Gagra

Gagra Vacation Packages Want to book a vacation to Gagra? Whether you're off for a romantic vacation, family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, Gagra vacation packages on TripAdvisor make planning your trip simple and affordable. Find the perfect vacation package for Gagra on TripAdvisor by comparing Gagra hotel and flight prices. Travelers like you have written 792 reviews and posted 2,346 candid photos for Gagra hotels. Book your Gagra vacation today! Abkhazia (Abkhaz: Аҧсны, Russian: Абхазия) is a partially recognised state controlled by a separatist government on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus. in the Caucasus and a very popular destination for Russian tourists. It considers itself an independent state, but is recognized by few countries. Despite its controversial status it is still a popular place to spend summer vacation among Russians. The state is situated on the eastern bank of the Black Sea, bordered on the northwest by Russia on the Psou River, near the city of Sochi, and on the east with Georgia at the Ingur River and with the Grand Caucasian Range of mountains on the north. A subtropical climate and snow covered mountains combined with beaches, caves, lakes and mountains as well as architectural and religious legacy of churches makes Abkhazia a wonder to a tourist. Understand History After the war with Georgia in 1992-1993, Abkhazia survived in spite of an immense embargo and blockade imposed by Georgia. Despite having most of its infrastructure destroyed, Abkhazia managed to redevelop its main economic pillars which are tourism and agriculture. Though many efforts were made to rehabilitate the territory after the war with Georgia, some destruction still remains across the territory. The unresolved conflict with Georgia is a burden for the future development of the territory. In August 2008, there was fighting again during the South Ossetia War, which was followed by the formal recognition of Abkhazia by Russia, the annulment of the 1994 ceasefire agreement and the termination of the UN and CIS missions. Its status as an independent state is internationally recognized only by Nauru, Nicaragua, Russia and Venezuela. Abkhazia highly depends on Russian support and currency, and has an uncertain political situation similar to that of South Ossetia or Kosovo. From a travel perspective it is for all intents and purposes an independent territory. Cities Abkhazia regions map.png Sukhumi — capital city Agudzera Gudauta Gagra Gal Gyachripsh Pitsunda New Athos (Novy Afon) Ochamchira Tquarchal Other destinations Lake Ritsa Talk Abkhaz, in the Northwest Caucasian linguistic family, is related to the Abkhaz-Adyghe language group in the same family. There are two official languages: Abkhaz and Russian. Russian is convenient for intercultural communication since Abkhazia is a multi-ethnic state. Russian is universally understood and likely the most convenient language for travelers. In the cities you can use English for basic communication. Get in As of 2014, there are two viable land crossings into Abkhazia: one is from Sochi in Russia, the other one is from Enguri bridge (near Zugdidi), Georgia. Entering is more "user-friendly" from Russia, as this border crossing is used by hundreds of Russian tourists every day, however, the need of a double-entry Russian visa makes it challenging for most westerners (see details below). If you enter from Georgia, take a taxi from Zugdidi to Enguri bridge (GEL10),or a minibus for GEL1 (yes, there are). check your passport with the Georgian military checkpoint and walk across the several hundred metre long, dilapidated Enguri bridge to the Russian military checkpoint at the Abkhazian side. Alternatively, horse carriages also run between the two checkpoints (GEL1); at the Abkhazian side you find taxis, marshrutkas and coaches to Gal and Sokhumi. July 2013 taxi prices: From border to Sukhumi or back: RUB1,500. A water border crossing point to Russia in Gagra was also opened in 2011 (see below). Please note that after your trip you should go back where you came from: it is not allowed to transit through Abkhazia from Russia to Georgia or vice versa. While some travellers reported that visiting Abkhazia from Georgia and continuing the trip to Russia is viable, it's clearly not recommended. Visitors who go to Georgia after visiting Abkhazia through Russia may be subject to a punishment and fines by Georgian customs since they consider it a violation of the Georgian border regime. Visa to Abkhazia There are three types of visas for Abkhazia: Single-entry, Multi-entry and Transit visas; Tourists entering Abkhazia should fill out and send a Visa application form directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. A double entry Russian visa is mandatory for non-Russian citizens to be able to enter and exit the territory of Abkhazia from/to Russia. Citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan-(Commonwealth Independent States) and Nicaragua do not need visas to enter Abkhazia. As of July 2017, it is possible to obtain a visa-on-arrival for short 'excursions' into the country at the Psou border crossing near Adler/Sochi in Russia. After going through the checkpoint on the Russian side of the border, you will be directed to an office on the Abkhaz side of the border where Russian guards will once again examine your passport and inquire as to why you are visiting Abkhazia. After a short time, Abkhaz authorities will take you to a small building where you pay for your Abkhaz visa. They will then hand you the visa without placing it into your passport and you are free to go. It should be noted that trying to mail your visa application form to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or calling the office will not result in a reply as the visa-on-arrival scheme has now been implemented. Additionally, as you have already obtained and paid for your visa, it is not necessary to visit the Consular Department of the MFA in Sukhumi (see below). On receiving duly submitted documents, the Consular Service usually needs 5 working days to process the request. As soon as Clearance is ready the applicant will be contacted by the consular officer and an entry permit letter will be sent to him/her by fax or e-mail. The Entry Permit Letter (Clearance letter) only serves as an entrance permit to Abkhazia. Print out 2 copies, since one of them may be taken by boarderguards, but you need the entrance permit in bank. Please note that after you enter the Republic of Abkhazia you need to proceed to the Consular Department of the MFA of Abkhazia to obtain the actual visa which will serve as an exit permit document. *If there is some information missing or application is not filled fully the Consular Service does not guarantee that a visa will be granted. Once at the Consular Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sukhumi (Uliza Sakharova 33) you hand in your entry permit and pay the fee on the spot. Visa will be handed out immediately (July 2016). For those who travel to Abkhazia via Russia, a transit, double entry or multiple entry Russian visa is required in order to be eligible to re-enter the Russian Federation after visiting Abkhazia. The Russian guards do not stamp your passport at this border and sometimes questions about having already used up your double-entry visa can occur — so it helps to save the Abkhaz visa or any other piece of evidence about the length of your stay. By train There are several trains (numbers 010, 479, and 306) between Moscow and Sukhumi with several daily departures in either direction in Summer and around two times a week during the winter. The 480С goes from Sukhumi to Saint Petersburg five times a week in summer and, and other trains can connect you throughout Russia from hubs that all above trains pass through, like Sochi or Rostov-on-Don. You can find the timetable on the official site of RZD[[1]]or on the Yandex timetable sevice[[2]]. No trains leave Abkhazia for Georgia proper. By bus Buses to Sukhumi run from Sochi and Rostov-on-the-Don, Russia daily. Buses and marshrutkas to Gali and Sukhumi also run from the Enguri bridge crossing, near the Georgian border; a trip to Sukhumi shouldn't cost more than RUB150, although drivers may try to charge you the double. Don't let them scam you. By foot If you are crossing the border on foot from Russia, prepare for long waits in summer touristic season (2-3 hours are not uncommon) and bring enough water. Entering from Georgia will involve at least 15 minutes walking between the two military checkpoints, but apart the paperwork which can be somewhat lengthy, this is a straightforward process. By air Sukhumi Dranda Airport (IATA: SUI) is not operational yet though the Government has interests to launch flights in the near future but as for now the airport serves irregular flights to the Pskhu village and the United Nations Observer Mission flights. Abkhazian airspace is jointly controlled by the Russian Air Force, and the fledgling Abkhaz Air Force, so unauthorized aircraft entering it, especially from Georgia, may be shot down. Get around By bus There are frequent buses and marshrutkas along the coastal road between Psou and Sukhumi. You will find a detailed bus timetable at the Sukhumi Bus Station(small cabine near the restored section of the destroyed railway terminal). As of July 2016 trips cost: Sukhumi - Gagra: 200 Rubles Sukhumi - New Athos: 70 Rubles Gagra - Psou: 70 Rubles By taxi Visitors may also use taxis for travel within the country. Many taxi companies provide special rates for sightseeing. There are a number of travel agencies providing excursions to the mountains using jeeps / four wheel drive cars. By tour bus Many local excursional companies making tours to the most of the famous sites of Abkhazia.The most popular are:lake Ritza,New Athos(Noviy Afon) cave and monastery,varios horse,jeeps and quad bikes tours. You can easily buy the excursion by the tour companies agents who are usually sitting behind the tables along the embarkments and beaches.Agent usually needs your adress and phone number,then he usually give an exursional ticket and add your name in a list.Next morning the tour minibus(usually Mersedes Sprinter) will stop near your apartments. The same operation you can do with your apartments owner who usually have contacts or even have his own tour company. See One interesting destination for travelers is to visit Novi Afon or New Athos (Новый Афон); a Christian Orthodox Cathedral, which is 20min drive from Sukhumi. It is famous not only as a cathedral and living legacy of Christianity but also as a cave; where there are 7-8 enormously large halls with thousands of wonderful stalagmites and stalagtites. A special train takes you to the depths. There are also historical places like the village of Moqua with its beautiful cathedral, and Ilor Church near Ochamchira. The beach at Gagra Another attraction is Lake Ritsa, high in the mountains and about one hour's drive from the main road (M-27). On the other side of the lake Stalin's Dacha (summer cottage) can be found. The shortest way is by boat, but access is also possible by road (5km). The cottage is open for tourists in the peak season. Even further up in the mountains is Lake Msui, a bit more off the beaten track; some tour operators offer trips. Weekly local flights from Sukhum airport can take you to the remote village of Pskhu, where tourists may enjoy fantastic views of mountains and enjoy local produce such as honey and meat. The city of Gagra and Pitsunda is the most popular tourist destination, offering a wide range of activities for a vacation. Do Abkhazia offers a wide variety of activities, including ecotourism, gastro tourism, rafting and extreme sports, mountain jogging and snowboarding, diving and sky gliding, hunting, abandoned buildings and Soviet remains visits and cultural and religious tourism. These are things a traveler should try before leaving Abkhazia: Visit the Abkhaz Drama Theatre, Botanic garden, Monkey Park and Parliament Building in Sukhumi. Visit Narta Restaurant in Sukhum by the beach and enjoy original Abkhazian cuisine along with Abkhazian Wine. Recommended beaches are located in Sukhumi for relaxation and Pitsunda for water activities and leisure. Dine at the famous "Gagripsh" restaurant in Gagra. Visit the main historic church in Novi Afon. Visit the fascinating abandoned sanitarium in Guleripsh. Visit the small cave of Saint Simon the Zealot. Visit the village of Kaman near Sukhumi. Village of Lykhny with its historic churches and dome of Abkhaz Kings. Buy ATMs are widespread in Abkhazia in recent times. Dollars and Euros are accepted in official exchange offices which can be easily found in most tourist areas. Sometimes, visitors may pay with dollars and euros directly, though at a lower rate. Eat Must try Abkhazian local dishes include Akud (bean sauce) and Abista (corn porridge with cheese) and a variety of meat and fresh greens, most dishes are usually spicy. Shashlik kebabs and another Caucasian dishes are popular in Abkhazia. Food is extremely cheap here but you need to be careful: wash fruits and vegetables, be careful with cheap street food; it is strongly recommended to buy food in shops and supermarkets instead of buying it on the streets and beaches. Drink Local wines are a must try; Apsny, Ashta, Buque, Dioskuria (ancient Greek name of Sukhumi), Gumsta, Lykhni, Psou, and Radeda. Stay safe In the past, Abkhazia has witnessed military confrontations between Georgian armed forces and the Russian-supported local independence groups. For the common traveller the country is relatively safe, but you should make sure to avoid any place near the border to Georgia. Some minor unregistered minefields are reported near the border, an additional reason to steer well clear of it. Keep in mind that Abkhazia is, in the view of international law, still a part of Georgia. Further military confrontations are unlikely but you should closely follow the international and independent news in case the situation changes. Travellers who have visited Abkhazia from Russia and intend to visit Georgia can be questioned, refused entry to Georgia or in the worst case be imprisoned by Georgian immigration officers, as entry to Abkhazia is seen as illegal immigration. The basic precautions for travellers are those recommended in all tourist destinations: Watch your bag or purse in public e.g. buses, trains and meetings. Keep your car locked with valuables out of view and do not leave your valuables like cameras, jewelry or mobile phones on the beach when you go for a swim. If your mobile phone is stolen, the local cell phone company may help you to track it and in most cases telephones could be found if resold anywhere in Abkhazia. Don't hesitate to report crimes to the local police. If you report a theft, people are generally helpful. Occasionally, if the FSB/KGB security services suspect you are a foreigner, they may decide stop and question you. Just claim you don't know Russian, even if you do, it will make your life easier. Keeping your passport or a copy of your passport with you is also recommended in case they do stop and question you. Respect Abkhazia is a traditional and conservative country, so dress modestly. Clothing which exposes too much skin will give you a bad image from the local people, and you will thereby get unwelcome attention and less respect Gagra is a town in Abkhazia, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. Its subtropical climate made Gagra a popular resort. Gagra is located on a narrow coastal strip of 2-3 km width. It represents a continuous subtropical garden with fountains, ponds and walkways. The nicest part of town is the Old Gagra with its magnificent views over the mountains and the bay. Understand Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°C) 14 15 15 18 22 26 27 28 25 21 17 14 Nightly lows (°C) 6 5 6 10 14 17 20 20 16 14 9 7 View of the coast from the west Gagra Greater Caucasus mountains almost meets with the sea in the Gagra area which creates a microclimate that protects city from the cold winds and holds warm sea air. Due to that Gagra is the warmest place on the Black Sea coast. Get in By plane Getting to Abkhazia can be done by plane or train. First, to the city of Adler (suburb of Sochi Russia). Then, about 8 km to the border with Abkhazia, from where it's 22-24 km to Gagra. By train There is a direct train Moscow - Sukhumi which passes Gagra, runs at least 2 times a week and more often during summer. Alternatively, get any train to Sochi and then take a bus to Gagra. 1 Train station. edit By bus There are buses from Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don heading to Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gali which passes Gagra on its way. By boat During summer there is a boat service from Sochi to Gagra, costs 550 RUB. Get around See Palace of the Prince of Oldenburg An early medieval church of the Protection of the Virgin 1 Ruins of the Abaata fortress. 4th-5th century AD, built by the Anchabadze dynasty-ruling Georgian dynasty. At the beginning of XX century Prince of Oldenburg ordered to demolish part of its walls to build a hotel on that place. Another part of the wall was eroded by sea and almost disappeared. However, the rest of the walls and fortress towers are still in a good shape. Besides, fortress features an inactive early-christianity church of St. Hypatia Gagra. edit 2 Restaurant "Gagripsh". Quite famous restaurant that was bought by the Prince of Oldenburg at the World Exhibition in Paris. Represents wooden house with a clock that was made in Norway in 1902. edit 6th-century church. said to be the oldest in Abkhazia, built by Anchabadze dynasty edit 3 Marlinsky defensive tower. Built in 1841 edit 4 Palace of the Prince of Oldenburg (at the premises of sanatorium "Chaika"). 19th-century palace of the Prince Peter of Oldenburg. Started doing it, Prince of Oldenburg has embarked on a plan to create Gagra a climatic resort - "Russian Nice". edit Mansions of the early twentieth century. Exhibition of woodcarving "Valley of the Winds". edit Hydrosulphuric hospital. edit Stalin's dacha near sanatorium "Solnechnyy". edit Further afield 5 Cave St. Hypatia. Consists of two small rooms built by the monks who lived there. Path leading to the cave is quite difficult and hard to find. Worth noting that the cave has just a historical value, it's not anyhow picturesque or anything like that. edit 6 Bzyb castle and church of Our Lady. Church was built in X-XI century. It was a cross-domed building with three apses, however, only walls and arches remained to these days, domes are destroyed. Also parts of the ornament can still be seen on the walls. edit Relic boxwood groves. edit 7 River Reprua. 18 m long river. It originates in the mountains and then flows into the Black Sea. Supposedly, this is the shortest river in the world. It's also about 10 m wide. edit Ritsa National Park Mountains surrounding Ritsa lake 8 Lake Ritsa. Magnificent lake surrounded by the mountains of 2,200 to 3,500 m height. edit 9 Stalin's dacha at Ritsa lake (N 5 km of Ritsa lake). One of the 5 dachas that belong to Stalin. Now it's possible to get inside, look at the interiors and furniture of those times. Dacha consists of several reception rooms, three bedrooms, a huge library and a separate guard house for 300 people. edit 10 "Milky" waterfall (near Ritsa lake on the road to Stalin's dacha). 100 m waterfall that has a milky color due to its high water gassings. edit 11 Small Ritsa lake (5 km from the Big Ritsa lake). Small mountain lake at 1235 m. edit 12 Waterfall "Men's Tears". edit 13 Avadkhara mineral spring (18 km above Ritsa lake). Spring with delicious mineral water located at 1650-1700 m above sea level. There is also a cafe near the lower spring. Road leading to the spring is of a very bad quality suitable only for SUVs. edit 14 Bzybsky Gorge (on the road to Ritsa lake, 5 km before of it). Gorge with rock walls of about 500 m. edit Mountains between Gagra and Ritsa National Park 15 Gegsky waterfall (Circassian waterfall). 60-70 m waterfall. Located in the northern spurs of the Gagra Range at an altitude of 530 m above sea level. edit 16 Mamdzyshkha mountain (6 km from Gagra). Mountain of 1873 m height offering great views of the surrounding countryside. There is also 2 observation decks on a road leading to the top of the mountain. edit 17 Krubera Cave (Voronya Cave) (the tract of Orto-Balagan). The deepest known cave on Earth, with a depth of 2,140 m. edit 18 Waterfall "Maiden Tears". edit 19 Blue Lake (At the 13th km of a road to the lake Ritsa). Small mountain lake famous for its bright blue waters. edit Do Colonnade at the city park Swim at the beach. Paragliding from Mamdzyshkha mountain (1873 m). It will take several hours to get up to the mountain by jeep and then at least 30 minutes flight back to the Gagra beach. 1 Seaside Park. Park created by Prince of Oldenburg in 1903 where a lot of plane trees, palms, agaves, conifers and citrus trees were planted. It was also decorated with ponds and sculptures. One of the park entrances is decorated with a colonnade that is the symbol of Gagra. edit 2 Mini zoo, seaside Park. edit 3 Winter Theater. edit Buy 1 Supermarket "Continent". edit Eat 1 Restaurant "Abaata". edit Drink Sleep Alex Beach Hotel, д.1,, Zvanba St, ☎ +7 499 766 45 16, toll-free: +7 8 800 500 30 74. Spa, massage, restaurant. 30 m from the Black Sea public beach. It features a night club, bowling facilities, beauty salon and a sauna. Rooms at Alex Beach Hotel come with satellite TV and a minibar. Abkhazian and Italian cuisine in the Alex Restaurant, and on-site café. Wellness facilities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a spa centre. WiFi is available at surcharge. Gagra Train Station is 10 minutes’ drive from Alex Beach Hotel. A shuttle to Sochi International Airport (35 km) is available on request. (updated Apr 2017 | edit) Wellness Park Gagra, д. 52, Abazgaa St, ☎ +7-940-996-72-76. Website in Russian. A modern 5-storey building with panoramic windows, soundproofing. 60 rooms of different categories with comfortable designer furniture, beautiful interiors. Hot and cold water round the clock. Near the hotel is a cafe, water park, beach, city market, tour desk, children's playground. (updated Apr 2017 | edit) San Marina Hotel, Abazgaa Street, 57/1. Website in Russian. A modern holiday complex located in the area of ​​Novaya Gagra in the immediate vicinity of the city's clean, fine pebble beach, market, water park, central city embankment, restaurants and shops. A 9-storey building is located on its own landscaped territory, there is an autonomous power station that provides round-the-clock supply of light and hot water. (updated Apr 2017 | edit) 1 Energetik Hotel, 50 Abazgaa Street (22 km from Adler city, 36 km from the international airport), ☎ +7 940 996-50-21. Website in Russian. This Guesthouse is located in the heart of New Gagra, in its own park on the shore of the sea. Seasonal, from May to September. Consists of 15-storey and 3-storey buildings. Private pebble beach 50 m from the pension. Rental of beach equipment, pleasure boats, catamarans, inflatable mattresses, shower room. On the hotel territory: night cafe, bar, restaurant, massage, Barber, beauty shop, free Parking, Jogging track, Park with pool, Spa. Billiards, table tennis, badminton, volleyball court, cinema, disco. (updated Apr 2017 | edit) ConnectThis property is 1 minute walk from the beach. Featuring free WiFi throughout the property, Travel Hotel offers accommodations in Gagra, just 33.8 km from Adler. Each room has a flat-screen TV. Certain rooms include views of the sea or mountains. All rooms come with a private bathroom fitted with a bathtub or shower. Extras include slippers, free toiletries and a hairdryer. There is a tour desk at the property. The hotel also provides bike rental. Krasnaya Polyana is 43.5 km from Travel Hotel , and Khosta is 40.2 km from the property. This property also has one of the top-rated locations in Gagra! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area. This property is also rated for the best value in Gagra! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city. If you want to request something specific, you can do that in the next step before you book. After you book, we'll provide details so you can contact the property directly. How to Get a Visa and Travel to the Republic of Abkhazia Posted at 06:14h in ., Abkhazia by Megan Starr 178 Comments Share Originally published in April 2013. Updated and current in 2017. Please read the comments as many have given updates regarding the visa process and border controls. This post remains up-to-date and live at all times. There are a few other posts out there that have used my post as a reference point and then wrote the exact same information (with the same photos) as I have written below- actually not joking. Save yourself time and just use the guideline written here- it will always remain up to date. All You Need to Know About Traveling to Abkhazia (Visa and Border Crossing Information Included!) Click To Tweet Lately, it has been taking me nearly six months to write about places I have recently traveled to! But, upon my return from Abkhazia just yesterday, I have received three emails asking how I got the visa and how I crossed the border. **Please do note that this is 100% my experience. If you follow exactly how I did things, you should not have a problem (as I did not). I am also a female and I was traveling alone. Not saying that it makes things easier in terms of a border crossing, but I feel like people were possibly more accommodating and watching my back as they thought it was ‘not the usual’ to see a female traveling to Abkhazia alone.** TABLE OF CONTENTS [hide] 1 APPLYING FOR A VISA TO ABKHAZIA 2 GETTING TO AND THROUGH THE BORDER 3 GETTING TO SUKHUM 4 PICKING UP YOUR VISA IN SUKHUM 5 LEAVING ABKHAZIA 6 SOME TIPS 6.1 More from Me about Abkhazia 6.2 Additional Resources APPLYING FOR A VISA TO ABKHAZIA If you plan on traveling to Abkhazia, the first thing you must do is apply for the visa. You can do that at this website (application is in English). This is the website for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Abkhazia and they will handle all of the visa information. There are also people working there that speak English. On previous accounts I’ve read about, the person stated that they had to hound the Ministry to get their clearance letter and they then had issues at the border. I experienced no such thing. I sent my letter to the MFA on April 2nd and received my clearance letter as an attachment via email on April 9. They will have it sent to you at least five days prior to your expected visit to Abkhazia. Print three copies…just in case! This is what a printed copy of the clearance letter looks like: Abkhazia visa acceptance letter GETTING TO AND THROUGH THE BORDER I crossed the Inguri/Ingur border from Georgia. I can only write on behalf of my experience from that border, not the Russian one (which is apparently easier). I was coming from Tbilisi so I found it the most convenient to take the night train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi (Georgian city close to the border). This train departs Tbilisi at 2305 and arrives in Zugdidi at around 0705. Be sure to purchase tickets at the train station in Tbilisi a few days prior as this train fills up and fills up fast! I purchased mine the day before I was set to travel and they had no sleeper cabins available. I paid 14 Lari for a seat and it was actually pretty comfortable and I slept just fine. Once I arrived in Zugdidi, I was hounded by taxi drivers and was just eager to get to the border, so I had one of them drive me instead of finding a marshrutka. I have heard that there are marshrutkas that will take you straight to the border. For me to take a taxi, I paid 10 Lari (I suspect a marshrutka is around 3-5 Lari). After arriving at the border, I checked in with the Georgian police (pink building to the left of the street) and they took my passport and asked me numerous questions about why I wanted to travel to Abkhazia. DO NOT MENTION THAT IT IS ITS OWN COUNTRY (which most countries do not even recognize anyway). Just simply state, “If I’m going to see all of Georgia, I can’t leave out the Abkhazia region”. They spoke poor English but did speak Russian. They’ll also ask you your profession. Border of Georgia and Abkhazia peace Once they take down your information, you are permitted to walk over the river, which more or less constitutes the Georgia-Abkhazia border. There are horse and buggy carriages that can take you over. I heard the walk was 1.5 miles, so I opted for this. HUGE MISTAKE. I walked on the way back and it was not that far at all. And the horse and buggy is so bumpy that you think you’re going to fall over the entire time. I paid 10 Lari for this (was only supposed to be 5 Lari, but the man didn’t have change and told me at the start and I just said, “Whatever” and took it anyway). Horse and buggy that takes you to and from the Abkhazia-Georgia border You will arrive on the other side of the river and will see a small metal shack on the right side with an Abkhazian (or maybe Russian?) official inside. Have your passport and clearance letter ready for him. He will check it and wave you through. But, the border on that side does not open until 8am. So you may have to wait 20 minutes like I did. Border of Abkhazia welcome sign After you are permitted to go through, you can just walk straight until you see another office on the right-hand side. You will be unable to see through the windows at who is sitting behind them, but you can just pass them over your passport and clearance letter. They’ll analyze you for a few moments, all while the rest of the guards are smoking and trying to use the few words of English they know with you (few words= you’re beautiful, smile, good luck, where you from?, I love Amereeeeca). Once you’re through, you continue to a baggage scanner. Send your stuff through and you’re good to go! GETTING TO SUKHUM The nearest city to the border is Gal. I was under the impression that I needed to take a marshrutka from the border to Gal, and then another from Gal to Sukhum. I actually found a marshrutka at the border that went straight to Sukhum. For those of you who do not know Cyrillic, it will have a sign like this: Bus to Sukhum from the Abkhazia border I sat in the marshrutka for a good hour before it took off. Apparently, it needed to fill up from having one person to the two it had when we took off. We also made a stop in Gal to pick up more people. It took roughly two hours to get from Gal to Sukhum. I read somewhere that someone said it took a total of 30 minutes from the border to Sukhum. Seriously…not true. Even if you rented a private taxi or your own vehicle. It is a pretty substantial distance. All in all, I paid 300 roubles for the marshrutka from the border to Sukhum. This was the same price the locals paid. (The price is the same if you take a marshrutka from the border to Gal and then pick up a marshrutka from there to Sukhum). PICKING UP YOUR VISA IN SUKHUM Once in Sukhum, you have about two days to get to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office and grab your visa (three days if you’re staying for more than three days). This office is located at Lakoba 21 and can’t be missed as it is massive and very official-looking. Once you go in, head to reception and ask for “Konsulskaya” (she speaks no English). It is on the second floor to the left. I was just told that you must go to 33 Sakharova, which is 6 blocks west and 1 block north of the MFA from a very reliable source (still up-to-date location as of 2017). Sukhum, Abkhazia Above photo courtesy of Amos Chapple (check out his FB page for more incredible photos!) When I went there, they sent me to the bank, which was on Lakoba. They also gave me the price of my visa as information to give to the person at the bank (it was $10). Walk down Lakoba until you see this building: And while this may look like the bank, you’ll need to cross the street and head to the smaller branch right across the street. They have an English speaker there who should be able to assist (and she is super friendly). She will take your payment and fill out a receipt for you to take back to the MFA office. Go back to the MFA office with this and you’ll be presented with your visa…which will NOT be attached or stamped into your passport. Visa to Abkhazia LEAVING ABKHAZIA Simply take a taxi or walk to the abandoned Sukhum railway station (around 200 roubles from city center). I did this at around 1000. You can also take marshrutka #1 or bus #1 or #3 from the Sukhum Marketplace for 15 roubles and 5 roubles respectively (still good in 2017). From there I found the bus to Gal and hopped on (200 roubles). From Gal, I was able to easily find a bus to the border (or Inguri). This costs 100 roubles. Very, very easy. Border of Georgia and Abkhazia Once I got to the border, I checked out from Abkhazia (and they did not take the visa…so be sure to hide it away so the Georgian officials do not see it!), I walked across the bridge and back into Georgian territory. I went back to the pink police station and they asked me countless questions. Some of which included: “Where did you go?” to which I answered, “Just Sukhumi”. “Why did you go there?” and I responded with, “If I am going to see Georgia, I want to see it in its entirety”. “Where is your visa?” and I said, “They took it at the border”. From this area, I was planning to take a marshrutka to Zugdidi and hope to find a marshrutka back to Tbilisi. Just my luck, there was a bus waiting to take people from the border directly to Tbilisi. Excellent! And it only costs 15 Lari. So you want to go to Abkhazia? Click here for visa and border crossing information! Click To Tweet SOME TIPS 1) Have Russian roubles with you prior to traveling to Abkhazia. That is the currency they use and I have heard the banks and ATMs do not take international cards. Also, try to break down the denominations to small ones. It will be very hard to find someone with change for a 5,000. 2) If you don’t speak Russian, bring a phrasebook with you. I never really needed mine, but locals wanted to communicate with me, so they would take the phrasebook and attempt making conversation with me. Abkhazian at work 3) Bring toilet paper or tissues. Most all toilets are squatters throughout the trip from Georgia to Abkhazia and of course, none will provide you toilet paper…or air worth breathing. 4) Bring lots of water and food for the day. The process of me getting from Zugdidi to Sukhum took around 5 hours total. 5) Don’t be afraid to say what people want to hear. In Georgia, they don’t want to hear that you are wanting to visit Abkhazia because it’s a different country. And in Abkhazia, they don’t want to hear you’re visiting Abkhazia to see another part of Georgia. Use common sense. In conclusion, despite how long this post is, the process was fairly easy. You just need to be super patient. And do not believe all the hype you may have found on other websites about how difficult the process was. It was easy, from my experience. And well worth it. Sukhumi, Abkhazia parliament building Sukhumi, Abkhazia soviet mosaic Sukhumi, Abkhazia parliament building More from Me about Abkhazia Abandoned Abkhazia: A Black and White Photo Essay Time Stands Still in Abkhazia The Caucasus Have a Sense of Humor Unable to Pull Myself Away from the Promenade in Sukhumi Additional Resources Abkhazia Travel Guide (What to do When You’re there and Accommodation Information) Traveling to Abkhazia with a travel or tour agency Abkhazia Tourism and Travel Website Traveling in the Phantom Republic of Abkhazia Getting to Sukhumi from Sochi, Russia PIN IT FOR LATER! This post contains all you need to know about traveling to Abkhazia. It gives visa information, travel tips, and border crossing and transportation info. This post contains all you need to know about traveling to Abkhazia. It gives visa information, travel tips, and border crossing and transportation info. This post contains all you need to know about traveling to Abkhazia. It gives visa information, travel tips, and border crossing and transportation info. If you are interested in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and the Balkans, please come over and join a group I admin with two other awesome bloggers. Click the photo below to join! BE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WEB! This post contains all you need to know about traveling to Abkhazia. It gives visa information, travel tips, and border crossing and transportation info. Share82 Flip Tweet13 Pin348 Buffer1 Stumble57 Share +1 Shares 501 Tags: Sukhumi 178 Comments kami Posted at 08:11h, 19 April Reply OK, now I seriously want to go to Abkhazia! I’ve never thought it might be that easy! Next time I’m in Georgia (and I’m hoping it’ll happen soon!:)) I’m definitely in for a trip there! :D Thanks for this post! Megan Posted at 08:48h, 19 April Reply it’s definitely worth the time. and despite being overhyped, it is really easy to travel there and within the land. one just needs a LOT of patience! i really, really regret not traveling around for more days within abkhazia. i should have ditched tbilisi sooner (i’m over the city).