Chokhatauri

Chokhatauri Market

Chokhatauri is especially interesting on Sunday when you’ll be able to experience the town from the perspective of its weekly Sunday market. Regardless of the season, local products such as homemade cheese, milk, nadughi curds, cottage cheese, poultry and cattle, local tobacco, tea, nuts, and cornmeal are on offer. 

You’ll also find more unique local products such as acacia, linden, and chestnut honey. In the autumn months, the stalls are overfull with home grown fruits and vegetables too.

You can also purchase your own ketsi (a traditional Georgian baking dish made out of stone) at Chokhatauri Market. These ketsi are made in only two villages in the region, making them a unique souvenir to take home with you.

A market visit is an excellent opportunity to people-watch and immerse yourself in a new culture. By the way, keep an eye peeled for the women dressed in differently ornated clothes at the market! They come from Zoti, the only Ajarian village in Guria.

The Outstanding Resorts of Chokhatauri Municipality

There are two exceptionally popular resorts in Chokhatauri Municipality – Bakhmaro and Nabeghlavi. 

Bakhmaro has been recognized as a climatic resort for more than a century now and is a paradise for lovers of winter sports for the six to seven months of winter that the resort experiences.

Nabeghlavi is a resort in a lower mountain climate, famous for the quality of its mineral waters.

However, there are many other sights to see in the region’s mountainous surroundings: endless wilderness, the valleys of the Bakhvistskali, Supsa, and Gubazeuli rivers, the soaring heights of Mepestskaro Mountain which stands at 2,850 meters above sea level, the alpine meadows encircling the transparently clear Jaja Lakes, and more.

The botanical park in Goraberezhouli Village is also worth mentioning. Within the park, there is a palace dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. 

There are many ancient fortresses and churches in the villages of Chokhatauri Municipality, but if you are interested in ancient stories, then you will find a rich collection of unique historical materials at the Chokhatauri Local Lore Museum.

In the family hotels, your hosts will treat you with the local sweet called janjukha, honey vodka, and nuts, along with their heartfelt hospitality.

Chokhatauri is the cradle of many distinguished Georgians – writers, poets, scientists, and artists, and their house museums can be visited here. One of the most remarkable house museums is that of the brilliant Georgian writer Nodar Dumbadze, whose works have been translated into numerous languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Japanese, Turkish, and Arabic. His sense of humour will help you better understand Guria and its people.