Just four kilometres from the city of Ambrolauri, this resort village is famed for its healing mineral and sulfur waters that have been known to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, and nervous system. Pneumonia and other diseases of the airways are also treated here through a combination of mineral water baths and passive climatotherapy.
When you’re not improving your health in the springs, there is an abundance of historical monuments in Khidikari, including the 10th-century St. George Hall Church and the ruins of a late medieval tower once owned by the local nobles, the Tsulukidzes.
Most impressive, however, is Khidikari’s medieval fortress situated between cliffs in the Rioni Valley. The fortress once protected the residence of the Barakoni residence of Racha nobles, while Minda Fortress would have guarded from the other direction.
The fortress had signaling, defensive, and observational uses, and today makes for an imposing entry to the village.
There are many comfortable, family-run hotels in Khidikari where you can expect to be treated to the world-famous Georgian hospitality and the delicious Rachan food - bean stew lobio, delicious flatbread lobiani, delicious Rachan ham, and most important of all, wines the likes of which you’ll find nowhere else on earth.
Ambrolauri is a part of Khvanchkara PDO, the home for one of the most outstanding of all Georgian wines. This wine is made from two varieties of Georgian grapes, Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli, and has been the recipient of numerous international awards.
A glass of velvety, semi-sweet, ruby-colored Khvanchkara makes for a beautiful end to any day spent in Khidikari.