Borjomi sits at the mouth of a dramatic gorge carved by the Kura (Mtkvari) River through the Caucasus foothills. The gorge walls rise steeply from the riverbanks, densely forested with pine, beech, and oak, and the air inside is noticeably cooler and more humid than the dry valleys to either side — one of the reasons Borjomi became a spa town in the first place.
The gorge is walkable from town along a path that runs beside the river for several kilometres before entering the national park proper. It is a fine walk at any time of year: in autumn the beeches turn gold against the dark pines; in summer the shade is welcome. Look out for the old bridge and the ruins of historic bathhouses along the upper section. A popular day-trip destination within the gorge is the waterfall at Timotesubani, reachable on foot or by taxi from town.