Lake Ritsa is a mountainous lake that can be found in the north western part of partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia, in the vicinity of the border with the Russian Federation, within the Republic of Georgia. Surrounded by plentiful mountains from the Caucasus mountain region, the lake is a superb place where people can relax and enjoy in the impressive nature Georgia is offering. Lake Ritsa water is cold and clear. Mountains with heights of 2,200 to 3,500 m surround the lake. The region around Lake Ritsa is a part of the Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests ecoregion with a fairly high concentration of evergreen boxwood groves. Many specimens of the Nordmann Fir, which reach heights of over 70 metres (230 ft), are found around the lake.
In 1930 the Ritsa Nature Reserve (162.89 km2) was established to protect the natural state of the lake and the surrounding land.
The Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had one of his summer-houses (dacha) by the lake.Later Leonid Brezhnev had his summer house nearby as well.
