Ecotourism in Armenia | Best 10 Places To Visit

Do you want to visit pristine places of nature, make camping trips in mountain valleys, climb seemingly inaccessible mountains on narrow but beautiful hiking trails? 
Such vacation is  reality in Armenia.

Ecotourism in Armenia is a growing sector within the country's tourism industry, focused on sustainable travel practices and the preservation of Armenia's natural beauty and cultural heritage. Armenia offers diverse landscapes, from its mountainous terrain to forests, rivers, and lakes, making it an attractive destination for eco-conscious travelers.
Before exploring ecotourism sites of Armenia, lets see the definition of ecotourism .
According to The International Ecotourism Society “Ecotourism is now defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). Education is meant to be inclusive of both staff and guests.”

What activities can you have in Armenia?
 

Despite the fact that ecotourism is a relatively new phenomenon in Armenia, it has many branches.you can walk on many hiking trails, climb mountains, admire virgin forests, do bird watching, observe the daily life of wild animals in national parks, penetrate the secrets of the "underground kingdom" by visiting caves, spend the night in a tent in the lap of wild nature, reach seemingly inaccessible heights with all-terrain vehicles and not only.
 

Best 10 eco-tour places to visit in Armenia
 

1. Khosrov Forest State Reserve

Originally founded as a royal hunting ground, it is a unique phenomenon in world history. It has existed for about 1700 years, because according to the historian Movses Khorenatsi, it was founded by the order of the Armenian king Khosrov The  Third Kotak (330-338), inhabited by hunting  animals and birds. Located in Ararat region of Armenia.

9 touristic routes were opened.Here you can:

• cool off in the summer heat with the cool waters of Astghik and Vahagn waterfalls,
• pass through beautiful hiking routes  and visit Havuts Tar, Aghtots medieval monastic complexes, Kaqavaberd fortress , moving through history,
• Engage in animal- and bird- watching, as the area is rich in its flora and fauna: grizzly bears, Bezoar goats, Armenian mouflons live here.

2. Dilijan National Park

The national park is located in the northern part of the republic, in Tavush region. Despite being a well-known and visited place, it also has little discovered corners. While visiting the National Park you can:

• admire the beauty of Haghartsin, Jukhtak, Goshavank, Matosavank, Aghavnavank,medieval  Armenian monasteries ,which will give you an idea of ​​the main features of the medieval Armenian architecture,
• Visit Parz and Gosh lakes, take a walk on the hiking trails there, admire the golden autumn colors of the surrounding trees,
• visit "Caucasian Red Deer Breeding Center" of the Dilijan National Park,
• Climb the narrow stairs starting from one of the streets of Dilijan to the "Drunken Forest", which is a grove of pines formed by a landslide and known for its trees with bent trunks, which is why the forest got its name. You can admire the panoramic view of Dilijan from the height.

3. Gnishik canyon (Gnishikadzor)

Gnishik is one of the tributaries of the Arpa River, which forms a beautiful gorge with rich flora and fauna, natural and historical monuments. Here you can:

• visit Bird’s,Mozro,Magil,Bear’s caves,enter the mysterious cave world .By the way, the oldest shoe in the world was found in the Bird’s Cave, which is 5500 years old and  now kept in the History Museum of Armenia. Another interesting fact: birds did not live in the cave and don’t live there, but bats live there, which are actually mammals.
• Engage in bird-watching, as Gnishikadzor is one of the most important ornithological areas of Armenia,
• visit the famous Noravank monastery complex, well-known  for its outstanding reliefs and the surrounding red-orange rocks,
• reach the abandoned  Gnishik settlement by Gnishik hiking trail ,to study the local khachkars, endemic tree species.

4. Areviq National Park

Located in Syunik  region and  occupies the southern slopes of the Meghri ridge and the valleys of the Meghri, Nyuvadi rivers.As the other national parks in Amenia ,it is also famous for its flora and fauna.Here you can:

• Admire Lichk and Boghakar waterfalls,
• Visit the medieval Zvaravank monastery, which is a 17th-century church with a double-slope roof and two  sacristies on both sides of the altar, with a basilica structure.
• Admire the beauty of the local forests, which are also the home for the Caucasian leopard,one of the rare species .Effective animal- and bird-watching are guaranteed .

5. Shikahogh State Reserve 

Located in Syunik ,the southern region of Armenia .It was founded to preserve, study the unique flora and fauna of large-scale forests located on the northern slopes of the Meghri mountain range.The main objects of preservation are broad-leaved (oak, hornbeam) forests, unique plant communities, their flora and fauna.Here you can:

• Admire beautiful Tsav waterfall,
• Visit the Ksajur sanctuary (13th - 14th centuries) located in the forested mountains, which was known in the Middle Ages for its healing spring, on which the chapel was built,
• leave the city chaos by visiting Platan\Sycamor  Grove Reserve ,which includes the largest number of that trees in The Caucasus.

6.Vorotan River Gorge 

Vorotan is one the biggest rivers of Syunik,forming  many gorges.The deepest one is Tatev-Harghis gorge .It is extremely beautiful place with many unique natural and historic monuments .

• The Devil's Bridge is one of the most famous natural monuments: it was formed from the limestone sediments of the surrounding mineral springs, travertines, and in surrounding territory and under the bridge you can swim in the hot springs and admire the colorful caves.
• The Grand Hermitage of Tatev ,which is the 17th century architectural complex ,with the  defence wall ,where monks lived .The hiking trail,reaching here ,is passing through bushy forests.
• Old Khot,Armenian Machu Picchu, and Old Shinuhayr abandoned villages where you will have unforgettable impressions when you visit: in these places, time seems to have stopped, and history has merged with nature.
• Harsnadzor viewpoint ,from where will see breathtaking scenery of surrounding area.In addition, the ringing of the bell hanging from here spreaded  over a radius of 50 km, warning the inhabitants of the neighboring settlements about the advance of the enemy.
• The monastery complex of Tatev will welcome  you  at the end of the gorge, proudly standing on the  high rocks. We can talk about this place for a long time, but in  this time we will be satisfied by noting only that it was the largest and most famous in Armenia in the 10th century.

7. The Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR)

The Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR) is the first privately  protected area in the South Caucasus,managed by Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife & Cultural Assets (FPWC) .

The refuge is a safe haven for many rare species, such as Brown bears, Bezoar goats, Armenian Vipers, Bearded Vultures and endangered Caucasian leopards.The CWR’s objective is the conservation of Armenia’s unique flora and fauna through the application of high technologies and contemporary management models.Here you can:

• do tent camping ,
• get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and admire the unique views of wildlife.

8. Bezoar goat(bezoar ibex) viewpoint 

Located near Yeghegis,in Vayots Dzor region of Armenia.Bezoar goats are wild goats,registered in The Red Book of Armenia .They are mountainous animals that  avoid large, open spaces  and prefer to live on the slope of ridges ,in gorges and unreachable mountains They have fully adapted to mountain life. They climb over inaccessible rocks with exceptional speed and agility. Here you can come:

• to see these endemic animals, to admire their agility and beauty,
• to enjoy the surrounding mountains and deep gorges.
   

9. Crossway Camping

Crossway campsite was established in 2013.At that time, the newly planted trees and the infrastructure being built in the desert area  had to create the look that Camping has today. In Armenia, particularly in Vayots Dzor, campsites promoting ecotourism were not popular. And so, Crossway Camping was the first in Vayots Dzor, which offered tourists a comfortable rest in the lap of nature.Here  you can:

• spend the night in the  tents, for which there is a separate area,
• spend your vacation with your own truck camper,
• spend the night in a unique and comfortable hotel-bus, the first opened in Armenia.

10. Glamping Park 

This place for ecotourism lovers is located on  Dilijan-Vanadzor highway. Here you can:

• spend your vacation in round glass cottages,
• do horse riding,cycling,
• take a hot bath in the open air,
• Enjoy the nature of  the virgin forests of Lori.

Discover the best ecotourism routes in Armenia by booking individual tours in Armenia and Georgia.