LEPL Agency of Protected Areas

Ritsa State Nature Reserve lies near the city of Gagra, on a southern spur of the Main Caucasus Range, in Abkhazia region within the occupied territories of Georgia. Here, towering mountains, deep forested slopes and the vivid blue waters of Lake Ritsa form one of the most remarkable natural landscapes of the Caucasus. Established in 1946, the reserve protects Lake Ritsa and the relict forests that blanket the surrounding mountainsides. These ancient woodlands preserve distinctive ecosystems shaped by the region’s rugged terrain and unique climatic conditions. The reserve spans 16,289 hectares, safeguarding a landscape where the richness of mountain forests meets the striking beauty of an alpine lake.