Khoni

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 17 October 2026 · Editorial policy

Overview

Khoni is a small town in the Imereti region of western Georgia, roughly 20 kilometres northwest of Kutaisi and set among the low, vine-covered hills that separate the Rioni valley from the Lesser Caucasus foothills. It serves as the administrative centre of Khoni Municipality and today has a population of about 8,987 people. The town is quiet and largely residential, with a compact centre, a wooded municipal park and a church that has drawn visitors and pilgrims for centuries.

Khoni matters less for scale than for continuity: it preserves a direct link to medieval Georgian literature through the writer traditionally known as Moses Khoneli, and it holds one of Imereti’s long-venerated churches of St. George. For travellers already exploring the Kutaisi area, Khoni offers an easy, uncrowded detour that pairs local history with the rural texture of the Imereti countryside. GTour includes it in private itineraries built around Imereti and the Kutaisi region, combined on request with the verified places and other destinations listed below.

History

The settlement’s recorded history reaches into the medieval Kingdom of Georgia, when the area belonged to the western Georgian principalities that made up historic Imereti. The town’s best-known historical association is literary: the 12th-century author traditionally called Moses Khoneli is linked by his toponymic name to Khoni, and Georgian literary tradition credits him with the heroic prose tale Amiran-Darejaniani, one of the earliest surviving works of secular Georgian prose and a text closely associated with the courtly literary circle that also produced Shota Rustaveli’s epic poem.

Through the Russian imperial period, Khoni fell within the Kutaisi Governorate, administered from Kutaisi as the regional centre of western Georgia. In the Soviet period Khoni was formalised as an urban settlement and made the seat of its own district (raion) within the Georgian SSR, a status that shaped its present layout of a small administrative centre surrounded by agricultural villages. Since Georgian independence in 1991, Khoni has continued as the administrative seat of Khoni Municipality within the Imereti region.

What to see

Church of St. George, Khoni

The town’s principal landmark is its Church of St. George, a site of long-standing local veneration that has been rebuilt and renovated over successive periods. It remains an active place of worship and a focal point of the town’s religious calendar, particularly around the autumn feast of St. George. Visitors are welcome to view the church from the grounds; modest dress is expected, as at any functioning Georgian Orthodox church.

Khoni town park and centre

The compact municipal park at the centre of Khoni, shaded by mature trees, is typical of small Imereti administrative towns and a pleasant place to pause between drives. The surrounding streets retain a mix of late Soviet-era civic buildings and older houses, giving a sense of the town’s layered 20th-century history.

Imereti countryside around Khoni

The hills around Khoni are given over to vineyards, hazelnut orchards and small family farms typical of rural Imereti. The landscape makes an easy, scenic stop for travellers moving between Kutaisi and the western lowlands, and is often combined with winery visits elsewhere in the region.

Side trip: Gelati Monastery

Travellers based in or passing through Khoni are well placed to continue to Gelati Monastery near Kutaisi, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Gelati Monastery site. The monastery, founded in the early 12th century, is one of the most significant medieval monuments of the Kingdom of Georgia and a natural extension of a Khoni visit.

Getting there

From Tbilisi, Khoni is reached by driving west along the main Tbilisi–Kutaisi highway and then branching toward Khoni before Kutaisi; the drive takes about 3 hours 25 minutes by car, longer by marshrutka with stops. From Kutaisi, Khoni is a short run of around 30 minutes along local roads, making it an easy half-day addition to a Kutaisi-based itinerary. From Batumi, the route follows the coastal and inland highways via Kutaisi, taking roughly 2 hours 15 minutes.

Direct marshrutkas run between Kutaisi’s bus station and Khoni; travellers coming from Tbilisi or Batumi generally change in Kutaisi. Georgian Railway operates train services to Kutaisi from Tbilisi, after which the remaining distance to Khoni is covered by road. Check current road conditions before departure via GTour’s road status page, especially in winter months.

When to go

Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) offer the most comfortable travelling weather in Imereti, with mild temperatures and lower rainfall than winter. Summer is warm and green, suited to combining Khoni with vineyard visits nearby. Those interested in the church’s religious calendar may wish to time a visit around Giorgoba, the feast of St. George observed in the Georgian Orthodox calendar on 23 November, when local devotion is most visible.

Where to stay and eat

Khoni itself has limited formal accommodation, and most travellers base themselves in nearby Kutaisi, which offers a fuller range of hotels, guesthouses and restaurants within half an hour’s drive. GTour’s verified register lists checked hotels, guesthouses, wineries and restaurants across Imereti, including options convenient for a Khoni visit; see the best-of guide and the Imereti region hub for current listings, or consult GTour’s destination guides for recommended routes that include Khoni.

Practical notes

Georgian lari is the local currency; cards are accepted in larger Kutaisi establishments but cash is advisable for small shops and cafés in Khoni itself. Mobile coverage is reliable along the main roads and in town. Georgian is the local language, with limited English spoken outside tourism-facing businesses, so a guide or phrasebook is useful for independent visits. Roads between Kutaisi and Khoni are paved and generally in good condition, but minor rural roads can be narrow; check seasonal conditions before driving in winter.

Questions travellers ask

Is Khoni worth a special trip from Tbilisi?

Khoni is best visited as part of a broader Imereti or Kutaisi-based itinerary rather than a dedicated day trip from Tbilisi, given the driving distance of about 3 hours 25 minutes each way. Combining it with Kutaisi, Gelati and other regional sights makes the journey more worthwhile.

What is Khoni known for historically?

Khoni is associated with the medieval Georgian writer traditionally called Moses Khoneli, credited with the prose tale Amiran-Darejaniani, and with a long-venerated Church of St. George in the town centre.

How far is Khoni from Kutaisi?

Khoni is about 30 minutes by road from Kutaisi, making it one of the easiest and closest excursions from the city.

Can Khoni be reached by public transport?

Yes, marshrutkas connect Kutaisi’s bus station with Khoni; there is no direct train service to Khoni itself, so rail travellers change to road transport in Kutaisi.

Is there an entrance fee for the Church of St. George in Khoni?

No entrance fee applies, as the church is an active place of worship; visitors are expected to dress modestly and to be respectful during services.

What else can be combined with a visit to Khoni?

Khoni pairs well with Kutaisi’s sights, Gelati Monastery, and the vineyards and small wineries scattered through rural Imereti, all within a short driving radius.

Are there hotels in Khoni itself?

Formal accommodation in Khoni is limited; most travellers stay in Kutaisi, which has a wider choice of hotels and guesthouses a short drive away.

When is the best time to see local religious life in Khoni?

The feast of St. George, Giorgoba, observed on 23 November in the Georgian Orthodox calendar, is the time when devotion at the town’s church is most visible to visitors.

Does GTour arrange transport to Khoni?

Yes, GTour arranges private transfers and guided day tours from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi with an English-speaking driver or guide; see GTour’s tours page to plan a visit.

Sources

• UNESCO World Heritage: Gelati Monastery
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Khoni
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Imereti region