Hiking Tours

What does "hiking" mean in Armenia? Gorges and churches 
perched on the bare cliffs or in deep forests, caves and villages 
cut in the rocks. Imagine that you find yourself somewhere far away,
surrounded by high cliffs and alpine grasslands. Imagine that on your way everybody living in the traditional villages, small and old will meet you as friends. Imagine you can see the unique historical sites, which are far from the motorways and only overcoming the difficulties of the long way you can admire them. If you are a restless seeker of adventure, if you are interested in flora, fauna and geology, if you want to feel the odour of the ancient history of Armenia, join us on the way of excitement and discovery.

-  Fields of Dolmens and Menghirs in Sissian and Goris 
   (Zangezour) 5-4 mil. BC

-  Camps of primitive civilisations
-  The rock carvings - 6 mil. BC

-  Neolithic settlements of Shengavit, Ltchashen - 4-3 mil. BC
-  The settlement of the Early Humans - 178 000 mil. BC
-  Urartian sites and fortresses, numerous cuneiform writings - 1 mil. BC
-  Numerous ancient fortresses, monasteries and pre-Christian temples
-  The prehistoric observatories - Karahunge 5 mil. BC and Metsamor 2 mil. BC
-  Haghpat Monastery - designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Hiking tour in Armenia 
top | more photos

Length: 12days/11nights
Start and finish of the tour: Yerevan
Accommodation: Hotels in Yerevan, guest house in Sevan, tents in camps.

Day 1-2: Arrival at Zvartnots airport. Time for leisure. Museum of History. Lunch at the restaurant. City tour. Erebuny fortress and museum (782 BC). Dinner, overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
Day 3: Ashtarak, Saghmosavank (12-13th cc.). Hamberd fortress. Lunch-picnic. Hiking from Hamberd to Dgher monastery (hiking 6km 2-2,5 hours). Drive to the camping place. Camping on Aragats plateau. 
Total: Hiking 6,5-7km. (2,5-3 hours) 
Day 4: Ria-Taza, Alaverdi, Kobayr monastery (hiking 2,5km 1-1,5 hours). Lunch-picnic. Sanahin and Haghpat monastery complexes (10-13th cc). Drive to Tavush region. Monastery Makaravank (hiking in forest 2-2,5km 0,5 hour). Camping near monastery Makaravank. 
Total: Hiking 4,5-5,5km. (1,5-2 hours) 
Day 5: Hiking to the village Lusavan (8-8,5km 2-2,5 hours). Drive to Dilijan. Hiking to Djukhtak Vank monastery (10-12th cc), (2,5-3km 1 hours). Haghartsin monastery (10-13th cc), (hiking in the forest 2km 1 hour). Drive to the Lake Parz Lich. Camping near Lake Parz Lich. 
Total: Hiking 13km. (4-5 hours)
Day 6: Hiking to the village Gosh (9-9,5km 3,5-4 hours). Monastery Goshavank (12-13th cc.). Lunch. Sevan lake, peninsula, Airivank (9-12th cc), Noradouz medieval khachkars field (9 -17th cc.), (hiking 1,5km 0,5 hour). Overnight at the guesthouse near Lake Sevan. 
Total: Hiking 11km. (4-4,5 hours)
Day 7: Sevan, Selim pass and Selim caravan saray (4-13th cc.), (hiking 1km 0,5 hour). Historical monuments of the village Yeghegis. Lunch. Hiking to the Tsakhats Kar monastery, Smbataberd fortress (hiking 8-8,5km 5-6 hours). Zorats church (14th c.). Camping near village Yeghegis near the river. 
Total: Hiking 10km. (5-6 hours)
Day 8: Yeghegis, Karahunge observatory (5 mil. BC), and Tatev monastery (9-13th cc). Lunch. Hiking in Vorotan canyon. Tatevi Anapat monastery (hiking 3-3,5km 1,5-2 hours), ancient village Halidzor (hiking 5-5,5km 2,5-3 hours). Camping near Tatev monastery, in the canyon of river Vorotan. 
Total: Hiking 9km. (4-4,5 hours)

Day 9: Tatev, Jermuk, Gndevaz village. Hiking to the Gndevank monastery (936 AD) (hiking 1,5-2km 0,5-1 hour) and in the canyon of the river Arpa (hiking 6-8km 2-2,5 hours). Drive to Tanahat monastery (13th c), Gladzor University. Noravank monastery (10-11th cc). Camping near Noravank. 
Total: Hiking 9km. (3,5-4 hours).
Day 10: Noravank, Areni, Khor-Virap (4-17th cc), and Etchmiadzin (303 AD). The Cathedral. Lunch. St.Gayane and St.Hripsime churches (7th c). Zvartnots Temple (7-10th bc). Dinner, overnight in Yerevan.
Day 11: Yerevan, Garni pagan temple (1st c.), Geghard (12-13th cc). Lunch-picnic. Hiking to the Havuts Tar monastery (hiking 4,5-5km 1,5-2 hours). Museum and Memorial of the Genocide in Tsitsernakaberd. Parting dinner. Overnight in Yerevan .

Total: Hiking 5km. (2-2,5 hours) 
It is possible to organize the hiking Garni - Havuts Tar - Geghard (hiking 12km 4-4,5 hours)
Day 12: Transfer to the airport. Departure.



Hiking tour in North Armenia 
top | more photos



Length: 9 days/ 8 nights
Start and finish of the tour: Yerevan
Accommodation: Hotels in Yerevan, tents in camps, guest house in Sevan.

Day 1-2: Arrival at Zvartnots airport. Time for leisure. Museum of History. Lunch at the restaurant. City tour. Erebuny fortress and museum (782 BC). Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
Day 3: Ashtarak, Saghmosavank (12-13th cc). Hamberd fortress (10-13th cc.). Lunch-picnic. Hiking from Hamberd to Dgher monastery (hiking 6km 1,5-2 hours). Drive to the camping place. Camping on Aragats plateau. 
Total: Hiking 6,5-7km. (2-2,5 hours) 
Day 4: Drive to Alaverdi, Kobayr monastery (hiking 2,5km 1-1,5 hours). Lunch-picnic. Sanahin and Haghpat monastery complexes (10-13th cc.). Drive to Tavush region. Monastery Makaravank (13th c) (hiking in forest 2-2,5km 0,5 hour). Camping near monastery Makaravank. 
Total: Hiking 4,5-5,5km. (1,5-2 hours) 

Day 5: Hiking to the village Lusavan (hiking 8-8,5km 2-2,5 hours). Drive to Dilijan. Hiking to Djukhtak vank monastery (10-12th cc) (hiking 2,5-3km 1 hour). Haghartsin monastery (12-13th cc) (hiking in forest 2km 1 hour). Drive to Lake Parz Lich. Camping near Lake Parz Lich. 
Total: Hiking 13km. (4-5 hours)
Day 6: Hiking to the Village Gosh (hiking 9-9,5km 3,5-4 hours). Monastery of Goshavank (12-13th cc). Lunch. Sevan lake, peninsula, Airivank (9-12th cc.), Noradouz medieval khachkars field (9 -17th cc.), (hiking 1,5km 0,5 hour). Overnight in guesthouse near Lake Sevan. 
Total: Hiking 11km. (4-4,5 hours).
Day 7: Sevan, Garni pagan temple (1st c.), Geghard (12-13th cc.). Lunch-picnic. Hiking to the Havuts Tar monastery (11-13th cc) (hiking 4,5-5km 1,5-2 hours). Museum and Memorial of the Genocide in Tsitsernakaberd. Dinner, overnight in Yerevan.
Total: Hiking 5km. (2-2,5 hours) 
It is possible to organize the hiking by route Garni - Havuts Tar - Geghard (hiking 12km 4-4,5 hours)
Day 8: Driving to Metsamor museum, Etchmiadzin, the Cathedral (303 AD). Lunch. St.Gayane and St.Hripsime (7th c) churches. Zvartnots Temple (8-10th cc). Parting dinner. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
Day 9: Transfer to the airport. Departure.



Hiking tour in South Armenia 
top | more photos

Length: 9days/8nights
Start and finish of the tour: in Yerevan.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yerevan, hotel "Basen" in Sisian and tents in countryside

Day 1-2: Arrival at Zvartnots airport. Time for leisure. Museum of History. Lunch at the restaurant. City tour. Erebuny fortress and museum (782 BC). Dinner, overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
Day 3: Yerevan, Garni pagan temple (1st c.), Geghard monastic complex (12-13th cc.). Lunch-picnic. Driving to the Lake Sevan, Ayrivank (9-12th cc.), Noradouz medieval khachkars field (9 -17th cc.). Camping near Lake Sevan. Total: Hiking - no.
Day 4: Sevan, Selim pass and Selim caravan-saray (4-13th cc) (hiking 1km 0,5 hours). Historical monuments of village Yeghegis. Lunch. Hiking to the Tsakhats Kar monastery (11-13th cc.), Smbataberd fortress (hiking 8-8,5km 5-6 hours). Zorats church (14th c). Camping near village Yeghegis near river. 
Total: Hiking 10km. (5-6 hours)
Day 5: Yeghegis, Karahunge observatory (5 mil. BC), and Tatev monastery (9-13th cc). Lunch. Hiking in Vorotan canyon. Tatevi Anapat monastery (hiking 3-3,5km 1,5-2 hours), ancient village Halidzor (13-17th cc.) (hiking 5-5,5km 2,5-3 hours). Camping near Tatev monastery, in Vorotan canyon. 
Total: Hiking 9km. (4-4,5 hours)

Day 6: Driving to the old Khndzoresk village carved in rocks, hiking around (hiking 3- 4 km 1,5- 2 hours), driving to Vorotnavank monastery (9-11th cc), visit the tomb monument in the village Aghitoo (7th c). Dinner and overnight at the hotel "Basen" in Sisian.
Total: hiking 4- 4,5 km (2 hours.).Day 7: Sisian, Gndevaz village. Hiking to the Gndevank monastery (7-12th cc.) (hiking 1,5-2km 0,5-1 hour) and Canyon the River Arpa (hking 6-8km 2-2,5 hours). Drive to Tanahat monastery (13th cc), Gladzor University. Noravank monastery. Camping near Noravank (13-14th cc.). 
Total: Hiking 9km. (3.5-4 hours)
Day 8: Noravank (13-14th cc ), Areni (14th c. ), Khor-Virap (4-17th cc), and Etchmiadzin. The Cathedral (303 AD). Lunch. St.Gayane and St.Hripsime churches (7th c), Zvartnots Temple (8-10th cc.). Parting dinner. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 9: Transfer to the airport. Departure.