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Voykit pocket guide · Georgia
Chokhatauri
ჩოხატაური
Give Chokhatauri one night as a Guria base for Erketi and Goraberezhouli, or skip it and sleep in Ozurgeti if you have no car.
Chokhatauri is a small district town in Guria, 27 km from Ozurgeti and about 40 km from Kutaisi airport. The town itself is two hours of walking; the reason to come is the ring of monasteries, the 17th-century Eristavi palace and garden at Goraberezhouli, the Sunday market and the road up to Bakhmaro. Almost nothing is signposted and there is no gear rental, so a car or a hired taxi turns a stop into a trip.
- Country
- Georgia
- Local name
- ჩოხატაური
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid lowland heat), Dec–Mar (Bakhmaro road often closed by snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GEL
- Money
- Currency is the Georgian lari (₾, GEL). Change money at banks or exchange offices, not in the airport hall.
- Daily spend
- Budget 60–100 GEL excl. bed · Mid 100–180 GEL excl. bed · High 180 GEL+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Magti, Silknet (Geocell) and Cellfie sell SIMs with a passport; cheap data.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance and fire 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check the bill for a service charge; otherwise 10%.; Drivers and guides: GEL 10–30 a day.
- Water
- Tap water is widely drunk in Tbilisi and mountain towns (check locally); bottled is cheap.
- Toilets
- Free in cafés for customers; small fees at stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a café | 2–5 GEL |
| Khachapuri or a plate of guruli | 8–15 GEL |
| Bottle of Chkhaveri from a Bukistsikhe winery | 10–25 GEL |
| Village taxi run, 5–10 kmVillage taxi run, 3.1–6.2 mi | 10–20 GEL |
| Minibus (marshutka) to Ozurgeti | 3–6 GEL |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 20–40 GEL |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KUT · Kutaisi International
- About 40 km north-east; taxi to Chokhatauri around 30 GELAbout 25 mi north-east; taxi to Chokhatauri around 30 GEL
- BUS · Batumi International
- About 80 km south-west; longer taxi run, agree the fare before you get inAbout 50 mi south-west; longer taxi run, agree the fare before you get in
Typical fares
- Kutaisi airport → Chokhatauri, taxi
- about 30 GEL
- Ozurgeti → Chokhatauri, taxi
- about 15 GEL
- Samtredia → Chokhatauri, taxi
- about 25 GEL
Get around
The centre is walkable in 15–20 minutes. Villages, monasteries and the palace need a car, a bike or a taxi; taxis wait on the main square and minibuses to villages leave from the bus station by the stadium and market, and from the stop opposite the Socar filling station. Two filling stations, Wissol and Socar, are open 24 hours.
See and do
Known for
- Erketi monastery
- Udabno monastery
- Eristavi palace and garden at Goraberezhouli
- Sunday Bazroba market
- Chkhaveri wine
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Erketi monastery | Taxi or car 6 km south, then a short walkTaxi or car 3.7 mi south, then a short walk | About 30 min |
| Goraberezhouli (Eristavi palace and garden) | Taxi or car 5 km westTaxi or car 3.1 mi west | About 25 min |
| Udabno monastery | Car north via Shua Amaghleba, about 7 km from OzurgetiCar north via Shua Amaghleba, about 4.3 mi from Ozurgeti | About 45 min |
| Bakhmaro | Car up the regional road, 58 km from the Erketi sideCar up the regional road, 36 mi from the Erketi side | 1.5–2 h |
| Ureki and the Black Sea | Car or minibus via Ozurgeti | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre, Dumbadze Street
- Walk to the museum, the park, the market and both ATMs; a handful of small hotels and unnamed guesthouses.
- Southern edge on the Bakhmaro road
- One small hotel opposite the Marula supermarket; handy if you leave early for Bakhmaro.
- Village guesthouses (Erketi, Goraberezhouli side)
- Farmhouse stays with wine cellars and yards; you need a car or a pre-booked taxi to reach them.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | გამარჯობაgamarjoba |
| Thank you | მადლობაmadloba |
| How much is it? | რა ღირს?ra ghirs |
| Where is the bus station? | სად არის ავტოსადგური?sad aris avtosadguri |
| I would like one bottle of wine | ერთი ბოთლი ღვინო მინდაerti botli ghvino minda |
| Help | დახმარებაdakhvareba |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Refusing hospitality outright
- Church: Cover up; do not turn your back to the altar; avoid: Shorts, bare shoulders, loud talk
- Supra: Follow the tamada; drink on toasts; avoid: Toasting with beer; leaving early without thanks
- History: Listen; avoid: Calling Georgia part of Russia or the region 'post-Soviet' casually
Scams and watch-outs
- Village minibuses fill up and leave when full; the last runs back are early afternoon, so ask your driver for the return time.
- Erketi, Udabno, Shubani and Bukistsikhe are working religious or ruined sites: no ticket office, no opening hours posted, dress modestly and check locally before entering.
- The Bakhmaro road is seasonal; in winter and after heavy rain it can be impassable — ask in town before setting out.
- Card payment is patchy outside the two banks; carry lari cash for taxis, markets and village guesthouses.
- Roads to the villages are narrow and unlit; do not drive them after dark.
Chokhatauri is a quiet rural town and violent crime against visitors is rare; the real risks are unlit village roads, seasonal mountain weather, stray dogs and cash-only businesses. Use 112 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chokhatauri yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Erketi monastery
- Udabno monastery
- Eristavi palace and garden at Goraberezhouli
- Sunday Bazroba market
- Chkhaveri wine
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Georgian National Tourism Administration: georgia.travel/
- Georgian Railways (nearest station: Samtredia): railway.ge/?web=0&action=0&lang=eng
- Wikivoyage: Chokhatauri, revision 5126791 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5126791
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Chokhatauriჩოხატაური
ამ მისამართამდე, გთხოვთ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance and fire112
No embassies in Chokhatauri; most are in Tbilisi, with consulates in Batumi. Check your own country's list before you travel.
Cash is king outside the two banks. Save the guesthouse phone number offline.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/chokhatauri). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.