Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, National park in central Georgia.
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is a protected area in central Georgia that covers mountains, forests, and river valleys. The park spans three historic regions and encompasses varied terrain at different elevations.
The area was a hunting ground for the local aristocracy in medieval times. In 1862 Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich became Governor General of Transcaucasia, and in 1871 Alexander II granted him the entire Borjomi valley; he banned unauthorized logging and hunting. The Borjomi State Reserve was founded in 1935, and the national park itself was created in 1995 with support from the WWF and the German government, then officially inaugurated in 2001.
The park's name joins Borjomi, the resort town at its western end, and Kharagauli, the town at its eastern end; it stretches across six municipalities. Its forests were medieval hunting grounds of the local aristocracy, and Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich later built a summer residence in the Borjomi valley. The park was created in 1995 with support from the WWF and the German government and inaugurated in 2001.
The park offers several marked trails for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling, with shelters and campsites placed along the routes. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and dress for changing weather conditions, as conditions vary depending on the season and elevation.
The park's amphibians are its overlooked record: almost every amphibian species found in Georgia lives here, along with four rock lizard species, a variety no other part of the country matches. The Caucasian salamander (Mertensiella caucasica) and Caucasian parsley frog (Pelodytes caucasica) are among the endemic species recorded.
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