Kolkheti National Park ( Western Georgia, Region of Mingrelia)
Kolkheti National Park belongs to the second category of IUCN protected areas. Since 1997, it has been under the protection of the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental agreement aimed at protecting suitable habitats for migratory and waterfowl. Its total area is 44308.5 hectares, of which the sea area (a section of the water surface bounded by natural, artificial or conventional boundaries) is 15276 hectares. The reserve is of great scientific research and historical importance. There are various types of landscapes and individual ecosystems.
Kolkheti National Park is located on the Black Sea coast, in the vicinity of Lake Paliastomi. It borders the Etseri River in the east, and the Pichori River in the south. The real beauty of Colchis National Park is Lake Paliastomi, which was a gulf of the Black Sea several thousand years ago. For centuries, by sea waves along the coast, displaced sand dunes tore the Lagoon from the sea salt water, and from the Pichori River in Paliastomi, the flowing clear water made the lake fresh. The park’s task is to protect the entire complex of relict, wild flora and fauna, characteristic of the Colchis lowland.
You can visit the Kolkheti National Park at any time of the year. You can plan boat trips, motor boats, kayaks in the Churia and Pichori river valleys, as well as in the Paliastomi and “Okros tba” (Golden Lake) lakes, and then visit the Colchis forest and unique swamps. In Kolkheti National Park, special towers are set up to observe more than 100 different species of migratory birds. Sports fishing and eco-educational tours are also arranged for visitors. In the subsidiary area of Kolkheti National Park, you can visit various important historical and cultural monuments.
Travel company «Georgia Voyage», gives tourists the opportunity to receive all the necessary information. For more information, do not hesitate to call us or write us Viber / WhatsApp +995 599 25 65 19 or an E-mail : info@georgiavoyage.ge
We are always ready to advise you and answer all your questions, regarding the organization of tourism and recreation in Georgia.
The program of each hike is discussed and planned individually, taking into account your wishes, for a better overview of the paths and hikes on the territory of Kolkheti National Park
Existing tourist routes and hikes organized by us:
1. Lake Paliastomi – 1 hr, by pontoon boat
The route starts from the entrance of Paliastomi Lake. Tourists will see astonishing lakeshore scenery, impassable tall thickets of bulrush, secondary wet meadows and the thick cover of royal fern. From the birdwatching tower, one can observe migratory birds, some of which are rare species that seek out safe havens in the thickets of peatland vegetation.
2. Paliastomi – Pichori (1) – 3 hrs by pontoon boat
The route starts at the entrance of Paliastomi Lake. Tourists will see the beautiful shores of Paliastomi Lake and an amazing view of the Pichori River mouth. At the resting areas, tourists have the opportunity to see Kolkheti’s wetland relict forests that are spread along the river bank, water and wetland birds and wetland water lilies, the so-called “bedsheets”. Sport fishing is allowed on River Pichori.
3. Paliastomi – Pichori (2) – 2 hours by motor-boat
This route offers tourists a beautiful view of the Pichori River mouth. At the resting areas, tourists have the opportunity to see Kolkheti’s wetland relict forests that are spread along the river bank, water and wetland birds. While motor-boating through the forest, visitors often describe their experiences as if they were trenching through some sort of jungle. Sport fishing is permitted by the park administration.