Khulo

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 16 October 2026 · Editorial policy

Overview

Khulo is a small highland town in the mountains of Adjara, in southwestern Georgia, set deep in the gorge of the Adjaristsqali river where it is squeezed by steep, forested ridges on both sides. It serves as the administrative centre of Khulo Municipality, one of the most mountainous districts of Adjara, and lies roughly two hours by road from Batumi on the Black Sea coast. Although the brief distances given here group it for touring purposes with Guria, Khulo itself sits within historic Adjara, and travellers usually approach it from Batumi rather than from the Guria lowlands.

Khulo matters to visitors because it is the gateway to upland Adjara: a region of wooden mosques with carved minarets, old arched bridges, terraced orchards, and one of the last working Soviet-era passenger cable cars in Georgia, strung across the gorge to the hamlet of Tago. The town and its surrounding villages preserve a distinct highland culture shaped by centuries under Ottoman rule, followed by incorporation into the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, a layered history that is still visible in the architecture, place names and religious life of the area. GTour includes Khulo in private itineraries through Adjara’s mountain routes, usually combined with Goderdzi Pass, Beshumi and the coastal sights of Batumi.

History

The highland valleys around Khulo were part of the historical principality of Adjara and, more broadly, of the lands contested between Georgian feudal lords and the Ottoman Empire from the sixteenth century onward. Ottoman control over the region was consolidated after the conquests of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the long Ottoman administration left a lasting imprint on Khulo and the surrounding villages, including the spread of Islam among the local Georgian-speaking population, a feature that still distinguishes mountainous Adjara from neighbouring Guria and Imereti.

Russian control over Adjara followed the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 and the subsequent Treaty of Berlin, which transferred the Batumi region, including the Khulo highlands, from Ottoman to Russian administration. Under Soviet rule, the Adjar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established in 1921, and Khulo developed as the administrative centre of its own district within this autonomous unit. During the Soviet period the town was connected to the remote hamlet of Tago, on the far side of the Adjaristsqali gorge, by an aerial cable car built in 1983 to give villagers and schoolchildren a direct route across the ravine rather than a long road detour; the cableway is still cited as one of the oldest functioning passenger cable cars of its kind in Georgia.

Since Georgian independence in 1991 and the end of Adjara’s semi-autonomous Abashidze-era administration in 2004, Khulo has remained the seat of its municipality within the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and has gradually developed a modest tourism economy built around the cable car, the Goderdzi Pass road toward Samtskhe-Javakheti, and the nearby highland resorts of Beshumi and Goderdzi. The municipality today still records a small, largely rural and partly Muslim population spread across dozens of mountain villages.

What to see

Khulo–Tago cable car

The aerial cable car linking central Khulo with the hillside hamlet of Tago is the town’s best-known sight, built in the Soviet period to shorten the journey across the deep gorge. It still carries local residents and schoolchildren as well as visitors, and the short, exposed ride gives sweeping views over the Adjaristsqali valley and Khulo’s scattered rooftops below. The structure is a working piece of transport infrastructure rather than a tourist installation, so queues can form at peak local-use times.

Wooden mosques and minarets

Khulo municipality has one of the densest concentrations of old wooden mosques in Georgia, many built during or shortly after the Ottoman period with slender, carved minarets that are distinct from stone mosque architecture elsewhere in the country. Several of these mosques survive in villages around Khulo and reflect the long Ottoman administrative presence in highland Adjara described above. They remain active places of worship and should be approached respectfully by visitors.

Goderdzi Pass and petrified forest

The road east from Khulo climbs to the Goderdzi Pass, which connects Adjara with the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and is one of the higher mountain crossings in southwestern Georgia. Near the pass, a fossilised Tertiary-period forest has been documented by Georgian researchers, preserving ancient tree remains in volcanic deposits, and the surrounding slopes are the site of the developing Goderdzi mountain resort. The pass road is unpaved and seasonal in parts, closing for long stretches of winter.

Beshumi highland resort

A short drive above Khulo, Beshumi is a small climatic resort set among spruce and pine forest at altitude, developed in the Soviet period as a summer retreat from the Black Sea heat. It offers walking routes through alpine meadows and views toward the Arsiani ridge, and is typically visited as a half-day excursion combined with Khulo itself.

Shuamtoba horse festival

Khulo and nearby villages host traditional highland festivities in late summer, most notably horse races known locally as Shuamtoba, when mountain communities gather for riding competitions, music and food. Dates vary by year and village, so travellers interested in attending should confirm the current schedule locally or through a guide before planning a visit around it.

Getting there

From Batumi, Khulo is reached by a mountain road up the Adjaristsqali valley through Keda municipality, a drive of about two hours depending on traffic and road conditions; marshrutka minibuses run from Batumi’s bus station to Khulo on a regular daily schedule. From Kutaisi, the journey takes around four and a half hours by road via Batumi or via the Adjara highlands, and from Tbilisi the drive is roughly six and a half hours, usually routed through Kutaisi and Batumi or directly across the mountains depending on season and conditions; check the road status page before travelling, especially outside summer. There is no rail link to Khulo; the nearest stations are Batumi and Kutaisi on the Georgian Railway network. GTour arranges private transfers from all three cities with an English-speaking driver-guide, which is the most practical option for the mountain sections of the route.

When to go

Khulo and the surrounding highlands are most accessible from late May to early October, when the Goderdzi Pass road and the Beshumi resort area are open and the forests and meadows are green. July and August bring the warmest weather and the main local festivals, but also the busiest conditions on narrow mountain roads. Spring and autumn are quieter, with cooler temperatures and the possibility of sudden weather changes at altitude; winter travel is difficult, with snow closing higher sections of road for extended periods.

Where to stay and eat

Khulo itself has limited formal accommodation, and most visitors base themselves in Batumi, using Khulo as a day trip, or stay in small family-run guesthouses in the municipality’s villages during summer. GTour’s verified register lists checked hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in Adjara and along this route below, and can be combined with stops suggested in the best-of Georgia guides. For a tailored overnight itinerary including the highlands, see GTour’s private tour options.

Practical notes

Mobile network coverage is patchy in parts of the gorge and around Goderdzi Pass, so offline maps are useful. Mountain roads are narrow with limited passing space; a sturdy vehicle and an experienced driver are recommended, particularly beyond Khulo toward the pass. Mosques and village cemeteries should be visited quietly and modestly, in keeping with local Muslim Adjaran custom. Cash is preferred in village shops and small guesthouses, since card payment infrastructure is limited this far from Batumi.

Questions travellers ask

Is Khulo in Adjara or Guria?

Khulo is in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, where it serves as the administrative centre of Khulo Municipality. It is sometimes included in regional touring itineraries alongside Guria because of shared mountain routes, but administratively and historically it belongs to Adjara.

How long does the cable car ride to Tago take?

The crossing is short, generally a few minutes each way, but the car moves slowly over a deep gorge, so the experience feels longer than the clock time suggests. It operates on a working schedule tied to local transport needs rather than a continuous tourist timetable.

Can Khulo be visited as a day trip from Batumi?

Yes, Khulo is commonly visited as a day trip from Batumi, with the drive taking around two hours each way. A full day allows time for the cable car, a short walk around the town, and an extension to Beshumi or partway toward Goderdzi Pass if conditions allow.

Is the Goderdzi Pass road open all year?

No, the unpaved sections of the Goderdzi Pass road close for long periods in winter due to snow, and conditions can be unpredictable in spring and late autumn. Travel is best planned for the period from late spring to early autumn, and current conditions should be checked before departure.

Are there UNESCO sites in or near Khulo?

Khulo and its municipality do not hold UNESCO World Heritage status. Georgia’s inscribed sites are elsewhere, including Mtskheta’s historical monuments and the Gelati Monastery complex near Kutaisi, both listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What language do people speak in Khulo?

Georgian is the main language spoken in Khulo, with a local Adjaran dialect in everyday use. Older generations in some villages retain Turkish-influenced vocabulary from the long Ottoman administrative period.

Is Khulo a Muslim area?

Mountainous Adjara, including Khulo municipality, has a significant Muslim Georgian population, a legacy of Ottoman rule that lasted until the late nineteenth century. Wooden mosques remain active in several villages, alongside Georgian Orthodox churches built or restored since Georgian independence.

Do I need a guide to visit Khulo safely?

A guide is not strictly required, but the mountain roads, limited signage and patchy phone coverage make a private driver-guide a practical choice, particularly for travellers continuing beyond Khulo toward Goderdzi Pass. GTour arranges guided transfers and day tours from Batumi, Kutaisi and Tbilisi.

What should travellers bring for a visit to Khulo?

Warm layers are advisable even in summer, since temperatures at altitude drop quickly after sunset, along with sturdy footwear for walking around the gorge and cable car area. Cash in Georgian lari is recommended, since card acceptance is limited outside Batumi.

Sources

• Georgia Travel (GNTA) – Official Tourism Portal
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Guria region