Difference between revisions of "Borjomi"

From Hitchwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(West towards Akhalzikhe)
m (West towards Akhalsikhe)
Line 7: Line 7:
 
You can continue your way towards Bakuriani, which is located higher in the mountains and a great place for winter vacation. The road diverges shortly before the centre of Borjomi (if you are entering the town from the East). If you want to hitchhike there from Borjomi, just leave the town with a local marshrutka until you reach the crossroad or ask locals to take you for the short distance to the crossroad.  
 
You can continue your way towards Bakuriani, which is located higher in the mountains and a great place for winter vacation. The road diverges shortly before the centre of Borjomi (if you are entering the town from the East). If you want to hitchhike there from Borjomi, just leave the town with a local marshrutka until you reach the crossroad or ask locals to take you for the short distance to the crossroad.  
  
=== West towards [[Akhalsikhe]] ===
+
=== West towards [[Akhaltsikhe]] ===
You will have to walk for a while on the main road next to the river. You can try to stop cars at any point - the road leads through several villages to Akhalzikhe, which will be your main crossroad where you can decide to either continue your way to the cave town of Vardzia (South) or across the mountains towards Batumi (very few cars!! Do not attempt to cross them between October-May).
+
You will have to walk for a while on the main road next to the river. You can try to stop cars at any point - the road leads through several villages to Akhaltzikhe, which will be your main crossroad where you can decide to either continue your way to the cave town of Vardzia (South) or across the mountains towards Batumi (very few cars!! Do not attempt to cross them between October-May).
  
 
== Accommodation and Sleep ==
 
== Accommodation and Sleep ==

Revision as of 13:29, 23 May 2020

Template:Borjomi is a small town in Georgia. It is famous for the incredible mineral water - the best cure for hangovers, problems with digestion and general fatigue in the summer. It is a popular destination for many Georgians during the summer months, a starting point for hikes through the national park, and a nice place to check out when continuing your way to Bakuriani to ski in the winter or further to the West and South.

Hitchhiking in and out

If you are coming from Tbilisi, you can take any car going towards the West (i.e. Kutaisi, Poti, Batumi, Zugdidi) as they will all have to pass through Khashuri (ხაშური). Khashuri is something like the major crossroad in the middle of the country. When approaching it from Tbilisi, just look for the signs that point towards Bakuriani, Borjomi and Akhalzikhe. Get out when a gas station splits the road, shortly after a roundabout. Just walk a few metres down that road - it will be easy to stop cars directly after the gas station. Be aware that Borjomi is quite a 'stretched' little town, so don't leave the car immediately after entering it, but rather when you see a large bridge to your left.

South towards Bakuriani

You can continue your way towards Bakuriani, which is located higher in the mountains and a great place for winter vacation. The road diverges shortly before the centre of Borjomi (if you are entering the town from the East). If you want to hitchhike there from Borjomi, just leave the town with a local marshrutka until you reach the crossroad or ask locals to take you for the short distance to the crossroad.

West towards Akhaltsikhe

You will have to walk for a while on the main road next to the river. You can try to stop cars at any point - the road leads through several villages to Akhaltzikhe, which will be your main crossroad where you can decide to either continue your way to the cave town of Vardzia (South) or across the mountains towards Batumi (very few cars!! Do not attempt to cross them between October-May).

Accommodation and Sleep

There is some space between the little park and the sulfur baths where you can put your tent. Enter the park and make your way past the funny carousels etc. and follow the river. You will have to walk through a really beautiful little forest, cross one small river several times until you reach the sulfur baths. Sometimes the park is closed due to floodings after heavy rain. Directly in Borjomi, it will be hard to find a place to camp as the valley is pretty narrow and you should not attempt to camp directly in the middle of civilisation. Of course, camping is possible in the National Park. Just walk on the main road through the town in the direction of Akhalzikhe until you see the National Park Administration centre to your right. You can get a free map there, advise on where to hike and sleep and rent equipment if needed.

Other useful info

As Borjomi is a popular destination for Georgian tourists, you can find a lot of private accommodation and cheap, but delicious, food. The main bazaar for fruits and vegetables is located near the bus station in the centre (walk on the central road towards Akhalzikhe). Drinking the Borjomi water directly from the well in the park is a must!