# Lagodekhi — Black Rock Lake Trek, 3 Days on the Dagestan Border

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/lagodekhi-black-rock-lake-trek-3-days/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/lagodekhi-black-rock-lake-trek-3-days/

€720 per person3 days / 2 nightsPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

A three-day trek through [Lagodekhi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/lagodekhi/)'s protected forest to Black Rock Lake at 2,800 m, within sight of the Dagestan border.

The route

[Lagodekhi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/lagodekhi/)

Why this tour

- —46-km loop through Georgia's oldest nature reserve, established in 1912, with Caucasus beech forest and alpine meadows

- —Overnight ranger shelters along the route, so you carry a day pack while horses take the rest of the luggage

- —Black Rock Lake sits at 2,800 m, a full-day's walk above the treeline with views toward the Dagestan ridge

- —Realistic chance of spotting tur and chamois on the higher slopes, best in the early morning and late afternoon

- —Licensed guide handles the border-zone permit and ranger registration, both required this close to the frontier

- —Trek only runs June to October, when the high pass is clear of snow and shelters are staffed

Itinerary

Day 1Drive from Tbilisi to [Lagodekhi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/lagodekhi/), about three hours, with a stop for the park permit and border-zone registration at the ranger station. Afternoon walk into the reserve along the river trail to the first ranger shelter, where you sleep.

Day 2Full day's climb through beech and then pine forest to the open alpine zone, reaching Black Rock Lake at 2,800 m by late afternoon. Overnight at the lake shelter, with the Dagestan border ridge visible to the north.

Day 3Descend the same trail back to [Lagodekhi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/lagodekhi/), roughly six to seven hours including rest stops, then drive back to Tbilisi, arriving in the evening.

Included

- ✓ Licensed trekking guide for all three days

- ✓ Lagodekhi protected area entrance permit

- ✓ Border-zone trekking permit, arranged in advance

- ✓ Pack horses for luggage between shelters

- ✓ Two nights in ranger shelters (dormitory-style, basic)

- ✓ Return transport Tbilisi to Lagodekhi

- ✓ Breakfast and dinner on trek days 1 and 2

Not included

- — Personal trekking gear (boots, poles, sleeping bag liner)

- — Travel and rescue insurance

- — Lunches and drinks beyond what is listed

- — Tips for guide and horse handler

Good to know

- · Trail runs June to October only; shelters close once the first snow settles on the pass

- · This is a genuine three-day hike, roughly 46 km total with a 1,700 m ascent on day 2, not a casual walk

- · Border-zone permit requires passport details submitted at least five working days before departure, checked at booking

- · Bring layered clothing and waterproof shell; weather above 2,000 m changes quickly even in summer

- · Shelters have basic bunks and no electricity for charging devices, so bring a power bank

- · Mobile signal is unreliable or absent for most of the route above the ranger station

Questions

**Do I need a special permit for the border zone?**
Yes. [Lagodekhi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/lagodekhi/) borders Dagestan, Russia, and the trek requires a border-zone permit processed with your passport details in advance. We handle the paperwork, but we need your documents at least five working days before the trek.

**How fit do I need to be?**
You should be comfortable walking six to eight hours on uneven mountain trail with a day pack. The ascent on day 2 is the hardest stretch, climbing from forest to 2,800 m.

**What do the horses carry?**
Horses carry your main luggage and shared camp gear between shelters. You walk with a day pack containing water, layers and snacks.

**Is this trek open outside summer?**
No. The route is only staffed and accessible June to October; outside this window the shelters close and the pass is under snow.

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: Black Rock Lake viewed across still water toward a dramatic mountain valley in Lagodekhi. Photo: Paata vardanashvili / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

*Image: Wooden ranger shelter with a pack horse grazing beside the trail in Lagodekhi's mountains. Photo: Paata vardanashvili / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Black Rock Lake in Lagodekhi, a turquoise alpine lake ringed by grassy slopes and mountains. · Photo: Paata vardanashvili / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0