Lagodekhi National Park

The easternmost part of the Georgian Caucasus, Lagodekhi National Park stretches on the southern slopes, creating a natural sanctuary on different climate zones. Considering its recent development of infrastructure, it’s still relatively unexplored. Many of the travelers come for a day trip to the waterfall, but some take a multi-day trip to the alpine lakes at the top of the range.

Size

The nature reserve’s area is 24,451 hectares (or 45,700 football stadiums).

Structure

From 590m to 3500m altitude, combining multiple gorges and streams.

History

The Lagodekhi National Park was founded in 1912, the first nature preserve in Georgia.

Good to Know

While in the town of Lagodekhi, you can book your stay in mountain huts on the way to the Black Rock Lakes.

Distance: 160km from Tbilisi (2.5 hours)
Best for: Hiking, Horseback
Best time: March – November
Addon: You can extend your trip by visiting Vashlovani National Park to the South.

How to Get

Public Transport

You can take a mini-bus nearby Isani Metro Station to Lagodekhi town, which is relatively small settlement with various accommodation options.

Private vehicle

You can drive to Lagodekhi National Park with any type of car as the road is very well maintained throughout the year.

Eat and Sleep

There are several restaurants and cafes in the town of Lagodekhi, but if you decide to go hiking, you should bring your food with you, as there is no food provided on the trails.

Most of the trails are built on ridges, so there are few springs to get your water. Pack 2-3 liters of water.

If you are visiting Ninoskhevi or Grouse Waterfalls, you can easily find accommodation in the town of Lagodekhi, but there are also camping sites at the entrance to the National Park.

If you decide to hike Black Rock Lakes route, then you can also stay in Meteo shelter, which can be paid in advance in Lagodekhi Visitor Center. Otherwise, you can stay in tents at designated camping sites.

What to Do

Hiking

Lagodekhi is also a great destination for one or more day hikes. Some of the best hiking routes are:

  • 1-day trekking route to Ninoskhevi waterfall, which is about 16km and goes through absolutely beautiful forest. Note that the trail starts from the village of Khizibavra, 15km by car from the town of Lagodekhi. There are actually new routes made towards the waterfall, which can be easily missed at the time of writing this text (May 17, 2022), as there are no signs and indicators.
  • 1-day trekking route Grouse (Rocho) Waterfall, starting from Lagodekhi town. See the map above for route details.
  • Black Rock Lakes is probably the most significant part of Lagodekhi National Park, but can be quite a challenging hike, as it requires 3 days of trekking and covers some of the finest terrain in the Caucasus Mountains.

Horseback

You can rent a horse in Lagodekhi town, for a day or for multiple days for traveling to Black Rock lakes.