Machakhela Gorge honey is famed for its purity and exquisite taste, reflecting the area’s unspoiled nature. Beekeeping is an age-old occupation here – the valley (together with the adjacent Camili reserve in Turkey) has long been renowned for intensive apiculture and high-quality honey production. Local beekeepers often use traditional methods, including jara hives made from hollowed logs, to cultivate wild mountain honey. This practice is so unique that “Jara” honey from Adjara has been recognized as part of Georgia’s intangible cultural heritage.
Thanks to the region’s diverse flora, Machakhela honey carries rich flavors and health benefits: bees feed on chestnut blossoms and wildflowers, yielding a dark, fragrant chestnut honey prized for its nutritional value. Visitors can meet beekeepers, sample organic honey fresh from the comb, and even try honey-infused local snacks – a sweet taste of Machakhela’s natural abundance.
