## Hiking in Tbilisi and the Surrounding Area: An Expert Guide to Routes, Gear, and Picnic Spots
Tbilisi is a rare capital where you can go from a cup of coffee in the Old Town to a forest trail in the mountains in just 20–30 minutes. The city lies in a basin surrounded by the foothills of the Trialeti Range, while Tbilisi National Park — Georgia’s oldest protected area — begins about a 30-minute drive away. This makes it possible to build an entire “ladder” of hiking routes, from a one-hour walk within the city limits to a full-day trek with elements of a genuine mountain hike.
Below are six tried-and-tested routes of varying difficulty, an honest breakdown of where you can actually have a picnic (and where it is explicitly prohibited), and a selection of gear that can be ordered from BAZARI ARA (bazariara.ge) with delivery across Tbilisi within two hours — without having to plan a trip to a sporting goods store in advance.
Where to Start: An Expert’s Opinion
If you have never hiked around Tbilisi before, I would recommend progressing gradually rather than immediately heading to a remote monastery with no mobile signal and no convenient public transport back.
Start with the Turtle Lake — Mtatsminda Park — Narikala route. It is urban, marked, has cafés and cable cars at both ends, and allows you to gauge your pace and comfort level in 2.5–3 hours.
Next, try Lisi Lake: it is flat and family-friendly, but you can head into the Upper Lisi hills if you want to add some extra distance.
Once you know that 3–4 hours of hiking with elevation gain feels comfortable, move on to Kojori — Udzo. This is already a genuine mountain descent with almost 650 metres of elevation change, but there is still a bus that can take you to the starting point.
A full day, stretches without mobile coverage, and significant physical exertion — that is when you are ready for Tbilisi National Park, Kojori — Kiketi, or Betania Monastery. I would not recommend tackling these alone on your first attempt or without a generous reserve of time and water.
This progression saves you a lot of trouble: you can find out whether you are comfortable covering 15 km over rough terrain before you end up 7 km from the nearest minibus.
- Turtle Lake → Mtatsminda Park → Narikala Fortress
The easiest way to reach the lake is by taxi or by cable car from Chavchavadze Avenue. The route requires no special preparation and is suitable both for first-time hikers and families with children.
Picnic: Yes. There is an equipped recreation area and beach by the lake, and additional rest and picnic spots have also appeared along the forest trail to Mtatsminda.
- Lisi Lake and the Upper Lisi Hills Loop
Picnic: There are plenty of green areas around the lake where locals traditionally spread out a blanket and have a snack. However, there is an important detail: making fires on the territory of Lisi Lake is prohibited, with a fine of 500 GEL. If you are planning a barbecue, it is better to exclude this location and choose another spot from the list below.
- Kojori → Udzo Monastery → Turtle Lake / Mtatsminda
From Kojori to Udzo Monastery, it is about 1.5 km uphill along an unpaved road through open pine forest. The monastery stands on the ridge at an elevation of 1,416 m and offers panoramic views over the entire city. From Udzo, a scenic trail continues for approximately two hours toward Turtle Lake or Mtatsminda Park. Most of the route is downhill, with an elevation difference of around 650 m. Overall, the hike takes about half a day and does not require any special skills.
Visitors to the monastery should wear modest clothing, and women are advised to bring a headscarf.
Picnic: There are no officially designated picnic areas, but there are plenty of open clearings in the pine forest around Udzo and Kojori where you can stop for a snack. There is no infrastructure—no tables or rubbish bins—so you should be prepared to bring everything you need with you.
- Kojori → Kiketi: Waterfalls and Koroghli Fortress
The route is varied but technically challenging in places, so you need sure footing and good hiking shoes.
Picnic: There are no designated picnic areas. This route is better suited to hikers who prefer to snack along the way or take a break on a flat section near the waterfalls.
- Tbilisi National Park
The park has marked trails of varying difficulty, ranging from the easy “Big Panorama” route (from the village of Gldani to Didveli, passing a spring and a memorial cross) to a moderately difficult loop starting from the village of Mamkoda, as well as long-distance treks spanning several dozen kilometres for experienced hikers.
You can get there by marshrutka from Didube Bus Station to Saguramo (around 40–60 minutes), or by bus No. 45 from Akhmeteli Metro Station toward Gldani (around 20–30 minutes).
Picnic and overnight stay: This is the only route on the list where there is an official campsite near Jvari Monastery with a designated fire pit. This means that legal campfires, barbecues, and proper tent camping are possible here.
- Betania Monastery
There is no public transport directly to the monastery. Marshrutka No. 106 toward Kiketi drops passengers approximately 3 km from the turnoff onto the Manglisi Highway, after which you have about 7 km to walk each way—roughly 14 km round trip—through a remote, uninhabited gorge.
This is a full-day hike, and I would not recommend doing it without company if this is your first serious hike in the area.
Picnic: There is no infrastructure at all. You will need to carry your own water, food, and everything else you need for the day, and take all your rubbish back with you.
Gear by Activity: What to Order from Bazariara.ge
BAZARI ARA is a Tbilisi-based store offering delivery across the city within two hours. Its catalogue has a dedicated “Tourism” section that covers most of the basic needs for a day hike and outdoor picnic. It is not a specialist mountaineering shop with technical hiking boots and trekking poles, but for last-minute preparations before heading to Turtle Lake, Lisi, or the national park, it covers most of the essentials.
For an Easy Urban Walk (Turtle Lake, Lisi)
ARDESTO 1 L thermos — 50 GEL (for tea at a viewpoint)
1 L thermal tea jug — 100 GEL
HOCO J101 10,000 mAh power bank — 50 GEL, plus cable — 10 GEL (offline navigation can drain your battery faster than usual)
Lightweight rain poncho — 45 GEL (mountain weather in Georgia can change quickly)
For a Picnic with a Barbecue Grill (Turtle Lake, National Park — Not Lisi!)
“Sunny” portable charcoal grill — 67 GEL, or ECE EPK-633 charcoal grill — 65 GEL
3 kg of charcoal — 18 GEL
2.5 kg of dry kindling — 14 GEL
Dried grape vines (tsalami) — 15 GEL — a traditional Georgian addition for extra aroma
Metal kebab skewer — 20 GEL, or set of 8 stainless-steel skewers — 133.38 GEL
Folding chair — from 21.92 GEL for a compact model to 56.17 GEL for one with a backrest; folding tables are also available in the same section of the catalogue
Example starter set for a group: folding chair (35.62 GEL) + “Sunny” grill (67 GEL) + 3 kg of charcoal (18 GEL) + metal skewer (20 GEL) — around 140 GEL in total.
For a Day Hike with Elevation Gain (Kojori, Kiketi, National Park)
[Heavy-duty rain poncho](https://bazariara.ge/en/products/hiking/722
) — 55 GEL (for routes with exposed ridge sections, where it can be harder to find shelter)
Thermal underwear set — 55 GEL — useful during the shoulder seasons and in winter, especially on routes above 1,300–1,400 m, where it is noticeably colder on the ridge than in the city
Thermos — the same one mentioned above, but here it is not just for comfort—it can provide warmth in case of a sudden drop in temperature
For an Overnight Hike (Camping near Jvari in the National Park)
HI KING 2/3-person tent — 150 GEL, or 1/2-person tent — 100 GEL
HI KING 3-season sleeping bag (190+30) × 75 cm — 123.30 GEL
Paralon EVA yoga mat — 50 GEL (can be used as a sleeping mat underneath your sleeping bag)
HI KING camping pillow — 26 GEL
Gas canister — 7 GEL (for cooking with a camping stove)
An approximate full overnight setup will cost around 355–360 GEL, excluding the stove and cookware.
You can place an order through bazariara.ge, via WhatsApp (+995 591 017 945), or through Telegram. The store is open daily from 9:00 to 21:00, and delivery across Tbilisi takes around two hours—enough time to get ready for a same-day hike if the idea comes up spontaneously on a Friday evening.
Expert Safety Tips
Download offline maps. Maps.me and Organic Maps are useful for finding trails around Tbilisi and work without an internet connection. Mobile coverage often disappears in gorges and on ridges.
Allow more time than your navigation app suggests. In mountainous terrain, apps often underestimate travel times, especially on rocky descents or muddy trails after rain.
Wear shoes with good ankle support. Routes such as Kojori–Kiketi and Betania include rocky and loose sections where it is easy to twist an ankle in ordinary sneakers.
Tell someone your route and when you expect to check in. This is especially important for Betania and longer routes in the national park, where you may not encounter another person for hours.
Check local rules regarding fires. At the very least, fires and barbecues are prohibited around Lake Lisi and can result in a fine. In other locations, check the signs and local regulations before lighting a fire.
Bring plenty of water and sun protection. In summer, the sun feels stronger on exposed ridges such as Udzo and Kojori than it does in the city, so take more water than you think you will need.
Conclusion
If you have to choose just one place to start, go for the Turtle Lake → Mtatsminda → Narikala route. It is the only route on this list that is forgiving of a lack of specialist gear, less-than-perfect weather, and limited hiking experience, while still giving you a genuine taste of hiking in the mountains around Tbilisi.
From there, work your way up gradually, eventually progressing all the way to an overnight camping trip near Jvari in the national park.