Day 1   Batumi – Machakhela National Park – Dandalo – Chvana – Danisparauli

Departure to the village of Chkhutuneti located in the Machakhela National Park. Visit to the Machakhela Historical and Ethnographic Museum, a former three storey mosque built in 18th century.  The exhibition presents objects of medieval life in Adjara, particularly the making of carpets and various woolen and silk goods, traditional houses, food storages for hibernation, everyday clothing, tools for fieldwork and weapons for fighting.

Our next stop is the ancient village of Dandalo, where we take lunch next to the stone arc bridge built in 12th century.  The bridge is 20 metres long, and both sides are founded on rocks, which protects it from being washed away.It was a important passage point on the trade route from Turkey to the Black Sea port of Batumi.

In the afternoon visit to the historical village of Chvana. Exploring the ruins of Otolta Fortress, its  guard tower and medieval qvevris for storing goods. It was an important building to protect the entrance of the village and the major trade route from high mountains to Batumi.

Continue towards the ancient village of Danisparauli. Strolling in the village. We discover the medieval Purne, a building, were the locals dried fruits for the winter season and baked bread. Or the local Baskery, where bascets (Godori) are weaved from plants like in medieval times.

After the check in our guesthouse, a delicious dinner awaits us, with medieval dishes you can taste only in the mountain villages of Adjara. The menu includes: Tutmaji shorva, traditional homemade noodles in a cottage cheese sauce; Malakhto, young kidney beans in a spiced walnut sauce; Nagmibora, Adjarian fondu made from braided cheese and melted Adjarian cream, eaten with corn bread.

Meal plan: picnic and dinner
Overnight stay at a guesthouse in Danisparauli

Day 2   Goderdzi Pass –  Khikhani Fortress – v. Skhalta – v. Zundaga - Batumi

After breakfast with local milk products, bread, homemade confitures and wild herbal teas departure to the Goderdzi pass and the Turkish border. 1.5 hour walking to the ruins of the Khikhani Fortress (2200 m), built in the 8th century, surrounded by high cliffs and steep slopes. It was one of the best protected fortress in Georgia. While the invasions the kings of Georgia hid here and continued their rule. Furthermore, it was an important control point for trade routes in this region. We expolore the fortress and the mediaeval storage system  for wine, grain, and wells. 

After the picnic with panoramic views on the Lesser Caucasus drive to the Skhalta Monastery daiting from the mid-13th century. This is the only sacred building to have survived the Ottoman and Soviet period.

Continue towards the village of Zundaga. Short walk in the forest to discover ancient wine press carved in rocks. Then strolling in the village to discover its medieval houses, Maidan Odas (adjarian medieval hotel) and watermills.

In the evening farewell dinner in a garden of medieval house with traditional food and wine. The dinner includes: Ghomlobio, made with two different beans, millet and plums spiced with krauts; Sinori, an unleavened lavash flatbread with Georgian cottage cheese. This dish is largely unknown outside of Ajaria, but is very popular in the western coastal region of Georgia; Sacivi, chicken in a spiced walnut sauce; Chirbuli, eggs and potatoes in spiced tomato sauce; Homemade wait wine Tsolikauri, rosa wine Chkhaveri and Red wine Dzelschavi. They are historical wine sorts produced just in Adjara Mountains.

Around 9 p.m. we reach our meeting point in Batumi again.

Meal plan: breakfast, picnic and dinner