Racha Family Weekend
Shaori Nikortsminda Ambrolauri Khvanchkara Oni and Utsera.
- days
- 2 / 1 nights
- Total distance
- 335 km
- Total driving
- 07:10
- Car needed
- Crossover / SUV
- Season
- May–October
- Difficulty
- Easy
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
A relaxed two-day route from Kutaisi with lake views culture and mineral waters.
Day-by-day plan
Day 1: Kutaisi → Shaori → Nikortsminda → Ambrolauri → Khvanchkara. Day 2: Oni → Utsera → Kutaisi.
Stops on this route
Shaori Reservoir
Racha's largest lake is man-made: a 1950s reservoir in a karst basin below the Nakerala cliffs, with an emptied Soviet town on its western shore.
3 h
Nikortsminda Cathedral
Bagrat III's cathedral of 1010–1014 in Racha, its facades carved with the Transfiguration, the Second Coming and a bestiary of real and fabulous beasts.
1 h
Ambrolauri
Georgia's smallest regional capital, astride the Rioni at 550 metres: a princely tower, a fine-arts museum, Racha's table and your last easy fuel.
2 h
Khvanchkara Wine Zone
A 35–40 km ribbon of south-facing vineyards on the Rioni's right bank, where Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli become Georgia's best-known semi-sweet red.
3 h
Oni
Racha's old ducal seat on the Rioni: a honey-stone synagogue, a museum of 14,000 objects and the last cash machine before the high valleys.
2 h
Utsera Mineral Springs
A spa village on both banks of the Rioni, 10 km above Oni, where sparkling, iron-tinged water runs free from pipes among the firs.
1.5 hTips
- Stay overnight in Ambrolauri or Oni.
- Pack a warm layer for children.
Best car for this trip
Cars in this category
Guides
- The Best Time to Visit Georgia, Counted Month by Month Georgia does not have one season. It has two countries: a 60% country from November to April and a 99% country
- Driving in Georgia: What the Distances Actually Cost You Georgia is a small country with slow roads. Here is what 267 measured drives from Tbilisi say about how long y
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Kutaisi — 35 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.