GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Keterisi Mineral Springs

Where carbonated earth breathes through medieval stone

Keterisi Mineral Springs

Why go

Keterisi's mineral springs surge from the ground with natural effervescence, their metallic tang cutting through thin mountain air. Here, ruined Svan-style defensive towers—abandoned after 19th-century conflicts and Soviet-era displacement—crumble beside the fizzing pools. The juxtaposition is haunting: living water against dead architecture, geological persistence against human retreat. The springs sustained communities for centuries; now they sustain something rarer—unscripted encounter. No entrance fees, no signage, no crowds. Just you, the hiss of escaping CO₂, and towers that once watched over salt traders moving through the Darial Gorge.

On the ground See

  • The naturally carbonated springs themselves, best tasted where they emerge cold and sharply metallic from limestone fissures
  • The ruined defensive towers, particularly the larger 12th–13th century example with partial machicolations still visible
  • The abandoned village traces and 19th-century gravestones scattered across the valley floor

Practical Know before you go

Accessible June–October only; 4WD essential for the final 15km from Ketrisi village, as the Truso Valley road crosses multiple streams and degrades rapidly after rain.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly