GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Sataplia Cave

Where dinosaurs once walked, stone remembers.

Sataplia Cave

Why go

Sataplia Cave holds one of the most accessible dinosaur track sites in the Caucasus—over 200 three-toed footprints preserved in limestone, left by herbivorous giants some 120 million years ago. The cave itself, discovered in 1925 by local teacher Petre Chabukiani, winds through 900 meters of illuminated galleries dripping with stalactites, stalagmites, and underground lakes. Managed since 1935 as a strict nature reserve, it sits within a 330-hectare protected forest of endemic Colchic boxwood and century-old oaks. The experience bridges deep time: you walk the same stone as Cretaceous beasts, then emerge to a glass observation platform cantilevering over the Rioni River valley.

On the ground See

  • The illuminated Dinosaur Footprints Trail, where raised metal walkways let you stand directly above the fossilized tracks without damaging them
  • The 10-meter-long Heart of the Cave formation, a massive stalagmite-stalactite pair nearly joined, lit dramatically in the central chamber
  • The glass-floored Cliff View Platform extending from the reserve's ridge, offering 180-degree views of the river valley and distant Caucasus peaks

Practical Know before you go

Open April through October, 10:00–18:00; from Kutaisi, take a marshrutka toward Khoni and hire a taxi for the final 6km uphill, or arrange a guided tour through the Sataplia-Prometheus combined ticket available at Kutaisi tourist offices.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly