Martvili: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Martvili is a small town, but for centuries its hill was one of the religious capitals of western Georgia. In Soviet times the town even lost its name and was called Gegechkori; it took the old one back in 1990. This route climbs to the monastery by cable car and then follows the Dadiani princes out to their summer palace. Half a day by car, with walking only at the monastery.
A short history of Martvili
Martvili is a small town in Mingrelia, in western Georgia. On the hill above it stands the Chkondidi Monastery, for centuries the seat of the bishops of Mingrelia, whose church was built in the 10th century on the spot where, according to tradition, a huge oak tree that was worshipped had once stood. The Dadiani family, the rulers of Mingrelia, used the area as a summer retreat. In the Soviet period the town was called Gegechkori, and only in 1990 did it return to its name. Today people come mainly for the Martvili Canyon, a narrow gorge of the Abasha River with waterfalls and turquoise water.
The ten best sights in Martvili
1Martvili MonasteryThe hilltop church above town; come at sunset for the view over the Samegrelo plain
-
2Martvili Cable Car
A short ride from the town centre up to the monastery, instead of the steep road
3Martvili Local MuseumA small regional museum in the centre; good for half an hour on a rainy morning
4Martvili CanyonThe main reason people come; boats run between the walls, arrive at opening time to beat the tour buses
-
5Balda Canyon
Quieter than Martvili Canyon, with turquoise water and a short path; combine with Oniore waterfall
6Oniore WaterfallA forest waterfall above Balda; the last part is on a rough track, good shoes needed
7Okatse CanyonA steel walkway bolted to the cliff over the gorge; not for those afraid of heights
8Kinchkha WaterfallA tall waterfall on the slope of the Askhi massif, 40 minutes from town; a smaller fall and pool lie further up
9Salkhino PalaceThe Dadiani summer residence, today a residence of the Georgian Patriarch; visit the grounds respectfully
10NokalakeviThe walled ruins of Archaeopolis, capital of ancient Lazica, on a bend of the Tekhuri river
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Martvili →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Martvili:
Free walking tours in Martvili
The hill of the great oak
Martvili is a small town, but for centuries its hill was one of the religious capitals of western Georgia. In Soviet times the town even lost its name and was called Gegechkori; it took the old one back in 1990. This route climbs to the monastery by cable car and then follows the Dadiani princes out to their summer palace. Half a day by car, with walking only at the monastery.
- Martvili Cable Car · The lower station sits in the town centre, so the monastery that once meant a steep climb is now a few minutes away.
- Martvili Monastery · The monastery's old name, Chkondidi, means 'great oak' in Megrelian: tradition says a sacred oak worshipped on this hill was cut down and the church built in its place.
- Chkondidi bishops' seat · From the time of David the Builder the bishop of Chkondidi also served as the king's chancellor, which made this hill a centre of state as well as faith.
- Martvili Local Museum · Back down in town, the regional museum keeps the story of the Martvili district, renamed Gegechkori under the Soviets after a local Bolshevik.
- Salkhino Palace · This was the summer residence of the Dadiani, rulers of Samegrelo, and today it serves as a residence of the Patriarch of Georgia.
- Salkhino mill · A short walk from the palace stands an old water mill, a reminder that Salkhino was a working estate and not only a palace.
Three canyons and two waterfalls
North of Martvili the plain breaks against limestone hills, and the rivers have cut narrow green gorges into them. The Dadiani princes used this country for bathing and hunting long before it had paths and tickets. This is a full day by car, with short walks at each stop; start at Martvili Canyon at opening time. Bring shoes with grip, because paths are wet even in summer.
- Martvili Canyon · The gorge of the Abasha river was a private bathing place of the Dadiani family; the boats that go up between the walls are a recent addition.
- Balda Canyon · Further up the same river, near the village of Balda, the water runs a brighter turquoise and there are far fewer visitors.
- Oniore Waterfall · Oniore drops through thick forest above Balda; the track to it is a reminder of how remote these hills were until recently.
- Dadiani palace ruins, Gordi · At the start of the Okatse path stand the ruins of the Dadiani hunting palace in Gordi; the princes came here for the forests on the canyon rim.
- Okatse Canyon · The walkway is fixed to the bare rock wall and hangs over the drop, so you look straight down into the river below your feet.
- Kinchkha Waterfall · Above the big fall a path continues to the small Lomina waterfall and its pool, which most visitors never reach.
Lazica and the underworld
Long before Samegrelo, this land was Egrisi, the kingdom the Byzantines called Lazica. Its capital stood on the Tekhuri river, and the empires of Rome and Persia fought over it in the 6th century. This route goes west to those walls and then turns east, under the ground, into a cave named after the myths of Colchis. A full day by car, roughly 120 km in all.
- Nojikhevi monastery ruins · These are the ruins of a monastery complex on the road from Martvili to Abasha, one of the many church sites that dot the Samegrelo plain.
- Nokalakevi · The Georgian name simply means 'the place where a town once was'; the Byzantine historian Procopius described the Persian attack on these walls during the Lazic War.
- Nokalakevi Archaeological Museum · Excavations here have been running for decades, since 2001 with a joint Georgian and British team, and the finds are shown on site.
- Gochipe Canyon · Right beside the fortress the Tekhuri river runs through a narrow rock gorge, the natural moat that made Archaeopolis so hard to take.
- Khoni · Khoni was called Tsulukidze for most of the Soviet period, after a Georgian revolutionary, and took back its old name in 1991.
- Prometheus Cave · Its halls are named after the myths of this land: the Hall of Medea, the Hall of the Argonauts and the Hall of Prometheus, who was chained in the Caucasus.
Getting to Martvili and getting around
- Kutaisi International Airport · The nearest airport, about 40 minutes' drive; low-cost flights from Europe and Israel land here
- Senaki Station · The closest main-line station on the Tbilisi–Zugdidi line; from here it is a taxi or marshrutka to Martvili
- Martvili Bus Station · Marshrutkas to Kutaisi, Senaki and Zugdidi; the canyon has no regular bus, so plan a taxi
Cheap eats in Martvili
Martvili is in Samegrelo, and Megrelian food is the spiciest in Georgia: adjika made with hot red pepper, kharcho thick with walnuts, and elarji, cornmeal porridge beaten with stretchy sulguni cheese. Gebzhalia, rolls of fresh cheese in a mint and yogurt sauce, is the local starter. The town has no food street, so eat in the centre or at the cafés by the canyon, and expect prices well below the coast.
- Elza Bakery · Town bakery; a Megrelian khachapuri about 6-10 lari, bread about 1 lari
- Kanionel · Café at Martvili Canyon; coffee and a snack about 5-12 lari
- Gulsunda · Lunch by the canyon road; khachapuri or kharcho about 12-20 lari
- Sardapi · Central; elarji or gebzhalia about 10-18 lari
- Lebache · On the canyon road; a main about 12-20 lari
Museums in Martvili
- Martvili Local Museum · Small regional collection in the centre
- Martvili Monastery · Covered shoulders and knees; scarves at the door
- Nokalakevi Archaeological Museum · About 30 minutes west; walls, churches and the river gorge
- Salkhino Palace · Dadiani summer residence, now a patriarchal residence
Nature and day trips near Martvili
- Martvili Canyon · Boats between green walls; come early
- Balda Canyon · Turquoise water and fewer people
- Okatse Canyon · A forest walk then the cliff walkway; 2-3 hours
- Kinchkha Waterfall · Big fall near Okatse; pair them in one morning
- Tobavarchkhili Lakes · Summer only; 4x4 or a long trek
Things to do in Martvili with kids
- Martvili Cable Car · Short ride up to the monastery; children love it
- Martvili Canyon boats · Life jackets on, a short ride between the cliffs
- Prometheus Cave · About 30 minutes east; cool inside all year
- Dadiani Garden, Gordi · Shade and space at the Okatse entrance
Where to eat in Martvili
- Oda Family Marani · Family winery; ask for Ojaleshi, the Megrelian red grape
- Oda · Megrelian dinner in the centre
- KaLand · Restaurant in the canyon villages; good after a late visit
- Lasha's Ethno House · Home-style Megrelian table in a village south of town
Frequently asked questions about Martvili
What is there to see in Martvili?
The top sights in Martvili are Martvili Monastery, Martvili Cable Car and Martvili Local Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Martvili?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Martvili without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Martvili?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Martvili, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The hill of the great oak.
How do you get to Martvili and get around?
The main ways are Kutaisi International Airport, Senaki Station and Martvili Bus Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Martvili, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Martvili that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Martvili for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.