GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden

Where the Caucasus blooms at 1,700 meters

Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden

Why go

Founded in 1910 by Georgian botanist Giorgi Kolakovski, this 18-hectare sanctuary preserves over 1,000 species of alpine and subalpine flora from the Lesser Caucasus range. What began as a research station for studying medicinal mountain plants evolved into a living archive of biodiversity found between 1,650 and 2,200 meters elevation. The garden's value lies in its scientific integrity and rarity: it is one of only three alpine botanical gardens in the former Soviet Union, and the sole one in Georgia. Visitors walk among endemic rhododendrons, wild Caucasian peonies, and rare juniper stands that have adapted to harsh winters and intense ultraviolet exposure. The garden serves as both conservation ark and quiet revelation—proof that life persists in extreme beauty.

On the ground See

  • The endemic Rhododendron caucasicum collection, flowering pale pink in June against snow-capped peaks
  • The experimental plots arranged by altitude zones, demonstrating how vegetation changes every 100 meters of elevation
  • The original 1910 Kolakovski herbarium building, housing 15,000 preserved specimens from expeditions across the South Caucasus

Practical Know before you go

Best visited late June through September; located 8km from Bakuriani town center with limited public transport, so arrange taxi or join organized botanical tours from Tbilisi or Borjomi.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly