Abkhazia in January 2026 – is it worth going? Weather in Gagra and Sukhum, reviews, air temperature, how to dress, prices in hotels and excursions. What to do and what to see in Abkhazia in January, where to spend the New Year holidays – says Eurotraveler.
When you say Abkhazia, green mountains guard the horizon appear in your mind. And the endless sea, playfully tickling the shore with waves.
I remember the sky: when it is blue, and when it is cloudy, but most often it is serene. And the general atmosphere that seems to lull you to sleepdoes not even allow me to think about work.
And I also remember tangerines, clusters of orange-green fruits threatening to break the branches. And here you are wake up you understand: at least the last one is about winter!
It’s time to think – why not go to Abkhazia in January? When the Motherland bestows so many days offthat they are simple and you don’t know what to do with them?
Yes, of course, you can celebrate the New Year in Russia. But then… really – why not go south of the south countries?
To the sea, palm trees and tangerines? To rush from the snowy and boring “now” to the much more promising “tomorrow”?!
And by the way – abroad!
Weather in Abkhazia in January
Don’t hope – won’t allow you to go on a beach holiday. Well, that is, in the usual sense.
That is, you will probably be able to be on the beaches (and you will even do it with pleasure). But swimming and sunbathing, stripping down to swimsuits and swimming trunks, is unlikely.
But warm upexposing his pale northern face to the rays of the cool, but still southern sun. And you will be able to feel that a warm and mostly snowless winter is a real blessing!
The air temperature in Abkhazia in January – whether in Gagra, Pitsunda or Sukhum – is not too high. But, however, it prefers to live in the range of +8-12 degrees Celsius.
At times, air temperatures in January Abkhazia (on the coast, of course) make short but stunning hikes to the peaks in the area +15 and even +17 °С.
Which are often followed by dives to just +4-7 °C. Usually a little longer…
At the end of January in Abkhazia they may even it’s getting cold. Such that the atmosphere during the day for a week, or even two, will not warm up above +5-7 degrees Celsius.
Frosts sometimes occur at night even on the coast. But in most cases it doesn’t come to this – not lower than +2-4 °C.
Rain and sun
At the same time, it’s damp and dank.
The average daily precipitation exceeds 100 mm, and the rains seem to fall with pleasure and can be long
There are also snowfalls. But permanent snow cover is formed in rare years – for this purpose in January Abkhazia too warm! By the way, for the same reason you are unlikely to meet skiers and ski tracks even in the mountains…
The number of clear or partly cloudy days in Gagra or Sukhum in January can be more than 10. For example, in Moscow there will be a good amount of that during the whole winter.
On January 1, the sun appears over Gagra from behind the mountains at about 9 am, and sets below the horizon (at sea) at about 6 pm. At the end of the month, it does exactly the same thing, 15 minutes earlier and 40 minutes later, respectively.
Length of daylight per month rises from 9 to 10 o’clock. Which in theory (if the weather is dry) will allow you to plan a very eventful excursion day.
What to take with you
However, some warm clothing will come in handy. And even, we would say, will be in demand — constantly high humidity, coupled with fairly sharp and strong winds, literally freezes you.
Therefore, do not hesitate to take thick jackets and sleeveless vests, thermal underwear and ski pants with you. Not just trekking boots, but also waterproof boots.
Capture and gloves with hats and scarves – especially if you decide that you should travel to Abkhazia with children. Well, or you just know that you have a tendency to catch colds easily.
Equipped with all these accessories, tourists will admire Lake Ritsa or the stormy Black Sea with much greater pleasure
At the same time, we must not forget that although in January in Abkhazia it is better to dress in winter clothes (much better than in autumn clothes), at some moments you will want to unbutton your jacket or down jacket, or even take it off. And it’s good if you also have a bottom layer under the top layer.
Also sufficiently insulated and chic – if also windproof.
Sunscreen will not be useful unless you later want to go, for example, skiing in Krasnaya Polyana. Likewise, we do not recommend taking swimsuits and appropriate accessories with you to winter Abkhazia.
Because in this republic there are very few hotels with heated swimming pools. And the cost of living in them is so high that the vast majority of tourists will prefer to wait until the summer.
Prices 2026
As if they weren’t very bad. If not on New Year’s dates, then still during the holidays, you can fly from Moscow to Sochi and return back for 33-35 thousand rubles.
However, for the indicated amount you can only take hand luggage with you.
This means you will be limited in your choice of things. And you won’t even be able to bring a box or two of tangerines with you.
A different matter is a trip from Moscow to Abkhazia by car. Quite an adrenaline-pumping (remember about snowy and icy roads, we hope) adventure, which we highly recommend undertaking only for experienced and calm drivers.
A trip to the Black Sea by car will allow you to:
- A. save money
- b. visit a lot of interesting places
- V. bring home both souvenirs and something tastier and more aromatic.
To rent a room in a guest house or an entire apartment in Gagra (we recommend staying there in winter – it will be a little less lively in Sukhum) in January will cost 3-5 thousand rubles per day. Moreover, for this money, not a couple of people, but 3-4 will receive comfortable shelter.
As for the prices for excursions, they start from 800 – 1,000 rubles per participant if departing from Gagra. And from about 1,500 – if you mean a one-day bus trip to Abkhazia (usually no further than Lake Ritsa and Gagra) from Sochi-Adler.
Things to do
Just relax! Restore nerves and recharge with energyturn off Wi-Fi, forget about everyday problems.
The future will begin to look in a very positive light, the wrinkles on your face will smooth out, and your eyes will light up again. This is psychotherapy in the most gentle way, without pseudo-studies of all these “childhood traumas”.
Don’t forget to not only try, but also eat your fill of fruit in January in Abkhazia: not only tangerines, but also pomegranates and persimmons, feijoa!
Doing nothing and gastronomic exploits can and should be diluted with active and even adrenaline-filled entertainment. For example, zip-line flights, more details in this review – irecommend.ru/abkhaziya-zimoi-v-yanvare.
And also purely sightseeing trips and walks. We talked in some detail earlier about what you must visit in Abkhazia.
For those who don’t have time to read detailed reviews, we will simply list a list of those places that, one might say, make up the “golden fund” of Abkhazia.
This:
- Yupshar Canton and Lake Ritsa
- Gagra and its Primorsky Park
- New Athos monastery and cave, Anakopia fortress
- Sukhum (Botanical Garden and embankment)
If desired, in winter we visit:
- Bagrat Castle
- Kyndyga thermal springs
- former mining towns of Tkuarchal and Akarmara.
Also, at any time of the year you can visit Stalin’s dachas in Abkhazia. And even visit the summer residence in Musser of Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and last president of the USSR.
- Where to go in January in Russia
- Weather and reviews of Sochi in winter
- Prices for holidays in January in Nha Trang
- Is it possible to swim in January in Egypt?
© Eurotraveler
