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Borjomi Bears
The day after I arrived in Tbilisi, we set off for a multi-day hike in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, which is a roughly 4.5 hour train ride west of Tbilisi. Since the guys had already been in Georgia for a while, they had scoped out how to get everywhere and had pretty much planned the trip and had even already done the food shopping in the Tbilisi markets. All I needed to do was keep up! We set off early in the morning and headed to the main train station, which was a nearly ten minute walk from the hostel. The station is, in my opinion, an amazing example of Russian engineering (forgive me if it’s really Georgian). The whole set up reminded me of movies about the Cold War, where you see Russia as a cold, stark, uninviting place. It was here that I had the longest escalator ride of my life as we descended into the belly of the city to catch a train out of it (see it in my video if you haven’t already!). If you have vertigo or are a bit claustrophobic, avoid the train station in Tbilisi!
The ride out was not so bad, the train was a bit smelly, dirty, and seemed quite old, but otherwise, it got us to where we wanted to go. When we arrived at the station we got a bus into Borjomi and asked the driver to let us know where the national park was. A few minutes later, earlier than we had expected, he motioned for us to get off and pointed off to his left. We got off with another old lady, who also made a gesture in the same direction. So, we headed that way. It didn’t seem right, it was far too small and urban for a place with multi-day hiking and we looked really out-of-place with our giant backpacks, but everyone kept telling us this was the way to the national park. Â When we finally got to the gate of the park, we discovered that we had been led to the Borjomi city park – where the famous Borjomi mineral water comes from. Â Not quite what we wanted.
A side note about Borjomi water – Georgians, and many other Eastern Europeans love this water. I personally found it to be like drinking toilet water (not that I ever have), it was a bit salty and rusty tasting , although according to fans of Borjomi water, this is what makes it so healthy and desirable. We even met a couple from Latvia who told us a story of when Latvia still a part of the USSR, and for them, Borjomi water was a treat, something you only got when it was someone’s birthday or another special occasion.
After our unintended visit to water park, we hiked through town and picked up a few more random food supplies on the way before finally reaching the national park office, which was a short way out of town. At the office, we picked up some useful information, like a map, and talked to the ranger about our plans. Â The national park office also had a nice display about the flora and fauna that existed in the park, like bears. I have been many places with bears, but I have never seen a bear in the wild, so I was determined to see one!
After our talk with the ranger, we hitched a ride to the trail head down the road and opted to spend our first night at the ranger station at the start of the trail since it was nearly dark by the time we got there! It ended up to be a crowded night at the ranger station when another group also arrived late, forcing us all to crowd together in the Rangers’ dining room. The next morning we set off early and followed the trail into the forest. It was an easy trail to follow, with good signage and a well-trodden path since many people do an easy, overnight return hike between the first ranger station and the second.
The first day is spent mostly in the trees, but by the end of the day, you break free of the tree line and are rewarded with amazing views. The only downside is that the far-reaching views also let you see exactly where you are going – good if you are afraid of getting lost, bad when every time you look up you realize you still have a long way to go!
The hike was definitely one of my favorites, although sadly, once again I didn’t see any bears! Â Even though we headed out early each morning, the closest we got to a bear were a few fresh paw prints and some bear poo.
If you are an avid hiker, I definitely recommend a multi-day hike in Borjomi! The panoramic vistas are spectacular with rolling green hills and distant snow-capped mountains. There are a plethora of free snacks along the way – blueberry and raspberry bushes thrive in the Georgian mountains. And you’ll probably have the trail to yourself, apart from a few friendly locals you might bump into – and be forewarned and prepared, they’ll probably offer you homemade chacha. Good luck with chacha, it is just as strong as it smells!
Neshamayin 