Tsopi-Sioni-Kudro mamkhuti

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  ჯოზეფ ალექსანდერ სმიტი / Joseph Alexander Smith 19 июл. 2020 г.

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  This is one of the few marked trails in this part of Kvemo Kartli, and it offers much of what this region does best - ancient forest paths, abandoned churches and villages far off the beaten track. I would rate it as moderately difficult - although the trail is meticulously and clearly marked, often the most obvious continuation of the trail is a false turn and one must keep an eye out for the markings at all times. Additionally there is a lot of plant growth on some parts of the trail, and and after heavy rain the mud will start to get you down.
  
  One obvious challenge is transport to and from the start and end points of the trail. In the past, a train ran from Tbilisi to Sadakhlo early in the morning, from where a taxi can be had to Tsopi for about 5 GEL. At the time of writing, the only way to get an early start (recommended if you hope to do the 22 km in one day - 9 hours is realistic) is to arrange a house stay in Sadakhlo or Mollaoglu villages. The trail starts in the 'center' of Tsopi (ask for 'the shop') and winds up the hill behind the village, from where you should be able to get a decent view of Mount Lalvar, on the Armenian side of the border (There's also a good shashlik place in Sadakhlo named for this mountain). I decided to forego the delights of Tsopi - the church and castle - in order to quicken my pace, but both sites looked interesting. Once over the hill, the path takes you through some stunning stands of beech trees and the occasional wild pear or oak, but the pristine forest has been brutally cut further on. There are a number of paths here left by woodcutters, so be very careful to stay on the trail and if in doubt, turn back to the last marking. The Zardali church is well worth the short detour, and further along the path there are the remains of a cemetery, with extremely interesting stones to look for among the trees. Before Sioni you'll find a campsite not far from a spring, if you wish to camp, but experienced and fit walkers can easily complete the whole trail in a day. In the village of Sioni you'll find a water fountain to stock up on water near the bus stop. After Sioni you'll walk up a rocky path that, after rain, you might end up sharing with a stream. I encountered plenty of wildlife here - butterflies, raptors and a tortoise. There is another cross-road ahead with a clearly-visible spring - make sure to check for markings before walking far along any path. You'll eventually come to the Khareba church, hidden among a stand of trees at the summit of a hill - a deeply mystical place and worth the short detour - there's a very worn, but beautiful carved stone cross near the church. From there you'll descend slowly towards Mamkhuti - the first section of this track is very overgrown and again, watch out for markings. You'll continue to follow this path for several kilometers until you ford the river - not a bad place to stop and wash the mud off your legs before you get to Mamkhuti. You'll enter a long valley, and towards the entrance to the village are two single-nave churches exquisitely arranged on the slope to the left - worth a look (the trail signs point you to a place where the barbed wire fence around the churches gives way and - should you have time - you can go for a closer look). Entering Mamkhuti you'll pass the school and then find a shop, which is where most local drivers seem to hang out. The village is called 'Sarachli' in Azerbaijani and was home to a famous ashiq (bard) - Huseyin Saracli - whose bust stands near the shop. Despite its charms, Mamkhuti is an absolute disaster for transport, with the only minibus leaving in the early afternoon. A taxi to Marneuli or Bolnisi could be had for 30 GEL, but finishing the trail at 6pm or so, this will be sore comfort for anyone hoping to find onward transport to Tbilisi. Still, it might be worth taking a taxi for 15-20 GEL to the main road ('trasa') between Bolnisi and Marneuli and hoping for a late minibus from Bolnisi or Kazreti, o

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  ჯოზეფ ალექსანდერ სმიტი / Joseph Alexander Smith 19 июл. 2020 г.

  (continued) or a kind passerby.
  
  Spun out over two days and combined with home stays either end, this trail would offer a unique cultural experience, very 'off-the-beaten-track' and unique to this part of Georgia, the home region of the country's ethnic Azerbaijanis. A day trip without a car is doable for fitter, experienced walkers, but transport cost and timings should be taken into consideration. The trail was conceived of by the local Municipality in Marneuli and the work of the Georgian Adventure Tourism Association in assiduously marking this trail must be commended.

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