Borjomi-Kharagauli

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, established in 1995, is one of the largest national parks in the Caucasus and one of the largest in Europe, covering approximately 85,000 hectares across the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Imereti regions of central Georgia. The park spans the central Lesser Caucasus Mountain Range, with elevations ranging from 800 to 2,642 metres at Mepistsqaro Peak. Its forested mountains, alpine meadows, glacial lakes, and pristine rivers make it one of Georgia's premier wilderness destinations. The iconic Borjomi mineral water springs, which have been bottled and exported since the 19th century, lie just outside the park boundary.

Borjomi-Kharagauli has some of the Caucasus's best-preserved large mammal communities. The park is home to Caucasian brown bears, Caucasian red deer (the stag population is one of the largest in Georgia), wild boar, roe deer, Caucasian chamois on the high ridges, and Caucasian lynx. Grey wolves maintain a pack structure in the more remote areas. The park is excellent for birds of prey, with golden eagles, short-toed snake eagles, and honey buzzards. Caucasian black grouse occupy the sub-alpine ecotone, and the park holds populations of the endemic Caucasian snowcock above the treeline.

The park is dominated by dense temperate mixed forests, which cover approximately 75% of its area. Colchic flora—the distinctive western Caucasian forest type—includes Oriental beech, Oriental hornbeam, Georgian oak, chestnut, and various species of Caucasian rhododendron in the understorey. Above the treeline, alpine meadows are dominated by grasses, sedges, and diverse mountain wildflowers. Several endemic and sub-endemic plant species of the Caucasus occur within the park, including various Caucasian primrose species and saxifrages. The park's forests are largely primary and contain ancient trees of substantial girth.

The park straddles the watershed of the Lesser Caucasus, formed by Tertiary volcanism and later compressed by the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Volcanic and metamorphic rocks dominate the higher ridges, while lower valleys are incised into older sedimentary strata. Quaternary glaciation carved cirques and U-shaped valleys at higher elevations; glacial lakes including Lake Tba-Tsqarostan occupy some of these cirques. The Borjomi mineral springs outside the park arise from deep volcanic groundwater enriched with carbon dioxide and dissolved minerals, a geological legacy of the region's volcanic history.

Borjomi-Kharagauli's climate varies dramatically with elevation. The lower Borjomi Valley has a mild, humid climate with warm summers (July average 22°C) and cool winters. Ascending into the park, temperatures fall and precipitation increases substantially, with the upper ridges receiving over 1,500 millimetres annually. Snow covers the high zones from November to April. The forests create a humid micro-climate that supports the lush Colchic vegetation. Summer conditions in the forest are pleasant, but afternoon thunderstorms are common. The best hiking season is June–September, with late June particularly spectacular for rhododendron bloom.

The Borjomi-Kharagauli region has a long history of human use, with medieval Georgian kingdoms exploiting the forests for timber and charcoal and the high pastures for summer grazing. The discovery of the mineral springs at Borjomi in the 1820s by Russian Imperial soldiers led to the development of a fashionable spa resort, patronised by the Russian royal family and high society. The Romanov family had a summer palace at Likani, within the park boundary, and several Romanov-era buildings survive in the broader Borjomi area. The development of the spa town brought a railway connection that remains in use today.

Borjomi-Kharagauli was established as a national park in 1995, becoming one of Georgia's first following independence. Significant international support from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the German government assisted with park planning, infrastructure development, and ranger training in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The park was expanded and reorganised, incorporating former Soviet-era forest reserves. The visitor infrastructure—trail network, visitor centre, ranger stations—was substantially built with this international support. The park is managed by the Georgian Agency of Protected Areas and is considered a flagship of Georgia's conservation system.

Borjomi-Kharagauli has an outstanding trail network of over 80 kilometres, including two multi-day trek routes. The main tourist trail runs from Borjomi through the forest to the Likani summer palace and beyond to the alpine zone. The Seven Lakes Trail, a challenging 2–3 day hike, connects a series of glacial lakes at 2,000+ metres elevation. The Kharagauli visitor centre on the western side of the park is the starting point for several forest and mountain trails. The Borjomi town spa facilities and mineral water springs serve as excellent before-or-after-park attractions.

The park has two main entry points: Borjomi on the east and Kharagauli on the west. Both towns are accessible by train from Tbilisi (Borjomi: 3 hours; Kharagauli: 3.5 hours). Visitor centres at both entrances provide maps, permits, and accommodation bookings. The park operates designated campsites and refuges along the trail network. Guided tours are available through the park or through Tbilisi-based operators. The park requires a visitor permit, purchased at the visitor centres. Accommodation is also available in Borjomi's hotels and guesthouses.

Conservation challenges at Borjomi-Kharagauli include managing poaching pressure on deer and chamois, controlling illegal logging at the park margins, and monitoring the impact of livestock grazing in the buffer zone. Climate change is documented through retreating snowpack and shifts in vegetation zones. The park cooperates with local communities in developing tourism-based livelihoods to reduce dependence on resource extraction. WWF Georgia continues long-term ecological monitoring of large mammals. The mineral water bottling operations at Borjomi outside the park require careful management of shared groundwater resources.