# Megrelian Cooking Day — Elarji, Kharcho and Ajika

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/megrelian-cooking-class-samegrelo/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-28
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/megrelian-cooking-class-samegrelo/

€140 per person6 hoursPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

A hands-on Megrelian cooking day near [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/): pull elarji with the paddle, simmer kharcho and pound fresh ajika, then eat what you made.

The route

[Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/)[Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/)

Why this tour

- —Cooked by a Samegrelo family in their own kitchen, not a demonstration hall set up for tour groups

- —Elarji made the traditional way, with a wooden paddle and real sulguni, until it pulls and stretches

- —Megrelian kharcho is spicier and more walnut-heavy than the Imeretian version most visitors know from Tbilisi

- —Fresh ajika pounded by hand, with a tasting of the red and green versions side by side

- —Pickup available from [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/), Kutaisi or Batumi, with the route planned around your base

- —Small group or private setting, so you actually get time at the stove and the paddle

Itinerary

09:00Pickup from [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) (or earlier from Kutaisi or Batumi, time set at booking) and short drive into the Samegrelo countryside toward [Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/).

10:30Arrival at a family home kitchen. Introduction to Megrelian ingredients: cornmeal, sulguni, walnuts, dried marigold and the region's fresh red and green peppers.

11:00Elarji: stirring cornmeal and sulguni over heat with the long wooden paddle until the mixture pulls into strings, the test of whether it is done.

12:00Megrelian kharcho: a walnut and spice stew, built hotter and more garlicky than the Imeretian version.

12:30Ajika: pounding fresh peppers, garlic and coriander by hand, with a taste of both the red and the milder green paste.

13:00Lunch at the family table: your elarji, kharcho, ajika and fresh sulguni, with bread and local wine (non-alcoholic option on request).

14:30Coffee and a short walk around the village before the drive back.

15:00Return drop-off in [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) (Kutaisi and Batumi returns take longer, agreed at booking).

Included

- ✓ Private transport with an English-speaking driver

- ✓ Hands-on cooking session with a Megrelian host family

- ✓ All ingredients for elarji, kharcho and ajika

- ✓ Full lunch of the dishes you cook, plus sulguni and bread

- ✓ Local wine with lunch (soft drinks on request)

- ✓ Hotel or address pickup and drop-off in Zugdidi, Kutaisi or Batumi

Not included

- — Alcoholic drinks beyond the wine served at lunch

- — Tips for the host family

- — Entrance to Martvili Canyon or Martvili Monastery if added to the day (checked at booking)

- — Personal travel insurance

Good to know

- · Wear clothes you do not mind getting flour or ajika on; the host provides an apron but elarji is a two-handed job

- · Drive time varies by origin: short from [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/), around 1.5 hours from Kutaisi, around 2.5 hours from Batumi each way, so the total day is longer than the 6-hour class itself when starting from Batumi

- · No special fitness required, but expect to stand and stir for part of the elarji stage

- · Vegetarian version available on request; let us know food allergies in advance, especially walnuts

- · Lunch is generous; come hungry rather than having eaten a large breakfast

- · Roads into Samegrelo are paved and in normal condition year-round, but check gtour.ge/road-status in winter

Questions

**Can we combine this with Martvili Canyon or the monastery?**
Yes, it can be added before or after the cooking session for an extra fee, agreed at booking since it extends the day beyond 6 hours.

**Is this suitable for children?**
Yes, children can take part in the ajika pounding and the lighter stages of elarji; the host adjusts the pace for families.

**Do we need to know how to cook already?**
No, the host guides every step, including the test for when elarji is properly pulled.

**Where exactly does the class take place?**
In a family home in the Samegrelo countryside between [Zugdidi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/zugdidi/) and [Martvili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/martvili/); the exact village is confirmed at booking.

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/).