Martvili Itinerary
At Cha Cha Backpackers, to fully experience Martvili, we recommend 3 days. Below is a sample itinerary on what to do in Martvili
Day 1:
- (Morning Arrival) See if we're offering the river tubing activity. If we are, prepare to spend 4-5 hours casually floating down the Abasha River to the gentle sound of the flowing river and the sights of nature and livestock like cows and horses foraging riverside. Afterward, make your way to your Nokalakevi Fortress below
- If we are not offering river tubing, make your way to Nokalakevi Fortress (22km west of Cha Cha https://maps.app.goo.gl/dXfKvFYLcEQTTewf8) to see this ancient capital of the Egrisi Kingdom. Learn more about your visit at the official website: https://web.archive.org/web/20070626072115/http://www.nokalakevi.ge/eng/home/
- Once you're done examining this historical site, make the short trip over to the Nokalakevi hotspring nearby, one of our top 3 sites of Martvili! (https://maps.app.goo.gl/yfFdWHHQ6xWhPixQ8). Enjoy the hot sulfur spring and the riverside pools created by previous guests. Careful! It is very relaxing here. Grab yourself some snacks, drinks, and enjoy the rest of your nights here. Once done, make your way back to Cha Cha for some happy hour! (7-8pm)
- (Afternoon Arrival) Same as above but you won't have time to do the river tubing, so head straight to the Nokalakevi Fortress and hotspring!
- (Nighttime Arrival) Not much to do but come enjoy some happy hour with us on our outdoor terrace underneath the solar lights
Day 2
- Time to put on your trekking shoes and head to our #2 of top 3 sites in Martvili: The Waterfall Loop, located 12km north of Cha Cha.
- It is highly recommended you download the app maps.me or mapy.cz to do this 20km loop. The best route is to do it counterclockwise. Starting point is around here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aupGYXuoDSG8p3nz5
- The loop will take you to 3 waterfalls: Oniore, Toba, and Kahgu
- Pack plenty of water as this loop will take between 6-8 hours, depending on speed and how often you stop.
- For more details, check out this wonderful site funded by the EU: https://ecotournet.net/Article/Oniore-Hiking-Trail/a4b61402-319a-400b-8434-4e927731f7ba
- If you do not want to do the entire loop, then you can easily drive or drive + short hike to Kahgu Waterfall
- You're mostly tired by this point, so come on back to Cha Cha to enjoy some nice Georgian food and happy hour!
Day 3
- To round out our top 3, we have the Tsachkhere Waterfall, located 24km north of Cha Cha.
- Drive to the Tsachkhuri Archangel Church (https://maps.app.goo.gl/DcPfhzt12zD1iFp28) and check out this 18th-century church dedicated to fertility
- Once done, do a quick 500-meter hike behind the church to the beautiful Tsachkhere Waterfall. As this place is not that touristic, you'll 99% have it to yourself so go ahead, jump in, and enjoy the cold water!
- If you're up for it, you can continue the trek for another 2.5km to the lake that is the source of the waterfall.
- For more info, see this page: https://ecotournet.net/Article/Tsachkhuri-Hiking-Trail/f992f41f-3685-4136-9e83-d20fdf183bfd
- If there's time, go visit the Gachedili Canyon, the free neighbor to the Martvili Canyon. Entrance can be found here https://maps.app.goo.gl/xTLm2TM8GtZdjy8w7
- Go through the gate, and after a quick 5-minute walk in the field, you'll come into the beautiful canyon where you can relax, and even go for a swim!
Beyond 3 Days
Here are some more things to do and see in Martvili if you have more time
Martvili Canyon
Super touristic, if you're here, and really want to see it, then you can. But it's not our top 3
Martvili Tea
Martvili Tea, a local tea company, has a pretty decent factory and field tour if you're interested in how a local tea plantation is farmed.
Martvili Monastery
See all of Martvili from this high vantage point, and see a cultural side to Georgia with this 7th- century church. Hint: It's just 1 gel to take the cable car from town and back.
Salkhino Palace
Early 19th century palace with a very calm and inviting garden and just a nice place to go and hang out for a few hours in the palace estate, and then after go try their Qveri wine!
Kurzu Village-Ochkhomuri Waterfall Hike
28 km north of Cha Cha, this short but challenging 6.6km round-trip hike takes you to a 100m high waterfall. You can even try to rent a nearby horse to ride! More details here: https://georgia.travel/kurzu-village-ochkhomuri-waterfall
Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha Waterfall
28km east of Cha Cha is the 2nd most popular canyon in the region, Okatse. Here you can walk along the metal suspended path to catch the beautiful views. Afterward, you can continue to the beautiful Kinchkha Waterfall, a 3-step cascade waterfall.