Arriving in Georgia mid morning we are greeted by Sergo, our tour guide and transfer professional. Although we have a long drive ahead to get from Kutaisi to Gudauri, the day is still young. Sergo suggests a visit to nearby Sataplia Caves and some lunch before hitting the road proper.
The Flight
We were up early (1:30am) for our flight from Abu Dhabi to Kutaisi. Thankfully the flight was largely uneventful, except for some welcome excitement due to the spectacular scenery from the plane as we flew over Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Now, on arriving in Georgia, we’re up for a little adventure before settling into the long transfer.
Sataplia Caves
Sataplia Caves are a short, 20 minute ride from Kutaisi (40 minutes from Kutaisi airport). As we arrive, we get our first breath of the fresh Georgian air and have time to take it in a bit as we wait. The caves can only be accessed with a tour guide and it’s a half an hour until the next tour.
The tour actually starts with a visit to the onsite dinosaur footprints. These were discovered here in 1933, by teacher and natural scientist Petre Chabukiani. This discovery of various types of these extinct reptile footprints eventually led to further studies and the identification of three new dinosaur species.
The caves are set further into the hill. We follow a picturesque path through the forest and learn that there is a special species of pine tree that grows here. Although the look like saplings they are actually a couple of hundred years old.
Along with the pretty forest there are some great views from here. At one point we can see out over the entire valley below with Kutaisi laid out in the distance.
The name Sataplia means ‘land of honey’ and the caves take their name from the name of the mountain. Originally, many different bee species and colonies could be found in this environment, even before it was designated as a protected area due to the caves and dinosaur footprints.
The local population of villagers have practiced bee keeping since ancient times. These plentiful harvests are what gave the mountain its name and the caves are named after this and not the other way around.
The Caves
The stalactites and stalagmites, some of them tiny and still forming, others monstrous and ancient, are everywhere. One particular section looks like a fantasy garden made of the calcium deposits.
Finally we enter the caves themselves. They are quite spectacular and I’m aware that we are only seeing a small section of the greater underground network that exists in these hills (including the larger and more famous Prometheus Cave).
The Panorama
Another drawcard of the tour is a visit to the panoramic viewing platform that is cantilevered off the side of the mountain. The boys love the idea but I admit that it takes me a while to warm up to the walk.
Eventually I brave the platform and quickly snap a few shots but the whole thing makes me rather uncomfortable and my queasiness only subsides once my feet are firmly back on solid (opaque) ground!
Lunch At Lowenbrau
You’d be forgiven for thinking you were in Munich if someone suggested lunch at the Lowenbrau Pub, but here in Kutaisi, traditional Georgian food is firmly on the menu. We feast on khinkali, the local favourite as well as cucumber and tomato salad with walnuts, cheesy roasted mushrooms and succulent pork ojakhuri (pork with roasted potatoes and onions), which becomes a favourite for the trip. The bread is to-die-for and the local beer, Nataxtari (Natakhtari), is also pretty good (don’t tell the Germans)!
The boys are introduced to feijoa lemonade and enjoy it immensely.
The Transfer
After making the most of arriving in Georgia, it’s finally time to be on our way. The travel time from Kutaisi to Gudauri is around six (6) hours. The highway that takes us almost all the way to Tbilisi isn’t too bad although it is being upgraded and there are some roadworks and a lot of slow bits. The road up to Gudauri is quite terrible as, late Saturday evening, we hit the truck traffic heading to the Russian border which are held back during the day.
We have been glimpsing snow along the road since arriving in Gerogia and once into the mountains, we have one very excited boy on our hands. Looking forward to seeing ‘real’ snow, Harley is busting to experience it for himself. As soon as there is some depth to it, we make another stop. We’re at the scenic lookout of the Zhinvali Water Reservoir and while the snow makes a big impression, we’re also quite taken in by the scenery.
Back on the road and luckily Sergo knows all the tricks with the traffic. Although still slower than ideal, we overtake many of the trucks to make it to Gudauri in reasonable time. If Jason or I had been driving, we may have sat in traffic all night.
Finally, we arrive in Gudauri around 8:30pm. It’s been a long but good day, the accommodation is fantastic and we marvel at the night skiing taking place on the slopes before getting the boys to bed in anticipation of our own skiing in Georgia tomorrow.
Good To Know
Arriving in Georgia there is plenty to do. Kutaisi is a lesser known city than the capital, Tbilisi, but also has a great deal to offer in terms of local sights, food, history and culture.
We toured and transferred with Sergo (WhatsApp +995 599 391 519) who provides airport transfers, city transfers and day tours within and around Georgia. See also:
Would I Return?
Yes. Prometheus Cave looks particularly interesting and boasts an underground lake.
