Majestic, proud and beautiful, Georgia welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world every year. They come to enjoy the unique character of this small country. It is hard to say what kind of magic lies in its breathtaking nature, in its open, spontaneous people who are ready to sing and dance anywhere, and in its spicy, delicious cuisine, but the flow of tourists keeps growing every year. This is a country you simply have to see at least once. As tourism in Georgia has developed, places that used to be hard to reach have opened up to visitors. Okatse Canyon and the Kinchkha waterfalls are among these picturesque and now popular spots.
Okatse Canyon in brief:
- Where: the village of Zeda Gordi, 50 km from Kutaisi.
- Entrance: 30 GEL for foreigners.
- Opening hours: daily from 10:00; from October to March until 17:00.
- Season: busiest from April to November; the trail is closed in rain and snow.
- Kinchkha waterfalls are 7–8 km from the canyon; entrance 20 GEL.
- Children under 6 and shorter than 1.2 m are not allowed on the hanging walkway.
Okatse Canyon
Okatse Canyon is in Imereti, western Georgia, and stretches for 16 km (GPS 42.455591, 42.528066), not far from Kutaisi (50 km). Just a few years ago it was equipped for visitors; before that, it was so hard to reach that few people knew about it, even locals. The canyon has an upper and a lower part. The upper canyon is near the village of Kinchkha, where the famous high waterfalls are, and the lower one is by the village of Zeda Gordi. Along the lower canyon runs a hanging walkway about a kilometre long; its railings and anchoring to the canyon wall make it perfectly safe. But since the narrow walkway hangs up to 140 m above the abyss, not every traveller walks it with a confident step, and many feel a rush of adrenaline from the height.
360° panorama of Okatse Canyon in the lower part of the gorge:
Near the village and the Dadiani park, by the road, is the visitor centre where you buy tickets in season. In 2026 a ticket for foreigners costs 30 GEL, and 5 GEL for a child. The canyon is open daily from 10:00, and in the low season (October–March) until 17:00. The trail is closed in rain and snow. Children shorter than 1.2 m are not allowed on the walkway, and this rule is strictly enforced. At the entrance to the walkway there is a checkpoint with guards, where your children can be looked after. Out of season the visitor centre does not work, and entry is free. Like many buildings in Georgia, the visitor centre has quirky architecture that looks strange against the forest and countryside.
The visitor centre:
Besides tickets, the visitor centre sells souvenirs and has a model of the canyon you can study before your walk.
The road to the canyon is paved with grey stone and leads through a large park past the ruined 18th-century palace of the Dadiani princes, which is planned to be restored. To reach the canyon you walk almost 2.5 km along this paved road. This suits hardy travellers, as the route goes up and down over rough terrain, and then you still have about a kilometre along the walkway over the canyon (also up and down). Signs and benches are placed all along the way, so you can stop and rest, and if you are not in a hurry you can take it slowly. On the way to the canyon the park road mostly goes down, and on the way back, up. When you walk through the park for the first time, every sign with the remaining distance feels like a stage in a quest: turning each bend, you do not yet know what is ahead and where that long-awaited view of Okatse Canyon is. The mountain air, pristine nature and majestic mountains more than make up for the long walk. The round trip is 6.5 km (the way back is a different route), so take comfortable shoes, drinking water and a light snack: there are no kiosks or shops in the park or at the canyon.
As in any tourist area, taxi drivers wait at the visitor centre and tell scary stories about how impassable and long the route is. If you are travelling with children or older people, do not want to tire yourself out or want to save time, a taxi is a good option. If you want to drive yourself, only a 4×4 will do.
Once you reach the entrance to the walkway, show your receipt at the checkpoint. Here the metal hanging walkway with railings begins: about 700 m and 550 steps up and down. All around are mountains and the bright green slopes of the canyon, and almost 150 metres below your feet roars the Okatse River. You feel helpless before mighty, eternal nature and at the same time amazed by its grandeur and beauty. City life, skyscrapers, cars, problems and bustle all stay behind. There is only pristine nature, which gives a sense of harmony and freedom, and you wish there were many more steps. A place of tremendous energy and power.
The walkway ends with a viewing platform that seems to hang in the air 140 m above the canyon. It is made for thrill-seekers: adrenaline and delight guaranteed, and the walkway sways slightly under your steps and in the wind. But if you make it to the platform, the view is stunning. The canyon widens here, and the panorama opens up: bright green slopes with white patches of limestone, a mountain river roaring below and a piercing blue sky above. You cannot take it all in at once; for a while you just stop in amazement and enjoy the moment.
360° panorama from the viewing platform:
You cannot walk back along the walkway: it is one way only, so from the viewing platform you return by an ordinary path. Back at the checkpoint you can take a taxi, as drivers often wait there too. It gets dark early in the mountains, and the way back goes uphill and takes longer, so come early to have time for short breaks.
How to get to Okatse Canyon
From Kutaisi, direct public transport to Zeda Gordi runs only once a day, at 16:00, which does not suit a tourist who wants to see the canyon. With changes: take one of the frequent Kutaisi–Martvili minibuses and get off in Khoni; from there a minibus goes to Zeda Gordi twice a day, at 11:00 and 15:00, and you can return to Khoni at 17:00. The easiest option from Kutaisi is a taxi: it is a long trip, so agree with the driver right away to wait at the canyon and take you back. Tours from Kutaisi usually combine Prometheus Cave, Okatse Canyon and the Kinchkha waterfalls.
From Tbilisi there is no direct public transport to Okatse Canyon. First get to Kutaisi: Tbilisi–Kutaisi minibuses run every half hour from Didube bus station, the railway station and Freedom Square, Metro Georgia buses leave from Ortachala bus station, and there are also fast and regular trains. From Kutaisi, use one of the options above. You can also rent a car or take a two-day tour “Prometheus Cave – Martvili Canyon and Monastery – Okatse Canyon – Kinchkha waterfalls” with an overnight stay.
From Batumi, the most convenient way is by car: the road goes via Kutaisi, and you can stop in Martvili on the way. Without a car you will need to change: get to Kutaisi by minibus, bus or train, and then continue as described above. There are also day tours from Batumi that combine Martvili, Okatse Canyon and the Kinchkha waterfalls.
Kinchkha waterfalls
7 km from the canyon, at 800 m above sea level, lies the small village of Kinchkha, known for its cascading waterfalls of the same name (GPS 42.495020, 42.550318). The waterfalls are in the upper canyon of the Okatse River, at 1,100 m above sea level. The upper waterfall is one of the highest in Georgia, about 100 m tall. Words cannot describe the beauty and power of this natural wonder, especially as the water does not break on the rocks but falls in one continuous stream at crazy speed, like a giant jet from a tap scaled up a thousand times. Standing at the foot of the 100-metre waterfall, you feel incredibly small, as the force of water is always a little frightening. The waterfall roars non-stop, and its cold spray flies for dozens of metres, so you can only get close on a very hot day. At the foot of the second cascade the water forms a small lagoon with emerald-blue water so clear you can see the white bottom (the first cascade can only be seen from afar). From the lagoon the water flows more calmly down the third, 20-metre step. Around the waterfall there are plenty of angles for great photos and corners for curious nature lovers to explore. The water splits into hundreds of streams gliding past white rocks carved by time.
150 m from the top of the waterfall, by the river, are the remains of white stone structures: the baths of ancient Georgian kings. If you get there, you can swim in summer.
A little lower, on the right, is the lower 60-metre waterfall, just as beautiful as the first but very different: unlike the bare rock of the first, the second waterfall is surrounded by greenery and falls in many separate streams.
The Kinchkha waterfalls are 7–8 km from the Okatse Canyon visitor centre, so they are easy to combine in one day. You can get there on a tour, by taxi from the visitor centre or by car: a concrete road leads right to the trail, and there is parking nearby.
Today Kinchkha is as well equipped as the canyon. There is a ticket office at the entrance, and from there steps and small bridges along the river take you down to the foot of the waterfall in about ten minutes. A ticket for foreigners costs 20 GEL, and children under 6 enter free. The waterfall is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. At the end of the trail there is a zipline, and separate steps to the right of the ticket office lead to the ancient royal baths. Children under 14 are not allowed on the trail without adults.
Martvili Canyon is also nearby, just as picturesque as Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha. You can combine these trips if you stay the night in this unique area.
Okatse Canyon and the Kinchkha waterfalls on the map of Georgia
1 – Okatse Canyon
2 – Kinchkha waterfalls
3 – Martvili Canyon
4 – Kutaisi
You may not always be happy with the accommodation, the service, the local driving style or inflated prices in this country. But you cannot stay indifferent to its amazing, unique and majestic nature. Wherever you are in Georgia, there is always a special corner of paradise that can impress you and let you feel complete unity with nature, freedom, inspiration and delight. This is not a place for service, polish and luxury; it is a country for varied travel, hiking, adventure, discovery and romance.
However many times you come to Georgia, there will always be a new place to explore in this small ancient country with its rich nature and culture, and every time you will discover something beautiful. Even the most spoilt travellers who have seen many countries note the powerful energy of the Caucasus Mountains, and Okatse Canyon and the Kinchkha waterfalls are clear proof of that.
Read also: Martvili Canyon, Prometheus Cave, Top 15 attractions in Georgia.
Hello!
I am Victor, the founder of this site and its main, but not the only author.
Traveler and photographer. Visited more than 60 countries.
Born and raised in Batumi. I love to travel in Georgia.
More about me here.