I visited Mtirala National Park, which is located in the mountainous hinterland of the Adjarian coast and is one of the wettest places in Georgia. It is characterized mainly by its rainforest with many endemic species.

I took a taxi from Batumi. The road from Chakvi to the national park is paved throughout, passes a campsite and the national park administration, and ends at a restaurant. From there, there is a short hiking trail (about 5 km). First you have to pass the restaurant on the right. There is a small cable car over the river, which costs a small fee. The path then leads first along the river, past the high ropes course and then goes through the forest uphill to a waterfall. Back down the mountain there is then a detour to a small idyllic lake. The path is slippery and I recommend proper shoes. With the hike you only enter the edge of the national park - if you want to go deeper, you can also do a two-day tour with an overnight stay at a hut.

The national park is an attraction for day trippers from Batumi. I arrived early and was therefore relatively alone, but on the way back I met whole tour groups. Also, just outside the national park, ziplines, quad tours and the like are offered to tourists. So if you want untouched nature, you have to hike deeper into the park. But for a first impression even the short hike was interesting - the rainforest is a strong contrast to the mountains of Svanetia and the steppes in eastern Georgia.