Some places you visit and forget, but a Vashlovani National Park MTB trip is definitely not one of them.
I want to say this from the start — this is a genuinely fantastic tour, and it will leave you with memories for a lifetime. Of course, a lot depends on your own mood and mindset going in. But I can guarantee one thing: there is no other place like this anywhere in Georgia. The landscape here is so different from everything else in the country that it almost feels like you’ve crossed into a different continent.
Every foreign rider who comes through this national park leaves with the same look on their face. Every single person I’ve met here was smiling, genuinely impressed by what they’d just seen. That reaction never gets old for me as a guide.
Why Vashlovani Feels Like Nowhere Else
While the rest of Georgia gives you alpine peaks, glaciers and green Caucasus valleys, Vashlovani gives you something completely different — dry canyons, dramatic eroded cliffs, wide open semi-arid steppe and an atmosphere that feels closer to the badlands of Central Asia than to anything you’d associate with the South Caucasus. Riding a mountain bike through this terrain is a genuinely unique experience that you simply cannot get anywhere else in the country.
Important Information If You’re Planning to Visit on Your Own
If you’re considering visiting Vashlovani National Park independently rather than with a guide, there are three things you really need to know before you go. I want to share this honestly, because it can make or break your trip.
1. Season matters more than you’d think
The best time to ride a mountain bike in Vashlovani National Park is spring or autumn. Summer riding is possible too, but if you go in summer, you need to start very early in the morning — the heat in the canyons becomes intense later in the day, and starting at dawn is really the only sensible way to do it.
2. Be very careful around the dogs
This is something a lot of visitors don’t expect. In early spring and late autumn, you’ll encounter large numbers of farm dogs in the park. Local shepherds move their livestock through this area seasonally — they head up into the high mountains in early spring, and return back down into Vashlovani in late autumn. Their herding dogs travel with them, and they can be intense around strangers on bikes. Slow down, stay calm, and give them space.
3. You need an official permit before entering
This part is non-negotiable. You first need to get your permit from the Vashlovani Protected Areas Administration. After that, you also need to check in and get clearance from the border police, since the park sits right along the border zone — specifically at the MIA Border Police of Georgia, Land Border Defence Department. Once you have both documents in hand, you’re fully cleared to enter the park. It sounds like a lot of bureaucracy, but it’s a straightforward process once you know the steps — and honestly, it’s part of what keeps this place so untouched and special.
We’re Happy to Help, Free of Charge
If you have any questions about permits, seasons, routes or anything else related to visiting Vashlovani National Park — just message us on WhatsApp. We’re happy to share everything we know, completely free of charge. You can also find more details about the full tour itinerary on our Vashlovani National Park MTB tour page.
Photos From Our Last Ride
Here are a few photos from our most recent mountain bike tour through Vashlovani National Park. The eroded badlands, the lone trees standing in open grassland, the layered cliffs that change colour throughout the day — this is what makes the park so visually unforgettable.
