Natural Monument
Okatse Canyon Natural Monument
Attraction: The natural monument is a complex distinguished by its unique paleogeographic, geological, and remarkable geomorphological structure. It comprises neotectonic structures, lacustrine sediments, and a picturesque gorge canyon.
The Okatse Canyon, carved by the Tsatsiskhvilos River in Upper Cretaceous limestone, is 35–50 m deep and averages 4 m in width. In some places, the canyon walls almost meet, forming natural rock bridges. One of them is known as “Boga,” from which the bottom of the canyon can be seen.
During the Middle Quaternary, the valley of the Tsatsiskhvilos River was blocked by a tectonic fault, forming a lake in which clay and sand were deposited. The thickness of the lacustrine sediment sequence exceeded 27 meters. Several tens of thousands of years have passed since then. Water eventually found an outlet through cracks in the limestone, widened them, and drained the lake. The erosion of the lacustrine sediments began, followed by the formation of the canyon. Today, the lacustrine sediments remain only as isolated fragments.
Seasonal layering is clearly visible in the Pleistocene lacustrine sediments of Gordi. Each pair of layers corresponds to one year. Palynological studies of the lacustrine sequence—the microscopic examination of fossilized plant pollen and spores—revealed that the lower part of the sequence contains remains of archaic plant species that are now extinct, including swamp cypress (Taxodium), Engelhardtia, Carya, Tsuga, cedar (Cedrus), and others. These plants are absent from the higher layers of the Gordi lacustrine sequence, reflecting the cooling of the climate caused by orogenesis.
Today, the canyon creates a unique microclimate that provides a habitat for numerous rare and endangered woody plant species.
Location: Khoni Municipality, vicinity of the village of Gordi, 520 meters above sea level.
Coordinates: N42 27.079 E42 33.003
Access: The nearest major settlement to the natural monument is the city of Khoni. Khoni is located 260 km from Tbilisi; travel time is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Khoni – Village of Gordi, Okatse Canyon Natural Monument Visitors’ Center: 21 km; travel time approximately 25 minutes.
Accommodation: The most convenient options for overnight accommodation are in the cities of Tskaltubo or Kutaisi, where visitors can stay at a hotel.