Sabaduri Forest: Getting There from Tbilisi and When to Go
In short
Sabaduri Forest is part of Tbilisi National Park. People come here for a walk, or to photograph the autumn colours and the trees under snow. From Tbilisi, follow the road to Tianeti through Mamkoda and Tskhvarichamia rather than simply heading towards Mtskheta. Choose where you will stop in advance and arrange how you will get back.
The official pages describe places for picnics and tents, but give no confirmed prices or opening hours for any particular site. Before staying overnight, check the conditions with the park administration. Sources checked on 20 October 2026: Georgia Travel and the Agency of Protected Areas.
Planning your trip step by step
| What to plan | What to go by |
|---|---|
| Direction | Tbilisi - Tianeti through Mamkoda and Tskhvarichamia; choose your final spot separately |
| Name to search for | Sabaduri Forest / საბადურის ტყე |
| Getting back | Save your stopping point and arrange the return trip in advance |
| Tent and picnic | Check the conditions at your chosen site with the park administration |
| Contact | Tbilisi National Park administration: +995 577 640 474, checked on 20.10.2026 |
Check the direction
Open the Georgia Travel page about Sabaduri and find the section "How to get to Sabaduri Forest". On a computer you can use Ctrl+F, on a phone the find-on-page option in your browser. Check the landmarks from the main text: Mamkoda and Tskhvarichamia. If the section does not open, go back to the saved diagram and confirm the road to your spot before you set off.
Official description of the route on Georgia Travel: the section How to get to Sabaduri Forest. Screenshot: 21.10.2026. Choose your final spot
Search for Sabaduri Forest or საბადურის ტყე, then set a specific place for your walk. Save your stopping point and the route from your address. The name of a large forest on its own is not a destination.
Example: the "Sabaduri Forest" card in the Madloba directory, with a pin on the map and a button to build a route. Not a ready-made route. Screenshot: 21.10.2026.
Diagram: direction
A diagram of the landmarks in the text, not a navigation map. Read from left to right, or top to bottom on a phone.
- Tbilisi
- Mamkoda
- Tskhvarichamia
- Your chosen walking spot in Sabaduri
Ghulelebi is kept as a separate landmark from the Georgia Travel description. Check the exact approach to your chosen site in advance. Coordinates, distances, travel time, parking limits and road conditions are not shown here.
Arrange your return
If you are travelling with a driver, agree on the stops, the waiting time and where you will be picked up. If you are using scheduled transport, first confirm that it serves the right stretch and that there is a return service. If your return is not confirmed, go back to planning the trip.
Agree on three things
- Stopping point and meeting place.
- Waiting time.
- The way back.
A sample plan, not a ready timetable or fare.
Check what the season can offer
Match the purpose of your trip with the seasonal table below. Before you set off, look at the forecast, recent photos and road information. An old winter photo does not mean there is snow today.
What the seasons are like, according to Georgia Travel. Not a forecast for the day of your trip. Screenshot: 21.10.2026. Choose a walk you can manage
Start from a suitable stopping place. Save where the car is and plan how to get back to it. Do not plan a walk on the assumption that any forest path will lead back to the car park.
Back to your spot
- Save where you stopped.
- Choose a walk you can manage.
- Return to the same meeting place.
This diagram does not show a marked trail and does not apply the Mamkoda-Zedazeni route to every point in Sabaduri.
Check the picnic or camping conditions
Open the official national parks website and the Tbilisi National Park page. Find the administration's published contact. Ask about your chosen site, registration, payment, water, toilets and any current restrictions on fires.
The official contact for Tbilisi National Park on nationalparks.ge. Screenshot: 21.10.2026. Check your kit and your plan
Before you set off, go through the checklist below: stopping point, return trip, weather, water, clothing and the conditions at your chosen site. If anything important is not confirmed, check it first.
Where is Sabaduri Forest
Sabaduri Forest lies in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, within the Mtskheta and Tianeti municipalities. It is part of a national park, not a city park with a single entrance. To search on a map, use the English name Sabaduri Forest or the Georgian საბადურის ტყე.
The Georgia Travel description names beech and oak as the main trees. For your trip, choosing a specific spot to walk matters more than typing the name of a large forest into your navigation app.
Getting there from Tbilisi by car
The official tourism portal gives the Tbilisi - Tianeti road through Mamkoda and Tskhvarichamia; another landmark in its description is the village of Ghulelebi. Plan your route from your own address to the site you have chosen. The distance to the edge of the forest and the distance from your hotel to your walking spot will not be the same.
Before you leave, save your stopping point and the route back. Do not pull over for a photo where your car would block traffic or the view of the road. If there is nowhere suitable, drive on to a safe place to stop. Start your walk from a parking area, not from the roadway.
Getting there without a car
You can book a car with a driver or join a tour. When you agree the trip, give the destination, the stops, the waiting time and where you want to be picked up. Ask whether waiting is included in the total price.
If you plan to use public transport, first check with the operator whether the service passes the stretch you need and how you will get back. Do not set off using an old timetable from someone else's trip report. Without a confirmed return service, it is better to arrange your return with a driver in advance.
Getting there without a car
Car with a driver: the price is agreed in advance.
Affiliate link: the site earns a commission, and the price you pay stays the same.
When to go: autumn, winter or the warmer months
| Season | How to prepare |
|---|---|
| Autumn | If you are coming for the autumn colours, look at recent photos before you set off. Do not pick a date based on last year's pictures alone. |
| Winter | Go for the snowy views only after checking the forecast and the road conditions. If conditions are not right, postpone the trip. |
| Spring and summer | Plan your walk and picnic around the weather. Bring water, rain protection and shoes suitable for forest ground. |
Georgia Travel highlights the autumn colours and the snowy winter scenery. For photos, allow time for stops and plan to head back before dark.
What to do in the forest and how to choose a walk
Save where the car is, agree in advance where you will meet, and do not plan your route on the assumption that any forest path will lead back to the car park.
The official national parks website lists the Mamkoda-Zedazeni Trail. This is a separate park route, and its description cannot simply be applied to any stopping point in Sabaduri. If you want a proper hike, first check with the administration where your chosen trail starts, how long it is, how it is marked and what condition it is in.
With children, choose a route you can manage on the way back too. If you have a pushchair, check the surface and the gradient separately: a photo of a flat stretch tells you nothing about the whole path. Bring snacks, water and a spare warm layer.
Picnics and tents: what to check
The Agency of Protected Areas has announced that places for picnics, tents and campfires were set up in Sabaduri.
Before staying overnight, contact the Tbilisi National Park administration. The official pages give the phone number +995 577 640 474, checked on 20 October 2026. Ask where you can pitch a tent, whether you need to register, what it costs, and about water, toilets and current restrictions on fires.
After a picnic, take your rubbish and leftover food with you. Watch animals from a distance and do not try to lure them closer for a photo. A wildlife encounter cannot be planned as a guaranteed part of the trip.
Can you combine Sabaduri with Mtskheta
If you would like to add a town to your forest walk, take a look at our article about Mtskheta. Plan such a day as a trip with separate stops: check the route between them and leave time to spare. Do not treat Mtskheta as a stop you must pass on the direct route from Tbilisi to Sabaduri.
For a relaxed visit, make the forest your only destination. Add a second stop once you know how long the drive will take and when you need to head back.
Sample visit plan
Fill in for your own trip: starting address; stopping point; meeting place after the walk; driver waiting time or a confirmed return service. For an overnight stay, add the administration's answers about your chosen site. This is a template, not a ready route with guaranteed timings.
Checklist before you set off
- Your final spot and the route back are saved.
- Waiting time and the return are agreed, or a return service is confirmed.
- Weather and road information were checked before departure.
- The walk is one you can manage back to the same spot.
- You have water, snacks, rain protection and a warm layer.
- Overnight and fire conditions are confirmed for your chosen site, if you need them.
- You have a plan for taking away your rubbish and leftover food.
Frequently asked questions
A forested area of Tbilisi National Park in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.
Search for Sabaduri Forest or საბადურის ტყე. Then choose the spot you plan to drive to.
Georgia Travel gives the road to Tianeti through Mamkoda and Tskhvarichamia. Set your final spot separately.
It depends on your address and the spot you choose in the forest. Check the full route before you leave and allow for stops.
Yes, you can arrange a driver or join a tour. If you are using scheduled transport, confirm the stop and the return in advance.
Go by recent photos and the weather. There is no fixed date when the whole forest looks the same.
Check the forecast and recent information before you go. Winter photos do not mean there will be snow on the day you choose.
In the official sections we read, we did not find a clear current fee for walking in a particular area. Check the visiting conditions and any paid services with the park administration.
Official sources describe places for tents. Before you go, check where camping is allowed and whether you need to register.
Do not count on them without confirmation for your specific site. Also ask about toilets and whether you can book.
Plan a walk you can manage, with a clear way back. Check in advance the surface for a pushchair and whether the area you need is accessible.
The Tbilisi National Park administration: +995 577 640 474. The contact is published on the official pages and was checked on 20 October 2026.
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Лес Сабадури расположен на склонах Сагурамо‑Ялненского хребта на высоте от 600 до 1700 м над уровнем моря и входит в состав национального парка — первого в стране. 
📍 Что особенно впечатляет:
• Это место подходит и для спокойных прогулок, и для кемпинга с палатками, и даже для скалолазания летом или лыжных прогулок зимой. 
• Прогулочные тропы с лавочками и дорожки проходят через густые леса, небольшие ручьи и озера, создавая атмосферу настоящей сказки. 
• Лес — настоящий дом для дикой природы: белки, птицы, косули и даже лоси довольно часто встречаются, давая шанс увидеть животных в естественной среде. 
🍂 Сезонные красоты:
Каждое время года здесь по‑разному красиво:
• весной — зелень и цветы;
• летом — прохлада в тени деревьев;
• осенью — эффектное яркое листопадное покрывало под ногами;
• зимой — лес превращается в снежное царство. 
Бонус — удобный кемпинг с электричеством и водой, а также игровые площадки и маршруты для детей, что делает Сабадури отличным выбором для семейного отдыха. 
Спасибо автору за столь живой обзор!
А вы уже гуляли в лесу Сабадури? Какие сезоны вам больше всего нравятся — зелёная прохлада, осенние краски или зимняя тишина? 🍁🏕️✨