GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Kartsakhi Lake

Georgia's pelican sanctuary on the Armenian frontier

Kartsakhi Lake

Why go

Kartsakhi Lake sprawls across the Samtskhe-Javakheti high plateau at 1,800 meters, its alkaline waters straddling the Georgia-Turkey border. This shallow, seasonal wetland transforms with the rains, becoming a critical stopover on the African-Eurasian flyway. The real drama unfolds in late spring and summer when hundreds of Dalmatian pelicans descend—one of Europe's rarest breeding colonies—joining flamingos, pygmy cormorants, and thousands of ducks. For centuries, Javakheti's Armenian and Georgian communities have grazed livestock along these shores, and the lake remains wild enough that shepherds still outnumber visitors. Birdwatchers know it as a site where patience rewards you with courtship displays, mass takeoffs, and the rare spectacle of pelicans nesting in the Caucasus.

On the ground See

  • The Dalmatian pelican colony from designated shoreline viewpoints, best observed at dawn when birds fish communally
  • Seasonal flamingo congregations that turn the shallows pink from July through September
  • The abandoned stone railway bridge spanning the lake's southern edge, a remnant of the Soviet-era Kars-Gyumri line

Practical Know before you go

Visit May through September; the lake partially dries in late summer, concentrating birds but making access difficult—hire a local guide from nearby Akhalkalaki, as no formal visitor infrastructure exists and proximity to the Turkish border requires staying on the Georgian side.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly