Adjara Tours, Off the Beaten Track

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Despite the fact that it rarely stops raining there, the Adjarian seacoast is by far the most touristic area of Georgia. The seacoast is indeed lovely – brilliant green mountains plunge into a placid, almost lakelike sea, and in good weather or bad it possesses enough dramatic beauty to tug at the imprisoned romantic in anyone’s heart. Sensing that call, however, is often tricky because of the crowds and commotion. During the summer season, the madding throngs of beach-goers create a rather cynical resort atmosphere where profit takes precedence over aesthetics: over the last decade or two, entire sections of the historical Batumi have been demolished to be replaced with cookie-cutter glass and concrete skyscrapers, while the once charming seafront boulevard of Kobuleti now mostly hosts overpriced restaurants lit in neon colors pumping trashy Russian hits at max volume. Fortunately, Adjara is much more than its beaches; one of the most unique regional cultures of Georgia, set in one of its most spectacular natural settings, is just a few steps away. (And there still remain a few secret beaches that the tourists have not discovered yet, but I am not so foolish as to write about that on the internet.)

Highland Adjara: A Magical World

In fact, Adjarian culture is much more defined by its mountains than its coast. Adjara is less rugged than steep, and its status as the rainiest part of Georgia means that its hillsides abound with thick jungle, with villages and ancient fortresses perched precipitously on the slopes. Swiftly flowing rivers carve up the landscape and cascade down mighty waterfalls, and the historical difficulty of traversing from one side of a valley to the other is borne witness to by both medieval stone bridges and Soviet-era cable cars. As the visitor penetrates deeper into the highlands, the coastal cynicism becomes a distant, dreamlike memory – highland Adjarians are the kindest, most openhearted, most generous and most considerate hosts of all Georgia, and that’s a stiff competition to beat. Many a time, wandering solitary through the Adjarian hills, I was invited for a coffee and ended up staying the night.

The Adjarian People: Unrivaled Hosts

Highland Adjarians are mostly Muslims, worshiping in exquisitely painted wooden mosques wherever they have survived, although being Georgians they do not eschew the enjoyment of wine. Many of them are involved in cheesemaking, taking vast herds of cattle up to the alpine zones every summer, where they live for several months of the year in the handsome wooden cottages of their summer village, creating their famously high-fat kaymagh creams, yagh butter, tenili string cheese and other dairy products hardly known even in the fanciest restaurants of Tbilisi. While they are noted for their knowledge of traditional herbs and for their strong brews of blueberry leaf tea, any visit to an Adjarian house will surely begin and be frequently interspersed with tiny cups of the best-brewed coffee in Georgia. Adjarians are also accomplished beekeepers, and their mountain floral honey has a taste beyond this world. In short, Adjarians are gourmets who know and appreciate the good things of life, hard workers capable of attaining those good things, and generous spirits who enjoy sharing them.

Travel with me in Adjara

Despite the crowds that maunder about its most popular spots, Adjara is a richly rewarding region for anyone who wants to get away from the typical tourist stuff. Those who wish to drop deeply into nature can hike through the intensely green forests of the Mtirala or Kintrishi reserves, or join the herding families in the rolling green mountains of summer. The more settled highland villages hide surprising histories within their stunning views and are very interesting places to pass through or even to visit and relax for a number of days. Up these steep valleys, one really feels somewhere close to the end of the world.

It’s always a joy to be able to show guests the wonders of Adjara. Please do get in touch if you would be interested in a private, custom tour of Adjara with me!

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