Akhaltsikhe and Rabati Fortress
You can’t pass Akhaltsikhe if you’re heading to the cave city of Vardzia. And if it’s on our way, why not stop for an hour or so to check out Rabati Fortress, especially since it truly deserves it.
I share my journey to Akhaltsikhe and Rabati Fortress — a 9th-century castle complex in southern Georgia. Learn how to get there, explore its diverse architecture, and uncover the rich history of this multicultural site. Practical tips, personal insights, and must-see highlights for your visit.
How to get to Akhaltsikhe
The distance from Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe is 207 km, from Batumi – 160 km, from Kutaisi – 175 km. The closest city to Akhaltsikhe is Borjomi, just 48 km away.
By Car
All major cities in Georgia are connected to Akhaltsikhe by good-quality roads, but only the route through Kutaisi is fully reliable.
You can’t drive through the Goderdzi Pass, because from Batumi to Khulo there’s a paved road, and after that – just a rough track. If you love off-roading and your car is prepared, you can go – the views are beautiful. But even rental companies warn that this road is not suitable for regular driving!
Via Kutaisi, you can easily reach Akhaltsikhe in any regular car (we once went in a Nissan Micra). I recommend not hesitating and renting a car in Georgia, so you don’t waste time on minibuses, taxis, and hitchhiking.
Every time I rent a car in Georgia, I go through LocalRent. Why? I explained it here – Car Rental and Driving in Georgia.
Excursions
There are excursions from Tbilisi and Batumi, but keep in mind that it will take the whole day, usually including Borjomi and the cave city of Vardzia. That one is even cooler than Uplistsikhe.
- Uplistsikhe Ancient Cave Guide
Excursion prices start from $40, and you can see all the options with prices here.
By Minibus
Completely insane, but if you’re an adventure seeker and ready to spend the whole day in a minibus (marshrutka), here’s how.
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Minibuses from Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe leave from Didube Bus Station starting at 8 a.m., every 40 minutes. Travel time is 3 hours.
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From Borjomi to Akhaltsikhe: 8:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
If you catch the first minibus from Borjomi to Akhaltsikhe, you can visit Rabati Fortress and take the 12:20 minibus to Vardzia. The Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia route is popular, so it’s better to arrive at least half an hour before departure.
But you can also catch passing minibuses from Borjomi to Akhaltsikhe.
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Minibuses from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe run twice a day from the old station at 1 Mayakovsky Street: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Travel time is 6 hours. Brutal.
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From Kutaisi to Akhaltsikhe, there are seven minibus departures from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Taxi
You can bargain with taxi drivers in Tbilisi or Batumi. But recently, I’ve been recommending the Georgian service gotrip.ge to everyone. You plan the route yourself online: where you’re starting, what you want to see, and where the finish is. The cost of the trip is shown right away. You can stop as much as you like along the way – to take photos, explore. It’s basically renting a car with a driver. I used them from Batumi to Kutaisi this year, and I really liked it.
Rabati Fortress
Opening hours: daily except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There’s a large parking lot for cars at the fortress exit, in the upper part (Google Maps link).
Entrance to the lower part of the fortress is free. There you’ll find a café, a souvenir shop, an info center, a wine shop (definitely check it out), and an incredibly cool hotel by local standards – Gino Wellness Rabath. If you plan to spend the night in Akhaltsikhe, I recommend this hotel, because there’s basically nothing else – just guesthouses, most of which have shared bathrooms (yes, that matters to me).
Rabati (translated from Arabic as “fortified place”) is the largest preserved fortress in Georgia, restored in 2011.
This photo was taken from the lower part, where the entrance is free.
In the 13th century, when the Turks captured Akhaltsikhe, the Ahmediye Mosque was built in the fortress on the site of a destroyed church, modeled after Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Ayasofya in Istanbul).
- 50 Best Things ToDo in Istanbul – my Ultimate Guide
In the 19th century, after Akhaltsikhe was liberated by units of the Russian army, the mosque was converted into the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin. Now, the interior is empty.
The fortress offers views of Akhaltsikhe and the surrounding area.
In the upper part, there are various buildings, gardens, and it’s quite interesting to take a walk.
In the western part of the fortress stands the tallest structure – the Citadel. Climb the tower to get a view of the entire fortress.
