Algeti National Park

Algeti national park covers the upper Algeti valley in the Trialeti range south-west of Tbilisi, and it exists mainly to protect the stands of Caucasian fir and Eastern spruce that reach their eastern limit here, growing among beech and oak on slopes between about a thousand and two thousand metres. It is one of the least visited parks in the country, with a handful of marked trails, a small visitor centre and camping and picnic areas, and it is used mostly as a day trip from Tbilisi for walking and birdwatching. Deer, bear and lynx are present but rarely seen. The nearby town of Manglisi has been a summer resort since the nineteenth century.

What you actually see

• Caucasian fir and spruce - the stands at their eastern limit.
• Marked forest trails - the walking routes from the visitor centre.
• Mixed beech and oak slopes - the woodland below the conifers.
• Quiet by Georgian park standards - one of the least visited.

When to go

May to October; autumn colour in the beech is the best of it. A day from Tbilisi. Register at the visitor centre for camping. Trails are muddy after rain.

Honest expectations

There is little infrastructure and trail marking is patchy. Wildlife is present but very rarely seen. Ticks are a problem in early summer. Getting there needs a car; public transport is minimal.

Nearby

Manglisi is north-west; Birtvisi lies south-east.