Adjara Highlands Day Trip
Swap the beach for the green valleys behind Batumi: Makhuntseti Waterfall and its medieval stone bridge, a home-cooked lunch with Chkhaveri wine in a Keda family cellar, and an afternoon walk in the chestnut woods of Machakhela National Park.
KedaPhoto: G.N., CC BY-SA 3.0Within an hour of Batumi's towers the Adjara mountains begin, steep and wooded, with tea terraces, tobacco barns and villages strung along fast rivers. This private day climbs the Adjaristskali valley to Makhuntseti, where a waterfall drops off a cliff beside the main road and a single-span stone bridge, linked by tradition to Queen Tamar, arches over the river. A few kilometres further on, around Keda, small family vineyards grow Chkhaveri and Tsolikouri, and you sit down to a long lunch of Adjarian dishes with the people who made the wine. The afternoon turns south into the Machakhela valley on the Turkish border, a national park since 2012 where you walk under chestnut, beech and alder.
Expect eight to nine hours away from Batumi and roughly three and a half hours of driving on paved but winding roads. The walking is light: a few minutes to the waterfall, about ten minutes along the river to the bridge and an easy forest trail of one to two hours in Machakhela. If you prefer, we swap Machakhela for Mtirala National Park, north of the city, which has a waterfall loop and a lake. Adjara is the wettest part of Georgia, so carry a rain jacket in any month.
Highlights
- Makhuntseti Waterfall, a short stroll from the road
- The arched Queen Tamar Bridge over the Adjaristskali
- Chkhaveri and Tsolikouri poured in a family cellar near Keda
- A home-cooked Adjarian lunch: borano, sinori and boat-shaped khachapuri
- Chestnut and beech forest in Machakhela National Park
- Tea terraces and mountain villages along the valley roads
Tour facts
Makhuntseti Waterfall is a few steps from the car park and the family lunch near Keda is reachable by car. The riverside path to the bridge and the Machakhela forest trail are uneven and often muddy, so travellers with limited mobility can see the bridge from the road and enjoy a longer stay at the table instead.
Places on this tour
3 places · tap any place to read its guide
- 1Makhuntseti, a Keda wine lunch and the Machakhela valley
Day by day
01Makhuntseti, a Keda wine lunch and the Machakhela valley
Your driver collects you in Batumi at 9:00 and follows the Adjaristskali upstream for about 40 minutes to Makhuntseti. The waterfall is only steps from the car park, and in spring it thunders. A riverside path of roughly half a kilometre leads to the Queen Tamar Bridge, a stone arch without a single support in the water, still crossed by villagers today. A short drive further on, in the hills around Keda, a winemaking family shows you their cellar and pours Chkhaveri, a pale local red, alongside Tsolikouri. Lunch follows at their table: borano, cheese melted in butter; sinori, rolled dough baked with nadughi; and an Adjarian khachapuri with egg. In the afternoon you drive back down towards the coast, turn south along the Chorokhi and enter the Machakhela valley for a forest walk near the park visitor centre. Back in Batumi around 6 pm.
Prices
Price per person for a private tour, by the size of your group. Sample prices
| Group size | Per person | Whole group |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $260 | $260 |
| 2 travellers | $150 | $300 |
| 3-4 travellers | $110 | from $330 |
| 5-8 travellers | $75 | from $375 |
| 9-15 travellers | $55 | from $495 |
Room and children
- Children under 6 travel free; ages 6-11 pay 50%.
- Prices change with hotel level and season; your quote is final.
Popular add-ons
- Lunch at a family guesthouse$20
- Upgrade to a 4x4 for the whole day$60
What's included
- Collection from and return to your Batumi hotel
- Your own guide in your language
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver
- Wine tasting and home-cooked lunch with a family in Keda
- Machakhela or Mtirala park entry where a fee applies
- Drinking water for the day
- Wine or chacha bought to take home
- Personal spending and souvenirs
- Tips for guide and driver, at your discretion
- Travel insurance covering health, mandatory for visitors to Georgia from 1 January 2026
Good to know
Who it's for
- Beach holidaymakers in Batumi who want one green, quiet day inland
- Food and wine lovers curious about Adjarian home cooking and the rare Chkhaveri grape
- Families and older travellers looking for a gentle day with short, easy walks
- Visitors who like forests, rivers and waterfalls more than museums
If you want a full day of hiking or high mountain views, our Svaneti Trek: Mestia to Ushguli or a multi-day stay in the Caucasus will suit you better.
What to bring
- A proper rain jacket in any month, as Adjara is the wettest corner of Georgia
- Shoes with grip for the wet riverside path to the stone bridge
- Insect repellent for the forest walk in Machakhela on warm days
- A light jumper for the cooler valley air in spring and autumn
- A small bag or extra luggage space if you plan to take wine home from the Keda family
- Valley roads are paved but twisting, which can bother travellers prone to car sickness; tell us and we sit you in front.
- On days of heavy rain we shorten the forest walk and may switch to Mtirala National Park closer to the city.
- Machakhela runs up to the Turkish border; you stay on marked trails and carry your passport.
- Lunch involves home wine; the driver does not drink, and non-alcoholic drinks are always offered.
Guest reviews
Questions about this tour
How far is Makhuntseti from Batumi?
About 30 km, or 40 minutes by car up the valley road towards Akhaltsikhe. Keda is roughly 15 km beyond it.
What is Chkhaveri wine?
Chkhaveri is an old grape of western Georgia, grown in Adjara and Guria. It makes light, pale reds and rosé-coloured wines, often slightly sweet, and the grape is also used for sparkling wine. It is rarely exported, so this is a good chance to taste it where it grows.
Machakhela or Mtirala: which should we choose?
Machakhela is quieter, with chestnut woods and a valley that feels very remote though it is only 30 km from Batumi. Mtirala is better known, with a marked trail to a waterfall and a small lake and more facilities. Both are part of the same humid Colchic forest belt. Tell us your preference when you book.
Is the trip suitable in rain?
Yes. Rain is part of life in Adjara and makes the waterfall more impressive. Paths can be slippery, so wear shoes with a firm grip, and on a stormy day we shorten the forest walk and spend longer at the family table.
Can vegetarians eat well on this trip?
Very well. Adjarian home cooking leans on cheese, butter, corn, beans and greens. Let us know about any diet in advance and the family will plan the meal around it.
Can we continue to Khulo or Green Lake?
Khulo is about 2.5 hours from Batumi, so it fits only if we drop Machakhela. Green Lake on the Goderdzi side needs an overnight stay. Ask us and we will build a two-day version.
