Javakheti National Park

Javakheti National Park (also know as ჯავახეთის ეროვნული პარკი in Georgian) is a 283.5 km² park situated in the south of Georgia (close to the border with Armenia and Turkey), in the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It covers most of the volcanic Javakheti Plateau and its main characteristics are treeless steppes, subalpine grasslands as well as lakes and wetlands.

How do I arrive to Javakheti National Park?

  Javakheti National Park isn't bad communicated because it's close to the road that connects Georgia and Armenia.

• Train: there are slow trains that links Tbilisi and Kars (Turkey) that stope in Akhalkalaki.
  
• Bus: there are marshrutkas departing from Ninotsminda's bus station to destinations such as Akhalkalaki or Akhaltsikhe. From Akhalkalaki there are also marshrutkas to Akhaltsikhe (aprox. 3 hours), Tbilisi (aprox. 4 hours) or Gymri in Armenia.
• Car: the main entrance to Javakheti National Park is via Ninotsminda, that can be reached from places such as Akhalkalaki (aprox. 20 minutes), Tsalka (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Akhaltsikhe (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes), Bakuriani (aprox. 2 hours 15 minutes) or Borjomi (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes) in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. Ninotsminda can also be reached from Gyumri (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes) or Lake Arpi National Park (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes) in Armenia; Ardahan (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes) and Kars (aprox. 2.5 hours) in Turkey.
  

  Once in the Park the best ways to move around the park are the car or simply hiking.

History

The national park is aimed at the conservation of the natural situation, but projects are also being carried out in the field of drinking water supply, energy, livestock farming, the sale of local products and tourism. The area contains five of the eight largest lakes in the country and further includes grasslands on mountain slopes. The Javakheti National Park was designated in 2011, part of a transnational protected area (joining Lake Arpi National Park in Armenia). The visitor and administration building of the Javakheti National Park (Akhalkalaki) was built and financed with the support of WWF and Germany.

What can I visit in Javakheti National Park?

  Javakheti National Park is a nice place to explore the volcanic Javakheti Plateau and its trails. Now it will be explained what to do in the park according to the town or village where they are or the nearest one:    

• Ninotsminda (ნინოწმინდა in Georgian, Նինոծմինդա in Armenian, formerly Bogdanovka): 5,144 inhabitants town by river Agrichai in the south of region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, close to border with Armenia. Almost all the population are ethnic Armenians (95%) but the town was founded in the 19th century by Old Believers. The town doesn't have much to do but it can be a good starting point to visit the national park.
  

  • St. Sarki Armenian Apostolic Church: simple church built in 1884 in dark stones.
    
  • Monument of the Great Patriotic War: monument from Soviet times that conmemorates the victory of the Soviet Union in WW2. The text and its names are written in Armenian.
    
  • Next to Ninotsminda there's Khanchali Managed Reserve, one of the reserves in the park that is located around Khanchali Lake. This wetland designated as Ramsar site provides habitat to many bird in summer (like the long-legged buzzard or the green warbler), and in winter it's covered with ice.
  • Another interesting activity here is taking Tiger Canyon Trail (12.3 km). This trail follows the eastern ridge of the Tiger Canyon and ends with a panoramic view. This place has its name because of the landscape around it, which looks like a tiger stripe. The trail can be extended in the direction of the mountain, where the border of three countries meets (Georgia-Armenia-Turkey).
    
• Going 12 km from Ninotsminda it can be found Gorelovka (გორელოვკა in Georgian, Գորելովկա in Armenian), 1,165 inhabitants. It was founded by Doukhobors, a spiritual Christian religious group of Russian origin (although most of them left Gorelovka in the 1990s). Close to this town it's located Bughdasheni Managed Reserve, a protected area that protects the mostly swampy Bugdasheni Lake. Its ecosystem is undergoing restoration (rich in fish, including trout, and part of the year to many species of migratory birds) and has been designated as a Ramsar site in 2020. It's possible to have a small walk around it, taking Bughdasheni Lake Trail (3 km). Not far from here is Madatapa Managed Reserve around Madatapa Lake. It's one of the most important sites in Georgia for breeding and staging waterbirds (like the Dalmatian pelican).
  
• Another of the reserves within the national park is Sulda Managed Reserve, that protects some marsh wetlands. The visitor can take the nice Sulda Wetlands Trail (5 km), a short hike where observing birds or riding horses that ends at the swamp.
  
• The largest part of the national park is situated around Kartsakhi Lake (Lake Aktaş in Turkish), an alkaline lake that is the 2nd largest lake in Georgia (in the international border between Georgia and Turkey). During the rainy season its excess water discharges to the river Kura. The area around it is protected by Kartsakhi Managed Reserve. To discover a bit more the nature of the lake and all its flora and fauna, it's highly advisable to take Kartsakhi Lake Trail (6.9 km). In the village of Kartsakhi (კარწახი in Georgian, Կարծախ in Armenian), 776 inhabitants, it's located Jivani House-Museum (10:30-17 Tue-Sun), a museum where the Armenian poet Jivani (regarded as the greatest Armenian ashugh of the 19th century) was born. Close to it, Mineskh Forest is located (one of the few forests in the area).
  

Kartsakhi Lake

Pelicans at Madatapa Lake

Ruins of Akhalkalaki Castle

The region of Javakheti was already inhabited by Armenians but in the 19th-20th centuries more came from many sites of the Ottoman Empire. Currently part of the population is looking for some degree of autonomy and linguistic rights (Georgian is barely spoken here). Driving 19 km north from Ninotsminda it can be visited Akhalkalaki (ახალქალაქი in Georgian, Ախալքալաք in Armenian, Ahılkelek in Turkish), a town with 8,295 people that is considered the capital of the Armenians in Georgia and of the region of Javakheti. There aren't many things to do in Akhalkalaki but one of the main sights are the Ruins of Akhalkalaki Castle (free). These remains belongs to an 11th century castle built in the times of the Kingdom of Georgia, alternating then between Georgian and Armenian rule until it finally fell to the Bagrationi dynasty. The town and castle were almost completely destroyed in the 15th century and conquered by the Ottomans in the 17th century.

Kumurdo Cathedral

Apart from the ruins of a castle, it can be seen a the ruins of an Ottoman mosque and a caravanserai too. The town has a nice church too, St. Khaj Armenian Apostolic Church, from the 19th century. To learn a bit more about the town and the history of Javakheti it's a good idea to get into Akhalkalaki Local Museum (10-18 Tue-Sat; 1₾), a small museum with ethnographical collection (containing folk furniture and costumes, rags and also archaeological materials). Going 15 km west the visitor can arrive to Kumurdo Cathedral, a 10th century Georgian Orthodox domed cathedral that was built by the bishop Ioane during the reign of Leon III, king of the Abkhazia. Kumurdo was an important cultural, educational and religious center during the Middle Ages.  It is the first church with features of the 11-13th century Georgian architecture of Georgia. The church is decorated with fine engravings and on its interior there mural paintings with special interest. Also close to Akhalkalaki there's Baraleti Georgian Orthodox Church, a two-nave basilica from the times of king George IV Lasha of Georgia in the 13th century. It has a simple exterior, only having a damaged relief and 13th century inscriptions in Georgian. There are several tombstones scattered around the church like the one of the priest Petre Khmaladze.

Parvani Lake

In the south of the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti there are many sights that are worth a look. Only 20 km far from Akhalkalaki it's located Heshtia (ეშტია in Georgian, Հեշտիա in Armenian). This small town has 1,691 inhabitants whose majority are mostly Catholic Armenians, as it can be seen in St. Astvatsatsin Catholic Church, a church from 1856. Continuing 10 km, the visitor can reach Abuli Fortress, a cyclopean megalithic structure dated to the Bronze Age on the southern slope of Mount Patara Abuli (2,670 m high) that hasn't had any archaeological excavation. In the area it can also be visited Paravani Lake, a volcanic lake that is the largest in Georgia and a popular destination for fishing. Spectral analysis have shown that deep in lake abyss lies mysterious object that appears to be of ancient origin. Around it there's also Shaori Fortress, another cyclopean megalithic structure with many architectural features of Abuli Fortress at Mount Shaori (2,752 m high). Another lake here is Saghamo Lake and on its lakeside there's Saghamo Monastery, a group of nice churches with unusual motifs of bas-reliefs (the oldest one dates back to the 10th century).

Where can I eat in Javakheti National Park?

The main places to eat in Javakheti National Park are located in Ninotsminda and in Akhalkalaki.

Posted in: Europe,Georgia,National Park