Mud Volcanoes of Takhti-Tepa: Crater and Georgia Route

Mud volcanoes are found mainly in oil and volcanic areas. They also occur in the deltas of the river, the water of which brings plant residues and oil films in abundance.

Similar geological phenomena are found in many regions of the world, but the primacy in the number of active mud volcanoes is not inferior to Azerbaijan. There are about 350 mud volcanoes on the territory of this country. In Turkmenistan, Romania, Iran, Venezuela, Italy, Iceland, New Zealand, etc. there are also many mud volcanoes.

It is difficult to say what place Georgia occupies in this list in the world. Here, on the Ior plateau and the slopes of the Gombor ridge, there are many active mud volcanoes: Akhtala, Pkhoveli, Kila kupra, Takhtitepa and Forfotebi. It should be noted that the name would be suitable for any of the mud volcanoes, since each of them constantly or from time to time spews mud or gas, most often with water or oil.

So the mud volcanoes of Takhti-Types, which are located on the Ior plateau, on the parallel slope of the Takhti-Tepsky ridge, on a white hill with a flat upland, are continuously bubbling and bubbling. The largest of the craters located on this hill is 3.4 m in diameter.

All volcanoes are constantly active: gas continuously comes out of them, mud and oil with medicinal properties are poured out. The mud flowing out of volcanoes collects and flows down into the gorge. This monument of inorganic nature is part of the nature conservation area Vashlovani. Nature conservation areas unite many more geographical attractions.

5 km north of the volcanoes, in the lower reaches of the Iori River, there is the Dali Mountain reservoir. It is the third largest reservoir in Georgia.