Visit Pankisi Valley: Off the Beaten Path in Georgia
Looking to get well off the beaten path in Georgia? Having spent six months exploring as much of Georgia as we possibly could, our visit to Pankisi Valley undeniably sits as one of our favourite spots. Tucked up in the northeast, Pankisi almost feels like you’ve stepped into another country. The language is different, the culture is different, the local dress is different. This fascinating little corner of Georgia is easily accessible from Tbilisi making it a great addition to any visit to the capital city, and there will be no other tourists there!
Get off the beaten path in Georgia, step away from the busy cities, and experience the unique culture, nature and warm hospitality of beautiful Pankisi Valley.
Here’s everything you need to know to visit Pankisi Valley in this guide.
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How to Reach Pankisi from Tbilisi and Telavi
There are two marshrutkas leaving Tbilisi each day from Ortachala bus station: one at 07:30 and another at 14:30. It also stops at Isani bus stop which is near the metro station, however, if you have large luggage, I would recommend going down the hill to Ortachala bus station instead as it will give you time to get it all stowed before other passengers. The journey took about 3.5 hours and cost us 15 GEL (though prices are likely to have increased slightly).
The marshrutka will also stop at Telavi on the way. So, if you find yourself in Telavi, you’ll be able to either jump on this marshrutka as it comes through, or find marshrutkas heading just from Telavi. It takes about 2.5 hours to reach Telavi from Tbilisi.
How to Reach Tbilisi from Pankisi
Pankisi Valley is a long road running through different villages, and the marshrutka travels the length of it. It leaves at about midday every day and stops along the road at several stops. In Duisi, where we were waiting, the marshrutka came by at 12:20.
The day before you travel, ask your accommodation host to call the driver so that they know that you want to get the marshrutka. Everyone has the guy’s number!
Why is the culture in Pankisi so different to the rest of Georgia?
The people living in Pankisi Valley today are Kists. They are the descendants of refugees who fled from Chechnya in Russia across the border into Georgia during the Chechen Wars of the 1800s.
Why is there such little tourism in Pankisi Valley?
Pankisi Valley is still suffering from the fall out of the ‘Pankisi Crisis’. This was a period of time in the early 2000s where the valley was reportedly a hotbed for foreign extremists during the Second Chechen War. When we told other Georgians that we were travelling to Pankisi, you could see the concern in their faces. Yes, Pankisi Valley was definitely not somewhere you should have visited during the early 2000s, but twenty years on, the valley is open to tourism.
Is it safe?
I felt 100% safe and comfortable everywhere in Pankisi Valley. We met some Chechens who had come over from Russia to visit family in Pankisi, and they were shocked to see us. They asked if we felt safe too (it was obvious that they were used to this negative stereotype).
The owner of our guesthouse was warm and welcoming. The kids on the street all wanted to talk to us and practise their English. The women at the bakery refused point blank to let us pay for the bread we wanted. An old man invited us into his house for coffee and biscuits, and wouldn’t let us leave without taking two huge jars of homemade kompot. People in cars stopped for us to ask if we needed lifts. I can tell you that there aren’t many places that we have travelled where I have felt more welcome and safe than here.
Why Should I Visit Pankisi?
Pankisi Valley is still recovering from its history and bad reputation, so any tourism makes a huge impact to the local people. Pankisi has beautiful scenery and walking opportunities, cute villages, tasty cuisine, friendly locals, its own brewery, and it’s only a three and a half hour marshrutka journey from Tbilisi.
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How Should I Dress in Pankisi?
As Pankisi is majority Muslim, there is a noticeably different dress in this region compared to the rest of Georgia. You’ll see women with heads, arms and legs covered. I did make sure that I had more conservative clothing on – tshirts instead of vest tops, trousers instead of shorts etc., but no head covering.
Things to Do in Pankisi
Pankisi Valley is pretty remote and doesn’t have loads of big ticket attractions, but these are our recommendations for things to do.
Visit the Kist Beer brewery
Yep, there’s a brewery in a Muslim-majority, dry region, but it makes non-alcoholic beer. As someone who really does not get on with the hoppy taste of beer, this was amazing. So tasty and fresh and we drank loads of it. The brewery is very small, but you can pop in and ask for a tiny tour, a taste, and to buy some beer fresh from the tap.
Made from rosehip and black hawthorn, this is a must-try! (It even made it on to our list of top Georgian drinks you have to try.)
Wander the villages of Pankisi Valley finding these points of interest:
Nazy’s Guesthouse in Jokolo arranges walking tours, hikes, cooking classes, and many other activities, so if you’re looking for something more active, she will be able to sort it for you.
Duisi Mosque and its unique minaret
The Amphitheatre of Dedisperuli
Jokolo’s traditional cemeteries
St. George’s Church
Vainakh Tower
Facilities in Pankisi
Duisi has the one and only restaurant in the whole valley (called Inside), an ATM, a few grocery shops, and a bakery. The other villages within the valley have less/no facilities and services.
Planning Your Trip?
These are our favourite resources that we use religiously for planning our travels at home and while on the road. Use them for your trip planning too!
Accommodation: for the beste deals, we use Booking.com, and Agoda.com. And what’s even better is thagt you build up loyalty points the more you book, which gets you exclusive offers like extra discounts, free breakfast, free room upgrades, and cashback!
Transport: For buses and trains, we swear by BusBud, and 12Go Asia.
For flights, we find them on Skyscanner and make sure to book through Trip.com because you can rack up points which turn into credit on your account, and sometimes free lounge access.
Travel Insurance: THE best budget-friendly insurance SafetyWing – no question.
SIM Cards, Tickets, Experiences: Klook is the way to go!
Where to Stay in Pankisi
We stayed at Melissa Guesthouse and absolutely loved it. The rooms are huge, warm and comfortable. There is a communal kitchen and a large garden area filled with vegetables, fruit and flowers. Khatuna, who runs the guesthouse, is friendly and helpful, and a really good cook. Do not miss her breakfast!
In a Nutshell
Pankisi Valley is easily accessible from Tbilisi by twice-daily marshrutka.
It is an area of Chechen Muslim culture, and feels completely different to the rest of Georgia.
Pankisi is a very remote and peaceful part of the country.
The locals are some of the friendliest you will meet anywhere in the world!
The local non-alcoholic beer is beautiful stuff!
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