We drove around the largest lake in the Caucasus (1240 sq km) and one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world, set at 1900m above sea level. Its colors and shades change with the weather, forming dazzling azure to dark blue hues. We stopped near the elevated site...
We visited Ijevan Wine-Brandy Factory, a leading enterprise of Armenia for the production of wine, fruit wine, and cognac. The factory was opened in 1951 to process the grapes of the Aghstev and Spitak rivers valley, with more than 3000 ha of vineyards. Currently, the factory produces...
We made overnight at the famous resort town of Dilijan – the gateway to the Dilijan National Park. It lies on the banks of the Aghstev River in the valley surrounded by the Lesser Caucasus mountains at 1500 meters above sea level. The forested town is home to numerous Armenian artists...
We got sunny weather today, so we decided to hike from Lake Parz back to Dilijan. In the morning, we ordered a Yandex taxi (4000 AMD) and went to lake Parz in the Dilijan National Park. The lake was formed by natural climatic changes. In 2017 the TransCaucasian Trail was created to...
Our next stop was Haghartsin monastery, hidden in a verdant valley, just 13km northeast of Dilijan. It was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and has three churches, one named for Gregory the Illuminator, another for the Virgin Mary, and the third for St Stephen. The monastery was...
We arrived in Dilijan early, so we continued to visit the Goshavank monastery complex founded in 1188 by the saintly Armenian cleric Mkhitar Gosh, buried in a little chapel overlooking the main complex. This monastery features the main church (Surp Astvatsatsin), smaller churches to St...
We stopped in Armenia’s third-largest city in the Lori Province, Vanadzor, known before as Karaklis (until 1935) or Kirovakan (1935–93). It lies at the confluence of the Pambak, Tandzut, and Vanadzoriget rivers. In 1826 the villages of Bolshoy and Maly Karaklis were merged into the town...
According to Google, there should be a nice road, H24, from Stepanavan to Hnevank monastery. Actually, it starts as a ruined road turning after a few kilometers into a total off-road – narrow, steep, winding, dirty road, full of big stones, especially on the part before Dzoragiugh village...
Near the town of Stepanavan, on a promontory between the gorges of the Dzoragets and Miskhana Rivers, is a ruined fortress with huge towers and massive stone blocks along its exposed side. Originally the base of David Anhogin, who ruled the region of Tashir-Dzoraget from 989 to 1048, it...
It was not easy to drive from Sanahin to Odzun. We arrived there late, so we decided to overnight on the cliff before the village. In the morning, we bought locally made bread, and then we visited St Astvatsatsin Church. It was built on the site where legend tells us St Thomas buried...