Natural attractions of Georgia in the national parks and reserves of Vashlovani, Ilto and Sataplia.

Altitude above sea level: 500 m.

Area: 354 ha or 3.54 km2.

GPS coordinates: N42.309229, E42.671156 (cave).

Year of foundation: 1939.

Tel.: +995 595 08 60 59 .

Ticket price: GEL 17 or RUB 392.47 (May 2020).

Admission is free for children under 6 years old.

Brief historical background

This area was discovered by local residents in 1934. According to rumors, one teacher from Banoja, who was interested in the geography of his homeland. Subsequently, a memorial was built to him. This place became a nature reserve 6 years later, in 1939. But it was not fully equipped with buildings to protect the territory from winds and heavy rains. Only in 2010, the reserve was brought into a favorable form and equipped, which made it possible to better protect valuable historical traces. A pavilion was built.

Operating mode:

From November to April: 10:00 — 17:00;

From May to August: 10:00 — 18:00;

From September to October: 10:00 — 17:30.

Sataplia Nature ReserveIt is located in the villages of Gumbre, Banojasa and Homuli. On the mountain of the same name with a height of 0.5 km relative to the sea. It was established in 1935. The territory of the reserve is of interest for natural sciences, such as geology, paleontology, speleology, zoology and botany.

Sataplia is just one of the territories of Imereti that are under protection. Its management consists of the following parts: A visitor center, a center dedicated to the preservation of dinosaur remains, an exhibition hall, cafes, souvenir shops, caves for excursions and tracks (roads) with special markings.

The main attractions of the reserve are: dinosaur tracks, which are 150 million years old (Cretaceous period), the Sataplia karst cave, a viewing platform over the abyss, the floor of which is made entirely of glass, as well as the Colchis forest. Among other things, here you can see full-length dinosaur skeletons, reduced plastic models of dinosaur skeletons and a monument to the man who first discovered this place.a

Another place to visit this area is a trekking road called the Colchis Forest, rich in many endemic plant species. Here you will also see a plastic dinosaur skeleton and find a workshop for making small souvenirs in the form of the same dinosaurs.

attention: The Sataplia Nature Reserve is closed on Mondays! Please consider this before visiting this place.

Altitude above sea level: up to 1200 m.

Area: 69.63 km2 or 6963 ha.

Year of foundation: 2003.

Ilto National Park is located in the Georgian city of Akhmeta. It includes the upper territories of the valley of the river of the same name with an altitude relative to sea level of 0.9 – 2 km . The park covers a total area of 6963 hectares or 69.63 km2. In the east of the park there is a border with another park – the Batsari Nature Reserve, in the west there is a border with the Tianeti forest, in the south there is a border with the Akhmet forest, and in the north there is a border with the Alpine Zone.

The date of foundation of this national park is April 22, 2003. The park was created with the main purpose of protecting beech forests and valuable species of plants and animals that are found here.

Flora and Fauna

Over 660 species of different plants can be found in the national park, among which there are about forty endemic rare types characteristic only of the Caucasus. From the trees here you can see the following species: juniper, cherry, maple, pear, fig, pomegranate and many other species.

More than 80 species of birds live here, various types of insects, mammals and predatory animals are common. Of the mammals in this zone, the following types can be noticed: hedgehog, hare, fox, wildcat, jackal, marten, hyena, ferret, gazelle. According to some reports, a leopard was spotted in the extreme parts of the park in 2004.