When people hear Georgia, they immediately think about the American state where the city of Atlanta is located. It is unfortunate because the transcontinental country of Georgia is an absolute wonder and deserves to be in people’s minds. The country’s original name was Sakartvelo. It was not clear how the name Georgia came to be, but the theory was that following the birth of Christianity in the country, St. George became the nation’s patron saint.
Georgia is quaint. Its land area is less than 70,000 square kilometers (17.3 million acres). It is occupied by over 3.7 million people. It is believed that early humans reached Europe through Georgia. Archeologists found skulls believed to be 1.8 million years old in Georgia. They were named Zezva and Mzia believed to have traveled from Africa to Europe. This earned Georgia the moniker homeland of the first European.
Evidence of early wine had also been found in Georgia, which experts date back to 8,000 years. Jars were uncovered with remnants of wine, which suggests that this is the country where wines originated. It is also home to one of the oldest Jewish communities and is home to two ancient European cities: Kutaisi and Mtskheta. Visiting Georgia is certainly a historical experience.
But the country is also one of the most ecologically diverse nations in the world. It has snowy mountains, beautiful beaches, and lush forests. It has everything for everyone. So those who want to visit a wonderful country should visit any of these unexplored national parks:
1. Algeti National Park
Different shades of green can be seen throughout this park with a smattering of bright blue. This park is located in the region of Kvemo Kartli and was established in 2007. The park’s highest point is Mount Kldekari, which stands at 2,000 meters. The mountain is rocky and forms part of the Trialti mountain range. The park’s main mountain is named after the ruins of a medieval fortress within the vicinity, which is named Kldekari.
The park was established to protect the easternmost population of Caucasian spruce and Nordmann fir. The former is a species of spruce trees native to the Caucasus region, which comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. Nordmann fir, on the other hand, is significant because it mostly grows on relict forests. Algeti may have the last of the Nordman fir population. These trees provide the dark green hue of the park. The lighter shade of green is brought by the Algeti valley, which is the landform beside the 108-kilometer river that runs through Kvemo Kartli.
A lake within the park provides that perfect blue color to complement the different shades of green.
2. Javakheti National Park
The park is a result of assembling various protected areas: Bugdasheni Manage Reserve, Kartsakhi Managed Reserve, Khanchali Managed Reserve, Madatapa Managed Reserve, and Saluda Managed Reserve. Javakheti, too, is part of a larger transboundary protected area, joining Armenia’s Lake Arpi National Park. Javakheti, established in 2011, is jointly managed by the government and the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The park’s main goal was to protect natural resources within the park, which are significant for the supply of water in neighboring areas, production of energy, habitats for birds and other animals, livestock farming, and tourism. There are various lakes within the park, five of them are in the top eight largest lakes in the entire country.
The lakes are favorite roosting areas for water birds like the big sea duck, cascara, pelican, sandpiper, stork, tern, and white-tailed duck. The terrestrial park is home to the corncrake, hawk, red mountain finch, and stone sparrow.
3. Mtirala National Park
Located in the Adjara region, this park is home to broadleaf and mixed forests. Among the trees and plants that cover Mount Mtirala are Oriental beech and sweet chestnut trees, with a peppering of cherry laurel and pontic rhododendron, and understories of Colcic box and lianas. The park is great for hiking with some well-maintained trails. Some trails lead to the park’s refreshing waterfall beautifully framed in ferns.
Among the animals found within the park’s premises are booted eagle, brown bear, Caucasian salamander, Caucasian toad, Caucasian viper, eagle owl, Eurasian marsh frog, golden oriole, roe deer, and wild boar.
4. Pshave-Khevsureti National Park
The World Wide Fund for Nature fought for the establishment of this park in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region in 2014. It was important to protect this area because it has become a popular wildlife refuge. One of its important animals is the leopard. This species considered vulnerable by the Red List of Threatened Species is abundant in Africa, with smaller populations in Western and Central Asia. Leopards have been hunted for centuries because of its skin and body parts considered important in medicinal trade. Since it is not a common animal in the Caucasus but is seen in this park, it was important to conserve the park and preserve its small population of leopard.
The other animal residents in the park include bezoar goats, a wild goat species native to montane forests; brown bears; chamois; European lynxes; East Caucasian turs, mountain caprine found only in half of the Greater Caucasus Mountains; and red deer.
The mountains in the park also provide an interesting terrain for hiking or mountain climbing. There are level grounds that immediately change to inclined slopes.
5. Vashlovani National Park
As early as 1935, this area in the eastern part of Georgia has already been protected. But it wasn’t until 2003 that it was designated as a national park. Among the park’s popular tourist attractions are the massive cliffs also called Sharp Walls. They are the centerpiece of the park that enjoys an interspersing of desert and semi-desert vegetation. Among the interesting plant life in the park are the wild pistachio trees, peonies, and different types of orchids.
The wildlife in Vashlovani is also interesting with the presence of brown bears, Eurasian lynxes, golden jackals, jungle cats, porcupines, red foxes, and wolves. A couple of Caucasian leopards were also recorded in the park’s camera trap. More than 100 species of native birds also live in the park.