If you are vacationing in Borjomi, then you definitely need to plan an excursion along the Borjomi Gorge, which stretches for 60 kilometers along the Kura riverbed, south of Borjomi. Here you will see beautiful mountain landscapes, as well as several medieval fortresses.
The Kura River is the largest river in Georgia. It originates in Turkey, in the Armenian Highlands. After Tbilisi, the Kura River looks like a flat, wide river. In the Borjomi Gorge, the Kura River is already quite wide, but still looks like a mountain river. At this point, it made its channel between two mountain ranges. The Meskheti Mountain Range stretches to the west of the Kura, and the Trialeti Mountain Range stretches to the east. In the central parts of both ridges, the height of the mountains reaches 2-3 thousand meters, but near the Kura River, the maximum height of the mountains does not exceed 1500 meters.
During the spring flood, the Kura turns into a rather stormy river and even rafting is possible here. The most dynamic section with shivers begins at the village of Chitakhevi, and ends near Borjomi. In summer, these sections of the Kura River are quite calm, but there are still rafting trips for tourists who rest in Borjomi. These sections meander among the rocky shores. At this time of the year, rafting is not a sporting event, but an entertainment one.
In the middle of the Century, the main trade route from Armenia to Georgia passed along the Kura riverbed, so the ruins of numerous fortresses have been preserved here. One of the largest citadels, the Atskuri Fortress and the Khertvisi Fortress, are located tens of kilometers to the south. Not far from Borjomi, in the Borjomi Gorge, you can see the ruins of small fortifications: the Fortress of Slesa and the Fortress of Dviri. If you are traveling by car, then you can make stops near them to climb up to the fortress walls.
Borjomi-Kharaguli National Park is located on the western side (the right bank of the Kura). It was founded in 1935 and is one of the largest in Georgia. Several routes have been laid through the territory of this park, which begin in the Borjomi Gorge. The length of some routes does not exceed 10-15 kilometers. While relaxing in Borjomi, you can walk along the mountain trails and return back to the hotel. The length of other routes reaches 50-60 kilometers and provides overnight stays in tents.
