Okatse Canyonvisitor guide

Okatse Canyon in winter, and the best time to visit

The canyon does not close for the winter, but its one weather rule decides most visits: no walking on the route in rain or snow. Here is how the seasons play out.

Fees, hours and distances checked November 2026.

The rules that set the season

Two lines from the Agency of Protected Areas decide when a visit works:

  • Visits run all year, and the active season is April to October.
  • Walking is not allowed in rainy or snowy weather, for visitor safety.

Opening hours shift with the seasons too. The agency’s park portal lists 10:00 to 18:00 in spring and summer and 10:00 to 17:00 in autumn and winter; its fee page gives 10:00 to 17:30 all year. Plan on 17:00.

Map of the Okatse Canyon area: the visitor centre at Gordi, Kinchkha waterfall, Martvili Canyon, Prometheus Cave and the road from Kutaisi
Okatse Canyon and the sites around it. Prometheus Cave, near Tskaltubo, is the indoor option on a wet day.

Season by season

SeasonHours (park portal)What to expect
Spring10:00 to 18:00Active season from April. Fresh green in the Dadiani forest park; rain is the main risk to a visit.
Summer10:00 to 18:00The longest days. Start at opening to walk the forest path and the walkway before the afternoon heat.
Autumn10:00 to 17:00Active season runs to October. Autumn colour in the forest; shorter afternoons, so arrive by 14:00.
Winter10:00 to 17:00Outside the active season but open. Rain or snow closes the route on the day; plan a flexible day and call first.

Okatse Canyon in winter

Illustration: two visitors in winter jackets on the dry railed walkway of Okatse Canyon on a clear winter day, bare forest on the rims
Illustration. A dry winter day; in rain or snow the walkway is closed.

A dry winter day suits the walk well: cool air for the forest path and the 989 steps. The catch is certainty. Because the agency stops walking in rain or snow, you cannot be sure the route will be open until the morning itself. If you are in Kutaisi for a few days, keep Okatse for the best-looking forecast and call the visitor centre on +995 595 03 60 47 or +995 595 80 54 55 before setting out.

On metal stairs, ice and wet leaves are the real hazard. Wear boots with grip and take the 989 steps slowly.

If the walkway is closed

  • Prometheus Cave, 24.7 km by road from Okatse, is underground and open daily from 10:00 (17:00 in autumn and winter on the park portal, 17:30 on the fee page).
  • Martvili Canyon, 25.7 km away, has a short 700 m loop; its boat ride does not run in rain or snow.
  • The visitor centre at Gordi has a cafe, and the forest park around it is pleasant on its own.

See the one-day loop for distances and fees, and tickets and opening hours for the full fee table.

Questions visitors ask

Is Okatse Canyon open in winter?
Yes. The Agency of Protected Areas runs visits all year, with hours of 10:00 to 17:00 in autumn and winter on its park portal. But walking is not allowed in rain or snow, so on a wet or snowy day the route is closed. Call +995 595 03 60 47 or +995 595 80 54 55 before you go.
Can I visit Okatse Canyon in December?
On a dry day, yes, from 10:00; plan on a 17:00 close. December is outside the agency’s April to October active season, and snow or rain closes the walkway, so keep the day flexible and call ahead.
What is the best month to visit Okatse Canyon?
Any dry day in the active season, April to October. Late spring and autumn are comfortable for a two to three hour walk; in summer, start at the 10:00 opening to walk the forest path before the heat.

More on Okatse Canyon

Tickets and opening hours 30 GEL for foreign adults, the under-6 rule, daily hours and the rain closures. Kutaisi to Okatse Canyon 42.9 km by road, 25.2 km in a straight line; car, taxi or minibus via Khoni. The hanging walkway 6 km, 2 to 3 hours, 989 metal steps and a platform over the gorge. Kinchkha waterfall Three drops up to about 70 m, 5 km from the canyon, then a 2.1 km trail. Okatse vs Martvili Canyon A long walk on the canyon wall, or a short loop with a boat ride. Okatse, Martvili and Prometheus in a day About 118 km from Kutaisi and back, with leg distances and timings. Okatse Canyon: the full guide What the canyon is, the walkway, tickets and the road from Kutaisi on one page.