Urban Exploration in Tskaltubo, Georgia

It wasn’t quite Chernobyl, but the remnants of the empty buildings were just as eerie. Armed with nothing more than a camera and plenty of hand sanitizer we set out for an urban exploration adventure. In search of something other than the local wine shop (for once), we traveled to the small town of Tskaltubo, Georgia. Located just outside of Kutaisi, it is home to several abandoned buildings from the Soviet era.

When the small town of Tskaltubo was part of the USSR it was a place known for its spas, hotels, sanatorium’s and bath houses. Thousands would flock from all over the Soviet Union to bathe in the healing waters that flowed through the city. This area was also one of Stalin’s favorite vacation spots. Today, most of the buildings have been abandoned and are slowly being reclaimed by nature.

With our lack of experience in the exploration of abandoned buildings, Tskaltubo seemed like the perfect place to start. Many of the buildings are left in the open without so much as a fence to stop curious adventures from gaining entrance. As such, ignoring no trespassing signs or the use of a repelling harness is not required.

What Is Urban Exploration (Urbex)?

Urban Exploration, or Urbex, is the exploration of man-made structures that are usually abandoned, hidden, and are in ruins. The hobby is usually sought after by people with an interest in photography or history. If you would like to find your own site to visit and start exploring, check out this Urbex database map.

Disclaimer: We do not recommend or condone trespassing or breaking and entering.

How To Get To Tskaltubo From Kutaisi

Bolt

If you use the bolt app, taxis in Georgia are fairly inexpensive. It cost us 16 GEL (5 USD) to take a bolt from Kutaisi to Tskaltubo. The ride took just under 10 minutes.

Marshrutka (minivan)

You can take both the #30 and #34 from Kutaisi to Tskaltubo. They run frequently, about every 20 minutes, and take around 20 minutes. The trip should cost you no more than 2 GEL (.62 USD) but is dependent of the driver and “foreigner tax”. The #30 can be picked up near the Kutaisi tourist information center and #34 will pick you up from the main bus station.

Train

This would not be a recommended option but for those of you that like very long train rides for no reason, it can be done. The train only leaves once a day going in either direction and takes about 4 hours to cover the 10 kilometers.

Final Thoughts

There are so many sites to explore and see in Tskaltubo that it would be tough to visit them all in one day. However, with it being so close to Kutaisi, it would be easy to make that your home base from which to take multiple trips. We purposely did not visit any of the buildings inhabited by refugees in the area but we have read that plenty of urbexers and photographers do. The most important thing is to demonstrate kindness and respect. If you do so, the people staying in these buildings will most likely point you in the right direction.

Times are changing in Tskaltubo and developers are buying up some of these properties so do be mindful of the fences and signs. If you ever find yourself in this part of Georgia, this city is more than worth a visit. 

PW&A’s PSA: If you wish to visit Otia’s Ezo for a little history lesson and wine tasting while in Tskaltubo, do not allow any dogs to follow you there from the park. We did have dogs follow us and it didn’t have a happy ending. 

Cheers friends!

Matt + Megan