Not far from the ancient fortress of Nokalakevi in Samegrelo region lies a wondrous place: hot hydrogen sulphur springs with water so hot that you can easily boil eggs in it! These are two self-flowing boreholes surrounded by pillow-like carbonate deposits.
A little lower, by the Tekhuri River, a small waterfall of thermal water flows down from these carbonate formations that strongly resemble ice. Here, the water is less scalding, so if you’re brave enough, you can sit beside the falling hot drops, just like in a steam bath. Nearby, a cool, clean river flows, and these two waters — the river’s and the springs’ — merge. If you get really hot, the best thing to do is to run and jump into the cool river. For those who prefer a more moderate contrast, there’s another option: build a small “mini-tub” with river stones and lie in the diluted, moderately warm thermal water for a perfectly relaxing experience.
We arrived at this spa on a hot July evening. As we walked down from the parking lot to the river, we realized we weren’t the only ones who needed to cool off. The place was so crowded, and all the spots under the “bath waterfall” were already taken, so we headed to the river. The river’s mini-tubs were also quite full, so we had to settle in the river itself, closer to the springs. This made our thermal baths less warm than expected, but they were perfectly refreshing for a sweltering evening. We just had to be careful that the strong river current didn’t carry us all the way to the Black Sea.
The beach itself is located in a picturesque canyon, so it’s no surprise that it attracts a diverse crowd—from casual travelers and tourists to local residents.
Many of the locals, spoiled by river activities, come here simply to feast. One company at a generously set table invited us to join their banquet, promising that “we’ll definitely go for a swim later.” Well, that’s a rather unique style of Georgian-only recreation!
Another local, 68-year-old Irodi, told us he’s been coming to this “river bathhouse” since his childhood because it’s “very good for your health.” Naturally, he also brings his guests here every time. Irodi warned us never to sit in the “steam room” if you have heart problems, as it could make them worse.
Seeing a group of foreign guys and girls splashing in the river, we were curious to ask about their impressions. It turned out that one of the young men, Danny from Johannesburg, works as a volunteer at a hostel in Nokalakevi. He ended up in Georgia by chance while looking for a place to volunteer. He arrived with no prior knowledge of the country, but immediately fell in love with it. “I’m loving Martvili Canyon and all the other places around here. We often go swimming further up the river. And this thermal spring is a miracle! It’s a great balance: first, you warm up in the hot water, and then you jump into the cold river. We have nothing like this in South Africa. It’s a true natural wonder: a thermal spring right next to a river!”
In this exotic location, we met some really exotic people! For example, Danny’s friend, Nicolas, came from Uruguay as part of his tour of Europe and Asia.
“I love Georgia! It is, unexpectedly for me, a European country, although it has Asian traits too. I’m also really enjoying the local food and nature! We have neither mountains nor such amazing natural springs in Uruguay. I have so much fun here every day,” the Uruguayan shared with us.
One of the vacationers complained that the thermal springs on the Tekhuri “have not been developed yet, and there is no infrastructure or service here.” It’s hard to say how this place will change when businesses arrive. The question is whether it will be able to maintain its “local charm.”
At this beach, one enterprising person has already started a small business by diverting several pipes from the sulphur waterfall away from the river, creating several tubs with varying temperatures. This service is for those who don’t want to build their own tub at the river or for when the entire beach is occupied. A half-hour soak in one of these “improved tubs” costs 10 GEL. At the entrance, there is detailed information in Russian and English about the benefits of such a treatment.
The “Tekhuri Bathhouse” seemed such an appealing place to us that we are ready to return again and again, especially during the summer heat when the soul craves freshness and coolness. Regular visitors, however, claim that at other times of the year it´s magical there as well. This is not surprising, because right next to each other you have both – ice and fire.
By Tajana Montik
Discover more of Tatjana Montik’s travels around Georgia in our upcoming interview in GEORGIA TODAY, and in her book: Georgia – A Tapestry of Time and Space.
