Hiking to Abudelauri Lakes in Georgia

Hiking to Abudelauri Lakes in Georgia was originally published in December 2023

On my most recent trip to Georgia, the top of the list for me was hiking to Abudelauri Lakes after coming across them on a satellite map as I was looking for new off the beaten path things to add to my never-ending list of things I want to do in Georgia. 

Upon further search, I couldn’t find much concrete information on the trek to Abudelauri Lakes aside from a start point of Juta.

After a bit of nosing around on satellite maps, I noticed a shorter access route via the village of Roshka which we could reach by car.

In this quick guide, find all the info you need to know before setting out on a trek to Abudelauri Lakes.

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About the Colorful Lakes of Abudelauri

Situated in Georgia’s Khevsureti region, Abudelauri Lakes is unique in that the three lakes that form the group are each a different color.

White Lake gains its milky appearance from carbonates appearing in the water.

Blue Lake and Green Lake both get their unique coloring from nearby glaciers, though with slightly different sediment contents each lake has its own distinct color.

The Best Time to Visit Abudelauri Lakes

The summer months, in particular mid-June through late July, are the best time to visit Abudelauri Lakes. 

Coming before mid-June runs the risk of there still being some snow and plant life not totally green yet (this was the case in my early June visit). 

Visiting too late in summer, in August or September, will likely net low water levels as the summer heat evaporates the lakes as the season unfolds.

Beyond September, you can expect snow to begin, owing to the Abudelauri Lakes’ location at a higher elevation in the Caucasus Mountains.

Routes to Abudelauri Lakes

There are two main ways to reach the colorful lakes of Abudelauri, one from Roshka and another from Juta.

The route from Roshka is much shorter, giving easier access to the Abudelauri Lakes, whereas the hiking route from Juta is longer and requires crossing a 3341 meter Chaukhi Pass.

It’s also possible to the Abudelauri Lakes hike one way from Juta to Roshka or vice-versa. 

Juta to Roshka Via Chaukhi Pass and Abudelauri Lakes

Distance: 14.7 km
Time: 1-2 days
Elevation gain/loss: +1007 m | -1203 m

Starting from Juta the trek ascends from the village. Follow the signs to Zeta Camp and walk beyond Fifth Season (these, as well as the Juta Guesthouse, are also great places to spend the night before taking off!). Here you will have lovely views of Chaukhi Massif. 

The path continues past several campsites. After about 45 minutes to an hour beyond Fifth Season, you will need to cross a river near a waterfall. 

Beyond the river crossing, you will reach an A-frame building and then continue uphill (requiring two more river crossings) to reach Upper Juta Valley, a popular shepherding area.  

Make sure to fill up on water in the Upper Juta Valley as there is no more water until Abudelauri Lakes. 

The final stretch into the pass should take about one hour to make the steep walk to reach 3341 meter Chaukhi Pass.

From Chaukhi Pass it’s virtually almost all downhill to reach first Abudelauri White Lake and just a bit further bounding through boulders to a nice camp near Abudelauri Blue Lake.

There are two routes down from Chaukhi Pass to Abudelauri Lakes, one which stays further to the east, descending the ridge which is pretty steep but a little easier.

The other route is a bit steeper and comprised of shale making the descent a little trickier than the other route. 

Expect the descent from Chaukhi Pass to Abudelauri Lakes to take about two and a half to three hours.

The following morning, follow the route down from the Abudelauri Lakes staying to the left side of a wide verdant valley.

The final section of the trek is short uphill to reach an information board for the hike on the dirt road to Roshka.

Note that for those a bit quicker, it’s possible to do this route in a single long day from Juta to Roshka.

Roshka to Abudelauri Lakes

Distance: 3.4 km one way | 6.8 km return (to Roshka)
Time: 1 day
Elevation gain/loss: 240 m

The shortest and easiest way to reach Abudelauri Lakes is to drive to (or get dropped off at) a small pull-off just adjacent to the information board at the trailhead of the Roshka-Abudelauri Lakes hike. 

From here a short and mostly gradual uphill walk will bring you along the edge of the valley floor and up to Abudelauri Blue Lake. From here, you can easily make side trips to Abudelauri Green and Abudelauri White Lake before continuing back the same way you came to Roshka. 

Juta to Abudelauri Lakes via Chaukhi Pass

Distance: 11.4 km one way | 22.8 km return (to Juta)
Time: 2 days
Elevation gain: 1203 m 

Follow the instructions mentioned above about the one-way hike from Juta to Roshka. After a night camping at Abudelauri Lakes, make your way back to Juta to wrap up your trek.

How to get to Roshka

Getting to Roshka is a bit of a mission as there is no public transport to Roshka and even self-driving requires a higher clearance vehicle for the rough 4×4 track and river crossing en route. 

The closest village with public transport (albeit infrequent) from Tbilisi is Barishako. From Barishako it’s possible to ask around for a ride to Roshka for about 70 GEL. 

We personally had rented a 4×4 Pajero which made some of our mountain adventures a bit easier to reach. 

How to get to Juta

The Juta to Roshka hike starts in the village of Juta which is located up Snostskali Valley which is about a 30 minute drive from the turn-off along the Georgian Military Highway. about 30 minutes drive up the Snostskali Valley from the Georgian Military Highway. From the village, follow the signs for Zeta Camping and climb the initially steep trail up into Juta Valley. 

The easiest way to reach Juta is if you have your own transport or have rented a car. 

If you need to rely on other methods, there is a daily bus with Mountain Freaks at 09:15 am from Kazbegi (it returns from Juta at 16:30 pm daily) for 45 GEL.

Have any questions about the hike to Abudelauri Lakes?

Ask in the comments section below.

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