Discover 7 of the best day trips from Borjomi, Georgia – with a map and detailed directions.
The resort town of Borjomi is an excellent base for exploring the central-southern part of Georgia.
From the ski slopes of Bakuriani to Borjomi-Kharagauli, one of Georgia’s finest national parks, from Romanov history to medieval cave cities, sparkling lakes to megalithic ruins, there is so much to see and do right on Borjomi’s doorstep.
Here are 7 splendid day trips from Borjomi, including day hikes, alternative excursions and kid-friendly options.
- Also see: 21 best things to do in Borjomi town.
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Map of Borjomi day trips
→ Click here to open a map of the day trips covered in this guide.
How to plan the perfect day trip from Borjomi
Here is a quick overview of the transport options for travelling around Borjomi. In the next section, you’ll find detailed transport instructions for each of the day trips.
Public transport (marshrutka van)
A few of these side trips from Borjomi can be done using marshrutka minivans, Georgia’s answer to intercity buses. Marshrutka schedules are sometimes hard to come by and departure times are flexible, but on the plus side, this is a very budget-friendly way to get around.
Borjomi’s small bus station is located on the western side of the river, near the markets (see the exact location here). There are ticket desks and timetables posted inside the station building – it’s a bit tricky to spot because there is a big tree growing right in front. Look for the underpass and the building is directly on your left.
Vans depart from the main road or from under the highway. Vans travelling south to Likani or Akhaltsikhe stop on the opposite side of the road, below the colourful apartment building.
Where possible, I’ve included detailed public transport directions for the destinations below. I always recommend you double check times and fares in person before you travel.
Private transfer with GoTrip
If you want to visit multiple locations on the same day but you don’t have your own car, hiring a driver for the day is a great alternative to using public transport. I recommend GoTrip.ge, a booking website that allows you to search local drivers and design your own travel route.
With GoTrip, you get a professional driver and a private vehicle for the entire day. You can make as many stops along the way as you like, and the price includes door-to-door transfers to and from your hotel. You won’t have a tour guide as such, but in my experience, the driver will always be more than happy to give you travel tips and information.
When you design an itinerary on GoTrip, you’re free to add as many stops as you desire. The driver will wait for you while you do your sightseeing then drive you on to the next location.
The price is set at the time of booking so there’s no need to haggle, and you can make extra photo/food stops whenever you want without the fare going up. Payment is made in cash at the end of the trip.
→ Visit the GoTrip website to design your own Borjomi day trip itinerary
Group or private tours from Borjomi
Joining a small group or private tour with a guide is another hassle-free way to get around. You can find my recommendations for specific day tours in the next section.
In the summer peak season, the Borjomi Tourist Information Centre can organise day trips to Vardzia and other locations. Most times they just call a taxi for you. It can work out better price-wise (and in terms of logistics) to simply organise your own transportation.
In my experience, prices on GoTrip are almost always better than if you were to find a taxi on the street – and you know the driver and car will both be of a high standard.
Hiring a car in Georgia
If you want complete freedom, your best option is to hire a car and drive yourself. I recommend using the Local Rent website to search and compare rentals from independent agents. Manual and auto, sedans and 4WDs are all available – usually for a very reasonable daily rate.
Pick up is available from anywhere in Georgia, including in Borjomi.
Before you hit the road, make sure you read up on my tips for driving in Georgia.
Is the Kukushka train running?
No, the Kukushka train is not running.
Unfortunately, the scenic railway that connected Borjomi with Bakuriani stopped operating at the start of 2020 due to the pandemic and has not yet resumed services.
I will return to update this guide if and when that changes.
Top 7 day trips from Borjomi
1. Bakuriani – best winter day trip from Borjomi
- Distance from Borjomi: 25 kilometres / 15.5 miles
- Travel time by road: 45 minutes one-way
- Suitable for: Nature, scenery, winter sports
Bakuriani is a popular ski resort located in the Trialeti Mountains above Borjomi. Once considered the ‘ski capital of the Soviet Union’, Bakuriani has 29 km of runs serviced by 8 lifts and a funicular. With many gentle slopes, it’s particularly popular among families. There’s also a cinema, an ice rink, and a toboggan ride.
Outside of the winter months, Bakuriani is beautiful and green, known for its fresh air and scenic views. Some of the ski lifts stay open throughout summer/autumn, ferrying visitors up the mountains for astonishing outlooks.
Bakuriani village itself has a handful of cosy restaurants and several parks. For a treat, eat at the Rooms Hotel Kokhta Restaurant, set in the gorgeous boutique hotel of the same name.
There are several points of interest on the way to Bakuriani from Borjomi, including the Eiffel Bridge in Tsemi and an abandoned sanatorium at Libani. Just off the main road, near Tsaghveri, there are castle ruins, an important Orthodox Church (Timothesubani Holy Dormition), and a hiking trail that leads through the Arjevanidze forest to a beautiful waterfall.
How to get to Bakuriani from Borjomi
Very sadly, Bakuriani’s Kukushka train – Georgia’s only scenic railway – stopped running at the start of 2020 and never started again. I will return to update this if things change, but for the moment, there is no train service between Borjomi and Bakuriani.
The easiest way to get up to Bakuriani from Borjomi is by taking a taxi. This should cost around 50-70 GEL per car one-way. I recommend using Bolt app to book a taxi or asking your guesthouse to organise a driver.
Marshrtuka vans depart from Borjomi Bus Station throughout the day, starting from 8.30am and finishing at 4.30pm. The fare is a couple of GEL.
2. Vardzia Cave Monastery & Rabati Fortress
- Distance from Borjomi: 110 kilometres / 68 miles
- Travel time by road: 2.5 hours one-way
- Suitable for: History, culture, scenery
One of the longest day trips on this list, this is quite a drive – but definitely worth it if you want to see the one and only Vardzia, Georgia’s most impressive cave city.
For this Borjomi day trip, I recommend getting an early start and visiting Vardzia first, right when gates open at 10am. This is especially important in summer as the area is very exposed and hot. To get more out of your visit, I suggest you take the audio tour.
There are several other things to see and do around Vardzia. This part of Samtskhe-Javakheti region is stunning – simply driving along the river canyon to reach Vardzia is a real treat. I also recommend stopping in the city of Akhaltsikhe, the regional capital, to visit the restored Rabati Castle. It’s also very impressive and great for kids. The museum inside the fortress is worth visiting.
While in Akhaltsikhe, eat lunch at one of the many excellent restaurants. I recommend Natenadze Wine Restaurant or Old Bar, both of which serve Meskhetian specialty dishes, including Apokhti khinkali (tiny dumplings filled with dried meat) and Meskhetian khachapuri, a particularly delicious version of Georgia’s famous ‘cheese bread’.
How to get to Vardzia & Rabati from Borjomi
The best way to visit Vardzia and Rabati from Borjomi is to book a private transfer with GoTrip. This itinerary I created includes Vardzia, Rabati Fortress and Khertvisi Fortress. Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Borjomi is included, and you can make extra stops along the way without the price increasing.
With GoTrip, you get the car for the full day, so you can spend as long as you like at the caves (I recommend a minimum of 1-2 hours, longer if you take the tour). When you’re done, your driver and air conditioned car will be waiting to take you to the next stop.
→ Check prices for a round-trip transfer here on the GoTrip website.
There is one marshrutka van from Borjomi Bus Station to Akhaltsikhe departing at around 8.45am and another van in the afternoon at 2.45pm. The fare is approximately 5 GEL.
3. Likani, Mtsvane Monastery & Borjomi Nature Reserve
- Distance from Borjomi: 10 kilometres / 6 miles
- Travel time by road: 25 minutes one-way
- Suitable for: History, nature, hiking
For a quick and easy Borjomi excursion, head south along the Mtkvari River to visit Likani and Chitakhevi, two villages that sit on the cusp of Borjomi Nature Reserve.
Likani is another mineral water resort with its own brand of bottled fizzy water (it’s one of my favourites!) and several Soviet-era sanatoriums. The former Mountain Valley Sanatorium has a stunning mosaic out front.
Likani is best known for its turn-of-the-century Romanov Palace. Also known as Likani Villa, it was designed by Leon Benois for Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich. Unfortunately, the Romanov Palace has been closed for refurbishments for several years now.
You cannot visit the palace currently – but you can see some of the furniture at the Borjomi Museum back in town.
A little further down the road from Likani, Mtsvane Monastery (‘Green Monastery’) is a must-visit if you’re in the area. Tucked back in the forest, it is accessed via a road or walking path that follows the Chitakhevi River. It’s a very beautiful area, so if you get the chance to walk to the monastery, take it. It takes around 45 minutes on foot.
Borjomi Nature Reserve opens up behind the monastery, and you can find several easy hiking trails in the vicinity. The most popular hike, the Footprint Trail, is #5 on this list of day trips from Borjomi.
How to get to Likani from Borjomi
Public bus #1 to Likani departs regularly from Borjomi’s central square and stops all along the main road and outside the bus station as well. The fare is around 20 tetri.
To get back to Borjomi, simply flag down the same bus or any marshrutka van travelling the opposite way. This is a popular route so you shouldn’t have any trouble.
4. Abastumani
- Distance from Borjomi: 77 kilometres / 48 miles
- Travel time by road: 1.5 hours one-way
- Suitable for: Nature, relaxation, stargazing
Abastumani is another resort town west of Borjomi. It sits at a higher elevation and is even more beautiful in my opinion.
Like Borjomi, Abastumani was developed in the 1890s when Grand Duke George Alexandrovich Romanov, the younger brother of the last Russian emperor, Nicholas II, was sent to live here for tuberculosis treatment.
There is a second Romanov Palace in Abastumani – also closed at the time of writing for restorations – plus a gorgeous Royal Bathhouse. A set of summer dachas along the main street have been painstakingly restored and represent some of the most beautiful architectural monuments in all of Georgia. You can take a bath in Abastumani at the public hot springs, which are undercover and a bit more basic than the ones in Borjomi!
Abastumani is also famous for its clear night skies. In the Romanov era, Sergey Glazenap, an astronomer from Saint Petersburg, installed the first telescope atop Mount Kanobili. In the 1930s, Georgian academic Evgeni Kharadze built the USSR’s first mountain-top observatory here, the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory.
The observatory recently underwent renovations and re-opened for guided tours in 2021. Walking the historic grounds and viewing the telescopes and museums is a really wonderful experience. You can learn more about planning a visit to the Abastumani Observatory in this guide.
How to get to Abastumani from Borjomi
The best way to travel to Abastumani is by taking a local taxi or booking a private return transfer with GoTrip. There are plenty of drivers available for this route. Rabati Fortress in Akhaltsikhe is along the way, so if you have time, you can also make a stop here.
→ Check prices for an Abastumani transfer here on the GoTrip website.
5. The Footprint Trail (Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park)
- Distance from Borjomi: 6 kilometres / 4 miles (to the start of the trail)
- Travel time by road: 15 minutes one-way (to the start of the trail)
- Suitable for: Hiking
If you’re looking for a day hike near Borjomi, the Footprint Trail in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is one of the area’s most popular routes.
The 13-kilometre trail is fully marked and takes around 6-8 hours on average to complete. It is moderately difficult with some uphill sections and requires proper boots. You also need to carry your own food and water with you – and most importantly, you must obtain a (free) safety permit from the National Park Administration Office in Borjomi (open daily from 9am) before you set off.
Find a detailed guide to the Footprint Trail here on All About the Apres.
If this hike sounds too intense, there are several shorter trails through the park as well. And if you want to challenge yourself, there are a couple of multi-day hikes, including the epic 4-day St. Andrew Trail. Staff at the administration office can provide information and maps.
How to get to the Footprint Trail trailhead from Borjomi
The Footprint Trail starts from the Guard Station in Likani (see the location here). To get there from town, take bus #1 from the main street or Borjomi Bus Station to Likani, then walk 30 minutes to reach the trailhead.
If you prefer to go directly to the trailhead, a taxi to the Likani Station costs around 15 GEL.
6. Saro & Nijgori
- Distance from Borjomi: 88 kilometres / 55 miles
- Travel time by road: 2 hours one-way
- Suitable for: History, scenery, easy hiking
An alternative day trip from Borjomi, this itinerary takes you deeper into the historic Meskheti region, between Akhaltsikhe and Vardzia.
As I already mentioned, the landscape in this part of Georgia is jaw-droppingly beautiful, with deep canyons and epic fortresses and watchtowers perched precariously over fast-running rivers.
The tiny village of Saro is one of my favourite places in Georgia. High above the Chobaretiskhevi River gorge, it boasts a Bronze Age cyclopean fortress – one of an estimated 1,000 megalithic structures scattered around the region – and a beautiful 7th-century chapel, the Archangel Church of Saro.
The church is the starting point for the Saro to Nijgori hike, a new 2.2 km marked trail that ends in the village of Nijgori near the main highway. You can do the hike in either direction or as a loop. Find directions and details here.
In Saro village, you can find some wonderful examples of Darbazuli Sakhi or ‘Hall Houses’, traditional Meskhetian dwellings with pyramid-shaped wooden ceilings. The houses are privately owned and a bit tricky to spot, but if you ask around, you might find someone who’s willing to let you inside for a look.
How to get to Saro from Borjomi
Buses don’t go this far (you would have to change vans in Akhaltsikhe), so the most convenient option is to take a local taxi, either to Saro or to the trailhead in Nijgori, which is on the highway.
To get back to Borjomi, you can flag any van travelling the opposite way. The best arrangement would be to take a taxi to Saro then walk down to Nijgori and find a van travelling back along the highway.
7. Tabatskuri Lake & the Javakheti Protected Areas
- Distance from Borjomi: 166 kilometres / 103 miles
- Travel time by road: 3 hours one-way
- Suitable for: Nature, bird-watching, fishing
Yet another stunning and completely underrated landscape in Georgia, the Javakheti Protected Areas is made up of a series of lakes located south-east and south-west of Borjomi.
This entire area is an important habitat for endemic and migratory birds. The best time to visit is spring or autumn, when thousands upon thousands of birds – including flamingoes! – take over the wetlands.
The closest lake to Borjomi is Tabatskuri, an hour and a half’s drive from Bakuriani via the spectacular Tskhratskaro Pass. Note that you must carry your passport if you’re approaching the lake this way – there is a checkpoint on the road (due to the close proximity of oil pipes). The road to Tabatskuri from Akhaltsikhe is in better condition and does not have a checkpoint.
The western side of Tabatskuri Lake (Ktsia-Tabatskuri) is especially beautiful and has an easy path you can follow. Just be mindful of shepherd’s dogs – there are a few in this area that are known to be exceptionally aggressive.
Other lakes in the area include Khanchali Managed Reserve and my personal favourite, Bughdasheni Managed Reserve, which is very close to the border with Armenia.
Paravani Lake (172 km from Borjomi) is the biggest and has a lovely monastery on its shore. I highly recommend visiting the little shop here, where the resident nuns sell chocolate truffles, natural skin care products, and a range of other organic and hand-made souvenirs.
How to get to Javakheti from Borjomi
There is one van to Tabatskuri from Borjomi at around 4pm, but it’s not terribly convenient, and it would be difficult to find public transportation back to Borjomi in the evening.
Instead, I recommend you charter a private driver for the day using GoTrip to visit the lakes. This example return-trip itinerary from Borjomi to Paravani Lake starts from 270 GEL per car.
Where to stay in Borjomi
Budget-friendly guesthouse: Guest House Besarioni is located on the hill above town inside a classic Georgian family home. The hosts are very sweet, and rooms are comfortable, with private bathrooms and a laundry. I have stayed here several times. Check prices & availability here on Booking.com.
Mid-range & self-contained: Borjomi Cottages offers self-contained cabins in the centre of Borjomi, each one with a mini kitchen and an ensuite. I often stay here and always enjoy it. The cabins are walking distance from one of my favourite restaurants in Borjomi, Pesvebi. Check prices & availability here on Booking.com.
Boutique hotel: Golden Tulip Borjomi is located inside a stunning heritage building at the entrance to Central Park. Built in 1892 by the Iranian consul, Mirza Reza Khan, the house has been beautifully restored and rooms feature many original elements. Check prices & availability here on Booking.com.
Luxe hotel: The Crowne Plaza Borjomi is widely considered one of the best accommodations in the area. Rooms are spacious and luxe, and the property features a terrace cafe, a wine bar, a spa and wellness centre, and even private Borjomi mineral water baths! Check prices & availability here on Booking.com.
Borjomi travel tips
- All the best things to do in Borjomi
- How to get to Borjomi from Tbilisi – detailed travel guide
- How to get to Bakuriani from Tbilisi
More Georgia day trip inspiration
- The best day trips from Tbilisi
- The best day trips from Kutaisi
- The best day trips from Batumi
- The best days trips from Kazbegi
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