Martvili Canyon & Prometheus Cave – A Day Trip From Kutaisi

If you have already explored all the things to do in Kutaisi, one of the easiest day trips you can take is to Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon. The two attractions are completely different from one another but close enough that you can comfortably visit both on the same trip.

Martvili Canyon is all about the bright blue-green water, waterfalls and the short boat trip between the canyon walls. Prometheus Cave is the complete opposite as you spend around an hour underground walking through huge illuminated chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

I visited both on an organised day trip from Kutaisi which also included a stop for lunch between the two attractions. You can technically organise everything yourself, but this was one of those occasions where I think paying for the tour was worth it simply because it made getting between everything much easier. I was also short on time as I had to catch a train to Tbilisi in the evening so I couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong.

In this guide I will cover what you can expect from a Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon day trip from Kutaisi, current prices, the boat rides and whether I think each part is actually worth paying for. If I’m being honest this day was on the more expensive side for Georgia standards but it was well worth it.

My Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon Day Trip From Kutaisi

The day trip itself is quite simple and does not feel particularly rushed.

The route was essentially:

• Kutaisi
• Martvili Canyon
• Lunch at a local Georgian restaurant
• Prometheus Cave
• Return to Kutaisi

I chose an organised group tour because Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave are not particularly difficult to reach individually, but combining both using public transport starts becoming unnecessarily complicated.

Our tour met next to the cable car station in Kutaisi and it was simple enough. We traveled in a shared van and the tour guide kept us entertained with facts about Kutaisi and Georgia. He also gave us the menu where we were going for lunch. He spoke perfect English something I found refreshing and was very friendly which I appreciated being a solo traveler.

This is the tour I actually booked from GetYourGuide

A similar tour currently offered by Budget Georgia takes around seven hours, leaving Kutaisi at 12:00 and arriving back at approximately 19:00. Their group tour currently costs 65 GEL per person, which covers transport and an English-speaking guide. Budget Georgia is a good company and has a bit of a monopoly but I used them when traveling from Batumi to Mestia and then to Kutaisi so I would recommend them.

Importantly, this does not include the entrance tickets, boat rides or lunch.

That does make the complete day more expensive than the original tour price makes it appear, but considering you are transported directly between both attractions and do not need to worry about taxis or marshrutkas, I still think it is good value.

Martvili Canyon

Martvili Canyon was the attraction that got me excited for this day trip and it was what drew me to spend a day/night in Kutaisi in the first place. It did not disappoint.

I have visited many canyons now on my travels and Martvili Canyon is something different. Do not expect huge cliffs on either side which you can see for example in Matka Canyon or the Thailand-esque limestone rocks of Komani Canyon. Nevertheless Martvili Canyon was the most magical canyon of all the canyons I visited that is difficult to put it into words.

The canyon has bright turquoise water running between tall limestone walls covered in trees and vegetation. It is not some huge hiking destination where you need several hours to explore. The actual official walking route is only around 700 metres long.

There are several bridges and viewing platforms along the path where you can look down towards the river and waterfalls.

This actually works quite well as part of a combined day trip because you can properly see the canyon without needing to dedicate a lot of time for it.

Martvili Canyon Boat Ride

The main extra activity at Martvili Canyon is the boat ride. I would recommend you doing so and albeit it is a bit more expensive and is not exactly long it is like riding into a theme park where it is somewhat relaxing (unless youre at the front where you actually need to row)

The boats travel for roughly 300 metres along the Abasha River and the complete experience normally takes around 15 minutes. You are surrounded by the canyon walls rather than simply looking down at them from the walkways above.

The boat journey is short, so do not arrive expecting some hour-long canyon cruise. However, it is probably the part of Martvili that gives you the views you have seen in most photos of the place.

If you are trying to save money and only want to pay for one optional boat ride during the day, I would choose the Martvili Canyon boat rather than the Prometheus Cave boat.

Martvili Canyon Prices

Entrance prices increased considerably in 2026.

For foreign visitors, you should currently budget around:

Martvili Canyon entrance: 40 GEL
Boat ride: around 20 GEL extra

Prices have changed fairly frequently, so I would still check the official Agency of Protected Areas information before visiting.

Swimming is also not allowed inside the protected canyon. The water may look extremely inviting, especially in summer, but this is a protected area rather than somewhere you can jump in and swim.

You normally need around one to one and a half hours for Martvili Canyon including the boat ride.

Lunch Stop

After Martvili Canyon our tour stopped at a local restaurant for lunch before continuing towards Prometheus Cave.

Lunch was not included in the tour price, which is quite common with these Kutaisi day trips. Instead, everyone orders what they want and pays separately. Our guide sent us the menu in the morning on whatsapp and we had to tell him what we want in the morning.

I actually prefer tours doing it this way because you are not paying extra for some fixed tourist menu you may not even want.

Expect plenty of the Georgian classics including khachapuri, khinkali, meat dishes, salads and different shared plates. Georgian portions are normally quite large, so if you are travelling with someone else you can easily order several things and share. Do not worry though as there were also your traditional pizzas and burgers on the menu so really something for everyone.

I would budget roughly 20–35 GEL for lunch, although you can obviously spend less if you only want something small.

The lunch break also breaks up the journey nicely. Neither Martvili nor Prometheus requires serious hiking, but after walking around the canyon it was good to sit down before spending another hour or so walking through the cave.

The restaurant also was really nice, it had a lovely outdoor vibe as well, it was some sort of cowboy village theme, thats the only way to explain it. See for yourself. It was quite chill and lovely.

Prometheus Cave

The final major stop was Prometheus Cave, located near Tskaltubo and much closer to Kutaisi than Martvili Canyon. Obviously this was a completely different experience.

You enter the cave as part of an organised group and follow a path for roughly 1.4 kilometres through several enormous underground chambers.

Inside you will see stalactites hanging from the ceilings, stalagmites rising from the ground, underground water and huge rock formations that have formed over thousands of years. I live in Malta and we have our fair share of caves of our own but these caves have been most impressive to look at.

The cave has coloured lighting throughout. I will admit the colourful lighting makes it feel slightly touristy in places, but the actual scale of the cave is impressive enough that I do not think it takes away from the experience.

You keep walking deeper through the different chambers and there are areas where you genuinely cannot appreciate how large the cave is from photos alone.

Allow roughly one hour for the normal walking route and you will need to follow a guide organised by the caves themselves.

It Gets Cold Inside Prometheus Cave

This is probably one of the easiest things to forget when visiting in summer.

Kutaisi can be extremely hot in July and August, but inside Prometheus Cave the temperature stays somewhere around 14–16°C. That temperature change is immediately noticeable when you enter.

However, you do not need full winter clothing, but I would bring a thin hoodie or light jacket in your backpack. I didn’t need it as I was comfortable with a shirt and shorts but if you are traveling with children then you might wrap them up just a bit.

Comfortable shoes are also useful because you are walking for more than a kilometre and parts of the cave can naturally be damp.

Prometheus Cave Boat Ride – Is It Worth It?

There is another optional boat ride towards the end of Prometheus Cave.

This takes you along the underground river rather than going out immediately and exiting through a corridor.

The boat sounds very cool, and if you have never taken a boat through a cave before it may be worth adding. However, it is considerably more expensive relative to how short the experience is and this is the reason I skipped it.

The current standard foreign visitor entrance is around 40 GEL, with the underground boat costing approximately 30 GEL extra.

The boat can also be suspended if water levels are too high.

If your budget is limited, I would personally skip this boat and spend the extra money on the Martvili Canyon boat instead.

The main attraction at Prometheus is the cave itself. You have already walked through more than a kilometre of huge underground chambers by the time you reach the end, so skipping the boat does not mean you are missing anything special.

How Much Does the Complete Day Trip Cost?

This is one thing worth understanding before booking because the cheap tour price you initially see is not your final cost.

Using current 2026 prices, a realistic budget looks something like this:

Group tour: around 65 GEL
Martvili Canyon entrance: 40 GEL
Martvili boat: around 20 GEL
Prometheus Cave entrance: 40 GEL
Prometheus boat: around 30 GEL if you choose it
Lunch: around 20–35 GEL

Doing both attractions, lunch and the Martvili boat therefore comes to roughly 185–200 GEL per person.

If you add the Prometheus boat as well, expect the total to be closer to 215–230 GEL.

You can obviously reduce that by skipping both boats, in which case your main costs are the 65 GEL tour, 80 GEL of attraction tickets and whatever you spend on lunch.

Georgia is generally cheap to travel around, so I would not call this an extremely cheap day by Georgian standards. However, you are fitting two of the most famous natural attractions around Kutaisi into one afternoon without needing your own car.

Can You Visit Martvili Canyon and Prometheus Cave Without a Tour?

Yes, but this is one of the few times in Georgia where I think an organised tour makes more sense for most travellers.

If you have a rental car, definitely just drive yourself. There is no reason you need a tour guide to enjoy either attraction.

Taxis are another possibility, particularly if two, three or four of you can split the fare.

Using marshrutkas and public transport is where things become more complicated. Getting from Kutaisi towards Tskaltubo and Prometheus Cave is relatively straightforward, but then continuing towards Martvili and making all the connections work within the attraction opening hours is much less convenient.

You may save some money but lose several hours waiting around. For someone travelling alone like I was, paying around 65 GEL for the organised transport was worth it.

Can you only visit from Kutaisi?

The answer is no, however it will become a much longer day if you are going to visit from Tbilisi or Batumi. Nevertheless there are guided tours which do this, some of which you can find below here.

Which Is Better – Martvili Canyon or Prometheus Cave?

If you only have time for one, my choice would depend entirely on the weather.

On a sunny summer day, I would pick Martvili Canyon. The water colour, greenery and boat trip are what make the place special.

If the weather is bad, Prometheus Cave becomes a very good alternative because most of the experience is underground anyway.

Overall I slightly prefer Martvili because I generally prefer outdoor scenery to caves, but Prometheus is the more unusual attraction. You can visit waterfalls and canyons in plenty of countries whereas a cave of this size is something a little different.

Luckily you do not really need to choose because both fit comfortably into the same day trip.

Practical Tips Before You Go

Bring a light jacket even during summer because Prometheus Cave is much colder than outside.

Wear comfortable shoes. Neither attraction involves difficult hiking, but there is still plenty of walking and the cave can be damp.

Do the Martvili boat if it is operating. For only one optional activity, this would be my choice.

Do not assume the tour price includes entrance tickets. Most of the cheaper Kutaisi tours only include the vehicle and guide.

Carry a little cash even if you normally pay by card in Georgia. You are visiting attractions outside the city and it is always useful as a backup.

Check the weather before booking. Heavy rain can stop the Martvili boat and high water levels can also affect boating inside Prometheus Cave.

And finally, check the latest attraction prices. Georgia increased the entrance costs during 2026. The prices here reflect it but if you are reading after it would be worth checking the prices again.

Is a Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon Day Trip Worth It?

Yes. If you have at least two days around Kutaisi, I would definitely use one of them for a Prometheus Cave and Martvili Canyon day trip.

Neither attraction needs a full day by itself, which is exactly why combining them works so well.

I would definitely set aside time and plan a day for this day trip in your Georgia itinerary and not just use it as a time filler. Both attractions are really stunning and as far as canyons go that I have been to, it was one of the most magical places.

As far as caves that I have visited on the other hand, it is definitely the biggest and most impressive if I do not count the ice caves in Werfen. It is definitely a must go.

If I was cutting costs, I would book the shared tour, pay for both standard entrance tickets, add the Martvili Canyon boat and skip the optional boat inside Prometheus Cave.

If you are travelling further around western Georgia after Kutaisi, you can continue your trip with my guides to spending one day in Batumi, the best things to do in Mestia and how to get to Mestia from Kutaisi or Batumi. Thanks for reading!

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