# Gagra Range

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**Gagra Range** (/ˈgægrə,_ˈgɑː-/; Georgian: *გაგრის ქედი*; Abkhaz: Гагратәи ахықә; Russian: Гагрский хребет) is a [mountain range](/source/Mountain_range) of the [Greater Caucasus](/source/Greater_Caucasus) in the [Republic of Abkhazia](/source/Abkhazia)[note 1]. It runs between the valleys of the [Bzyb](/source/Bzyb_River) and [Psou](/source/Psou_River) rivers to the south of the [Caucasus Major](/source/Caucasus_Major), in a general North-South direction. The highest elevation is located at [Mount Agepsta](/source/Mount_Agepsta) at 3,357 m (11,014 ft). Geologically, the range is formed of Lower [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous) and Upper [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) [limestone](/source/Limestone), carved into dramatic [karst](/source/Karst) based landscapes within the [Arabika Massif](/source/Arabika_Massif).

## Geography

Gagra Range is part of the [Greater Caucasus](/source/Greater_Caucasus) in [Abkhazia](/source/Abkhazia).[note 1].It runs between the valleys of the [Bzyb](/source/Bzyb_River) and [Psou](/source/Psou_River) rivers to the south of the [Caucasus Major](/source/Caucasus_Major), in a general North-South direction. The range spans 85 km (53 mi), dropping abruptly toward the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea), forming deep valleys along the coast.[1] The range consists of steep slopes, with the highest elevation located at [Mount Agepsta](/source/Mount_Agepsta) at 3,357 m (11,014 ft) along the Abkhazian–Russian border.[2] While the western slopes drop sharply toward the sea, while northeastern foothills are gentler and more vegetated.[1] The Gagra Range approaches the Black Sea close to the city of [Gagra](/source/Gagra) and plays an important role in moderating the climate of that resort by blocking cold, continental winds from the north and east.[1]

## Geology

The mountain range is composed of [limestone](/source/Limestone) from Lower [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous) and Upper [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) period.[3][4] These limestone form extensive [karst](/source/Karst) landscapes includes caves, sinkholes, gorges, and subterranean rivers.[3][4] The mountains host some of the deepest cave systems in earth. The [Veryovkina Cave](/source/Veryovkina_Cave) extending up to 2,209 m (7,247 ft) deep, is the deepest-known cave on Earth. It was discovered in 1968 and explored to full depth via vertical exploration systems.[5][6] The Sarma Cave is the third deepest globally at about 1,830 m (6,000 ft) depth, with documented stygobiont [amphipods](/source/Amphipods).[4] These cave systems incorporate numerous water springs, fed by deep cave aquifers formed five to six million years ago, and feed into the sea via the coastal foothills.[4][7] A highway to [Lake Ritsa](/source/Lake_Ritsa), the deepest lake in [Abkhazia](/source/Abkhazia) (116 m), runs by the range, along the Bzyb, [Iupshara](/source/Iupshara) and Gega rivers.[8][9]

## See also

- [Bzyb Range](/source/Bzyb_Range)
- [Kodori Range](/source/Kodori_Range)
- [Achibakh Mountain](/source/Achibakh_Mountain)

## Notes

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## References

1. ["Geography and Climate in Gagra"](https://usefultravelarticles.com/17942-geography-and-climate-in-gagra.html). *Useful Travel Articles*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240421010255/https://usefultravelarticles.com/17942-geography-and-climate-in-gagra.html) 21 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. ["Agepsta peak"](https://peakvisor.com/adm/autonomous-republic-of-abkhazia.html). *PeakVisor*. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. ["Arabika massif limestone stratigraphy"](https://madloba.info/en/blog/resorts-of-georgia/gagra/). *Madloba.info*. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. O. Klimchouk (January 2018). ["Development of the deepest karst systems and submarine discharge of the Arabika massif (Western Caucasus)"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345079968_Development_of_the_deepest_karst_systems_and_submarine_discharge_of_the_Arabika_massif_Western_Caucasus_the_role_of_the_late_Miocene_regression_of_Eastern_Paratethys). *Geology and Mineral Resources of World Ocean*. [doi:10.15407/gpimo2018.01.058](https://doi.org/10.15407/gpimo2018.01.058)

1. ["Veryovkina cave"](https://explorersweb.com/natural-wonders-veryovkina-cave/). *ExplorersWeb*. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. ["Veryovkina cave"](https://www.cbg.iliauni.edu.ge/en/caves/show/153). *Ilia State University*. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. O. Klimchouk (July 2019). ["Deepest cave in the world in the Arabika massif and its hydrogeological significance"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220044168_THE_DEEPEST_CAVE_IN_THE_WORLD_IN_THE_ARABIKA_MASSIF_WESTERN_CAUCASUS_AND_ITS_HYDROGEOLOGICAL_AND_PALEOGEOGRAPHIC_SIGNIFICANCE). *Geology and Mineral Resources of World Ocean*

1. ["State of the Environment Georgia - Biodiversity"](http://enrin.grida.no/htmls/georgia/soegeor/english/biodiv/reserves/ritsa.htm). 1 June 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160508174549/http://enrin.grida.no/htmls/georgia/soegeor/english/biodiv/reserves/ritsa.htm) 8 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 13 June 2025.

1. ["Route through Bzyb, Iupshara, Gega"](https://peakvisor.com/adm/autonomous-republic-of-abkhazia.html). *PeakVisor*. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gagra Range](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gagra_Range) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gagra_Range?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.