# Katskhi Pillar and Chiatura — the Monk’s Rock and the Cable-Car Town

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/chiatura-katskhi-pillar-from-kutaisi/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/chiatura-katskhi-pillar-from-kutaisi/

€170 per person7 hoursPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

See the Katskhi Pillar from below and ride [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/)'s Soviet-era cable cars on a half-day out of [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/).

The route

[Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/)[Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/)

Why this tour

- —Katskhi Pillar, a 40-metre limestone column topped by a working monastery, viewed from the base where most visitors see it

- —[Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/)'s cable car network, built in the 1950s to move manganese miners, with several restored lines still running

- —Mgvimevi convent, built directly into a cliff face above the Kvirila river

- —A former Soviet mining town rarely included on standard Imereti itineraries

- —Private car and driver, no fixed group schedule, start time adjusted to your flight or hotel

- —Lunch stop in [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/) with Imeretian dishes

Itinerary

08:30Pickup from your hotel in [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/), drive to [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/), about 1.5 hours on a mix of main road and town streets.

10:00Arrive [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/), visit Mgvimevi convent, a cliff-face monastery reached by a short set of stairs.

10:45Ride one of [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/)'s cable cars across the gorge; several lines have been restored, others still run on original 1950s equipment.

12:00Lunch in [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/), Imeretian cuisine (cost not included, menu and price checked at booking).

13:15Short drive to Katskhi Pillar, about 30 minutes. View the pillar and the small monastery on top from the base; the church itself is closed to visitors and reached only by the resident monk.

14:15Brief stop in Sachkhere.

15:30Return to your hotel in [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/).

Included

- ✓ Private vehicle with English-speaking driver

- ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kutaisi

- ✓ Fuel, tolls and parking

- ✓ Bottled water in the car

- ✓ Assistance arranging the cable car ride in Chiatura

- ✓ Flexible timing for your flight or ferry connections

Not included

- — Cable car fare in Chiatura (small cash fee, checked at booking)

- — Lunch in Chiatura

- — Entrance donation at Mgvimevi convent, where asked

- — Tips and personal expenses

Good to know

- · The church on top of Katskhi Pillar is closed to the public; only the resident monk climbs it, so the visit is a viewing from ground level

- · [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/)'s cable cars are old infrastructure; some lines are modernised, others are original Soviet-era cars, and queues or short closures for maintenance are possible

- · Comfortable shoes are needed for steps at Mgvimevi convent and uneven ground near the pillar

- · Modest dress (shoulders and knees covered) is expected at Mgvimevi

- · Roads around [Chiatura](https://gtour.ge/georgia/chiatura/) town are steep and narrow in places; the drive itself is straightforward but not fast

- · This is an outdoor day with limited shelter, bring a layer for wind at the cable car stations

Questions

**Can we go inside the church on top of Katskhi Pillar?**
No. Access is restricted to the resident monk; visitors view the pillar and monastery from the base.

**Is the cable car ride included in the price?**
The ride itself has a small separate fare, checked at booking, and is not included in the tour price.

**How long is the drive from Kutaisi to Chiatura?**
About 1.5 hours each way, depending on traffic through town.

**Is this trip suitable for children or anyone with limited mobility?**
There are stairs at Mgvimevi convent and uneven paths near the pillar, so it suits travellers comfortable with moderate walking.

Prices are per person for two travelling together, in euros; solo travellers and larger groups are quoted on request. Every departure is private and adjusted to you. Hotels, wineries and restaurants on our routes are [verified by GTour](/verified/).

*Image: A vintage Soviet-era cable car glides above the streets of Chiatura. Photo: Kabelleger, David Gubler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

*Image: A visitor crosses one of Chiatura's dramatic aerial cable-car walkways overlooking the valley. Photo: Kabelleger, David Gubler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Katskhi Pillar rises above the forest with its small monastery and climbing ladder. · Photo: Alexkom000 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0