Anaklia to Ureki 2026: Transfer, Distance & Magnetic-Sand Beach Cost
The short coastal hop from Anaklia, Georgia’s modern resort at the mouth of the Enguri, to Ureki, the famous magnetic black-sand beach further south, is one of the easiest and most rewarding beach-to-beach transfers on the Black Sea coast. This 2026 guide explains exactly how to do it: the real distance and drive time via Poti, private-transfer and minibus options, honest prices, and what makes Ureki’s magnetite sand worth the trip.
Quick comparison
| Option | Price (2026) | Time | Flexibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | fixed per car (split by group) | ~1 h 15 m direct | High — door-to-door with luggage | Families, beach gear, comfort |
| Marshrutka (change at Poti) | ~3–6 GEL / leg | ~2 h+ with change | Low — connect at Poti | Solo budget travellers |
| Local taxi (one-off) | negotiated | ~1 h 15 m | Medium — haggle for stops | Last-minute, no booking |
How far is Ureki from Anaklia?
Along the coastal road the distance is about 60–65 km and the drive takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. From Anaklia you follow the shore south toward Poti, Georgia’s main Black Sea port, skirt the edge of the Kolkheti National Park wetlands, then continue a short way further to Ureki and its neighbour Shekvetili. The road is flat and easy the whole way, with the only slow point being the town traffic around Poti. It is a genuinely short transfer — well under half the distance of the run down to Batumi — which makes Ureki an easy add-on for anyone already staying up the coast at Anaklia.
Why visit Ureki?
Ureki is unlike any other beach in Georgia. Its 1.5 km of dark, fine sand is rich in magnetite, giving the beach its famous “magnetic” character, and Georgian and regional visitors have long come here believing the warm black sand helps with musculoskeletal and circulation complaints. Whatever you make of the health claims, the practical appeal is real: Ureki is one of the few sandy beaches on a coast otherwise dominated by pebbles, so it is gentle underfoot and especially popular with families and small children. The water shelves gently, the resort is relaxed and low-rise, and neighbouring Shekvetili adds a large dendrological park and a music amphitheatre. Coming from Anaklia’s long, open modern beach, Ureki offers a different, softer coastal experience just over an hour away.
Option 1: Private transfer (recommended)
For a beach-to-beach move with suitcases, sun umbrellas and often children in tow, a private transfer is the easy choice. You are collected from your Anaklia hotel, driven straight down the coast in about seventy-five minutes, and dropped at your Ureki guesthouse door — no dragging bags between minibuses at Poti. Because there is no direct public service, the door-to-door convenience is the whole point here, and a private car turns a fiddly connection into a simple, relaxed ride.
Pricing works per car, not per seat, so a family or group shares one fixed fare. With OrbiTrip you see a transparent fixed price before you book, choose a vehicle to fit your luggage, and pay the driver directly at the end — no prepayment; the full selected trip price is shown before booking. If you are exploring the wider coast, our Anaklia to Batumi transfer guide covers the longer run south, and the Batumi to Ureki magnetic-sand guide has more detail on the beach itself.
See drivers & fixed prices for an Anaklia → Ureki transfer
Option 2: Marshrutka (minibus)
The budget route relies on the marshrutka, but there is no single direct Anaklia–Ureki service. In practice you take a minibus from Anaklia toward Poti or Zugdidi, change at Poti, and pick up an onward marshrutka or shared taxi running south along the coast toward Ureki, Shekvetili and Kobuleti. Each leg costs only a few GEL, so the total is very cheap, but the connection at Poti adds waiting time and the schedules are infrequent, so the whole trip can take two hours or more. It works for a flexible solo traveller with light luggage, but for a family with beach gear the change is the main drawback.
Combine Poti, Kolkheti wetlands and Shekvetili
A private car lets you make more of the coast between the two resorts. A driver can pause at Poti for its lighthouse and the birdwatching lagoons of the Kolkheti National Park, or continue a few minutes past Ureki to Shekvetili for its dendrological park. Travellers arriving by air often reach this stretch from Kutaisi; our Kutaisi Airport to Ureki guide covers that approach, and for ideas further down the coast the best day trips from Batumi guide rounds out the region.
Practical tips for the journey
A few notes help. Ureki is busiest and hottest in July and August, when the black sand warms quickly — bring sandals, as the dark grains can get very hot underfoot at midday. The magnetite sand is famous but the resort itself is small and low-key, so bring cash for smaller cafes and guesthouses. If you are travelling with young children, the gentle sandy entry is a real plus over the pebble beaches further south. Poti, the midpoint, is a working port rather than a resort, so it is a practical fuel-and-coffee stop rather than a sightseeing one. Finally, the humid Kolkheti lowland can bring quick summer showers, so a light rain layer is worth having even on a beach day.
How an OrbiTrip transfer works
Booking is simple and nothing is paid in advance. Choose your route, pick a vehicle size for your group and luggage, and see a transparent fixed price before you confirm — no hidden surcharges. You then receive the driver’s contact details to agree your pickup time and any stops, such as Poti or Shekvetili. You settle the agreed fare directly with the driver at the end; OrbiTrip shows the full selected trip price before booking. Child seats can be requested at booking, and English- or Russian-speaking drivers are available.
Which should you choose?
For the Anaklia to Ureki hop, a private transfer is the sensible pick for most travellers: it is direct, carries beach gear and a family with ease, and removes the awkward change at Poti, with the per-car fare splitting well across a group. A light-travelling solo visitor on a tight budget can still do it by marshrutka with a connection at Poti for just a few GEL, accepting the extra time and the wait. Either way it is a short, easy journey — and Ureki’s soft magnetic sand is a genuine change of pace from Anaklia’s wide modern shore.
Ready to go? Compare drivers and fixed prices for your Anaklia → Ureki transfer and swap one Black Sea beach for another in just over an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Along the coastal road Ureki is about 60 to 65 km from Anaklia and the drive takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. You follow the shore south past the port city of Poti, skirt the Kolkheti wetlands, and continue to Ureki.
There is no single direct minibus. Budget travellers usually take a marshrutka from Anaklia toward Poti, change there, and pick up an onward minibus or shared taxi south to Ureki. Each leg costs only a few GEL but the connection adds waiting time.
A private transfer is priced as a fixed figure per car, shown before you book, and depends on vehicle size, season and any added stops such as Poti or Shekvetili. Because you pay per car, the fare splits well across a family or group. You pay the driver directly, with the full selected trip price shown before booking.
Ureki has around 1.5 km of dark, fine sand rich in magnetite, which gives it its famous magnetic character. It is one of the few sandy beaches on Georgia's mostly pebbly coast, with a gentle shelving entry that makes it especially popular with families and young children.
Yes. Unlike the pebble beaches further south, Ureki has soft sand and a gentle, shallow entry into the sea, which suits small children. A private transfer that carries beach gear door-to-door is the easiest way to arrive from Anaklia.