11/05/2026
Before you visit Vashlovani National Park, you need to know one thing, this is not a normal national park in Georgia. Vashlovani is in Kakheti, in the far southeast of Georgia near the Azerbaijan border, and it feels completely different from the mountains, wine towns, and green valleys most tourists expect.
This is Georgia’s wild desert side, dry canyons, badlands, open steppe, border roads, abandoned Soviet ruins, ancient seabeds, river cliffs, gazelles, empty landscapes, and remote 4x4 tracks where preparation matters more than anything.
In this video, we explain how to visit Vashlovani National Park properly, when to go, why spring and autumn are the best seasons, why Dedoplistskaro is the smartest base, why you should not treat it like a fast day trip from Tbilisi, what permits you need, why Mijniskure and the border zone require documents, and why a real 4x4 is important for this route.
We also cover the main places to see in Vashlovani, including Big Shiraki abandoned Soviet airfield, Pantishara Canyon, Samukhi Valley, Usakhelo Viewpoint, Mijniskure, and the Alazani River on the border with Azerbaijan.
Vashlovani is worth visiting, but only if you prepare correctly, bring water, food, fuel, offline maps, passport, permits, and don’t drive after dark or after heavy rain.
For this kind of remote Georgian road trip, the car matters. FSTA Rent Car has been operating in Georgia since 2012, offering proper 4x4 vehicles, full off-road insurance, rooftop tents, camping equipment, and 24/7 support across Georgia and Armenia, so routes like Vashlovani can be done with the right car and the right backup.
And if you want another serious 4x4 adventure in Georgia, check out our full Abano Pass and Tusheti road guide next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSRbFxAA0-s&pp=0gcJCQQLAYcqIYzv
