Turtle Lake (Kus Tba) and Vake Park

Turtle Lake, known in Georgian as Kus Tba, is a small lake set among wooded hills in the Vake district of Tbilisi, Georgia, a few kilometres west of the city centre. It is a favourite escape for locals, who come for walks, jogging, picnics and the views over the lake. A path circles the water, and a lakeside cafe area, benches and small play areas make it an easy half-day trip. The lake takes its name from the turtles that once lived in it, and the setting gives a cooler, greener contrast to the old town. Nearby, Vake Park is a large, tree-lined public park with wide avenues, playgrounds, a pond, sports areas, cafes and a memorial to Georgian soldiers who fell in the 1990s conflicts, and it is among the most popular family spaces in the city. Both are free and open around the clock. A cable car from the Vake side to the lake was operated in the past, and the walk up from the park through the trees takes about 30 minutes. Visitors can walk the full lake loop in about 30 to 40 minutes and combine it with the Open Air Museum of Ethnography beside the lake. A typical visit lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. The lake and park are quiet on weekday mornings and fill on weekends and summer evenings, when families and joggers arrive. Late afternoon gives soft light over the water and the best photographs of the hills. Taxis and ride-hailing apps such as Bolt and Yandex Go take about 20 minutes from the centre, and many visitors walk back down through Vake Park. Paths around the lake are mostly gravel and paved, with some slopes, and shaded benches make it comfortable in summer heat. Swimming is not permitted, and visitors should keep dogs leashed and take litter with them.