Sataplia: Dinosaur Footprints, the Cave and the Glass Platform

Sataplia State Reserve lies north-west of Kutaisi, 14 km from us. The name means "the place of honey", after the wild bees that nested in the cliffs here. Today it is a compact, well-organised park where one trail holds four different things.

What you will see

1. Dinosaur footprints. Discovered in 1933, the tracks of herbivorous and predatory dinosaurs are pressed into a limestone layer from the Cretaceous period, about 120 million years old. A pavilion protects them.
2. Sataplia Cave. A lit path of about 300 m with stalactites, famous for the formation known as the "stone heart". It is a constant 14 °C inside.
3. Colchic forest. The trail runs through relict evergreen forest of box, chestnut and ivy, particularly beautiful in spring and autumn.
4. The glass platform. At the end of the route a panoramic platform juts out over the cliff, with Kutaisi, the Rioni valley and the Caucasus mountains in view.

The full loop takes about 1.5–2 hours at an easy pace. The path is paved and mostly fine with a pushchair.

Hours and tickets

The reserve is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) and closed on Monday. An adult ticket has been around 15–20 GEL in recent years, guide included, with a discount for children. Prices are published on apa.gov.ge.

Getting there

• From Sweet Village: 18 minutes by car. A return taxi with waiting time is 30–40 GEL.
• From Kutaisi: 10 km; minibuses run from the centre towards Sataplia, a taxi is 15–20 GEL.

What to combine it with

Sataplia and Prometheus Cave fit easily into one day: Sataplia in the morning, lunch with us, Prometheus in the afternoon. If you see both caves you will notice how different they are: Sataplia small and natural, Prometheus vast and theatrical.

Stay the night between Sataplia and Prometheus · Location and distances