Dumbo Eco Camp began when Georgian founder Lika Dumbadze returned to her roots with a simple idea: to give new life to land that had once belonged to her family.
She gathered nine like-minded people who believed in the same vision—to create a thoughtful, experience-led place in the heart of Guria, shaped by nature, community and human hands.
Before the houses, pathways and shared spaces, there was only the land.
Surrounded by a hazelnut forest and riverside woodland, the property had its own character from the beginning. Rather than changing it completely, we wanted to work with what was already here and allow the landscape to guide the project.
Before photos: the empty land, forest and first days of work
One of our first and most important steps was creating a reliable water source.
The well was dug by hand and machine, marking the beginning of Dumbo's transformation from an idea into a place where people could stay.
Photos: digging the well and the completed water source
Before welcoming guests, we needed to build the systems that would support everyday life at the camp.
We created the bathroom facilities, installed a septic system and introduced solar lighting around the property. These practical steps may not always be visible, but they are an essential part of how Dumbo works.
Photos: bathroom construction, septic installation and solar lights
The fire pit stands at the centre of the campground—not by chance, but by design.
It was created to become the heart of Dumbo: a natural gathering place where people meet at the end of the day, sit together beneath the trees, exchange stories and form connections that might never have happened elsewhere.
At Dumbo, the shared experience is just as important as the place where you sleep.
Photos: building the fire pit, evenings around the fire and guests gathering
The first wooden house changed everything.
For the first time, we could see the idea of Dumbo taking physical shape. It was built slowly, with attention to simplicity, function and the surrounding landscape. Every stage carried the marks of the people who worked on it.
Photo series: foundation, wooden frame, roof and completed first house
Dumbo was never intended to be only a collection of places to sleep.
We created a covered communal area where guests could gather, share meals, talk, rest and spend time together—protected from both the Gurian sun and rain.
Photos: construction and use of the covered communal space
After the first house came the next two.
The construction process continued step by step, shaped by the land, the available materials and the people involved. The houses were not produced as identical hotel rooms; each one carries its own details and the human touch of its makers.
Photos: the building process of all three houses
Over the years, one of Dumbo's most significant investments has been the development of its shared kitchen.
The kitchen was never created as a place from which to sell food. It was designed to encourage guests to cook together, share meals and connect naturally around the table.
Equipped to a professional standard, it offers something rarely found in a campground kitchen: a generous, thoughtfully designed space where preparing food becomes part of the experience.
Here, guests arrive with different ingredients, recipes, languages and stories. By the end of the evening, they often find themselves sharing the same table.
Photos: the original kitchen, renovation process, equipment, cooking and shared meals
Over time, the land became a place with three wooden houses, camping pitches, spaces for motorhomes, shared areas and a path leading through our hazelnut forest and riverside woodland to the river.
Dumbo continues to grow, but its original idea remains unchanged: to create a simple, beautiful and welcoming place where people can slow down, feel close to nature and experience Guria more personally.
Final photo gallery: Dumbo today
Dumbo is not a conventional hotel or simply a campground. It is an evolving project created by people who believed that this family land could have a new life.
Every path, structure and small detail holds part of that journey—and when you stay with us, you become part of the story too.