Birdwatching in Winter

Kolkheti National Park

One such place is Kolkheti National Park, which due to its unique environment, is UNESCO-listed.

With thousands of waterfowl spending winter near Paliastomi Lake, its surrounding marshes and Fichori River, sometimes the lake’s surface is entirely covered by birdlife. Due to the number of birds residing here, visiting Kolkheti even in winter promises birdwatchers a worthwhile day.

Eastern Steppes

The extreme east of Georgia, where tens of thousands of little bustards fly from Central Asia to spend the winter, is another birdwatching hotspot in the colder months. The peak month is February. Located about 20 kilometers from Dedoplistskaro, Taribani Valley is the ideal place to see them.

One day is enough for the trip. You can leave Tbilisi early in the morning, and enjoy the sight of little bustards in the sky and on the ground. On the way back, you will come across birds of prey that have flown from various different places to stay here during winter including the rough-legged buzzard and merlin, as well as the grey shrieks.

Vashlovani Nature Reserve

Spread over 10,143 hectares, this nature reserve is 42 kilometers from Dedoplistskaro. In winter, the largest flocks of little bustards gather across the Samukhi Valley, a unique landscape on the border of Azerbaijan, in the southwest of Vashlovani.

In the 2010s, through the successful implementation of a reintroduction project, the area has become home to a stable and growing population of gazelles.

You can perhaps imagine what a fascinating sight it is to see thousands of little bustard in the sky, while a group of gazelles gallop on the ground below.

At least two full days are needed to experience Vashlovani properly. Specifically, in the territory of the park, you will find well-furnished cottages where you can spend the night.