Imereti
Imereti is a region — a region of Georgia, about 3 h 30 min by car from Tbilisi and 2 h 20 min from Batumi. Home to about 533,906 people.
Guide last checked by the GTour desk on 16 October 2026. Latest news for this region is listed below the guide and updates automatically.
Why go
Imereti is west-central Georgia’s green heartland, built around the river Rioni and the country’s second city, Kutaisi. It mixes a working regional capital with a dense cluster of UNESCO monuments, limestone canyons, show caves and a surreal Soviet spa town, all within an hour or two of each other.
Because Kutaisi has its own international airport, the region works equally well as a first stop after landing, a base for day trips, or a halfway break on the road between Tbilisi and Batumi.
When to go
- Late spring (May-June) – canyons and waterfalls are at their fullest, countryside is green.
- Early autumn (September-October) – warm, drier, good light for the gorges and cathedrals.
- Summer – hot in Kutaisi itself but fine for canyon walkways and cave visits, which stay cool underground.
- Winter – Prometheus Cave, Bagrati and Gelati stay open; some canyon walkways and boat trips close or run reduced routes, so check conditions before travelling.
Check road status before heading into the hills in winter, especially toward Okatse and Chiatura.
Getting there
- By air: Kutaisi International Airport (KUT) is the main Wizz Air gateway to Georgia, a short drive from the city centre.
- By road from Tbilisi: around 3 hours on the main highway.
- By road from Batumi: around 2.5 hours.
- By rail: regular trains connect Tbilisi and Kutaisi; onward travel to outlying sights requires a car, taxi or organised transfer.
A rental car or a driver gives the most flexibility, since most sights beyond Kutaisi are spread across rural roads. See organised tours for day trips that cover the region without self-driving.
What to see
In and around Kutaisi
- Bagrati Cathedral – 11th-century hilltop church overlooking the city, rebuilt after wartime damage.
- Kutaisi’s green bazaar – the city’s working produce and spice market, good for cheese, churchkhela and local colour.
UNESCO and monastic sites
- Gelati Monastery – 12th-century monastery and academy founded by King David the Builder, with extensive frescoes.
- Motsameta Monastery – small monastery perched on a river cliff, a short detour from Gelati.
- Katskhi Pillar – a 40-metre limestone pillar topped by a tiny chapel, home to a single resident monk; viewable from the base.
Caves and natural sights
- Prometheus Cave – a long, lit cave system with a boat section on its underground river.
- Sataplia Nature Reserve – preserved dinosaur footprints and a glass-floored viewpoint over the forest.
- Okatse Canyon – a steel walkway cantilevered along a narrow gorge.
- Kinchkha Waterfall – a tiered waterfall close to Okatse, usually combined in one trip.
- Martvili Canyon – boat trips through a turquoise gorge; technically just across the border in Samegrelo but normally visited from Imereti.
History and curiosities
- Vani archaeological site – excavations of an ancient Colchian city, with gold finds now displayed locally and in Tbilisi.
- Tskaltubo – a Soviet-era spa town known for radon mineral baths and large abandoned sanatoriums, now partly restored.
- Chiatura – a mining town famous for its network of Soviet cable cars climbing the cliffs above the valley.
Borjomi and Vardzia lie further south and belong to a separate region; see the dedicated regional guides for details.
A three-day plan
Day 1 – Kutaisi and the monasteries
Arrive in Kutaisi (by air, rail or road from Tbilisi, about 3 hours). Visit Bagrati Cathedral and the green bazaar in the afternoon, then drive out to Gelati and Motsameta (around 20-30 minutes each way from the centre).
Day 2 – Caves and canyons
Morning at Prometheus Cave and Sataplia, both within about 30-40 minutes of Kutaisi. In the afternoon, continue to Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha Waterfall (roughly 1-1.5 hours from Kutaisi); add Martvili Canyon if starting early, as it sits a further 40-50 minutes on.
Day 3 – Tskaltubo, Katskhi and onward
Spend the morning at Tskaltubo (15-20 minutes from Kutaisi), walking the sanatorium park or taking a radon bath. Detour to Katskhi Pillar (around 1 hour from Kutaisi) before heading onward to Batumi (about 2.5 hours) or back to Tbilisi (about 3 hours).
Where to stay
- Kutaisi – the main base, with city hotels, guesthouses and apartments near the centre and the bazaar; best for travellers using the airport or wanting walkable access to Bagrati.
- Tskaltubo – quieter, spa-oriented guesthouses and restored sanatorium hotels, suited to travellers interested in the baths or a slower pace.
GTour’s verified register lists hotels and guesthouses for Imereti below, checked for standards and accurate location details.
Eat and drink
- Imeretian khachapuri – the region’s round, cheese-filled bread, the everyday version found across Georgia.
- Imeruli cheese – a mild, brined cheese used in khachapuri and eaten on its own with bread and greens.
- Market produce from Kutaisi’s green bazaar – walnuts, pkhali, pickles and seasonal fruit.
- Local wines from western Georgia, generally lighter than the better-known Kakhetian styles; worth asking for by region in local restaurants.
Practical notes
- Money: card payment is widely accepted in Kutaisi; carry cash for rural sites, small guesthouses and market stalls.
- Connectivity: mobile data coverage is reliable in Kutaisi and along main roads; expect weaker signal inside canyons and caves.
- Roads: main routes are paved and in reasonable condition; side roads to Katskhi, Chiatura and some canyon car parks are narrower and slower than distances suggest. Check road status in winter.
- Safety: Tskaltubo’s abandoned sanatoriums have unstable floors and should be entered with care or with a guide; canyon walkways and cave paths can be slippery when wet.
Quick answers
How many days does Imereti need? Two full days cover the main sights comfortably; three allows a slower pace with Tskaltubo and Katskhi added.
Can I fly directly into the region? Yes, Kutaisi International Airport (KUT) is Georgia’s main Wizz Air gateway.
Is Martvili Canyon part of Imereti? It sits just across the border in Samegrelo but is usually visited as part of an Imereti itinerary.
Do I need a car? A car or driver is strongly recommended, since most sights lie outside Kutaisi on rural roads.
Is Imereti a good stop between Tbilisi and Batumi? Yes, it sits roughly midway and works well as a one- or two-night break on that route.
Are Borjomi and Vardzia part of this region? No, they belong to a separate region further south.
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Imereti is the green heart of western Georgia — soft hills, river gorges, cave systems and a capital, Kutaisi, that was already a royal city when most of Europe's capitals were villages. It is the region travellers cross on the way to the sea and rarely give enough time; those who stop find some of the country's most rewarding sights within an hour of each other.
The UNESCO-listed Gelati monastery holds the tomb of King David the Builder and twelfth-century mosaics still bright with gold. Nearby, the Prometheus and Sataplia caves open into halls of stalactites and dinosaur footprints. At Tskaltubo, the grand sanatoriums of the Soviet spa era stand in a park of radon springs — one of the most photographed abandoned landscapes in the Caucasus, and slowly returning to life.
Imereti's cooking is its own: the cheese-filled Imeretian khachapuri, walnut-rich pkhali and a lighter, more herbal wine tradition than Kakheti's. Kutaisi's international airport makes the region a natural first or last stop in Georgia.
Facts and travel times: Georgian National Tourism Administration. Text and selection: GTour.
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