Georgia (country), early September (1 Viewer)

[Val35]

Hi !

I will have vacation in September and I'm seriously considering a 10-12 days trip to Georgia as this country holds mainy potential lifers for me.

I'm thinking about flying to Tbilissi, rent a car and drive to Stephantsminda (with a few stops on the way) and stay there for 2-3 days. Are the mountain species not too difficult to see in early September (ie grouse, snowcock, redstart, rosefinch...) ?

Then I have two options : either driving to Batumi for migrating birds and Chorokhi delta area or going back to Tbilissi and spend a few days exploring the south east of the country (Jandari Lake, David Gareji Monasteri, Chachuna Reserve...).

Is the drive from Stephantsminda to Batumi do-able in a single day ?
And if I choose to go to the south east, will the wheatears, shrikes, warblers still be around ?

I also heard that driving in Georgia is sometimes a bit dangerous both because of the roads themselves and the drivers. Is it really a concern when travelling to this country or is it exaggerated ? I'm used to drive on mountains roads though (living in Corsica)...

Thank you !

 

[jogresh]

My visit to Stepantsminda was in early - mid April; whereas Batumi was early October - so my only constructive comment would be about the journeys between the cities. I took a mashrutka (minibus/minivan) from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda - it was straightforward. The last 100km, inc over the Jvari pass was very slow and bumpy, though i have asked someone more recently who said it wasn't too bad. There's no point having a car in Stepantsminda.
Batumi, i got to by train, and stayed in a homestay in Sakhalvasho organised by the BRC, which unfortunately was the worst accommodation experience of my many years of global travelling.

 

[Val35]

Thanks ! I might do the same then if I can avoid renting a car.
Is reaching the interesting spots in the Batumi area (Chorokhi delta, Batumi botanical gardens and of course migration watchpoints) easy without a car ?

 

[leonardo_simon]

I had an awesome non-birding trip to Georgia in 1996. Much has probably changed since then but I would love to return.

My only potentially relevant contrition to this thread is that if you are planning to base yourself near Batumi then it may be worth looking into flying to Trabzon instead as it’s a lot closer to Batumi.

Stepantsminda was a wild place in those days. We had camped on the hillside near the church having just climbed Mt Kazbegi & got invited into a ceremony /service at the church. It was a full orthodox thing with gold robes, incense etc. However some of the locals enticed us out to join them in a vodka drinking session in the crypts below…..

 

[Jos Stratford]

My only potentially relevant contrition to this thread is that if you are planning to base yourself near Batumi then it may be worth looking into flying to Trabzon instead as it’s a lot closer to Batumi.

Trabzon in Turkey?!

There is a far better option - from many European countries, the budget airlines (Ryan, Wizz) fly to Kutaisi, very much the gateway airport to western Georgia. From this airport, there are cheap shuttles that meet each flight and take you into Batumi.

 

[Jos Stratford]

As for transport in the Batumi area if without a car, easy to use the collective minibuses (mashrutka) to get to Chorokhi and to the bottom of the road that leads up to the migration points (you then would need to walk several km to the first migration point, or hitchhike or take a taxi, the latter not very expensive)

 

[leonardo_simon]

I had an awesome non-birding trip to Georgia in 1996. Much has probably changed since then but I would love to return.

My only potentially relevant contrition to this thread is that if you are planning to base yourself near Batumi then it may be worth looking into flying to Trabzon instead as it’s a lot closer to Batumi.

Trabzon in Turkey?!

There is a far better option - from many European countries, the budget airlines (Ryan, Wizz) fly to Kutaisi, very much the gateway airport to western Georgia. From this airport, there are cheap shuttles that meet each flight and take you into Batumi.

Ha - shows how out of date I am.

 

[Val35]

Thanks to both of you!

It seems that there are cheap flights from Paris to Kutaisi so I might just do this!

 

[Steve Babbs]

I also heard that driving in Georgia is sometimes a bit dangerous both because of the roads themselves and the drivers. Is it really a concern when travelling to this country or is it exaggerated ? I'm used to drive on mountains roads though (living in Corsica)...

Thank you !

I found the driving in Corsica truly, mind-bogglingly awful and I've driven in a lot of different countries. So I suspect you'll be able to cope.

 

[pbjosh]

I found the driving in Corsica truly, mind-bogglingly awful and I've driven in a lot of different countries. So I suspect you'll be able to cope.

There's a resounding recommendation, hah! Made me chuckle

 

[Jos Stratford]

I found the driving in Corsica truly, mind-bogglingly awful and I've driven in a lot of different countries. So I suspect you'll be able to cope.

I've driven in Corsica and Georgia ...the Corsicans are sedate gentleman and ladies in comparison to their Georgian compatriots 🙂

 

[leonardo_simon]

I've driven in Corsica and Georgia ...the Corsicans are sedate gentleman and ladies in comparison to their Georgian compatriots 🙂

I can vouch for that having done the same. Roads in Georgia were very bad when I was there…..

 

[Steve Babbs]

I've driven in Corsica and Georgia ...the Corsicans are sedate gentleman and ladies in comparison to their Georgian compatriots 🙂

Even the woman who was 2 inches from my bumper, while on her phone, at speed round a winding mountain road. Who when I pulled in to let her pass, letting her know what I thought of her driving, then pulled in to let me pass and then proceeded to pull in an let me pass and then continue on her phone 2 inches behind. I then pulled in again and leapt out of the car. She decided not to stop then. Which is a pity because throwing her car keys down the mountain may well have saved her, or someone else's, life. If it's worse than that I think I'll give it a miss.

I talked to my Georgian LSA today; she said it was bad but not as bad as Thailand and probably not that dissimilar to Italy.

I am hoping to go before too long so I will be interested to know how it goes.