Hiking Tour in Armenia

Your first day in Armenia will be dedicated to the southern part of the country. In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel in Yerevan and will be accompanied to the Monastery of Khor Virap, the jewel of the early Christian era, overlooking the fertile plain of Ararat with its Biblical Mountain, which was a significant cradle of the Armenian civilization. Later, we will drive to our first hiking trail located in the region of Vayots Dzor (Valley of Suffering), an important stronghold of the Armenian nobility, located in the village of Amaghu. From here, we will start to descent through a canyon reminiscent of the American west, which leads to the Noravank Monastery, a XIII century medieval masterpiece. After visiting the architectural gem of Noravank, you will be driven to the village of Artabuynk, where the second hike will begin. You will head to the Tsakhats Kar Monastery, hidden in the proud mountains and then you will descend to the fortress of Smbataberd, the treasure of Armenian Bagratuni Kingdom. You will end your day by going to the village of Yeghegis and rest in a comfortable guesthouse.

After breakfast, we will head to the village of Gladzor, where we will discover the magnificent museum dedicated to the medieval Armenian university where many intellectuals and renowned thinkers of the Armenian Church studied. After, we will take the hiking trail to reach the church of Spitakavor, hidden in the mountains. After this trail, we will go to Herher where we will discover St Sion church. At the end of the day, you will rest in a comfortable guesthouse in Herher.

In the morning our comfortable vehicle will take us to the southernmost region of Armenia, Syunik. On the way, we will stop to admire the megalithic complex of Karahunj, Armenian "Stonehenge". Then we will be transported to our trail in the Vorotan Gorge, from where we will walk towards Tatevi Anapat Monastery, annex of the Tatev Monastery. The monastery was an important cultural, political and military center for Armenians in their resistance to foreign invasions. We will then take the Tatev cable car to reach Halidzor where our driver will be waiting for us to take to Goris. There we will have dinner and spend the night in a comfortable and welcoming guest house.

In the early morning, we will explore Goris with its fairy chimneys and chapels located in the old Goris.
We will go up the hill of Lasti Khut which dominates the city and offers a spectacular overview. After we descend the hill, we will have a meal in our guest house and leave for the northern region of the country. We will unveil the Lake Sevan, but before, we will discover the Selim pass and its caravanserai that once served as a stopover for travelers from the trade routes. We will reach the village of Noratus where we will discover the largest ensemble of Khachkars (cross-stones) of the present Republic of Armenia. We will have a picnic and drive to our guest house, located in the village.

Early in the morning, we will move towards the Sevan Peninsula to reward ourselves with the 9th century Sevanavank Monastery and its panoramic view of the lake. Later, our passion for hiking will bring us to the village of Drakhtik, located on the slopes of Areguni Mountain range. We will pass from meadows to wooded mountains and finally, after a picnic, we will reach the village of Kalavan. Then our vehicle will wait for us in the village of Dprabak from where we will be taken to the village of Gosh, the birthplace of Armenian churchman and theoretician of medieval Armenian law Mkhitar Gosh and his monastery. We will again enjoy a packed lunch and then we will settle in our cozy guest house in the village.

Today we will head into the adjacent quite dense forest of Gosh, where a small magical lake can be unfolded. Then we will return to the monastery to be taken to Dilijan and take a second path from where we will reach two monasteries, Jukhtak Vank and Matosavank, that are deeply hidden in the forest. Afterward, we will enjoy a well-deserved rest in order to discover the spa town Dilijan. At the end of the day we will take a direction to the provincial capital Ijevan for overnight.

After a restful night, we will head to the north to discover the Monastery of Kirants, which represents the architectural style of various influences. Underneath the monastery there is a lovely forest, which seems to embrace this ancient structure. After a picnic near the monastery, we will descend the mount and get in our vehicle which will take us to the green region of Lori near the Georgian border, which is rich in meadows and lush valleys. Our discoveries will bring us to the Akhtala Monastery, famous for its frescos. Afterward, we will head to our campground in Alaverdi town, where we will set up tents, near the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Haghpat Monastery.

We will head to the adjacent dense forest of Gosh, where we will find a small clear lake. Then we will return to the monastery and later, leave for Dilijan to take our second path which will take us to two monasteries buried in the forest, Jukhtak Vank and Matosavank. After these hikes, we will take a well-deserved rest and discover the town of Dilijan, Armenian spa and popular destination for holiday. At the end of the day, we will be driving to the northern village Haghpat, situated in the Lori region, where we will be staying in a comfortable campsite.

The penultimate day of your adventurous tour will be devoted to the Lori, where we will experience the most beautiful hikes of our stay. The day will begin with a visit to the monastery of Haghpat, then we will begin hiking with a stop at the sites of Kusanats Anapat, Zarniayr, Kayanapert, the Church of St. Karapet and the Monastery of Sanahin, which is one of the most famous masterpieces of Armenian architecture, listed as UNESCO World Heritage site. Our hiking will bring us to the 7-storey tower and the ancient Sanahin Bridge, located on the Debed River. During the tour, we will uncover the landscapes with steep canyons and divine green forests. At the end of the day, we will arrive at the Monastery of Odzun where a spectacular structure of the V century overlooks the valley of Debed. After the visit, we will return to our bivouac in Haghpat.

Our last day will offer us the ascent of the highest peak of the current Republic of Armenia, the Aragats, (4090 meters above sea level). For this reason, we will leave Odzun very early in the morning and drive to the central region of Aragatsotn where our vehicle will transport us to Lake Qari: a beautiful mountain lake with crystal water, located at 3185 meters above sea level. We will begin our ascent to the southern summit of Aragats and enjoy a delicious picnic at its top. The peak of the mount will reward us with alluring nature. Later, we will descend the mount and our driver will take care of our safe transfer back to our hotel in Yerevan.

Transfer to the airport. See you soon Armenia!