Kutaisi Caves and Monasteries Day Trip
A relaxed private day around Kutaisi that pairs two medieval monasteries, Gelati and Motsameta, with two very different caves: Sataplia, where dinosaurs left their tracks, and the great underground halls of Prometheus.
Gelati MonasteryPhoto: Ihor Burliai, CC BY-SA 3.0Kutaisi sits in the middle of an unusual cluster of sights, and almost all of them are within half an hour of the city. This tour joins the best four into one easy loop. The morning is for faith and history: Gelati, the royal monastery and academy that David IV the Builder founded in 1106, now on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and Motsameta, a small church on a cliff where two martyred brothers are buried. After lunch the theme turns to stone and time. At Sataplia you walk past footprints left in the mud of a lagoon by dinosaurs, then out onto a glass platform above the forest. Prometheus Cave closes the day with a long, lit route through chambers of stalactites.
The day lasts about seven hours with only two hours of driving, which makes it a good choice for families and for anyone who has just arrived at Kutaisi airport. Walking is easy but includes many steps, especially in Prometheus Cave. The caves keep a steady cool temperature all year, so the tour works in every season, and in July and August it is a welcome break from the humid heat of Imereti.
Highlights
- Gelati's golden 12th-century apse mosaic and painted chapels
- King David the Builder's grave under the monastery gateway
- Motsameta Church above a horseshoe bend of the Tskaltsitela
- Real dinosaur footprints preserved under a roof at Sataplia
- The glass viewpoint at Sataplia looking out towards Kutaisi
- Six lit halls in Prometheus Cave and, when the river allows, a boat ride
Tour facts
Gelati is reached by a short slope from the car park and most of Sataplia's dinosaur pavilion is on a level walkway. Prometheus Cave has many steps and uneven sections and Motsameta sits below a steep path, so travellers with limited mobility may skip these and visit Bagrati Cathedral in town instead.
Places on this tour
5 places · tap any place to read its guide
- 1Gelati and Motsameta, then Sataplia and Prometheus Cave
Day by day
01Gelati and Motsameta, then Sataplia and Prometheus Cave
Leave Kutaisi at about 9:30 for the twenty-minute drive up to Gelati. Inside the Church of the Virgin, the apse glitters with a mosaic of Mary between two archangels, and the walls carry centuries of frescoes, including portraits of Georgian kings. Your guide shows you the stone slab at the south gate where David IV asked to be buried, so that everyone entering would step over him. A short drive brings you to Motsameta, where the 8th-century martyrs David and Constantine Mkheidze lie in a reliquary that pilgrims crawl under to make a wish. Lunch is in Tskaltubo, the old Soviet spa town. In the afternoon, Sataplia's boardwalk leads past the dinosaur tracks and a small cave, and Prometheus Cave finishes the day with about an hour underground.
Prices
Price per person for a private tour, by the size of your group. Sample prices
| Group size | Per person | Whole group |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $175 | $175 |
| 2 travellers | $100 | $200 |
| 3-4 travellers | $70 | from $210 |
| 5-8 travellers | $50 | from $250 |
| 9-15 travellers | $35 | from $315 |
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$50
What's included
- Hotel or Kutaisi airport pickup and return
- Private guide speaking English
- Air-conditioned private car or minivan with a driver
- Tickets for Sataplia and Prometheus Cave
- The Prometheus boat ride when water levels allow it
- Imeretian lunch in Tskaltubo
- Scarves and wraps for the monasteries, and water in the car
- Drinks with lunch beyond water and soft drinks
- Donations or candles at the churches
- Gratuities for guide and driver, entirely optional
- Health cover through travel insurance, which Georgian law has demanded of all visitors from 1 January 2026
Good to know
Who it's for
- First-time visitors to Kutaisi who want its UNESCO monastery and two showpiece caves in one easy loop
- Families with children who will love dinosaur footprints and an underground walk
- Travellers who have just landed at Kutaisi airport and want a short day with little driving
- Anyone looking for a cool day out during the humid Imereti summer
If you want walking in the outdoors and a boat ride rather than churches and caves, choose our Kutaisi Canyons Day Trip.
What to bring
- A light jumper or fleece for the cave interiors, which stay cool in every season
- Shoes with good grip for damp, sometimes slippery cave floors
- Long trousers or a skirt below the knee and a shawl for the two monasteries
- A camera that handles low light, since flash is discouraged near frescoes
- Water and a small snack for the afternoon between Sataplia and Prometheus
- Prometheus Cave has many stairs and a one-way route; once inside you walk the whole circuit.
- Monasteries are working churches: services may be under way, so keep voices low and ask before photographing.
- The path down to Motsameta is steep in places and can be slippery after rain.
- The caves are popular in summer; we time the visits to avoid the largest tour groups where possible.
Guest reviews
Questions about this tour
Are the dinosaur footprints at Sataplia real?
Yes. They were found in 1933 in limestone that formed in a shallow coastal setting, and they are protected under a pavilion so you can see them clearly from a walkway. Your guide explains which kinds of dinosaur scientists think made them.
How cold is it inside the caves?
Both caves stay cool all year, at roughly 14 degrees in Prometheus, so bring a light jumper even in summer. The floors can be damp, so wear shoes with a good grip.
Is there a dress code at Gelati and Motsameta?
Yes. Cover shoulders and knees, men in long trousers, and women with a scarf over the hair. We carry scarves and wraps in the car, so you do not need to pack anything special.
Can we see Bagrati Cathedral as well?
Easily. Bagrati stands on a hill in Kutaisi itself, so we can stop there at the start or end of the day with very little extra driving.
Is this trip suitable for people with limited mobility?
Partly. The monasteries are reached by short slopes, but Prometheus Cave has many stairs and uneven sections, and Motsameta is approached by a steep path. Tell us what is comfortable and we will shape the day around it.
Can we combine this with the canyons?
Doing everything in one day is rushed. Most people spend two days around Kutaisi: this tour on one, and our canyons day, with Okatse, Kinchkha and Martvili, on the other.
