Tabatskuri Lake and Village

Tabatskuri Lake is a lake of volcanic origin at almost 2000 meters above sea level, located in the Samtshke-Javakheti region halfway between the cities of Borjomi and Akhalkalaki. The lake covers more than 14 square kilometres and is one of the deepest lakes in Georgia with a depth of up to 40 meters.

There are two ways to get to Tabatskuri Lake, either from the north via Borjomi or from the south via Akhalkalaki.

From Borjomi it’s a drive of around 25 km on the main road M20 heading south to the famous Georgian ski resort Bakuriani. That takes around 40 minutes. Then the main road M20 leads from Bakuriani further south towards Akhalkalaki, before which you will have to make a left turn onto Tskhratskaro Pass leading into the mountains and finally to Tabatskuri Lake at 2000 meters above sea level. Although the distance between Bakuriani and Tabatskuri Lake is less than 30 km, you will have to leave almost 1.5 hours for this part of the trip.

If you decide to travel to Tabatskuri Lake and Village from the south via Akhalkalaki, it’s almost exactly the same distance (52 km) and time (around 2 hours). From Akhalkalaki it’s a 40-km drive north on the main road M20, at which point you will have to make a right turn onto Tskhratskaro Pass for the last 12 km.  

Tabatskuri Lake lies in the Ktsia-Tabatskuri Managed Reserve, which is a nature protection area of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region that includes the lake, its wetland and alpine habitats, especially as Tabatskuri Lake is one of the largest reservoirs of drinking water in the Caucasus.  

There is a village of the same name on the north shore of Tabatskuri Lake including the remnants of a small, medieval church on a tiny peninsula right by the water.

Life is not easy for the small population of Tabatskuri Village. Less than 200 families live here, mostly consisting of ethnic Armenians. Winters are long, from mid-October to the end of May, and during the short summers the inhabitants try to make a living by cattle farming, growing potatoes and carrots and of course fishing, as Tabatskuri Lake is rich in trout, barbel and carp. 

Tabatskuri Lake is surrounded by high mountains, like the inactive volcano Mount Tavkvetili, which his more than 2500 meters high. Because there are hardly any trees at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, the people living on the shores of Tabatskuri Lake traditionally use dried cow pats instead of firewood for heating.

How to get there:
From the north:
A 52-km drive south from Borjomi via Bakuriani on the main road M20, then turn left to Tskhratskaro Pass for the last 10 km to Tabatskuri Lake. Travelling time from Borjomi approx. 2h, from Bakuriani approx. 1h 25min, from Tskhratskaro Pass approx. 30min. 
From the south:
A 52-km drive north from Akhalkalaki on the main road M20 then turn right to Tskhratskaro Pass for the last 10 km to Tabatskuri Lake. Travelling time from Akhalkalaki approx. 2h., from Tskhratskaro Pass approx. 30min.

Distances from major cities:
Borjomi - Tabatskuri Lake: 52 km | Bakuriani - Tabatskuri Lake: 27 km | Akhalkalaki  - Tabatskuri Lake: 52 km

Important things to know:
Tabatskuri Lake lies at an altitude of almost 2000 meters above sea level (1991 m). The best months for a visit (and taking pictures) are late June and early September, when the landscape is green but there is still snow on the surrounding mountains. But no matter in which season you come to visit in, be sure to wear sturdy shoes and bring warm clothes.

Picture credits: Mikheil Gogichashvili

Project “Increased regional added value in the tourism sectors of Georgia by Digital Heritage Tourism Guides” was funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds of Austrian Development Cooperation.