Likhi Ridge Guide: Surami Pass, Subtropics and Views

The Likh Ridge is located between Eastern and Western Georgia, 120 km from Tbilisi. It serves as a significant geographical barrier. It marks the border between the wet and dry subtropics, between the basins of the Black and Caspian Seas, between several historical and geographical provinces of Georgia.

The ridge connects the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. The highest peak of the Likh ridge is Mount Ribisi, located at an altitude of 2471 m above sea level. At the western slope of the ridge is the geographical center of Georgia.

The Likhsky ridge stretches for 100 km . and it consists of several tectonic parts. The northern part belongs to the Greater Caucasus, the central part belongs to the main crystalline massif, and the southern part belongs to the Lesser Caucasus. Both in the western and eastern parts of the ridge there is a gradual change in the amount of precipitation and in the comb part it almost doubles (on average 1200 mm). This situation causes landscape diversity.

There are several types of landscape within the range. Landscape diversity is especially noticeable when approaching the ridge and crossing it. The Likhsky Ridge is distinguished by wind resources. Here, in the area of Mount Sabueti (1248 m.), the highest average annual wind speed is recorded - 8 m/sec. Local residents figuratively describe the meaning of the Likh ridge: the Likh ridge is the mother of Georgia, from one breast of which the Kura feeds, and from the other - the Rioni; on the crest of the ridge, a drop of water is divided into two halves - one falls into the Black Sea, and the other into the Caspian.