Side by side
| Okatse Canyon | Martvili Canyon | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Gordi, Khoni Municipality, Imereti | Inchkhuri, Martvili Municipality, Samegrelo |
| The visit | 6 km route: forest path, 780 m hanging walkway, platform over the gorge | 700 m stone-paved loop with 2 bridges and 3 viewing platforms |
| Time needed | 2 to 3 hours (agency figure) | about an hour, more with the boat |
| Stairs | 989 metal steps on the walkway | a historic stair of 30 limestone steps |
| Extra | none | 300 m boat ride on the Abasha river, 20 GEL; not run in rain or snow |
| Foreign adult ticket | 30 GEL | 40 GEL |
| Georgian citizens and residents | 16 GEL | 16 GEL |
| Ages 6 to 18 | 5.50 GEL | 5.50 GEL |
| Hours (agency fee pages) | 10:00 to 17:30, daily; plan on 17:00 | 10:00 to 17:30, daily |
| From Kutaisi by road | 42.9 km | 47.2 km |
Fees and hours are from the Agency of Protected Areas, which runs both, checked November 2026. Its fee pages also sell one ticket for Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha waterfall together: 80 GEL for foreign adults on the Okatse page, 90 GEL on the Martvili page (38 GEL for residents on both), so ask which applies when you buy.
Choose Okatse Canyon if
- You want a walk. The route is a proper outing: 2,300 m through the Dadiani forest park before the canyon even starts.
- You want the height. Okatse’s draw is the walkway on the canyon wall and the platform that projects over the gorge, 35 to 50 m above the riverbed.
- You are fine with stairs. The agency counts 989 metal steps on the cliff section.
Choose Martvili Canyon if
- You are short of time. The agency’s loop is 700 m, with two bridges and three viewing platforms over the Abasha river.
- You want to be on the water. A 300 m boat ride on the river is offered for 20 GEL, and passengers help row. Children can ride from 120 cm tall on the agency’s Georgian fee page (its English page says 1 m). The boat does not run in rain or snow, when the river rises.
- You have young children. The agency sets no minimum age for the Martvili loop, though under-14s must be accompanied by an adult; Okatse’s canyon trail is closed to under-6s.
Or see both
The two visitor centres are 25.7 km apart by road. Okatse takes longer, so do it first: be at the Okatse visitor centre at 10:00, finish the route by about 13:00, and drive to Martvili for the afternoon. Add Prometheus Cave on the way out of Kutaisi and you have the classic one-day loop described in the Okatse, Martvili and Prometheus day trip.
Official pages
- Okatse Canyon: apa.gov.ge, nationalparks.ge
- Martvili Canyon: apa.gov.ge, nationalparks.ge