Khanchali Lake

Hiking Trail to Khanchali Lake

Khanchali Lake is surrounded by 182 square kilometres of alpine meadows, making it a popular destination for birdwatchers and nature lovers. 

If you would love to have a short hike around Khanchali Lake, it’s the best idea to start walking in the village of Patara Khanchali. The village is a bit higher than the lake and you’re afforded an alluring view of the lake as you begin your three-kilometre hike down towards it. Once you get to the water, turn left and follow the shore until the dam.

Between November and April each year, Khanchali is a winter wonderland, with the lake frozen over and everything around it covered in a blanket of pristine snow.

Khanchali Lake – The Best Place for Water Birds

Khanchali Lake is unique among the lakes of Javakheti for the sparseness of its water. The maximum depth of the lake is only 0.8 meters, with fresh water that warms up easily and is almost completely covered with water plants. All of this creates the ideal conditions for water birds to feed and rest during migration.

At Khanchali Lake, you can see rare species such as the common crane (Grus grus), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), white stork (Ciconia ciconia), great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus), and velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca).

Sport and amateur fishing are allowed on Khanchali Lake and Agrichai River.