The loop at a glance
| Leg | By road | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Kutaisi to Prometheus Cave (Kumistavi) | 20.0 km | 14.5 km |
| Prometheus Cave to Okatse Canyon visitor centre (Gordi) | 24.7 km | 10.7 km |
| Okatse Canyon to Kinchkha village (waterfall), optional | 5 km (agency figure) | 4.8 km to the falls |
| Okatse Canyon to Martvili Canyon visitor centre (Inchkhuri) | 25.7 km | 12.4 km |
| Martvili Canyon back to Kutaisi | 47.2 km | 34.0 km |
| Total without the waterfall | about 118 km |
Road distances are the shortest routes along the mapped roads between the visitor centres; straight-line distances are measured between the same points.
The sites and their hours
All three are run by the Agency of Protected Areas. Its published fees and hours, checked November 2026:
| Site | Hours | Foreign adults | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prometheus Cave | 10:00 to 17:30, daily; 17:00 in autumn and winter on the park portal | 40 GEL, boat ride 30 GEL, audio guide 7 GEL | about 1 hour, plus 15 minutes by boat |
| Okatse Canyon | 10:00 to 17:30, daily; plan on 17:00 | 30 GEL | 2 to 3 hours |
| Kinchkha waterfall | 10:00 to 18:00 (19:00 in autumn) on the park portal | confirm at the canyon visitor centre; 40 GEL combined with the canyon | about 1 hour on foot from Kinchkha |
| Martvili Canyon | 10:00 to 17:30, daily | 40 GEL, boat ride 20 GEL | about 1 hour |
Georgian citizens and residents pay 16 GEL at each of the three main sites (14 GEL for the Prometheus boat). One ticket for Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha waterfall costs 80 GEL for foreign adults on the Okatse fee page and 90 GEL on the Martvili fee page (38 GEL for residents on both); ask which applies when you buy.
Prometheus Cave’s one-hour route passes through a series of halls and ends with a walk out or a 15-minute boat ride on the underground river Kumi. Martvili’s loop is 700 m with a 300 m boat ride on the Abasha river; the boat does not run in rain or snow, takes children from 120 cm tall, and under-14s must be with an adult on the loop.
A timetable that works
- 10:00 Prometheus Cave. 20 km from Kutaisi, so leave the city by 9:30. One hour in the cave, more with the boat.
- 11:45 Okatse Canyon. 24.7 km on. Walk the full route: forest path, hanging walkway and platform, two to three hours.
- 15:00 Martvili Canyon. 25.7 km on. The loop and the boat ride fit before the 17:30 closing on the fee page.
- Back to Kutaisi, 47.2 km.
Adding the Kinchkha waterfall costs about an hour and a half (5 km each way and the 2.1 km trail). If you want it, drop one of the boat rides or start at Okatse at 10:00 and leave Prometheus to the end of the day, keeping an eye on the cave’s 17:00 closing.
Without a car
There is no public transport that links the three sites. The realistic options are a hired driver from Kutaisi or a group day tour, which usually runs a version of the same loop. By minibus, pick one site per day: the route to Okatse goes through Khoni and is described in Kutaisi to Okatse Canyon.
Weather caution
The Okatse walkway closes in rain and snow, and a wet day makes all three slower. If the forecast is poor, put Prometheus Cave, the one indoor site, in the middle of the day and call the Okatse visitor centre on +995 595 03 60 47 or +995 595 80 54 55 before you commit to the drive.
Official pages
- Prometheus Cave: apa.gov.ge, nationalparks.ge
- Okatse Canyon: apa.gov.ge, nationalparks.ge
- Martvili Canyon: apa.gov.ge, nationalparks.ge