Tour leaders

Giorgi Darchiashvili
works at the Tbilisi Zoo as an animal curator and is a member of the Scientific Council of Biodiversity Department at the Ministry of Environment. He has worked for leading Georgian conservation organizations such as NACRES and GCCW and has participated in many wildlife conservation projects. He has traveled widely within Georgia and the Caucasus. He has been a participant for various years in the International Waterbird Counts, and was a local IWC coordinator for Georgia in 2003. During 2006-2007 he carried-out bird identification training for Georgian wildlife inspectors. Aside from his conservation work, Giorgi has been leading birdwatching tours throughout Georgia for the last five years under the auspices of various organizations. Kazbegi is one of his favorite places and Giorgi understands exactly where to go in order to find the region's specialties. Recently, Giorgi became interested in butterflies and aims to prepare photo-illustrated publications to make these colorful creatures more popular and respected in his country. He is an accomplished wildlife photographer, and his pictures have been an important contribution to a number of local and foreign publication. When not looking for birds and butterflies, he is enjoying an active lifestyle, either hiking or cycling.

Giorgi Rajebashvili
is a dynamic guide with wide-ranging experience and a great enthusiasm. He has been leading birdwatching tours for a number of years within Georgia, and has traveled throughout Europe and the USA for projects related to bird conservation. He has also collaborated in the affixing of transmitters on endangered species within Georgia, and on a 'nesting-box' project for passerines. Currently he finished a master program in Leisure, Tourism and Environment from Wageningen University and started his PHD on Ecology Institute at Ilia State University. Giorgi is engaged in few projects related to sustainable tourism development of Georgian mountain regions. Aside from his bird-related work, Giorgi is a renowned alpinist and mountain climber, having had conquered a number of peaks, including Mount Kazbegi (Georgia, 5,047 m.) many times, Ushba (Georgia, 4,710 m.), and Lenin Peak (Pamir Range, Kyrgyzstan, 7,134 m.). On his time off, Giorgi enjoys nature photography, mountain-biking, skiing, and rafting.

Zura Javakhishvili
works for the Institute of Ecology at Ilia State University as a researcher. He has been involved in many wildlife conservation projects, including radio-telemetry monitoring for globally endangered species within the Caucasus. Zura has traveled widely within Georgia, leading birdwatching tours for over ten years, focusing on mountainous and semi-arid landscapes where he has spent a great amount of time studying vulture and galliform ecology. As a naturalist, he has a thorough understanding of the region's fauna and flora, and is always enthusiastic about sharing this information with others. His knowledge and experience have resulted in a number of important publications on the birdlife of Georgia, including "Raptors and Owls of Georgia," and "A Birdwatching Guide to Georgia." Zura is also an accomplished nature photographer; his works on the wildlife of the region can be appreciated in various international and national publications. Zura leads an active lifestyle, and when not studying birds he enjoys mountaineering, hiking, and mountain biking.

Archil Kikodze

He is a professional photographer, famous Georgian writer, ethnographer and finally wildlife tracking guide. He has traveled widely in Caucasus and knows every corner of Georgia well with its people's traditions and culture, that's why his interesting stories make every trip unforgettable. His photographs have won many awards and have participated in various national and international photo exhibitions. Furthermore Archil has published various articles on environmental, ethnographic and social themes in magazines: "Surviving Together", "Caucasus Environment", Horizonti, "Mshvenieri Sakartvelo", "Tskheli Shokoladi" Author of three guidebooks for developing science tourism in Georgia (Khevi, Svaneti, Bakuriani), Switzerland. At the request of Ministry of Environment of Georgia wrote books on Kolkheti, Tusheti and Vashlovani National Parks and Lagodekhi Reserve.