Kutaisi & Surroundings

Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Kutaisi! ↓

I had plans to go to Iceland for two seasons and even had a series of attractive job offers on the table. Instead, I last minute tossed all those projects out of the window and took a plane to Kutaisi. Why? Because when I was sorting my shit out I randomly saw “KUT Airport” popping up on Skyscanner… as “kut” is a rather unsavoury manner to refer to the female genitals in my mother tongue, it needless to say grabbed my undivided attention. Before I knew it I was googling images of Georgia, a country I hadn’t spent one single thought on until that very moment. Fast-forward 1 day: I impulse-booked a flight to KUT Airport, the idea of adventure always gets the best of me. Who could have known that being childish could be this favorable?

Georgia turned out to be one of the best travel choices of the year. In my state of pure ignorance, I allowed myself to be mesmerized with the fresh impressions of a brand-new country, including its flavours, scents and undecipherable script resembling some artistic expression of extra-terrestrial poetry.

[As Georgia goes through times of extreme inflation, allegedly linked to the Russian War and Covid, I refrain from mentioning prices in my blog stories. I personally experienced how frustrating it is to count on a certain entrance / bus price quoted in any recently written Georgian travelblog, only to find out it has literally doubled. Keep in mind that Georgia, although not matching “western prices”, isn’t as affordable as it used to be.]

Attractions of Kutaisi

Unlike the name suggests, with Kutaisi I truly hit gold. Quite literally, as it is suggested that Kutaisi (which is historically the capital of Colchis) is in Homer’s Odyssey referred to as the final destination of Jason and the Agronauts in their search of the golden fleece. Although (2 months in) I have yet to encounter a town in Georgia I am unable to appreciate, it’s an uncanny feeling to wake up in the country’s oldest continuously inhabited city, scenically unfolding against the backdrop of the far-away Caucasus.

Honestly, the simple act of being here and shortly submerging in local daily life centring around the Colchis Fountain*, White Bridge and Historical Centre (“Golden Marquee”) is the main attraction of Kutaisi…. besides that, there isn’t that much to do here. Potentially there could be, as there sure as shit are a lot of museums.... but during my visit the majority was closed for unspecified reasons, except for a modest Photography Exhibition on Newport Street and the Kutaisi State Historical Museum, featuring a collection of over 150,000 artefacts and artworks from the Bronze Age until now said to represent the cultural heritage of the country. I would have liked to have visited the David Kakabadze Kutaisi Fine Art Gallery and the Kutaisi National Museum of Military Glory, if I only were that fortunate. I therefore tried to check out the art generally displayed in religious institutions, but even the Synagogue was closed for the public eye. Luckily, the late 10th century’s Bagrati Cathedral keeps its doors wide open all year round. It was once listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the 20th-century restoration efforts… but ironically, its truly horrendous 21st-century “renovations” made it lose that prestigious title due to the threats that imposed on its integrity and authenticity. One look at the interior and you’ll understand why. That said, the skilfully carved exterior as well as the impressive city panoramas from its elevated location are worth the trip. To make this little outing extra fun, take the old-school cable car from Anjaparidze Square to the Park of Youth, which is at a walkable distance from the cathedral.

* This odd iconic monument was built in 2011 and included a statue of “Tamada”, the famous Georgian concept of a “toastmaster”, who is the leader of any feast (“Supra”). In Georgia, you can’t just drink because you’d fancy a drink. There must be a reason! Luckily, there are many: From God, to mothers, to visitors to love. The Tamada is expected to finish every glass at every toast and never ever act drunk, even though he might up drinking over 5 litres of wine.

Kutaisi’s Surroundings

While Kutaisi, pleasant as it may be, lacks a dense conglomeration of attractions and activities, it sure functions as a perfect base for a wide variety of daytrips. I ended up spending a week in Kutaisi, almost daily taking a “mashrutka” (local mini-van and main public transport method) into another direction to explore this area’s varied surroundings. Allow me to list the best options:

Gelati & Motsameta Monastery

While the Bagrati Cathedral has lost its UNESCO title, Gelati is after a period of having an “endangered status” still going strong. Situated about 11km north-east of Kutaisi and overlooking the Tskaltsitela Gorge, this monastery doesn’t only function as an important centre of local religious life, it has also served as an academy for theology and philosophy since its heydays. The religious writing materials produced in Gelati (exhibited in the Kutaisi State Historical Museum) correspond with the development of Georgia’s unique alphabet. The construction of the complex started in 1106 under King David IV (who is now buried here), when Kutaisi was still Georgia’s capital. Although ascribed titles as “The New Athens” and “The Second Jerusalem” might be slightly exaggerated, I didn’t fail to appreciate the classic Byzantine-style mosaics, silently serving as a backdrop of the vivacious hustle and bustle of local spiritual life unfolding itself in between these monastery walls. During my visit, the exterior was unfortunately still in scaffolds.

Fit enough for another one? A 5km overgrown hike away (or after a boring stroll along the road), one can find the 11th century Motsameta Monastery. Its name can be freely translated as “Place of Martyrs”, referring to the Argveti brothers (now saints) who organized a failed rebellion against the occupying Arabs and were murdered after their refused conversion to Islam. I would’ve just lied, but okay. For the superstitious among us: It is said if you crawl three times under the arc and make a wish, it will in fact come true. Whatever works!

The mashrutka to the Gelati Monastery (#33) leaves at 8AM / 11AM / 2PM / 4PM / 6PM from this location, behind the Drama Theatre (anno 2022). The last one returns from Gelati to Kutaisi at 6:15PM.. There is no public transport connection to/from Motsameta Monastery, but hitchhiking is relatively easy. Entrances are free of charge. Coverage of knees and heads is provided.

Left / up: Gelati. Right / down: Motsameta.

Martvili, Balda and Okatse Canyon

Georgia’s most famous canyons are all sprinkled around the city of Kutaisi. You can choose between no less than three of them… but visiting all of them is a rather expensive endeavour. Regrettably, as Georgia is slowly gaining popularity it simultaneously also masters the act of milking tourists, which results in rather disproportionate entrance prices for museums, tourist-focused transportation and heavily marketed attractions such as the canyons (generally they openly display different fees for locals and foreigners!). Quite frankly, when it comes to attractions provided to humanity by our generous Mother Nature, it comes across as a bit of a dick-move to just throw a gate around it and hold your hand up for money.* Yet, this is the reality we’re living in, so I decided to invest my daily travel budget in Martvili**, which was easiest to reach by public transport (unlike Okatse, there’s a direct connection) and word on the street claimed it’s also the most spectacular one of the collection. I believe that statement straight away, as this 2400-meter marvel of nature, encompassing fossil-loaded limestone bridges, gouging waterfall flows and baby blue streams, is nothing short of extraordinary. Martvili commanded its first wave of attention in 2010, when the Illia State University’s expedition spread the rumor of potential dinosaur footprints in the area. As the rocks originated from an era far after dinosaurs went extinct, this was a storm in a teacup… yet, due to its whimsical fairytale-setting the visitor flow hasn't dried up since.

* It blows my mind that Georgia’s sublime and expansive national parks, including Kazbegi, Tusheti, Borjomi and Vashlovani, are entirely free of charge to explore. Yet, for a 20-minute loop around a canyon close to the city, or a 10-minute peek into a simple cave you have to buy a ticket. Where’s the balance?

** Maps.me indicates a free entrance into Martvili Canyon. Needless to say, I checked this one out for you… but it’s frantically patrolled by guards on both sides. By all means, there are some stunning parts of Martvili Canyon situated outside of the gated area, just slightly passed it on the way to Balda Canyon. Whether or not you decide to pay the ticket price, I recommend checking this out.

If you have some time and energy left, you can continue to the Balda Canyon from here, which is the only free one (in off-season). There’s actually a trail connecting Martvili to Balda, leading relatively fit hikers passed natural monuments such as the Toba, Oniore and Kaghu Waterfall, as well as the Jortsku and Okrojanashvili Cave (special equipment needed). I definitely had the energy and decided to go for it, but I was forced to turn around as early as the Zhuzhghi Waterfall*. Even though the descriptions promised me mild river crossings of maximum half a meter high, in the month of May I was faced with flooded riverbeds filled with aggressive gushing streams (the type suitable for extreme river rafting), requiring ropes and proper canyoning equipment to safely get across. Too bad!

* Whatever you do, don’t buy food here from any of the vendors. I bought a tiny bread-on-stick, for which I was quoted 3 lari in advance. After I finished eating, they charged me 20 lari and refused to give back my change. I’m honestly still pissed just thinking about it.

I can’t share any personal experiences on Okatse Canyon, as I decided to skip this one due to the complicated public transport connection and canyon-overkill. However, the main draw is the 780m-long hanging cliff trail, providing views over the deep valleys and falls. The Kinchkha Waterfall forms a part of the Okatse Canyon (6km further down the road), but that doesn’t mean they won’t charge you yet another entry fee just to have a quick peek. Want to add the heavily marketed Prometheus Cave to this daytrip, which is a tad down south on the way back to Kutaisi via Tskaltubo? You guessed it, you have to pay the same ticket price again. Nature truly is the local cash cow.

Mashrutkas to Martvili Canyon leave from the central bus station, allegedly exactly on the full hour from 9AM on. It’s not uncommon for buses to leave earlier once they are full, or not at all when they don’t have enough people. The central bus station is quite far outside of the centre, but mashrutka #1 drops you off right in front (the stops are marked on Maps.me, including on the Colchis Fountain Square and in front of the Central Market). The Martvili-mashrutkas stop about 5km before the canyon, from where you can take a cab, walk, or hitchhike (easy). Martvili Canyon is closed on Mondays!

There is no public transport to Balda Canyon. You can drive, walk or hitchhike from Martvili Canyon.

To reach Okatse Canyon, you need to take a mashrutka to Khoni from the Central Bus Station (from 9AM / every 30 min.). In Khoni you have to switch to another mashrutka headed to Okatse Canyon, which only leaves at 11AM and returns at 4PM, which is way more time than you need. There’s no public transport onwards to the Kinchkha Waterfall. Okatse Canyon is closed on Mondays!

Tskaltubo

Exploring this once-famous communist spa town is an unusual and rather eerie experience. Enthusiasts of abandoned buildings will get their kicks when strolling around the deteriorating premises, in forlorn times even welcoming Stalin and his comrades to bathe in the radon-carbonated waters. Don’t be mistaken though, despite the glory days clearly being over, spring no. 2 and 6 (the latter specifically built for Joseph) are still operational, sharing their proclaimed special healing properties with the public. While indulging in this uncanny trip to the past, keep in mind that some of the abandoned sanatoriums served as a “temporary” shelter for displaced families forced to escape the Russia-occupied area of Abkhazia. At this day and age, many are still pending their promised permanent housing and as such, still live in there.

Two different mashrutkas serve Tskaltubo. Mashrutka #30 departs from the end of the “Red Bridge” (8AM-7PM; every 20 minutes), which is within walking distance from the centre. Mashrutka #34 leaves hourly from the Central Bus Station (9AM-6PM), which is reached by mashrutka #1. Tskaltubo is on the way to the Prometheus Cave, Okatse Canyon and Kinchka Waterfall.

An incredibly detailed guide to Tskaltubo is written by Georgia-based travelblogger Wanderlush.

Chiatura & Katshki Pillar

If that Tskaltubo-style Stalinist melancholy really gets to you, a daytrip to the manganese-mining town of Chiatura might be the right call. Or so I thought. It’s not a small time investment: twice 2 (very uncomfortable) hours on a partly potholed road navigated by a kamikaze-driver… but I anticipated that the rides in the 60-year-old rusty cable cars, once introduced by Stalin himself to shorten the commute of the miners and as such prolonging the already 18-hrs-work days, would be truly worth it. Turns out that the joke was on me, as these vintage pieces (nicknamed the “iron coffins”) were replaced by ultra-modern gondola’s, which is both a relief and a major disappointment. I mean… I can just go skiing and have the exact same experience, but with the promise of a fun snow adventure at the end of the ride. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud technological advancement for the locals’ safety’s sake, but it takes away pretty much the only appeal from a tourism point of view. What’s left is a city stroll through this, hmm… frankly quite depressing and chaotic town, where you as a foreigner will form the big attraction instead of the other way around.

While here, you might as well make a little pitstop at the 40m-high Katshki Pillar, just to “check it off.” Archeaological evidence of presumably 9th-10th century churches were found on the very top of this slim limestone column, which motivated contemporary hermits to reconstruct and re-inhabit the site. It’s an unusual spectacle… Yet, if you have visited the much more impressive Meteora monasteries of Greece (which, unlike Katshki, you’re allowed to actually climb and visit), this sight will hardly raise an eyebrow.

Mashrutkas to Chiatura leave from the Central Bus Station (reached by mashrutka #1). They pass the Katshki Pillar along the way. I read they operate between 9-5 on an hourly basis, the last one returning from Chiatura at 4PM. Even though this information was confirmed by the Kutaisi Tourist Office, this turned out to be incorrect. When I arrived at Kutaisi’s Central Bus Station at 9:50AM, the supposedly 10AM-mashrutka had already left and I had to wait another hour. When I finally arrived at Chiatura at around 1PM, the driver informed me the last mashrutka would return to Kutaisi at 3PM already… upon which I decided just to hitchhike back (even though 2 hours in Chiatura is enough). I guess there’s no reliable information on this journey, you’ll just have to show up at the bus station and see what happens. Note that unlike the free “iron coffin” cable cars, the new gondolas require a (low) entry price. The Kathski Pillar is a 2km walk from the main road and (anno 2022) doesn’t charge an entry fee, unless you feel like visiting the small museum.

Sataplia Nature Reserve

The annoying thing when attempting to visit Sataplia Nature Reserve it that, despite its close proximity to Kutaisi, there is no ideal public transport connection to this site. Yet, if you’re interested in exploring the no less than 200 dinosaur footprints, a visit might be a fair call. As an extra bonus, the ticket price (yes, of course) includes the access to a 350-meter-long cave, as well as a glass platform granting spectacular panoramas over Kutaisi.

Sataplia is located 7km away from Kutaisi: a distance you can (partly) walk and/or hitchhike. A taxi is very expensive. Alternatively, according to the Kutaisi Tourist Office (who have been wrong on several occasions) you can take mashrutka #22, #31 or #35 from the Central Market Bus Stop to the skating rink, where you must change to mashrutka #4 or #45, allegedly leaving 10 minutes before every full hour. From there, it’s still a 3km walk.

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Georgia Facts

Capital: Tbilisi
Language: Georgian (separate alphabet)
Population: ± 3.7 mln (Kutaisi: ± 147,500)
Sq km: ± 69,700 (Kutaisi: ± 67.7)
Currency: Lari (ლ )
Electricity Outlet: C & F / 220 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +995 (331)
Emergency Phone: 113 (ambulance), 111 (fire), 122 (police)
Visa: Check out the visa requirements here.
Vaccinations: Covid.
Climate: Humid Subtropical (Cfa)
High season: Jun-Sep

Short History Recap

6200BC - 4000BC: Shulaveri (late Neolithic/Eneolithic culture). 4000BC – 2200BC: Trialeti culture. 3400BC - 2000BC: Kura-Araxes culture. 2500BC - 760BC: Diauehi: Coalition of tribes in north-eastern Anatolia. 1200BC - 600BC: Colchian culture (late Bronze / Iron Age). 700BC: Cimmerians & Scythians invade Georgia + Caucasus. Ancient Greek / Byzantine colonization of Black Sea. 600 BC: Kingdom of Colchis appears (west): Earliest Georgian formation. 302BC: Kingdom of Iberia founded (east). 284BC: Georgian alphabet created. 90BC: Artaxiad Dynasty. 65 BC: Pompey the Great makes Kingdom of Colchis a Roman province. 270: Anti-Roman uprising. 284: Chosroid Dynasty. Around 319: King Mirian III of Iberia declares Christianity as official religion. 5th Century: Fighting against Persian domination. 526-532: Iberian War. 541-562: Lazic War. 627: Perso-Turkic War: Tbilisi sacked by Turks and Byzantines. 654: Arabs enter. 1000: Bagrat III of Georgia founds Kingdom of Georgia. 1040: Seljuk Turks invade --> in 1121 defeated at Battle of Didgori. 1204: Queen Tamar (1184-1213 – 1st female ruler) conquers Black Coast of Byzantine Empire --> Empire of Trebizond created. 1400: Conqueros Timur (Turco-Mongol) invades / destroys / takes 60,000 as slaves to Timurid Empire. 1783: Treaty of Georgievsk --> Katli-Kakheti protectorate of Russia. ’95: Iranian invasion. 1801-04: Most of current Georgia part of the Russian Empire. ’79: Stalin born in Gori. 1918: Independent Georgian state. ’21: Red Army invades (Bolsheviks) --> Georgia absorbed into Soviet Union (SU). Independence activists suppressed / killed. ’89: Demands for more autonomy in South Ossetia (SO) --> violent clashes. ‘ 91: Independence from SU declared. Georgian Civil War. SO votes in favour of independence. War in Abkhazia between Georgian government troops and separatist forces --> ’93: Abkhazian drives Georgian troops out. ’94: Ceasefire agreement --> Russian peacekeeping force in region. New currency (lari) introduced. 2001: (Russian) fighters from northern Caucasus back Abkhaz forces fighting against Georgian paramilitaries --> US special forces arrive to train and equip Georgian forces. ’03: Bloodless "Rose Revolution" removes President Shevardnadze (election issues). ’04: Tension in autonomous region Adjara. ’05: Russia starts to withdraw troops. ’06: Explosions on Russian side of border disrupts gas / electricity supplies (suspected sabotage) & suspends imports of Georgian wine. Georgia seizes control of Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge & announces plan for pro-Tbilisi government --> Abkhazia breaks off peace talks. SO vote in favour of independence, again. ’08: Start Russia-Georgia War. Russia strengthens ties with Abkhazia and SO --> Georgia accuses them of planning de facto annexation. ’08: Georgia tries to retake SO --> military conflict with Russia: Russia ejects Georgian troops out of SO & Abkhazia. After 5 days: French-brokered peace agreement, but Russia recognizes territories as independent states & keeps military presence. NATO military exercises in Georgia. ’14: EU trade partnership deal. ‘15 August: Russian forces in SO move internal border 1.5 km further into Georgia, threatening main road linking west and east of country.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

FREE Sights / Activities*

Sights: Bagrati Cathedral; Synagogue; Colchis Fountain; Tsentraluri Moedani Square; White Bridge; Golden Marquee; Besik Gabashvili Park (entry free but rides cost money); Parliament Building; “Free” Tip-Based Walking Tour.
Museums: Kutaisi National Museum of Military Glory (if it’s open).
Hikes / Nature: Botanical Garden; Central City Park.
Daytrips: Gelati Monastery; Motsameta Monastery; Katshki Pillar; Balda Canyon; Tskaltubo; Chiatura; Dikhaskho Geyser (take mashrutka to Vani). `

PAID Sights / Activities*

Sights: Aerial Tramway.
Museums: David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery (if it’s open); Kutaisi Historical Museum; Sports Museum (if it’s open); Prometheus Wine Museum.
Hikes / Nature: Daytrips: Martvili Canyon; Okatse Canyon; Kinchka Waterfall; Prometheus Cave; Sataplia Cave & Nature Reserve Wineries (Baia’s Wine; Toma’s Wine Cellar; Mate’s Wine Cellar; Otias Ezo; Zurab Ghvaladze; Simon Chkheidze; Lechkhumian Wine Cellar; Khareba); Rafting.

* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend. You can order your Lonely Planet here.

Evening Entertainment

Nightlife Areas: Area surrounding White Bridge.
Theatres: Meskhishvili Theatre; Kutaisi State Opera.

Local Festivals

Kutaisoba – May 2nd.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Budget Bites

Supermarkets: Daily; Ioli; Smart; Magniti.
Markets: Centraluri Bazari (Central Market / Green Market). I have mixed experiences at the Georgian markets. Even though there are definitely many honest vendors out there and I prefer to support local merchants over big cooperations, the frequency of being overcharged because I’m a foreigner took away the fun for me. Therefore, I preferred to just go to similar-priced or sometimes even cheaper supermarkets where the prices are labelled.
Local Dishes: Khinkali (dumplings); Acharuli (cheese bread); Khachapuri (cheese bread in different versions); Nigvziani Badrijani (eggplant and walnut paste dish); Lobio (bean stew); Lobiani (bean-stuffed bread); Jonjoli (pickled bladdernut flowers); Tkemali (sour plum sauce); Adjika (spicy tomato sauce); Phkali (vegetable balls); Tolma (meat and rice stuffed in grape or cabbage leaves); Ajapsandali (eggplant ratatouille); Bazhe / Satsizi (walnut sauce); Mchadi / Chishvdari (corn bread with cheese); Gomi / Elarji (cheese corn flour porridge); Gebzhalia (cheese / mint soup); Borano (cheese with boiled butter); Sinori (dough bread with cheese); Gogris Gupta (squash in a ball shape / vegetarian kefta); Qnashi (boiled minced pumpkin seeds); Qababi (kebab); Chakapuli (herbed lamb stew); Mtsvadi (meat skewers); Satsivi (poultry with walnut paste); Bozbashi (soup with lamb / peas / chestnuts / tomatoes); Chehkmeruli (chicken in a cream-based sauce); Puri / Tonis Puri (flatbread); Churkhela (Georgian snickers). Keep in mind: While accommodation is rather affordable in Georgia, grabbing a bite in a restaurant is not.
The Veg Situation: Going veg is rather complicated in Georgia, as meat is the main ingredient in most meals. However, where there’s a will there’s a way and there are plenty ‘accidentally vegan / vegetarian’ typical Georgian dishes. Find all veg-friendly in this destination here. Local veg dishes (descriptions above): Mushroom / Potato Khinkali; Acharuli; Khachapura; Nigvziani Badrijani (vegan); Lobio (vegan – verify no meat is added); Lobiani (vegan if not prepared in butter); Jonjoli (vegan); Tkemali (vegan); Adjika (vegan); Phkali (vegan); Ajapsandali (vegan); Bazhe / Satsizi (vegan); Mchadi / Chishvdari; Gomi / Elarji; Gebzhalia; Borano; Sinori; Gogris Gupta; Qnashi (vegan); Puri / Tonis Puri (vegan); Churkhela (vegan); Tarkhunis Ghvezeli (tarragon stuffed bread).
National Drink: Wine; Chacha.
The local food delivery app is called Glovo. However, it’s pretty user-unfriendly and the customer service is a joke. I by all means advise against using it.
Georgia is known for its hospitality, sometimes to an almost pushy level. It’s very common to have alcohol (especially chacha) offered to you and a refusal can be deemed offensive. Vegans / vegetarians might encounter the same issue when having food offered to them, typically containing meat and dairy.

Sleep Cheap

Hostels / Hotels: are relatively cheap in Georgia. If you’re with 2 people or more, a private room or apartment is similar priced as a dormitory bed in a hostel. I personally found the best deals on Booking.com. They also have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs. If you use it often enough, generous Genius-discounts are applied. I heard some tourists claim that a phone call to the accommodation shaves some extra cash off the Booking.com price, but I don’t have the same experience. A problem with Air BnB is that they’re not only more expensive, but many listings that you can book aren’t actually available. After you paid you’ll receive some message in Georgian or Russian that they’re closed for whatever reason, after which you’ll have to attempt to let them officially cancel so you get your money back (generally, if you cancel as a customer there’s only a partial refund). Very annoying! As such: Always email them first to verify if they’re in fact open. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is a better alternative. Generally, you are expected to pay in cash. Writer’s choice: The basic Star Hostel (private room), which was very cheap and central. That said, it can get quite loud and the bathrooms were downright unsanitary.
Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate request explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). Kutaisi has a decent Couchsurfing community. Alternatives are Trust Roots, Be Welcome, Host A Sister and Warm Showers (for cyclists).
Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their house and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee pays itself back quickly. The main housesitting site is Trusted Housesitters.
Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Georgia! I recommend keeping a distance from the cities and avoiding camping close to shepherd’s territory, as the bear-sized guard dogs can get quite aggressive if you accidentally get too close.

Mama Said

Safety: Georgia is a very safe country, but use your common sense like everywhere. Don’t walk alone in remote areas after sunset, don’t take valuables along and follow your instincts when entering certain neighbourhoods further away from the centre.
Georgia’s insane inflation: Almost all prices I found online (even in quite recent articles) have doubled or tripled. I was told that both Covid and the Russian War have caused an incredible inflation, so everything is unfortunately much more expensive than it used to be. I still didn’t consider Georgia an expensive country, but I found food, entry prices to attractions and museums as well as public transport not as cheap as I expected it to be.
The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise or Revolut, as they use the live conversion rates without any extra fees and you can create a Georgian lari-wallet. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Keep in mind that some ATMs charge a fee, the amount always indicated before completing the transaction. Payment by card is generally accepted in bigger supermarkets, but smaller shops always require cash. Accommodation is generally paid in cash.
Tap Water: is drinkable.
Simcard: Acquiring a sim card is pretty straightforward and very affordable (avoid the pricy EU roaming charges by getting a local sim). Don’t get a tourist package, which is more expensive than a regular package. You can go to any phone shop with your passport and buy the sim and package that interests you, and they’ll help you to set it up. Magti is said to have the best coverage in Georgia, and they sell both 7-days and 30-days packages. After the first installation, you can simply extend and pay with their app, which is also available in English. Alternatives are Geocell (poor coverage) and Beeline (cheaper but said to have worse service).

Transport

Walking: Kutaisi has a rather compact city center and most sights are within walking distance.
Cycling: Cycling is only for the bravest among us. Calling local traffic “hectic” is an understatement. Georgian drivers are among the most reckless I have seen worldwide. Generally, people don’t even take other drivers into account, let alone cyclists who form a rare sight on the Georgian roads.
City Buses / Tram / Metro: Kutaisi and its environment are served by minibuses (called “mashrutkas”). Navigation apps such as Google Maps and Moovit don’t work here, but Maps.me has the main bus stops of Kutaisi pinned incl. the destinations they’re serving, which is very useful.
Taxi / Uber: The main taxi apps are Yandex Go and Bolt. I recommend using these over hailing down a taxi on the street, so you can avoid being overcharged. Keep in mind: It’s quite common for taxi drivers around the bus stations to tell you a certain bus has been cancelled and your only option is taking a taxi… This is in 99% of the cases a lie.
Intercity Buses: The main way of city-to-city transport in Georgia is by minibus / “mashrutka.” Most destinations are labelled on the front window, but generally only in the Georgian alphabet. You can ask around and people will helpfully point you in the right direction. A downside of the mashrutkas is that traveling with a big backpack / suitcase can be rather complicated (sometimes an extra fee is charged), as there’s hardly any storage space. Especially considering the sheer amount of people that are crammed in during the ride, eventually standing crouched over in the pathway and sitting on each other’s laps. Another nuisance is that mashrutkas get cancelled if not enough people get in, which can considerably prolong your anticipated travel time. Kutaisi’s bus station is quite far away from the city centre (Chavchavadze Street 67), but city-mashrutka #1 drops you off right in front of it. Intercity departure times and especially fares change over time, which is why I prefer not to quote them here to avoid inaccuracy: the Tourism Office in Kutaisi’s city centre should have the latest up-to-date information, although it turned out to be faulty at times during my visit.
Train: Trains in Georgia are served by Georgian Railway. (purchasing a ticket online doesn’t work quite well – it’s much easier to just buy it at the station). Taking a train here is something you’d do for the experience only, as not only are the trains leaving less frequent than the mashrutkas, they’re also slower, serve less destinations and cost more. Kutaisi I is the main train station. Kutaisi II serves Tskaltubo.
Car Rental: Car rental is rather pricy in Georgia and only suitable for very confident drivers. The local traffic situation is a complete mayhem and might not resemble what you’re used to at home. I recommend taking the most extensive insurance package, as damage is easily made when looking at the road behaviour of most drivers.
Airport: David the Builder Kutaisi International Airport (KUT). This airport is served by budget airline Wizzair. There’s an airport bus available that allegedly waits for the flight arrivals, but after I had a few hours delay and arrived after midnight it wasn’t available anymore.
Hitchhiking: is rather common in Georgia. Yet, my experience is that not everyone is keen to stop and at times you might have to wait a bit (although for a woman / couple it will always be much faster than for a man, as a rule of thumb anywhere in the world). You don’t have to trace down a convenient pull-over strip, as drivers will stop anywhere, even if it blocks all other traffic. Take into account that English (or any other language but Georgian and Russian) is not widely spoken, so chit-chat might be complicated. More info at Hitchwiki.

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National Destinations Close By: Chiatura; Borjomi; Gori; Tbilisi; Batumi; Mestia.
International Destinations Close By: Armenia; Turkey; Azerbaijan; Russia.

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