# Racha in a Day — Shaori Lake, Nikortsminda and Khvanchkara

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/racha-shaori-nikortsminda-from-kutaisi/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/racha-shaori-nikortsminda-from-kutaisi/

€235 per person11 hoursPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

Cross the Nakerala Pass into Racha for Shaori Lake, the carved stone of Nikortsminda, a Khvanchkara wine tasting and Oni's synagogue, all in one long day from [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/).

The route

[Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/)[Tkibuli](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tkibuli/)[Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/)[Oni](https://gtour.ge/georgia/oni/)

Why this tour

- —Crosses the Nakerala Pass, one of western Georgia's most scenic mountain roads, with views over forested ridges and the Shaori reservoir

- —Nikortsminda Cathedral has some of the finest 11th-century stone carving in Georgia, on both the exterior and the interior

- —Tastes Khvanchkara, Georgia's best-known semi-sweet red, in [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/), the valley where it is actually produced

- —Reaches Oni, a town most visitors to Georgia never see, with its 19th-century synagogue and mountain-gateway feel

- —Lunch at a Rachan farmhouse with lobiani and local ham, not a roadside tourist stop

- —Private car and driver the whole way, so the long distances are covered in comfort rather than on a shared minibus

Itinerary

08:00Pick-up in [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/) and departure toward [Tkibuli](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tkibuli/), a coal-mining town with a Soviet-era tramway and reservoir.

08:50Short stop in [Tkibuli](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tkibuli/) before climbing the Nakerala Pass road into Racha-Lechkhumi.

10:00Stop at Shaori reservoir, a mountain lake formed by a Soviet-era dam, with views over the surrounding ridges.

11:00Nikortsminda Cathedral, with its 11th-century carved facades and interior frescoes.

12:00[Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/), capital of Racha-Lechkhumi, and a visit to a Khvanchkara cellar for a tasting of the region's signature semi-sweet red.

13:30Lunch at a Rachan farmhouse: lobiani (bean-filled bread) and local cured ham.

15:00Drive on to Oni, the historic centre of Racha and gateway to Shovi and the Mamisoni Pass.

16:00Walk through Oni's old town and visit the 19th-century synagogue.

17:00Return drive to [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/), retracing the Nakerala Pass road.

19:00Drop-off in [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/).

Included

- ✓ Private transport by sedan or minivan

- ✓ English-speaking driver

- ✓ Hotel or apartment pick-up and drop-off in Kutaisi

- ✓ Khvanchkara wine tasting

- ✓ Lunch at a Rachan farmhouse

- ✓ Bottled water in the car

- ✓ All tolls and parking

Not included

- — Entrance ticket to Nikortsminda Cathedral, if applicable (checked at booking)

- — Extra wine bottles purchased to take home

- — Personal expenses and gratuities

- — Travel insurance

Good to know

- · This is a long day: around 6 to 7 hours of driving out of the 11 hours, with an early start and a late return to [Kutaisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/kutaisi/)

- · The Nakerala Pass can close or require caution in snow and ice; check https://gtour.ge/road-status/ before booking in winter

- · Dress modestly for Nikortsminda Cathedral (shoulders and knees covered) and bring a light scarf for women

- · Lunch is substantial, so come with an appetite and pace yourself with the wine tasting

- · Comfortable shoes are useful for the cathedral grounds and Oni's old streets, which are uneven in places

- · Mobile signal is patchy between [Tkibuli](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tkibuli/) and [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/)

Questions

**Can this tour run in winter?**
Yes, but the Nakerala Pass is sometimes affected by snow. We check road conditions on the morning of departure and will suggest an alternative date if the pass is closed.

**Is there free time to buy wine?**
Yes, the Khvanchkara cellar visit includes time to buy bottles directly, paid on the spot and not included in the tour price.

**Do we visit Shovi or the Mamisoni Pass?**
No, this day trip reaches Oni but does not continue to Shovi or over the Mamisoni Pass; that route is better suited to our two-day Racha tour.

**What does lunch include?**
Lobiani, a Rachan bean-filled bread, and local cured ham, served at a farmhouse near [Ambrolauri](https://gtour.ge/georgia/ambrolauri/). Dietary requests can be arranged if mentioned 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/).

*Image: Nikortsminda Cathedral and its bell tower, the finest medieval church of Racha. Photo: G.N. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*

*Image: Rows of Aleksandrouli vines near Ambrolauri, source grapes for semi-sweet Khvanchkara wine. Photo: Levan Davlianidze / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0*

Shaori Reservoir glows below snow-capped peaks of the Lechkhumi Range in Racha. · Photo: G.N. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0