Cholevi Lake (Lake of Love): A Mountain Lake in Racha

Cholevi Lake — also known as Lake Mravaldzali, and popularly as the “Lake of Love” — is a mountain lake in the Oni municipality of Racha, in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region of western Georgia (the country in the South Caucasus). It sits at around 1,840 meters above sea level near the village of Mravaldzali, ringed by dense forest and mountain peaks, its greenish water set in one of the quieter corners of Upper Racha. The lake is best known for its distinctive shape, which has earned it the “Lake of Love” nickname and made it a favorite of photographers, and for the calm, scenic setting that rewards a relaxed visit — picnicking, fishing, a boat on the water, or simply the walk around the shore. It’s one of the more rewarding natural stops in a region that still sees far fewer visitors than Kakheti, Svaneti, or Georgia’s headline mountain destinations.

What is Cholevi Lake?

Cholevi Lake (also called Lake Mravaldzali, or the “Lake of Love”) is a forest-ringed mountain lake at about 1,840 meters elevation near the village of Mravaldzali in the Oni municipality of Racha, western Georgia. Surrounded by dense forest and mountain peaks, with greenish water and a distinctive shape that gives it its romantic nickname, it’s a calm, scenic spot popular for picnics, fishing, and boat rides, with the finest panorama looking down from nearby Mount Khikhati. Less famous than Racha’s headline sights, it’s a peaceful, accessible lake set in the quiet beauty of Upper Racha — especially striking in autumn.

The setting

Cholevi Lake sits in the forested mountain terrain of Upper Racha, where the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus carry dense mixed forest up into the highlands. At around 1,840 meters, it’s a genuine mountain lake — but a forested one, ringed by trees and peaks rather than the bare rock and snow of the highest alpine basins, which gives it an enclosed, sheltered character. The water carries greenish shades, and on still days its calm surface reflects the surrounding forest and sky in a composition that shifts through the day with the light and the wind. The most expansive view of the lake opens from above, on Mount Khikhati, which looks down over the water and out across the surrounding Rachan mountains.

The seasons change the lake’s character considerably. Spring brings the rapid greening of the deciduous forest and the wildflowers — the lake’s surroundings are known for primroses, among the first flowers to bloom after winter. Summer is the fullest green, the canopy at its densest and the water reflecting deep greens. Autumn is the most striking season, when the mixed forest turns through gold, orange, and red and the lake mirrors the colored canopy — the time most photographers aim for. Winter brings a quiet isolation, the bare deciduous trees opening views that the summer canopy hides and the snow giving the setting a stark, stripped-down character.

What to do at the lake

Despite its out-of-the-way location, Cholevi Lake is a place set up for relaxed enjoyment rather than a wilderness you simply look at. The shore has picnic areas, the lake offers good fishing, and there’s the option of a boat ride on the water — so a visit can be a leisurely few hours rather than a quick photo stop. Walking around the shoreline, settling in for a picnic, watching the light change on the water, or climbing toward Mount Khikhati for the panorama are the natural ways to spend time here. Its appeal is the combination of a scenic, distinctively shaped mountain lake with a calm, unhurried atmosphere — the quiet that Racha still offers and the busier parts of Georgia increasingly don’t.

Mravaldzali village

The nearby village of Mravaldzali is part of the experience. It has the handsome stone houses characteristic of Racha and wide views of the Caucasus, and it’s home to an 11th-century hall-type Church of St. George, which preserves inscriptions and fragments of art from the 11th century — a reminder that this quiet corner of Racha has deep historical roots alongside its natural appeal. The lake and the village together make a rewarding pairing of nature and heritage.

Getting there and visiting

• Location: Near Mravaldzali village, Oni municipality, Upper Racha, in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region of western Georgia; ~1,840 m elevation.
• Getting there: Racha is reached from Tbilisi via Kutaisi and Ambrolauri — roughly a half-day drive (around 4–5 hours to the region). A car is the practical way to reach the lake area, given limited public transport, and local guesthouses are the best source of current road and access information.
• What’s there: Picnic areas, fishing, and boat rides; no major tourism infrastructure beyond this.
• Best time: Late spring through autumn — summer for green and warmth (the lake is best for boating/fishing rather than swimming), and autumn for the forest color. Winter access is unreliable.
• Combine with: Other Racha sights — the Shaori Reservoir (the lake lies on the Shkmeri–Shaori hiking route over Mount Khikhati), Nikortsminda cathedral, Ambrolauri and the Khvanchkara wine villages, and Upper Racha’s mountain country around Oni and Shovi.