On the way to Sevan Lake, we drove a scenic road, M10, through the Vardenis mountains range. The winding mountain road and hairpin turns provide breathtaking views of the surrounding steep rocky hillsides. However, the road is dangerous because of the extreme weather – blizzard, strong winds, fog, low visibility, black ice on some road sections, and the danger of avalanches is typical. Near the Selim Mountain pass (Vardenyats) is the ancient Silk Road caravanserai at an altitude of 2410m. Orbelian’s caravanserai was built in 1332 by Prince Chesar Orbelian, according to an inscription in Armenian and Arabic. This caravanserai offered hospitality to travelers along the highway crossing the Selim mountains. This is the best-preserved caravanserai in Armenia and an excellent picnic spot with beautiful views over the Yeghegis Valley.
Parking location – Orbelian’s Caravanserai: 39.949457N 45.236135E