Kutaisi, Georgia

Kutaisi is allegedly one of the world's oldest inhabited cities, but more importantly it is the gateway to skiing Svaneti, Racha & Bakhmaro in Georgia. Whilst you may never set foot in the city itself, the modern airport at Kutaisi is the best place to land if skiing anywhere in western Georgia.

Kutaisi airport is the starting point for some of the 'last best ski adventures in the world'. Its growing popularity means that NOW is the time to visit.

Skiing & Snowboarding near Kutaisi

Kutaisi is the most efficient place from which to travel to the fabled Svaneti region of northwest Georgia. The historic, fortified town of Mestia is the main base to ski the Svaneti backcountry & ski resorts of Tetnuldi & Hatsvali. Regardless of what one is doing, Mestia is worthy of a few nights stay on any visit & may indeed be the highlight of one's journey. Mestia, the 'capital' of Svaneti region, has all the elements of a classic frontier town, remote from the niceties of the world and with the whiff of adventure still clinging to its ancient, fortified stone towers. Nature still rules here too. During winter roads will close, the power will go off, and the snow will get deep, so expect the unexpected.

The best freeride ski resort in the country, Tetnuldi, is less than one hour drive from Mestia (when the road is good!), and the smaller Hatsvali is right on Mestia's doorstep. Perfect for a storm-riding day, such is its convenience we have walked to, & skied back from, Hatsvali to our accommodation in the centre of town. Heli-skiing is based right near the village. Week-long trips are possible for the cashed-up, plus more affordable day trips or single trips can be undertaken, usually up to the top of Chalaadi Glacier. Cat skiing is also possible near Mestia in tow locations.

Away from the Svaneti ski resorts, numerous Svan villages with the requisite fortified stone tower houses make incredible backcountry touring destinations. The isolated village of Ushguli, regularly called the 'gem of the Svaneti', is one of the ultimate ski-touring locations, but there are several others with less skiers heading to them.

Also in the Greater Caucasus to the north, the wild valleys & mountains of Racha are a 3hr drive to the northeast of Kutaisi. Racha has wonderful backcountry ski touring on north-aspect slopes from numerous small villages of Chiora, Glola & Shovi. Accessible peaks ranging over 3,400m from a valley altitude of around 1,600m provide plenty of scope for adventure in this quiet part of the Caucasus.

To the south in the Lesser Caucasus, and closer to the Black Sea, the snow-laden mecca of Georgian cat skiing, Bakhmaro, lies just 120km by road away. Travel times are dependent on snow/road conditions but needless to say the journey will likely be longer than anticipated. The final part of the trip is via oversnow cats or snowmobiles. It is worth it though. The snow & terrain here are perfect for catskiing and ski-touring. For ease of access, a visit to Bakhmaro is best undertaken as part of a guided tour with our local partners.

Also to the south, but accessed via a circuitous route, Goderdzi ski resort & cat skiing is just as snowy as Bakhmaro but has gentler terrain and a few ski lifts too. From Kutaisi the drive is about 4hr duration up toward Goderdzi Pass, where once the snow line is hit, transfers are required to a snowcat for the rest of the journey. The snowcat takes visitors from this side of the range, over the pass into the Adjara region and down to the ski resort village. Most visitors to Goderdzi will ride the lifts for a day, indulge in the 5-star hotel spa, as well as go cat skiing in the fabulous glades.

Snow & Weather

At a low altitude of between 125 to 300m a.s.l, Kutaisi occasionally experiences snow during winter, but it seldom lasts on the ground for more than a few days. Average temperatures through winter are above freezing and in the realms of a pleasant 5 degrees celsius.

Where is Kutaisi, Georgia?

Kutaisi is located on the central plain of western Georgia between the Greater & Lesser Caucasus mountains. The city is 220km (about a 3hr drive on a good day!) west of the capital Tbilisi. The Svaneti ‘adventure capital’ of Mestia is 250km by road north of Kutaisi, and whilst the distance may be short, the road journey is a tortuous 5 to 6hr. Whilst it’s hard to fathom why it takes so long, once you have been on it in winter conditions you quickly understand! To the south, Bakhmaro is usually 2½hr away in summer, but in winter, vehicles can only drive to a point 2hr from Kutaisi. From there the road is usually deep in snow and it is another 1 to 1½hr up to the mountain village by snowcat. To the northeast of Kutaisi, the high valleys of Racha are around a 3hr drive from Kutaisi airport.

The E60 highway between Kutaisi and Tbilisi is slowly being completed. Once done, at this stage before the end of 2027, it will vastly improve driving from eastern to western Georgia, avoiding much of the chaos of the previous route.

In general, despite there being a central train station in Kutaisi (referred to as Kutaisi I), there are no useful railway services from it, with all high-speed services (to Batumi or Tbilisi) going through Rioni (Kutaisi II) station 8km to the south.

Kutaisi Airport & Flights

The Kutaisi International Airport (KUT) is around 23km by road to the southwest of the city centre. It is super-modern and comfortable but has only a relatively limited number of flights daily from a handful of major & secondary airports throughout Europe, Russia and the Middle-East. Thankfully, as opposed to flying into Tbilisi (TBS), flights into Kutaisi all tend to be competitively priced, but with budget airlines.

Airlines serving international routes to Kutaisi include Wizz, Pegasus (Turkiye), FlyArystan (Kazakhstan), Belavia (Belarus), and Azimuth (Russia). Local airline AK-Air Georgia (a.k.a. Vanilla Sky) has flights to Mestia; however frequent cancellations and severe baggage weight restrictions make it not viable for skiers & snowboarders and flying with them is not recommended.

Far and away the best airline flying to Kutaisi is the Hungarian airline Wizz Air. Flight origins are quite useful and include Paris, Lyon, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels, Athens, Venice, Vienna; the smaller German airports of Dortmund & Memmingen (near Munich); several Polish airports including Warsaw, Katowice, and Wrocław; plus the middle-eastern hub of Abu Dhabi (which is especially useful for travellers from Asia, Australia & New Zealand). Flights from each airport are usually not daily, so plan ahead.

We flew into Kutaisi from Vienna (VIE) on the Hungarian airline Wizz Air. Whilst the flight was good one needs to be careful with their pricing as every add-on costs! Alternatively, flying into Tbilisi (TBS) is an option, but the journey to western Georgia is 3-4 hours longer. Tbilisi is a wonderful city to visit though, so the few hours extra travel may be worth it, plus the airport has a huge variety of airline options, as opposed to Kutaisi which is very limited.

Transport Away From the Kutaisi (KUT) Airport

If seeking to go into the city centre from the airport with ski/snowboard gear we recommend getting a pre-arranged private transfer or taxi.

From Kutaisi airport or city, the quickest way to Mestia or Racha is via a private transfer. Unless you have one organised with a tour operator or hotel, use our travel partner to book a Private Transfer. Pay a little bit extra for a good, safe, fluent English-speaking driver and try to ensure the vehicle is at least all-wheel-drive with winter tyres.

Anyone heading to Bakhmaro should do so as part of an organised tour. The driver will meet you in the airport terminal and take you out to an awaiting van.

There are no mainstream public transport services direct to any of the skiing areas from the airport. Minibus (marshrutka) from the main Kutaisi bus station do make the journey to some places, like Mestia, but it comes with the relative discomfort of a lengthy transfer in a cramped bus plus a big question mark over where one puts your skis! Good luck with this option!

There is a Kutaisi Airport (Kopitnari) train station 2km away from the airport terminal, HOWEVER THE TRAINS DO NOT GO INTO KUTAISI. WTF! The train line bypasses the city centre 8km to the south (the closest station is Rioni often referred to as Kutaisi II), so there is no advantage in using the train to reach the city centre. Such a shame! Trains along the line do go to Tbilisi (3½hr journey time) and Batumi (2hr) a handful of times a day. A free bus links the terminal to the train station.

By bus into the city centre (or vice-versa) the KUT Airport Shuttle Bus departs from out the front of the terminal and terminates in the heart of town at the Kutaisi Tourism Center, taking about 30min.

Kutaisi Accommodation

Kutaisi has an atmospheric city centre with an impressive number of superb hotels, guesthouses & apartments, none of which will impact your wallet greatly.

It is easy to stay in the heart of the city in a beautiful Kutaisi small hotel or guesthouse for incredibly affordable prices. The likes of Guesthouse Litoros, the flamboyant Hotel Georgia, and Hotel Daisy’s Home are all highly rated and yet absolute bargains. An alternative is the incredible Guest House Ukimerioni, located up the hill a pleasant 15 to 20 minutes’ walk to the city centre.

In the mid-price range (still cheap by western Europe standards), the exclusive (4-room only!) Hotel Commune 1889, plus Hotel BABU, Gala Boutique Hotel, EL Hotel, or the riverside Sanapiro Hotel best exemplify the options.

At the higher end (still cheap by western Europe standards!), the stand-out for us is the beautiful Communal Hotel Kutaisi. The Communal’s restaurant, Doli, serves the best versions of Georgian food in a fine dining setting.

Worth a look also is the 4-star Newport Hotel Kutaisi with its marvellous rooftop deck with views across the city and up toward Bagrati Cathedral.

Anyone hoping for a convenient stay at the airport will be disappointed. There is no accommodation nearby and the 30-minute trip into the city centre is the better bet anyway.

Search & book a place to stay via the Kutaisi Accommodation Listings.

Things to Do in Kutaisi

Kutaisi has a relatively compact city centre with a population of 125,000 people (3rd largest city in Georgia) and all the best sights & activities are within walking distance.

Split by the Rioni River, the city has several bridges including the White, Red & Chain. The White Bridge has the popular ‘Picasso’s Boy' sculpture atop its railing. The Çhain Bridge is in the vicinity of the Bagrati Cathedral. Between these, the Red Bridge spans the river toward the rightfully popular Magnolia Restaurant overlooking the river.

In the central part of the city, the golden statues adorning the Colchis Fountain may attract one’s attention. Sadly however when the temperatures drop in winter, the fountain’s jets are usually turned off so you will have to use your imagination.

The city landscape includes numerous forested hills to its north (lacking leaves in winter!), topped with parks, viewpoints & religious buildings including a St Georges Church (of course!) and the UNESCO listed 11th century Bagrati Cathedral & grounds. In the distance, snowy peaks line the horizon.

You can risk your life on the rickety Soviet-era Kutaisi Cable Car that starts on the east bank of the Rioni River and climbs over the river & Rustaveli Bridge up to the Besik Gabashvili Amusement Park. The view is just as easily attained by walking!

Food & wine is a highlight of any trip to Georgia, and a visit to the Green Bazaar by day and an evening spent sampling the multitude of restaurants and bars in the city centre is a worthy use of your time.

Reviews & More Info

The Powderhounds last used Kutaisi airport to fly to/from Georgia during late January/February 2024. The airport is convenient, the city has its charms, but it’s in the mountains to the north & south where you will want to be for some of the best ski adventure locations in the world. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read the latest inciteful & droll postulations!

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