Discover Javakheti National Park: Kartsakhi, Khanchali & Bughdasheni in Georgia, Tbilisi

Javakheti National Park Administration. Guests will visit Javakheti National Park Administration.

Kartsakhi Lake. Kartsakhi Lake or Lake Khozapini is a soda lake in the Caucasus Mountains. It straddles the international border between Georgia (53%) and Turkey (47%). The village of Kartsakhi lies near the lake's northeastern shore. It is the second largest lake in Georgia, covering an area of 26.3 or 26.6 square kilometres at an altitude of 1799 m.[1][2] It is fed by a number of creeks. During the rainy season its excess water discharges to the Kura River.

Khanchali Lake. Khanchali Managed Reserve is a protected area in Ninotsminda Municipality in Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia. It protects Khanchali lake on the south-eastern part of the volcanic Javakheti Plateau, at an altitude of 1928 meters above sea level. Khanchali Lake has been considered to be included into Ramsar Convention list of Wetlands of international importance. Khanchali Managed Reserve is part of Javakheti Protected Areas which also includes Javakheti National Park, Kartsakhi Managed Reserve, Sulda Managed Reserve, Bugdasheni Managed Reserve, Madatapa Managed Reserve. Lake provide habitat to many birds, such as Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), Green Warbler (Phylloscopus nitidus) to name just a few.

Bughdasheni Lake. Bughdasheni Lake is a volcanic lake located in Javakheti Plateau, at 2040 m above sea level. The area of surface is 0.39 km², while the catchment area is 69.3 km². Average depth is 0.42 m, maximal depth is 0.85 m. Gets its feed from snow, rainfall and underground waters. High water levels at spring, low at autumn. Much of the southern part of this area consists of wetlands. River Bughdasheni (left-bank tributary river Paravani) outflows from the Lake. The lake is rich in fish, including trout. The area around the lake is home for part of the year to many species of migratory birds and the shore largely pristine and undisturbed. Bughdasheni Lake is the part of Bugdasheni Managed Reserve. Since 2020 it has been designated as a Ramsar site.