The Bazaleti Lake is a lake in eastern Georgia some 60 km northwest of the nation's capital Tbilisi and 5 km south of the town of Dusheti. It is used for fish culture, irrigation, and recreation. The nearby village and the historical district around the lake are also known as Bazaleti.
I had heard about Bazaleti lake before and thought there are some recreational facilities built around it. In fact, kind of, there are some buildings and even some restaurants. Thus when I first visited it, after returning from Vazha Pshavela house museum in Chargali in November 2016, I found just a lot wind and a lake. Kind of reminded me the Lisi Lake in Tbilisi. Not many recreational activities, not counting in some lazy walks around the lake.
Update: We returned to Bazaleti lake at the end of May 2021, not many improvements could we see. Except it looked like some more houses are built around the lake. Which is good and gives a lot of potential for this area in the future.
Bazaleti lake
A wooden deck and catamarans for rent - should be a lot of fun in Summer.
Floating cafeteria
The surface area of the lake is 1.22 km². and its maximum depth is 30 m. The area around the lake housed a flourishing medieval town and is surrounded by many legends. In 1626, the Battle of Bazaleti between two rival Georgian factions took place there.
Currently, the area is a popular recreational area served by a modern tourist complex. It is known that Bazaleti lake has an outflow but it has not been discovered. Locals claim that the water recirculates. They tell a story about a bull which was drowned in the lake and was later found in a well in the nearby village.
Bazaleti lake from a drone flight at the end of May 2021
According to local legend, a golden-haired child is lying in a golden crib on the bottom of the lake. The lake was formed from his mother's tears. The story is retold in a Georgian poem.