Region guide
Kvemo Kartli
- Best time
- Aim for the stretch from late April into June, or for September and October, when the hills turn green or golden and hiking temperatures are comfortable. Summers are hot in the lowlands around Marneuli and Bolnisi but cooler on the Manglisi and Tsalka plateaus, and winter brings snow to the higher ground.
- How long
- 1–3 days
- Places
- 15 in our guide
- Tours
- 1 tours visit Kvemo Kartli
Kvemo Kartli, Lower Kartli, is the region that wraps around Tbilisi to the south and south-west, reaching the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Its capital is Rustavi, and it covers about 6,500 square kilometres, from the farmland of the Marneuli plain to the high volcanic plateau around Tsalka. It is Georgia's most ethnically mixed region: more than 40 percent of its people are Azerbaijani, alongside Georgian and Armenian villages and a small Greek community, and in the 19th century German settlers founded Katharinenfeld, today's Bolnisi. Few foreign visitors stop here, so most sites are quiet.
For travellers, Kvemo Kartli means history and landscape within easy reach of the capital. At Dmanisi, archaeologists found some of the oldest human fossils outside Africa, about 1.8 million years old, beneath a medieval town. Bolnisi Sioni, completed in 493, carries some of the oldest Georgian inscriptions. Tetritskaro municipality has the fortress cliffs of Birtvisi, the ruined city of Samshvilde and the forests of Algeti National Park, while Tsalka has Dashbashi Canyon and its glass Diamond Bridge. Most places work as day trips from Tbilisi.
Why visit Kvemo Kartli
- See where 1.8-million-year-old human skulls were found at Dmanisi
- Visit Bolnisi Sioni, a basilica completed in 493 with early Georgian inscriptions
- Hike through the limestone towers of Birtvisi to its cliff-top fortress
- Walk to the waterfall in Dashbashi Canyon and cross the Diamond Bridge
- Explore the ruined medieval city of Samshvilde above the Khrami river
- Breathe cool forest air around Manglisi and Algeti National Park
- Stand among the giant swords of the Didgori battle memorial
Top things to do in Kvemo Kartli
Meet Georgia's first travellers at the Dmanisi fossil site
Walk the ruined medieval town on its promontory and look down into the excavation pits where 1.8-million-year-old skulls came to light. The site museum opens seasonally, so check before you set out.
Read Georgia's oldest dated inscriptions at Bolnisi Sioni
Find the 5th-century Asomtavruli lettering and the carved Bolnisi cross in the long, dim basilica of Kvemo Bolnisi. Then drive 2 km to Tsughrughasheni for its lace-like 13th-century stone carving.
Walk the streets of two old German colonies
In Bolnisi, the former Katharinenfeld, and in Asureti, the former Elisabethtal, settlers from Germany built stone houses, Lutheran churches and wine cellars from 1818. Both are easy half-day trips from Tbilisi, and Asureti still has its 1871 church.
Cross the Diamond Bridge over Dashbashi Canyon
Walk the trail down to the waterfall in the volcanic gorge near Tsalka, then step onto the 240-metre glass bridge high above it. Stay the night on the plateau to see Tsalka's Greek villages and reservoir.
Scramble through the rock towers of Birtvisi
Hike about 5 km through limestone pinnacles in the Algeti gorge to the ruined walls and the Sheupovari tower. Wear boots with grip and take a GPS track.
Wander the ruined city of Samshvilde
Explore walls, towers and the 8th-century Samshvilde Sioni on a cliff-edged promontory above the Khrami gorge. You will probably have the whole site to yourself.
Breathe forest air in Manglisi and Algeti National Park
Visit Manglisi Cathedral, one of Georgia's earliest Christian sites, and then walk among the spruce and fir of Algeti National Park. At 1,200 metres it stays cool when Tbilisi swelters.
Stand among the giant swords of Didgori
Drive to the open ridge where David the Builder defeated the Seljuks in 1121 and walk among the monument's huge swords. Bring a jacket, as the wind rarely drops.
Eat plov in Marneuli and learn about 8,000-year-old wine
Browse the vegetable stalls of Marneuli and lunch on plov and tandir bread. Nearby Neolithic mounds produced the earliest known chemical traces of grape wine, from about 6000 BC.
Discover Soviet Rustavi and its race circuit
Walk the Stalin-era centre of a planned steel town, then check what is on at Rustavi International Motorpark. The city is only 30 to 40 minutes from Tbilisi.
Cities, towns & villages
Places to see in Kvemo Kartli
Suggested itineraries
Kvemo Kartli in one day from Tbilisi
- Morning: Bolnisi town and Bolnisi Sioni
Drive about 1 hour south-west via Marneuli to Bolnisi and walk the old Katharinenfeld streets. Continue 6 km to Bolnisi Sioni and 2 km more to Tsughrughasheni, allowing about 1.5 hours for both churches.
- Midday: Dmanisi
Drive about 40 minutes west to the Dmanisi site and spend 2 to 3 hours on the medieval town, the cathedral and the excavation area. Bring a picnic or eat in Dmanisi town.
- Late afternoon: back via Marneuli
Head back east and stop in Marneuli for tea and tandir bread before the last 45 minutes into Tbilisi. The full loop is about 4 hours of driving.
Three days in Kvemo Kartli
- Day 1: Asureti and the Birtvisi rocks
Drive about 50 minutes from Tbilisi to Asureti for the German colony and its church, then continue on minor roads to the Birtvisi trailhead near Tbisi for a 3 to 4 hour hike. Sleep in Manglisi, under an hour away.
- Day 2: Algeti, Didgori and Dashbashi
Walk a forest trail in Algeti National Park in the morning and detour to the Didgori memorial. In the afternoon drive about 50 minutes to Dashbashi Canyon, cross the Diamond Bridge and stay in Tsalka.
- Day 3: Samshvilde, Bolnisi Sioni and Dmanisi
Cross the plateau towards Tetritskaro and stop at the ruined city of Samshvilde, then drive on to Bolnisi Sioni and Dmanisi. Return to Tbilisi via Bolnisi and Marneuli, about 2 hours from Dmanisi.
Kvemo Kartli at a glance
Kvemo Kartli starts at Tbilisi's southern edge, so Bolnisi, Dmanisi and Manglisi are all 1 to 2 hours by car, which is far easier than the slow local marshrutkas.
Festivals in Kvemo Kartli
Plan your visit
Getting there
Kvemo Kartli begins at Tbilisi's southern edge, and Rustavi is about 25 km south-east of the capital. Bolnisi is about 60 km from Tbilisi via Marneuli (around 1 hour), the Dmanisi site about 85 km (1.5–2 hours), Manglisi 56 km (about 1 hour 15 minutes) and Dashbashi Canyon near Tsalka about 92 km (1 hour 40 minutes). Marshrutkas run from Tbilisi to the main towns, including Marneuli, Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro, Manglisi and Tsalka, but most sights lie outside the towns, so a car, taxi or tour is far more practical.
Getting around
Public transport links the towns with Tbilisi rather than with each other or with the sights, so it is best to drive or hire a driver for the day. Main roads to Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Manglisi and Tsalka are paved, though some are narrow and winding in the hills. Some side roads are rough, and the approach to Pitareti is a dirt track that needs a 4x4. Fill up with fuel in the main towns before heading into the hills, and carry cash for village shops.
Best time to visit
Aim for the stretch from late April into June, or for September and October, when the hills turn green or golden and hiking temperatures are comfortable. Summers are hot in the lowlands around Marneuli and Bolnisi but cooler on the Manglisi and Tsalka plateaus, and winter brings snow to the higher ground.
Where to stay
Food & wine in Kvemo Kartli
Kvemo Kartli is not a major wine region, but vines grow around Bolnisi, and the town, founded as the German colony of Katharinenfeld, had a strong winemaking tradition in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Kvemo Kartli: frequently asked questions
Is Kvemo Kartli worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you have already seen Mtskheta and Kakheti. Dmanisi, Bolnisi Sioni, Birtvisi and Dashbashi Canyon are among Georgia's most interesting sites, yet they see far fewer visitors than the main tourist routes.
Can you visit Dmanisi as a day trip from Tbilisi?
Yes. The Dmanisi site is about 85 km south-west of Tbilisi, around 1.5–2 hours by car, and combines well with Bolnisi Sioni on the way. The site museum opens seasonally, roughly May to October, so check before you go.
How do you get to Dashbashi Canyon from Tbilisi?
Drive about 92 km west to Tsalka and continue 3 km to Dashbashi village, around 1 hour 40 minutes in total. Marshrutkas run from Tbilisi to Tsalka, and a taxi can cover the last few kilometres. Many visitors come on a day tour.
What is the capital of Kvemo Kartli?
Rustavi, an industrial city about 25 km south-east of Tbilisi, is the regional capital. Marneuli and Bolnisi are the other main towns.
Is it safe to travel in Kvemo Kartli?
Yes, the region is calm and travellers rarely have problems. Hill roads can be narrow and unlit, so avoid driving after dark. In many villages Russian or Azerbaijani is more useful than English.
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