Lake · Ninotsminda Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti
Paravani Lake
ფარავანი · ფარავნის ტბა · Lake Paravani
One of Georgia's largest lakes, a shallow volcano-tectonic lake at 2,073 metres in the north-east of the Javakheti volcanic plateau, Samtskhe-Javakheti.
Where it is
41.4444, 43.8122
Why go
Paravani is a wide, shallow lake: the national tourism administration (GNTA) gives a maximum depth of 3.3 metres and an average of 2.2, at 2,073 metres above sea level, and classes it as volcano-tectonic in origin. The climate is severe enough that GNTA names the Caucasian pine as the only tree growing around it, and from December the lake lies under ice 47 to 73 centimetres thick, when whitefish are fished through it. Trout, roach, carp, whitefish, oriental chub and barbel live in the lake. GNTA names Poka Monastery and the cyclopean fortresses of Abuli and Shaori as monuments around the lake; they are separate places, not part of it.
Near Paravani Lake
Archaeological site
Shaori Fortress
A megalithic stronghold of the second millennium BCE on the summit of Mount Shaori, 2,752 metres up north-west of Paravani Lake, built of large basalt blocks laid without mortar.
7 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Archaeological site
Avranlo Fortress
A cyclopean fortification of huge dry-laid stones on the Tsalka plateau, rising in three tiers above the Ktsia river beside the village of Avranlo and dated to the first millennium BC.
25 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Lake
Tabatskuri Lake
A high lake at 2,000 metres in Samtskhe-Javakheti holding some 221 million cubic metres of water, with Tabatskuri village built out on a small peninsula along its shore.
27 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Bridge
Diamond Bridge (Tsalka Canyon)
A 240-metre glass suspension footbridge across Tsalka (Dashbashi) Canyon in Tsalka Municipality, with the diamond-shaped Diamond 360 café-bar at its centre.
31 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ