Just outside the city of Batumi - situated in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, on the eastern shoreline of the Black Sea - is one of the best places in the whole western Palearctic to watch migrating raptors. Here, it is possible to witness a migration spectacle that is rarely paralleled anywhere in the world: over 1.000.000 raptors belonging to 35 species are recorded here each autumn, as they make their annual journey south from Scandinavia, the forests of Russia and the steppes of Central Asia to their wintering grounds in Africa. Strong movements of storks, cranes, bee-eaters, swifts, swallows, and a diverse assemblage of other “songbirds” are also seen here. The unique topography and climate in the region set the stage for bringing together so many birds at one time, at one place, guaranteeing a totally unique natural history experience that will leave you with memories for a lifetime!

I day –September 15, Monday

• 12:00 – Official opening ceremony– venue: Hotel Intourist Palace, Conference Hall “Bethlemi”; address: Ninoshvilistr 11, Batumi. Free entrance
• 13:30 - 16:00 –Bird watching from the Black sea coast, the river “Chorokhi”delta. (Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 16:00 - 18:00 - Break
• 18:00 - 19:30 - Conference - venue: Hotel Intourist Palace, Conference Hall “Bethlemi”; address: Ninoshvilistr 11, Batumi. Free entrance

II day – Tuesday, September 16

• 09:00 –Bird watching from Batumi coastal park, nearby Alphabet Tower. Free attendance;
• 12:00 - 15:00 –Break.
• 15:00 –Watching raptors from the bird watching platform, venue: Kobuleti Municipality, village Shuamta(Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);

III day – September 17

• 08:00 – Watchingraptors from Kolkheti wetlands (Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 13:00 - Bird watching from Ispani wetland.
• 17:00 - 19:00 - Break.
• 19:00 - 20:30 - Conference -venue: Hotel Intourist Palace, Conference Hall “Bethlemi”; address: Ninoshvilistr 11, Batumi. Free entrance

IV day – Thursday, September 18

• 09:00 - Bird watching on raptors, falconry. Venue: Batumi Botanical Garden (Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 13:00 - 15:00 –Break.
• 15:00 –Presentation of new platform for thebirdwatching – venue: Mtirala National Park, village Korolistavi(Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 19:00 - 20:30 - Conference -venue: Hotel Intourist Palace, Conference Hall “Bethlemi”; address: Ninoshvilistr 11, Batumi. Free entrance

V day – Friday, September 19

• 9:00 –Birdwatching on raptors from Petra Fortress, venue: Kobuleti Municipality (Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 14:00 - 16:00 -Break.
• 16:00 –Meeting with relevant organization representatives to discuss selected topics – venue: Hotel Intourist Palace;

VI day – Saturday, September 20

• 09:00 – setting out to western Georgia – Kutaisi and Tskaltubo(Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);

VII day – Sunday, September 21

• 9:00 –Birdwatching on raptors – venue: Kvariati, Khelvachauri Municipality (Departure from the tourist informational center; address: #3, Ninoshvili Street, main entrance of Boulevard);
• 13:00 - 17:00 – Break.
• 17:00 – Closing ceremony of the festival – venue: Hotel Intourist Palace.
• 18:00 –Dinner for festival participants – venue: Hotel Intourist Palace.

Contact details:

• Mob.: +995 577 90 90 95
• E-mail: info[at]visitadjara.com