Why Georgia · საქართველო
Come trainwhere itruns deep
Mountains above the mat, the Black Sea a few hours away, a table that never ends, and a country where everyone knows somebody who wrestles. This is what a camp in Georgia feels like.
01 · Roots
In Georgia, wrestling is not a hobby. It is part of who people are.
For centuries, Chidaoba prepared men for battle. Later it moved into village squares, with music, big crowds and a code of honour.
Today there is a wrestling section in almost every village and city. Kids grow up on the mat, and the whole street knows who won on Sunday.
You are not visiting a sport here. You are stepping into a culture that has been training for generations.
02 · Champions
Pound for pound, a grappling superpower
Around 3.5 million people live in Georgia, fewer than in many single cities. Their results on the mat look like those of a country ten times bigger.
Olympic medals at Paris 2024, Georgia's best Games as an independent country. Judo and wrestling led the way.
World mixed team judo champions for the first time, ending Japan's run of seven straight titles.
World wrestling medals per million people, second only to Bulgaria in the all-time per capita ranking.
Lasha Bekauri, Olympic judo champion in Tokyo and again in Paris. Geno Petriashvili took freestyle gold at 125 kg in Paris.
Even in the Soviet years, Georgian judoka won more medals for the USSR than any other republic. In 2026 Tbilisi hosted the European Judo Championships, and Georgia topped the table with four golds.
03 · The new wave
And now, everybody rolls
Brazilian jiu-jitsu and no-gi grappling are spreading fast in Georgia. New academies keep opening across Tbilisi, international tournaments now come to the city, and the mats are full of people who grew up wrestling or doing judo.
That mix is what makes training here special. Your partner might be a BJJ blue belt, a former Greco-Roman wrestler or a judoka with a national medal. Expect strong grips, real takedowns and rounds that test you.
- BJJ
- No-gi
- Freestyle
- Greco-Roman
- Judo
- Chidaoba
04 · The land
The perfect place to sweat
Georgia packs a whole continent into a small map. You can train in the mountains in the morning and be near the sea a day later.
The Greater Caucasus runs along the north, with peaks above 5,000 m. In Svaneti, medieval stone towers stand over villages, and the air is cool even in July. It is altitude training without trying.
The Black Sea coast around Batumi brings warm water, beaches and subtropical green. Perfect for a recovery day, or for staying on after camp.
Hot, sunny summers in the lowlands, mild springs and golden autumns, and real snow in the mountains in winter. Camps run when the weather is at its best.
A camp day in the mountains
- 07:30Breakfast with a view of the Caucasus
- 09:00Morning session: technique and drilling
- 12:30Long Georgian lunch
- 14:00Rest, swim, or walk to the old towers
- 17:30Evening session: sparring and live rounds
- 20:30Supra: dinner, toasts and stories
A table that never ends
05 · The table
A Georgian feast is called a supra. Plates are stacked on plates, a tamada leads the toasts, and dinner can last longer than your sparring session.
Georgia is also where wine began. Archaeologists found traces of winemaking around 8,000 years old near Tbilisi, and families still make it in clay qvevri buried in the ground, a method UNESCO lists as heritage of humanity.
Khinkali
Twisted dumplings full of spiced meat and broth. Hold the top, bite, sip, eat. Never use a fork.
Khachapuri
Bread and melted cheese, in a different shape in every region. The Adjarian one comes with an egg and butter on top.
Mtsvadi
Meat grilled over vine branches. Simple, smoky, and exactly what you want after two sessions.
Pkhali & badrijani
Vegetables with walnut paste and herbs, and fried aubergine rolls. Georgian food is not only meat.
Lobio
Slow cooked beans in a clay pot, served with cornbread and pickles.
Churchkhela
Walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice and dried. Georgia's original energy bar.
06 · The people
A guest is a gift
There is an old Georgian saying: a guest is a gift from God. You will feel it at the table, in the gym and on the street.
People are proud of their country and love to share it. Someone will invite you home, someone will pour you one more glass, and someone will start singing. Georgian polyphonic singing is on UNESCO's heritage list too, and you might hear it at your own supra.
At CHIDAOBA camps you train together, eat together and travel together. Most people arrive as strangers and leave with a team.
07 · Good to know
Easy to get to, hard to leave
Citizens of many countries, including the EU, UK and US, can stay without a visa for up to a year. Check the rules for your passport before you book.
International airports in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi, with direct routes from across Europe and the Middle East.
The Georgian lari (GEL). Cards work almost everywhere in cities. Bring some cash for villages and markets.
Georgian, with its own alphabet. Many young people speak English, and our team is with you the whole camp.
Late spring to early autumn for mountain camps. Tbilisi works all year.
GMT+4, all year round.
Sources
- UNESCO: Chidaoba, wrestling in Georgia (history, village sections).
- Civil.ge: Georgia finishes Paris 2024 with seven medals.
- 1TV: Georgia's team becomes judo world champion (Budapest 2025).
- Mappr: World wrestling medals per capita (UWW data, 1951 to 2025).
- Olympedia: Georgia (Soviet era judo medals).
- Georgia Today: Georgia wins 4 golds at the 2026 European Judo Championships.
- RFE/RL: Earliest evidence of winemaking found in Georgia.
- Decanter: Qvevri winemaking joins the UNESCO list.