Wear shoes with grip, because the concrete is constantly wet. Tickets are tied to group departures and in summer the wait can reach half an hour, so morning or mid-afternoon is quieter. The boat ride is paid separately and leaves you at a different exit. Cafe, toilets and parking are at the entrance.
How to get there from Tbilisi
Take the E60 from Tbilisi to Kutaisi, then head northwest through Tskaltubo to Kumistavi — around 250 km and three hours forty-five in total. The whole route is paved and in good condition; the last ten kilometres narrow but present no difficulty. An economy car is entirely sufficient. Fuel and ATMs are available in Kutaisi and Tskaltubo. Sataplia reserve lies in the same direction, so pairing the two in one day costs almost no extra driving.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
NatureSataplia Nature Reserve
Dinosaur footprints, a karst cave and a glass viewing platform, nine kilometres from Kutaisi.
CanyonMartvili Canyon
A turquoise river between limestone walls, with boardwalks and a short boat ride — Samegrelo's most visited natural site.
CanyonOkatse Canyon
A metal walkway pinned to the canyon wall high above the river, beyond the Gordi forest.