Arboretums on the Black Sea coast of Georgia

There are many beautiful corners in Georgia where pristine nature has been preserved. In addition to them, arboretums and botanical gardens are being created, in which plants characteristic not only of Georgia are presented. These parks have large collections of plants, birds, and animals from around the world.

There are several such amazing places on the Black Sea coast. We will tell you about the parks located near Batumi and Kobuleti.

The park was created at the expense of Bidzina Ivanishvili, a famous Georgian politician and billionaire.

The construction lasted 4 years. Since 2016, large and small trees from the regions of Georgia have been brought here by land and water. Some of the plants and birds came from other countries, from different continents.

Exact data on financial costs are not known to the masses. There is only fragmentary information. So, the delivery of four huge baobabs from Kenya cost Ivanishvili $ 850,000. And he bought one hundred-year-old baobab in Georgia for $45,000.

The construction process of the arboretum was under the intense attention of the Georgian media, human rights activists and eco-activists. Ivanishvili was more often scolded, accused of using state resources for his own purposes, violating the natural balance of Georgia, harming nature, changing the landscape, etc.

Ivanishvili bought trees from the owners of land plots, paid compensation for the inconvenience. The funds came from his "Kartu" fund.

When transporting trees, a lot of inconveniences were created for local residents: traffic jams, power outages and even a temporary stop of railway transport.

To the accusations against him, he replied:

"My passion for trees may be a whim, but the country and the people only benefit from it."

In addition, according to Ivanishvili, a large number of jobs have appeared for residents of Georgia during the preparatory work for the creation of the park zone.

Political scientists believed that in this way the leader of the Georgian Dream party attracted voters before the 2020 elections.

One way or another, but the arboretum has been created. In just one year of its existence, it has already received many visitors. The reviews are only positive.

From Batumi to the arboretum can be reached by public transport or by private (rented) car.

• Minibus from the lower station of the cable car in Batumi towards Tbilisi, Ureki, Kutaisi or Zugdidi. Travel time is 40-50 minutes. The fare is 5 lari (approximately 120 rubles. or $1.65).
• By car you can get there faster, in 30-40 minutes. From Batumi it is necessary to go along the coast to the north. The park is located between the villages of Shekvetili and Ureki, just behind the Paragraph Resort Hotel.

Coordinates: 41.962494, 41.765830, Shekvetili Dendrological Park.

The entrance is directly from the road. There is parking.

In summer, the arboretum is open from 09:00 to 19:00.

In autumn and spring — from 10:00 to 18:00

And in winter — from 11:00 to 17:00.

Weekends are Thursdays and Mondays.

The entrance to the territory is blocked an hour before the closure of the arboretum.

At the information stand, you can take a schematic map and a booklet with basic information about the plants and inhabitants of the park.

The visit is free.

According to the reviews of visitors, the arboretum in Shekvetili should be included in the list of mandatory visits for all vacationers on the Black Sea coast of Georgia.

The park is small, its territory is only 4 hectares. But there is something to see.

It is divided into two tiers. On the ground floor there is a bamboo grove, eucalyptus trees, cypresses and other trees. A small pond with water lilies is surrounded by weeping willows and cedars.

A staircase of 197 steps leads to the second tier, the height is 50 meters.

There is an observation deck, from there you can enjoy a fabulous view of the sea and the green surroundings. Here you can also stroll through the tangerine garden, relax in a pretty gazebo.

The arboretum park has all the conditions for enjoying nature and recreation: walking alleys, cozy corners with benches. There is even a place for a round table meeting. The table is glass and really round. And there are comfortable wooden sofas around.

The arboretum is located between the villages of Shekvetili and Ureki, near the village of Tsvermagala.

Two options to get to the park:

1. By car from Batumi you need to go towards Tbilisi. The main thing is not to pass the turn on Ozurgeti, it will be on the right in the direction of movement. Almost immediately around the corner is the entrance to the park.
2. Minibus in the direction of Zugdidi, Ureki, Kutaisi. Exit at the same turn to Ozurgeti. It remains to walk a hundred meters, and you are on the spot.

On the territory of the Batumi Park mostly rare, atypical plants for the Caucasus grow. In total, there are more than 5,000 species from different countries of the world.

There are bamboo, sakura, Himalayan cedars, cinnamon bushes, eucalyptus, strawberry trees, olives, unusual fruit trees from South America. In the zone of Mexico there are many succulents characteristic of the desert.

The garden is divided into three zones: Lower, Seaside and Upper. Green spaces are located on different levels. By analogy with the Gardens of Semiramis, tier by tier, they smoothly descend from the hills to the seashore.

Thematic zones in which plants from these regions are planted are highlighted:

• Himalayas;
• East Asia;
• Australia;
• New Zealand;
• North America;
• Mexico;
• South America;
• Mediterranean;
• Transcaucasian subtropics.

All tiers and zones are connected by walking alleys, trails and paths with signs and information stands.

In the center of the park there is a small lake with goldfish and small turtles.

There are viewing platforms at different heights, the views from which are wonderful. There are cozy gazebos, picnic areas equipped with barbecue grills.

In the Batumi Park, you can even spend the night by setting up a tent on a prepared site.