Sataplia, 9 km west of Kutaisi, combines three unusual things in one small park: a karst cave system, a patch of original Colchic subtropical forest, and an exposed limestone surface bearing well-preserved dinosaur footprints. The cave is illuminated and tours are available; it is not as spectacular as the Prometheus Caves further into Imereti, but it is much closer to the city and can be visited in a half-day.
The Colchic forest — a relict of a forest type that covered much of western Georgia before the ice ages — contains species found nowhere else in Europe, including Caucasian wing-nut, wild pomegranate, and several kinds of fern and holly. There is a glass-floored observation platform over one section of the forest canopy, which gives a good sense of how dense and varied this vegetation is.
The reserve is accessible by taxi from Kutaisi or on an organised day tour. Entrance fees apply; the cave tour runs at set times. Plan two to three hours for the combination of cave, footprints, and forest walk.