TOP-10 BEST HIKING DESTINATIONS IN ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH

14.05.20

The nature of Armenia and Artsakh is a real stroke of luck for lovers of outdoor activities and mountain hiking. The richness and variety of natural landscapes, simply incredible, charming views and a huge number of attractions located directly in the open air will make your hiking trip truly unforgettable. You can choose a direction depending on your own interests, preferences, and level of physical training. By the way, the end of spring and the beginning of summer is the best time for hiking, since the weather at that time is already quite warm and sunny in Armenia, even in cool mountainous areas.

Yerevan

The capital city of Armenia, of course, is exactly the point from where to begin acquaintance with Armenia. There are many cultural and architectural monuments, as well as museums and well-preserved historical buildings. A walk along the city center accompanied by a guide can become a real excursion into the history of the ancient city. The fortified city of Erebuni, located in the territory of the capital, is considered the very first settlement on the site of modern Yerevan. Currently, the Erebuni fortress is a kind of archaeological museum, which is also worth visiting.

Symphony of Stones

One of the main attractions of Armenia is the ancient pagan temple Garni, located near the gorge of the Azat River. Hiking to the gorge, you will see amazing cliffs of unusual shape, reminding of many pipes of a church organ. This unique natural attraction is called the “Symphony of stones”.

Der Berg „Azhdahak“

Wenn Sie ein echter Fan von Bergwanderungen sind, sollten Sie versuchen, den höchsten Gipfel des Geghama-Gebirges zu “bezwingen”. Das Klettern auf den Azhdahak ist es definitiv wert. Oben auf dem Berg befindet sich ein kleiner malerischer See. Es bietet auch einen atemberaubenden Ausblick auf die umliegenden Berge und auf den Sevan-See.

Sevanavank monastery

Sevanavank is an ancient monastery located on a peninsula on Lake Sevan. The monastery is located on a hill, a mountain path leads to it. It is believed that the most picturesque view of the alpine Lake Sevan opens from here.

Mount Aragats

If you are confident in your physical training, then you can take another challenge and try to conquer the highest peak of modern Armenia. Mount Aragats is of volcanic origins, like most of the mountains of the country. Aragats has four peaks. That is why Valery Bryusov in his poems poetically called it the “ the crowned virgin”.

Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries

The monasteries Haghpat and Sanahin were built in the 10th century. An interesting legend is associated with the monastery of Haghpat, according to which it was built by a son of a famous architect in order to prove his mastery to his father. Seeing the building, father exclaimed in admiration, “Ah, pat!” (“Oh wall!). Walking distance from Sanahin Monastery to Haghpat Monastery will take about 2-3 hours.

Echmiadzin

The spiritual capital of Armenia is definitely worth visiting to explore the local churches and sights. You can see important Christian relics and artifacts in the Treasury Museum of Echmiadzin.

Mount Mets Kirs

Fans of mountain hikes will certainly appreciate the amazing beauty of one of the highest mountains of the Artsakh Range. For its unusual shape, Mount Mets Kirs is sometimes called the “clenched fist of Artsakh.”

Hunot Canyon

Hunot Canyon is one of the most picturesque corners of Artsakh, where you should definitely go hiking. You can not only fully enjoy the beauties of nature here, but also see many historical monuments, among which are the ruins of ancient settlements that existed on this territory.

”Umbrellas” waterfall

The path to this waterfall lies through the ruins of the old settlement of Hunot and the medieval bridge. The natural monument, surrounded by steep cliffs, really has an amazing resemblance to an umbrella. Rounded, mossy boulders form a kind of “shed”, from which small streams flow down, like trickles of rain.