Martvili Canyon: 40 lari to walk it, 20 more for a fifteen-minute boat, and the boats stop when the water is high

Entry for an adult is 40 lari, 5.50 lari for children aged six to eighteen, and free under six. A combined ticket with the Kinchkha waterfall is 50 lari. The boat ride through the gorge is a separate 20 lari a head and lasts about fifteen to twenty minutes over roughly 300 metres; children under five or under a metre tall are not allowed on. Opening hours run 10am to 6pm in March and April, 10am to 11pm from May to September — with a night light display at no extra charge — and 10am to 7pm from November to February. The last boat leaves about half an hour before closing.

Marshrutkas leave Kutaisi central bus station roughly hourly between 8am and 6pm, take about an hour and a half and cost around 5 lari — but they drop you about five kilometres short, so plan either the walk or a local taxi, which the guide puts at about 50 lari for the round trip. A private car through the GoTrip system starts at around 100 lari for the vehicle. Organised day tours run about 80 lari a person in summer and 60 in winter, transfers included but entrance fees not. If you drive yourself the road is paved and parking at the site is free.

First, the boats do not run when the water is high or the current strong, which the guide notes is common in spring and after heavy rain — so the boat is never something to promise a guest in advance. Second, the walkways get very slippery when wet, and this is a canyon, so wet is the normal state. Third, swimming is not permitted in the main protected section; the guide is firm that the unofficial canyons nearby, where people do jump in, have been the scene of serious accidents. Roadside stalls on the way in are also flagged as prone to overcharging, so agree a price before you buy.

The site is open all year and stays green through most of it. Summer is the busiest, and the narrow paths are where crowding is felt; the guide's advice is to arrive at opening or around the middle of the day, and it rates the shoulder and off seasons higher, with autumn foliage singled out. For a host building an itinerary in October that is a useful combination: autumn colour, thinner crowds, and the shorter November to February hours not yet in force.