georgia

Lake Kelitsadi and Sherkhota Volcano

July 3-6 | September 18-20

3-4 days

duration

hard

difficulty

~30 km

distance

↑2729 ↓2760 m

elevation gain / loss

Lake Kelitsadi sits on the Keli volcanic plateau in the crater of an extinct volcano at 3081 m. It's one of the highest lakes in Georgia, and you can only get there on foot. No horses, no vehicles—just you and the trail.

There are a few good spots for tents by the lake. In summer and early fall, it's the only water source around; the rest of the year, everything is buried under snow.

HIKE TRACK

Itinerary

Day 1:

The road to the lake

Tbilisi → Ketrisi Village → Esi High Pass → Lake Kelitsadi

Distance / ascent / descent: ~11.5 km / ↑1681 m / ↓753 m

We head out from Ketrisi and start a long climb up the Esikomi valley. The river water has a slight sulfur taste here—filtering or boiling is a must. Gradually, the trail leads us up into the boulder fields. We'll push through the last few hundred meters to the saddle of Esi Pass, where views of the colorful Keli Plateau and the Kazbegi massif open up. After the pass, we scramble down the scree to the shores of Kelitsadi and set up camp by the water.

Day 2:

volcano summit and lakeside chill

Relaxing at the lakeside camp → Sherkhota volcano ascent

Distance / ascent / descent: ~4 km / ↑↓620 m

A day to do whatever you feel like. Relax on the shore to recharge, wander around the area, or hike up to the summit of Sherkhota volcano.

Day 3:

to the plateau via the pass

Kelitsadi Lake → Khorisar Pass → Keli Plateau

Distance / ascent / descent: ~8 km / ↑752 ↓1061 m

From the lake, we traverse under Sherkhota volcano, then start climbing through boulder fields toward the pass. Before the saddle, there's a steep scree slope and the red flanks of volcanic cones (Big and Small Khorisar). You can see Truso Valley from the pass. The descent is long, rocky, and drops elevation quickly. We'll reach the upper Keli Plateau and set up camp in a shallow hollow. Reliable water sources are scarce here, so we'll fill up in advance.

Day 4:

heading home

Keli Plateau → Kvemo Okrokana → Tbilisi

Distance / ascent / descent: ~8.5 km / ↑281 ↓1028 m

In the morning, we pack up camp and start our descent from the plateau toward the valley. First, we'll hit gentle grassy slopes with rocky ridges, then turn onto a steep slope with switchbacks. After that, we hit the road along the Truso mouth and head down to Kvemo Okrokana, where our journey ends.

Water is limited. Reliable sources on the route – Lake Kelitsadi and the Esikomi River. We recommend carrying 4–5 liters from the start until you reach the lake; snowfields along the way are for emergencies only and require a filter.

Border zone. The route passes close to the South Ossetia boundary line. The descent from the lake toward Ketrisi runs right along the edge. We'll stick to the correct pass and direction to make sure we don't wander off-course.