カヘティの天然記念物・トップ8

The lake was pretty small in August. Should be much better in July.

you cannot enter the reserve without a specially arranged guide. however, you can walk along the perimeter of the reserve. there is a path

Do not run in rain, strong wind or darkness. Well signposted, but some very steep, narrow trails with danger of slipping

Fossil bones were found here, from a prehistoric elephant, larger than those found today. Perhaps also from bears, but mainly mussels. And yes: there are probably other old bones in the sedimentary rock, I immediately saw other large shoulder blades and whole tusks... the plaque next to it is now missing.

Thousands of swallows' nests hang on this rock! Unique and the largest swallow colony in Georgia! When the swallows are gone in winter, the sparrows take the nests, and when the swallows come back, they fight for the nests back (that's what it says on the sign).

The plaque is no longer legible, but this appears to be the oldest pistachio tree, the "Patriarch Cistus Tree" at over 800 years old.

Viewpoint over the Vashlovani National Park to the huge cliff edge and to the plain and Armenia. With benches and a sign about the leopard (which was spotted once).

Although Takhti Tepa is far outside the national park, it is still managed by it and you need permission from the border police because of its proximity to the border. Just before the border with Azerbaijan, far away from everything, in the middle of an undulating steppe landscape, there is ONE hill (from a distance it looks like any other) on which around fifty mud volcanoes bubble away. Some are larger (5m), others smaller (5cm), some are cone-shaped, others are puddles, others are constant "mud dispensers" whose mud runs down the hill. Yes, the mud is cold and no, it doesn't smell. Well worth seeing.