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Soviet Past in Chiatura: Explore Abandoned Mines and Decaying Soviet Architecture
5.0
27 Ratings
Chiatura
Uncover the eerie Soviet past of Chiatura on a full-day trip. Explore abandoned mines, decaying Soviet architecture, and ride in rusty cable cars. Visit ancient holy sites in the Imereti region for a contrasting experience.
Uncover the eerie Soviet past of Chiatura on a full-day trip. Explore abandoned mines, decaying Soviet architecture, and ride in rusty cable cars. Visit ancient holy sites in the Imereti region for a contrasting experience.
Duration:
11 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Cableways Chiatura - Although the old cable cars are no longer in operation, the weathered cabins and brutalist stations remain a fascinating sight and a great photo opportunity. Visit some of the most intriguing and unique cable car stations before they are lost forever.
- Katskhi Pillar - A truly unique site, this monastery is perched atop a…
- Cableways Chiatura - Although the old cable cars are no longer in operation, the weathered cabins and brutalist stations remain a fascinating sight and a great photo opportunity. Visit some of the most intriguing and unique cable car stations before they are lost forever.
- Katskhi Pillar - A truly unique site, this monastery is perched atop a massive rock pillar. To this day, many legends surround the area, drawing pilgrims from all over Georgia.
- Monastery Mgvimevi - This monastery is a rare blend of nature and architecture. Built within a cave during the late Middle Ages, it stands out like an alien structure amidst the concrete socialist surroundings.
- Memorial History of Georgia - A must-see for enthusiasts of Soviet architecture, this colossal monument overlooking the concrete suburbs is the perfect place to conclude the tour.
What's Included
- Bottled water included
- Complimentary on-board WiFi
- Ideal for photography enthusiasts
- Tour Katskhi Pillar with its unique hilltop church
- Exclusive access to Mgvimevi Monastery, a church within a cave
- Discover Chiatura’s historic cable cars and ghostly abandoned areas
- Guided by a local expert for an insider’s experience
- Bottled water included
- Complimentary on-board WiFi
- Ideal for photography enthusiasts
- Tour Katskhi Pillar with its unique hilltop church
- Exclusive access to Mgvimevi Monastery, a church within a cave
- Discover Chiatura’s historic cable cars and ghostly abandoned areas
- Guided by a local expert for an insider’s experience
What's Not Included
- Lunch (we can recommend our favorite spots)
- Gratuities
- Lunch (we can recommend our favorite spots)
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on a full day journey to the eerie town of Chiatura in Georgia, far from the typical tourist trails. Once a thriving mining hub with the most cable cars in the world, it now has the appearance of a ghost town with its deserted mines, vacant apartments and decaying Soviet architecture.
Time appears frozen, allowing visitors to ride in one of the…
Embark on a full day journey to the eerie town of Chiatura in Georgia, far from the typical tourist trails. Once a thriving mining hub with the most cable cars in the world, it now has the appearance of a ghost town with its deserted mines, vacant apartments and decaying Soviet architecture.
Time appears frozen, allowing visitors to ride in one of the remaining rusty cable cars, soak in the panoramic views from the semi-deserted concrete settlements on the cliffs, and spot an occasional macabre homage to Stalin.
Also included in our itinerary is a visit to the countryside of the Imereti region, offering a contrasting view to the industrial ruins of Chiatura. Don’t miss the ancient holy pillar of Katskhi, with its quaint church perched on top, or the rock-carved Mgvimevi convent adorned with XIV-century frescoes.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please note, that as of the moment, all old cable cars have been suspended for safety reasons, but you can still see them
Location
Cableways Chiatura
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(27 Ratings)
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1 star
Mark
Jul 4, 2023
Great tour!! Must try! - Irakli was our tour guide and we had a good time with him . He took us to the mining areas and we saw the chronicles of Georgia, church on top of the tower and did cable car tour etc. We really like the tour with him and did not regret this one bit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angelaneeng
Feb 8, 2023
Amazing - To understand Soviet past in Georgia this is a must do trip. We had a good guide - Irakli a passionate and knowledgeable on the tour . He is also a skilled driver and we are fortunate to have him.
Overall we are happy 😃 with the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Veronika_c
Oct 1, 2022
Amazing tour - What an amazing day trip! Unbelievable Katskhi Pillar with a little bonus - there was a wedding party there. We ablosultely loved the Mgvimevi Monastery, purched on a steep rock with amazing interiors. Prepare to climb a few stairs and respect the dress code inside. Guess what? Another wedding party! and I received a belling from the priest. Blast from the (Soviet) past in Chiatura, that is still living and breathing, short but very worthwhile cable car trip. Our tour guide, Zurab, was outstanding, very knowledgeable, caring, with a great sense of humour and excellent driving skills. Great little restaurant for lunch. If you want to see different parts of Georgia, less touristy yet so interesting and beautiful, do this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Amydc
Jul 7, 2022
An interesting and fun day learning about Georgia’s Soviet Past with Levan - We had a great day with Levan during our private day tour to Chiatura, the Katakhi Pillar, and Gori. (We substituted Gori for the Chronicles, which we had visited earlier in our trip.)
Levan was a great guide — prompt, easygoing when we wanted to take lots of photos, knowledgeable but didn’t feel the need to fill every second of silence, and with a clean and safe vehicle. He picked a great lunch restaurant, kept 3 of us (with a 30 year age span) awake, laughing, and learning throughout the day, and took great photos of our group.
We had used Real Georgia tours on a previous trip to Georgia, and found them easy to work with, prompt, and reasonably priced. Our experience with Levan left us glad we chose them again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iputmylifeonashelf
May 15, 2022
Great day trip - This was a great trip. The guide was very kind and knowledgeable. Thank you so much for everything!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Muhammed_g
May 12, 2022
Revan Revan and Revan - Amazing tour..guide Revan is super star and an ultimate guide ..he so friendly and explain each and everything ..5 stars😍
Review provided by Viator
Anoudies
Feb 16, 2022
Enjoyable - The most comfortable and friendly tour as the first time visiting tbilisi.
The tour guide so informative and competent.
Had great time exploring tbilisi history and receiving recommendation from the tour guide. It wasn't boring tour i highly recommended full of laughter and enjoyment.
Tour guide: George
Tip: wear comfortable shoes, there's small hike and bring water.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thelonelytraveller5
Sep 30, 2021
Unique place stuck in time - This tour was like traveling back in time. There is so much history that has been untouched, a rare gem to see. You can see what’s left of Soviet times without glorifying it. Giorgi was my guide and was an absolute joy and extremely knowledgeable. With Giorgi as your guide, you will be sure to get the full history of Chiatura.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sophiebu8467jj
Sep 28, 2021
A very special kind of tour - This is the most unusual tour we ever had! We haven´t met any other tourists during the whole trip and now I must say they are totally missing out on what we have seen! The town of Chiatura feel like from a different time and the rock monasteries are incredible, nothing like what we´ve seen elsewhere in Georgia!
If you don´t want to see only touristic things, this is a MUST do tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lucymk7497jc
Jul 27, 2021
Travel to an area stuck in a time warp. Fascinating! Off beat! - This was a trip like no other in Georgia. Visiting Chiatura was like stepping back in time that gave a taste of what it was like to live and work in the Soviet era. Ancient ski lifts that were operational up until 2019 dot the factory site. Was rather hoping to experience a ride but too late. Magnesium factory which would be seriously condemned in the West still operating and polluting the river running through the town black. (Similar styled, crumbling factories still operate in NW Armenia. producing copper). Interesting cave church and monestery. I was lucky to observe a service. Nice meal in a clean local restaurant with decent toilet! One could wander an old crumbling structure of an old Komsomol camp atop a hill. I was fascinated by the old style Soviet apartment blocks that are unbelievably still lived in and not just in Chiatura but throughout Georgia. Kiaski Pillar was a unique site. The skills taken to build a monastery atop a natural monolith long ago are staggering. Trip was finished with a trip to the Chronicles just outside Tbilisi admidst a lovely sunset. Great for picture taking. Irakli was a great guide. Informative, friendly and very helpful. I recommend this trip from a historical view. Totally different to any other trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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