Black Rock Lake Trek and Kakheti Wine
Three days on foot from the beech forests of Lagodekhi, Georgia's oldest protected area, up to Black Rock Lake on the crest of the Caucasus, followed by two easy days among the cellars, monasteries and hill towns of Kakheti.
Lagodekhi National ParkPhoto: Paata vardanashvili, CC BY-SA 4.0Lagodekhi was set aside as a reserve in 1912, earlier than any other protected area in Georgia, and it still feels untouched. The park climbs from about 500 m at the edge of town through humid forests of beech, hornbeam and chestnut to alpine meadows and bare rock on the main Caucasus ridge. At the top, in a stony hollow on the border with Dagestan in Russia, lies Black Rock Lake, named after the dark cliffs above it and often holding ice well into summer. The round trip is a serious hike: about 43 km with a total climb of around 2,400 m, usually split over three days.
Your guide handles park registration and the border police check, and the night stops are a camp in the forest zone and the park's mountain shelter, with a pack horse for the heavy loads if park rules permit. After the long descent you swap boots for wine glasses. Two days in Kakheti follow at a slower pace: the walls of Sighnaghi, a family cellar where wine still ferments in clay qvevri buried in the ground, the 19th-century estate of Tsinandali, and the cathedral of Alaverdi with its own monastery wine. It is a good way to reward tired legs.
Highlights
- Old-growth beech and chestnut forest in Georgia's first nature reserve
- Alpine meadows and views over the Alazani plain from the ridge
- Black Rock Lake at about 2,780 m, right on the border ridge
- A night in the park's high mountain shelter
- Qvevri wine tasting with a family in the Kakheti countryside
- Sighnaghi's town walls, Tsinandali estate and Alaverdi cathedral
Tour facts
The trek requires full mobility. Non-hiking companions can stay in Sighnaghi and join for the two Kakheti days, which have only short walks.
Places on this tour
8 places · tap any place to read its guide
- 1Tbilisi to Lagodekhi and up through the forest
- 2Above the trees to Black Rock Lake
- 3The long descent and on to Sighnaghi
- 4Sighnaghi, Bodbe and a family qvevri cellar
- 5Alaverdi, Gremi and back to Tbilisi
Day by day
01Tbilisi to Lagodekhi and up through the forestOvernight: Tents in the forest zone
The car leaves Tbilisi at 7 am, heading east over the Kakheti plain to Lagodekhi, close to the Azerbaijani border. At the park visitor centre your guide registers the group and shows passports for the border zone. The trail starts at the edge of town and climbs steadily through tall beech and chestnut forest, with mossy stream crossings and the occasional clearing with a view back over the plain. It is a long, steady ascent of about 1,400 m. The horse meets you at the camp near the upper edge of the forest, where the cook has dinner ready.
02Above the trees to Black Rock LakeOvernight: Mountain shelter (or tents beside it)
Climb out of the last birches onto open meadows full of flowers in July. The path follows a long ridge with the Alazani valley spread out below and the main range ahead. Near the top it crosses rocky ground to the trek's high point, a little under 2,950 m, then drops to the lake. Black Rock Lake sits under a dark cliff, with snow often lying around it until August; the far shore is in Russia. After a rest at the water you walk back down to the mountain shelter at about 2,650 m for the night.
03The long descent and on to SighnaghiOvernight: Sighnaghi
Today is all downhill, more than 2,000 m of it, so poles and patience help. You retrace the ridge and then the forest trail, which feels very different in morning light. Back at the park entrance, a driver waits with cold drinks. It is a one-hour drive to Sighnaghi, the walled hill town above the Alazani valley, where you check in, shower and sit down to a well-earned dinner of mtsvadi, salads and local wine.
04Sighnaghi, Bodbe and a family qvevri cellarOvernight: Telavi area
A slow morning. Walk a section of Sighnaghi's 18th-century walls and towers, then drive a few minutes to Bodbe convent and the grave of St Nino, the woman credited with converting Georgia in the 4th century. Later you visit a family winemaker who shows how grapes are crushed, fermented and aged in qvevri, and you taste several wines with a long lunch. In the afternoon cross the valley to Tsinandali, once home to the Chavchavadze princes, to see the house museum, park and historic cellar. The night is near Telavi.
05Alaverdi, Gremi and back to Tbilisi
Start at Alaverdi, the tall 11th-century cathedral in the middle of the Alazani valley, where the monks make wine in a restored medieval cellar. Continue to Gremi, the former royal citadel on a hill, with its brick church and tower museum. After lunch the driver takes you back to Tbilisi over the Gombori range if the road is open, or by the longer valley road through Sagarejo if not; check road status on the day. You arrive in the late afternoon.
Prices
Price per person for a private tour, by the size of your group. Sample prices
| Group size | Per person | Whole group |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $1,990 | $1,990 |
| 2 travellers | $1,205 | $2,410 |
| 3-4 travellers | $965 | from $2,895 |
| 5-8 travellers | $795 | from $3,975 |
| 9-15 travellers | $665 | from $5,985 |
Room and children
- Single room supplement: $150
- Recommended from age 14; ages 14-17 pay 85% of the adult price.
- Prices change with hotel level and season; your quote is final.
Popular add-ons
- Extra night in Sighnaghi with breakfast$85
- Georgian cooking class with a Kakheti family$60
- Sleeping bag rental$25
What's included
- Private transport for the whole trip
- Trekking guide in your language for the hike and a wine guide in Kakheti (one guide can cover both)
- Park registration and shelter or camping fees
- A pack horse for tents, food and sleeping gear where the park allows
- Tents, mats and camp kitchen; meals cooked on the trek
- Two nights in Kakheti with breakfast and dinner
- Qvevri cellar visit with tasting and lunch
- Tsinandali estate ticket
- Sleeping bag (rental on request)
- Extra wine and drinks beyond the tastings
- Tips for the guide, horseman and driver
- Travel insurance that covers hiking to 3,000 m; Georgia has required health insurance for all visitors since 1 January 2026
Good to know
Who it's for
- Fit hikers who want a hard mountain walk close to Tbilisi, outside the busy northern valleys
- Couples where one loves hiking and the other loves wine, since both get two days of what they like
- Nature lovers interested in old forests and alpine flowers
- Travellers with five days who want both a summit-style challenge and a gentle finish
If three long trail days sound like too much, our Kakheti Wine Day Trip or Wine & Supra keep the wine and skip the climb.
What to bring
- Hiking boots with good grip; the forest path is muddy after rain
- Trekking poles, close to essential for the 2,000 m descent
- A sleeping bag good for freezing nights at the shelter
- A warm layer and rain jacket; the ridge is exposed
- Insect repellent for the forest zone in summer
- Passport for the park registration and the border check
- A smart-casual change of clothes for the Kakheti evenings
- Shelter places are limited and shared with other hikers; we bring tents as a backup.
- Snow can cover the upper trail and the lake until late June.
- The park may close the upper trail in bad weather; the guide then plans a forest day hike to Gurgeniani waterfall instead.
- The Gombori road between Telavi and Tbilisi has had long closures; we may return by the valley road.
Walking days in numbers
| Day | Distance | Up | Down | Hours | Highest point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 km | +1,400 m | −0 m | 6-7 | 1,950 m |
| 2 | 16 km | +1,000 m | −300 m | 7-8 | 2,950 m |
| 3 | 15 km | +0 m | −2,100 m | 6-7 | 2,650 m |
Guest reviews
Questions about this tour
How hard is the Black Rock Lake hike?
It is a long climb rather than a technical one. The first day gains about 1,400 m through forest, the second reaches about 2,950 m, and the third descends more than 2,000 m. You need good fitness and knees that cope with long descents.
Do I need a permit?
You register with the park administration before setting off, and the trail passes a border control point, so carry your passport. Your guide makes the arrangements.
Is the lake really on the border?
Yes. The lake lies on the main ridge, and the border with Russia runs across it. You stay on the Georgian side and do not need a visa.
Can we do it in two days?
Very fit hikers sometimes do, but it means about 30 km and 2,000 m of descent on the second day. We recommend three.
Could we spend more time in Kakheti?
Easily. Add a night in Sighnaghi or Kvareli, or a cooking class at a family home. Just tell us when you book.
