Ninotsminda

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

Overview

Ninotsminda is a highland town in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia’s southernmost region, set on the volcanic Javakheti plateau at an elevation of roughly 2,070 metres, which makes it one of the highest permanently inhabited towns in the country. It lies close to the border with Armenia, about 3 hours 10 minutes by road from Tbilisi, and serves as the administrative centre of Ninotsminda Municipality, home to roughly 5,144 people, most of them ethnic Armenians whose families have lived on this plateau for generations.

The town matters less for grand monuments inside its own streets than for what surrounds it: a tenth-century cathedral at Kumurdo, wetlands and lakes that are among the most important bird habitats in the South Caucasus, and a landscape of extinct volcanoes, basalt fields and Bronze Age fortifications. For travellers piecing together the history of Georgia’s borderlands — Ottoman rule, Russian imperial resettlement, Soviet renaming, and the Armenian communities who remained — Ninotsminda is a useful and under-visited reference point, and GTour includes it in private itineraries through the Javakheti plateau on request.

History

The Javakheti plateau was part of the medieval Georgian principality of Meskheti-Javakheti before falling under Ottoman control from the late sixteenth century. Ottoman rule over the district ended with the Treaty of Adrianople of 1829, which transferred the region to the Russian Empire. In the decades that followed, the Russian administration resettled dissenting religious communities, including Doukhobors, onto the thinly populated plateau; the settlement that became today’s town was founded under the name Bogdanovka. Separately, from the 1830s onward, Armenian families displaced from the Ottoman territories of Erzurum and Kars were settled across Javakheti, and their descendants form the majority of the municipality’s population today.

Through the Soviet period the settlement remained an agricultural and, later, a garrison town, close to the large Akhalkalaki military base that housed Russian and then Georgian forces. In 1991, after Georgian independence, Bogdanovka was renamed Ninotsminda, after Saint Nino, the fourth-century evangeliser of Georgia, distinguishing it from the unrelated and older Ninotsminda Cathedral in Kakheti. For a fuller outline of the town’s naming and administrative status, Georgia and the regional overview at Samtskhe-Javakheti.

What to see

Kumurdo Cathedral

Standing in ruin in the village of Kumurdo a short drive from Ninotsminda, this domed cathedral was completed in 964, according to its own building inscription, and is considered one of the finest examples of tenth-century Georgian ecclesiastical architecture. Much of the dome has collapsed, but the carved exterior ornament and the inscribed cornice naming the architect remain legible. The monument is listed as cultural heritage under Georgian law and is managed with reference to the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation.

Lake Khanchali and the Javakheti wetlands

The chain of volcanic lakes around Ninotsminda, including Khanchali, Bugdasheni and Kartsakhi, forms one of the most significant wetland systems in the South Caucasus for migratory birds, particularly demoiselle cranes, which gather here in large numbers during spring and autumn passage. Much of the area falls within the Javakheti protected areas network overseen by the Agency of Protected Areas. Binoculars and an early morning visit give the best chance of sightings.

Abuli fortress

On the slopes of the extinct Abuli volcano, within Ninotsminda municipality, lie the remains of a cyclopean stone fortress generally attributed to the Bronze Age, one of several such fortified sites scattered across the Javakheti highlands. The walls are built from massive unmortared basalt blocks typical of the region’s prehistoric defensive architecture. The site requires a rough approach track and is best reached with a local guide or driver familiar with the plateau roads.

Ninotsminda town centre

The town itself is modest, built mostly in the Soviet period, but its Armenian Apostolic church and small central square give a sense of the community’s identity and daily rhythm. Shops and cafés along the main street are useful stopping points before continuing onto the open plateau roads toward the lakes or the Armenian border crossing at Bavra.

Getting there

From Tbilisi, Ninotsminda is reached by driving south via Tsalka or via Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki, a journey of about 3 hours 10 minutes by private car or taxi; GTour arranges private transfers with an English-speaking driver or guide. Marshrutka minibuses run from Tbilisi’s Ortachala bus station toward Akhalkalaki and on to Ninotsminda, though journey times run longer than by private car and schedules are limited, so checking current departures locally is advisable. There is no passenger rail service to Ninotsminda; Georgian Railway’s network does not extend onto the Javakheti plateau.

From Kutaisi, the drive is about 5 hours 15 minutes, typically via Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe; from Batumi it is about 5 hours 45 minutes along a similar route through Samtskhe before climbing onto the plateau. Road conditions on the final approach can be affected by winter weather, and travellers should check the road status page before setting out between November and April.

When to go

Late May to September is the most comfortable period, with mild days suited to driving the open plateau roads and visiting the lakes; this window also coincides with the main bird migration seasons at Khanchali and the neighbouring wetlands. Winters on the Javakheti plateau are long, dry and cold, with heavy snow and temperatures well below freezing common from December through March, and some rural roads can become difficult to pass. Spring and autumn offer good light for photography at Kumurdo but require warmer clothing than the Tbilisi lowlands would suggest.

Where to stay and eat

Accommodation directly in Ninotsminda is limited to a small number of family-run guesthouses, and most travellers base themselves in Akhaltsikhe or combine the town with a longer loop through Samtskhe-Javakheti. GTour’s verified register lists checked hotels, guesthouses and restaurants across the region, with options suited to overnight stays before or after a day on the Javakheti plateau; see the Samtskhe-Javakheti region hub and best-of guides for current picks, and consult GTour’s private tours to arrange a driver and itinerary that includes Ninotsminda alongside Vardzia, Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi.

Practical notes

Armenian and Russian are widely spoken in Ninotsminda alongside Georgian, and English is less commonly understood than in Tbilisi or Batumi; a guide or driver with language skills is useful. Fuel stations and ATMs are limited on the plateau, so arriving with cash and a full tank is sensible. Winter clothing is advisable even in late spring and early autumn, given the altitude, and mobile network coverage can be patchy away from the main road.

Questions travellers ask

What does the name Ninotsminda mean and why was the town renamed?

The name honours Saint Nino, credited with bringing Christianity to Georgia in the fourth century. The town, previously called Bogdanovka after its nineteenth-century founding by Russian Doukhobor settlers, was renamed Ninotsminda in 1991 following Georgian independence.

Is Ninotsminda close to the Armenian border?

Yes. The town lies within the Javakheti plateau close to the Georgia-Armenia frontier, and the Bavra border crossing is a short drive from the town centre.

What language do locals speak?

Most residents are ethnic Armenians and speak Armenian as a first language, alongside Georgian and Russian; English is spoken less widely than in major tourist centres.

Is Kumurdo Cathedral open to visitors?

The ruined cathedral stands in an open setting with free access, though there is no formal visitor centre; it is best visited with a guide who can explain the tenth-century inscription and architectural layout.

When is the best time to see cranes at Lake Khanchali?

Spring and autumn migration periods, broadly April and September, bring the largest concentrations of demoiselle cranes and other migratory birds to the Javakheti wetlands.

How cold does it get in winter?

Winters on the plateau are harsh for Georgia, with sustained sub-zero temperatures and significant snowfall between December and March, well colder than Tbilisi or the Black Sea coast.

Can the Abuli fortress be visited independently?

It is possible with a sturdy vehicle and good navigation, but the approach track is rough and unsigned, so travellers unfamiliar with the plateau usually arrange a driver or guide.

Is there public transport from Tbilisi to Ninotsminda?

Marshrutka minibuses run from Tbilisi’s Ortachala station toward Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda, though schedules are limited and journey times exceed those of a private car.

Where should travellers stay overnight near Ninotsminda?

Most visitors base themselves in Akhaltsikhe, which has a wider choice of checked hotels and restaurants, and make Ninotsminda a day trip onto the Javakheti plateau.

Can Ninotsminda be combined with Vardzia or Akhaltsikhe in one trip?

Yes, a loop through Akhaltsikhe, Vardzia and Ninotsminda is a common private itinerary across Samtskhe-Javakheti, and GTour can plan the route and timing for a single multi-day trip.

Sources

• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Ninotsminda
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Samtskhe Javakheti region
• Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia — national parks