GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Zekari Pass

Where empires marched and eagles still soar

Zekari Pass

Why go

Zekari Pass (2,182m) crowns the old Abastumani–Sairme mountain road, the rough route over the Meskheti Range that links Imereti with Samtskhe. Standing here, you trace the same gravel where generations of traders, shepherds and Soviet-era convoys strained against the elements. The reward is the Lesser Caucasus unveiled—ridge upon ridge of dark conifer forest and alpine meadow falling away toward Sairme on one side and Abastumani on the other. This is one of Georgia's wildest drivable passes, a place of absolute silence broken only by wind and the occasional shepherd's dog. The solitude feels earned, not staged.

On the ground See

  • The dense fir and spruce forests of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park's western fringe rolling below the pass
  • The historic spa town of Abastumani on the southern approach, with its 19th-century observatory above the treeline
  • The seasonal wildflower meadows of June-July, when the pass becomes a carpet of endemic Caucasian blooms

Practical Know before you go

Best June-September; the unpaved road requires a 4WD and snow blocks the pass into late spring—check conditions locally in Sairme or Abastumani before attempting the crossing.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly