Mtirala National Park, Crying Mountain, where to see plants and animals from the Red Book

Mount Mtirala, whose height reaches 1,381 meters above sea level, is the place where the most precipitation falls in Georgia (more than 4,520 mm. per year).

This is why its name is connected: "mtirala" means "crying".

The mountain and its surroundings, constantly shrouded in fog, to this day remain a refuge for many species of Colchian endemic and relict plants and animals on the verge of extinction. In 2006, in order to preserve these rare biovids, the Mtirala National Park was created.

The park, covering 15 hectares of land, begins from the territory of the village of Chakvistavi. The nature protection area is divided into three Zones: the zone of strict protection is covered with untouched forests of Colchis trees, any human intervention is prohibited here (except for scientific observations); in the visitors' zone, tourists can walk along the path, light a fire in designated places, pitch tents and arrange picnics; in the third - a traditional use zone, several families live.

Another function is assigned to the Mtirala National Park - the park helps to preserve the balance of natural ecosystems, which suspends erosion and landslide phenomena and helps to avoid floods.

Kobulet Protected Areas are unique in their own way (established in 1999).

Here you can see a living sphagnum peat bog. Sphagnum is the rarest white moss in the world. It's like a blanket covering a peat bog. The water together with the sphagnum, whose thickness reaches 25-45 cm, forms a perfectly regular smooth dome. The peat bog is never covered with water - the sphagnum absorbs moisture like a sponge and is able to absorb an amount of liquid exceeding its own weight by 25 times. It is the Sphagnum marshes of Spain that protect Kobuleti from floods.