Off Road Adventures in Armenia

Arrival at the Yerevan airport. Meeting with guide and driver.
Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
Overnight in Silachi 3* hotel in Yerevan.

Yerevan. Breakfast in the hotel.

Heading to the South of Armenia, driving along Ararat valley with a beautiful view of Ararat mountain. First stop will be 13-14th century Noravank monastery located in Vayots Dzor province.

Noravank (meaning “New Monastery” in Armenian) is a 13th century Armenian monastery, spiritual centre of Orbelyan princes’ dynasty. The monastery is best known for its two-storey Surp Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God, Burtelashen) church, which grants access to the second floor by way of a narrow stone-made staircase jutting out from the face of building.

After the sightseeing, we will head to start our 4wd part of the day. Starting from Aghavnadzor village, we will drive to Ulgyur, an abandoned settlement, where we have a chance to see a few thousand years old “Dragon Stones” converted into Khachkars.

Then we will continue to the mountain lake called “Hors”. After the adventures in the mountains drive to Yegheghnadzor for overnight stay.

Overnight in Arpa Hotel
Off-roading route: Aghavnadzor – Ulgyur – Hors Lake –Hors village / 21km
Total driving: 185 km

Yeghegnadzor. Breakfast in the hotel.

Heading to the Syunik, southern region of Armenia. The first stop would be the Shaki waterfall. This is one of the most beautiful falls in Armenia with the height of 18 meters.

Shaki Waterfall is situated in Armenia, above Lake Shaki. The waterfall is located 3 km North-West of Sisian city, in gorge of the River Vorotan. According to the legend, enemies kidnapped 93 beauties from the Gegharkuni village for their commander, who had stopped in Mughan with his army. When the caravan of captives was on the spot, ladies turned to the invader with request: “The road was long and exhausting. We got dusty and dirty. Let us have a bath in the river and then only show up to your majors.” The invaders agreed. The ladies undressed and jumped into the River Vorotan. They sank and disappeared. Only blue-eyed lady, named Shake, swam across the river, trying to escape. The invaders managed to catch up with her, but on that very moment a rock appeared under her and the water, flowing above the rock, hid her under its foams. After that story, the waterfall and the village, where it is located were called Shaki.

Then we will start our jeeping up to the Syunik mountains. The target is the Ukhtasar mountain, one of the largest petroglyph sites in Armenia. Here we will see rock-art examples from 5th to 3rd millennium BC.

After getting back from the mountain visit to Karahunj (also called Zorats Karer) – a prehistoric archaeological site near the city of Sisian in the Syunik province of Armenia. It is alike famous Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England and Carnac Stones in Carnac, France. The phrase Zorats Karer is translated from Armenian as “Worrier Stones or Stone Army”. The stones make whistling sounds on a windy day, presumably because of multiple reach-through holes bored under different angles into the stones in prehistoric times.

Drive to Goris for the overnight.

Overnight in Mthnadzor hotel
Off-roading route: Ishkahanasar village – Ukhtasar – Ishkhanasar village / 40km
Total driving: 180 km

Goris. Breakfast in the hotel.

The first stop of the 4th day is the Khndzoresk village, the biggest cave town of Armenia. In the beginning of 20th century, it had the biggest population among villages of Eastern Armenia.

Continue to the Tatev village. Here the group will have a chance to take the world’s longest cable car and enjoy the splendid nature of Vorotan gorge from the height of 300m. Further off-road driving to Sisian via Ltsen village, on the way, visiting Vorotnavank, a monastic complex located along a ridge overlooking Vorotan gorge, between the villages of Vaghatin and Vorotan in Syunik province.

Finish the day in Jermuk spa town. Jermuk is famous for its hot springs and mineral water brands bottled in the town. It is attractive for its fresh air, waterfall, artificial lakes, walking trails, the surrounding forests and mineral water pools.

Overnight in Nairi hotel
Off-roading route: Tatev–Ltsen / 22km
Total driving: 140 km

Jermuk. Breakfast in the hotel.

The day is full of 4×4 routes. Start with the city tour in Jermuk, visit the Jermuk waterfall and off-roading to Jermuk Hot Springs in the mountains. After having a bath in natural springs, continue to Kechut reservoir.

After the lunch head to Artavan village and enjoy the Artavan lake, a circular lake looking like an Earth map. Continue to another beautiful lake near to the Gomk village. Finish the day in the Hermon village.

Overnight in Lucy Tour hotel
Off-roading route: Jermuk hot springs, Artavan lake – Gomk lake / 40km
Total driving: 150 km

Hermon. Breakfast in the hotel.

Today we will drive to the north of Armenia. Taking the Vardenyats pass we will get to the Lake Sevan, which is one of the mountainous freshwater lakes in the world. The lake is 1900 meters high from the sea level. On the way to the lake, we will have a stop in the Orbelyans caravanserai, “hotel” from the middle ages.

Our off-roading will start from the village of Semyonovka and will take us to the Gosh lake, a forest lake hidden in the mountains. The overnight is planned in the Dilijan, which is called “Armenian Switzerland”.

Overnight in Dilijan resort
Off-roading route: Semyonovka – Gosh Lake – Gosh village /21km
Total driving: 200 km

Starting on the asphalt road to Aygehovit village and taking the off-roads to the monastery of Srvegh. This half ruined monastery is one the best examples of Armenian brick made monasteries.

Drive back to the asphalt road and continue off-roading from Getahovit to the Lastiver. Here you feel like in the heaven. All around is green, nice waterfalls and isolated from civilization. Drive back to Dilijan for the overnight.

Overnight in Dilijan Resort
Off-roading route: Aygehovit – Srvegh – Aygehovit, Getahovit- Lastiver – Getahovit /21km
Total driving: 200 km

Dilijan. Breakfast in the hotel.
Start the day from Dilijan and drive to Margahovit village. Take the mountain roads from here to Meghradzor village and again start ascending to the mountains. On the highest point of Tsaghkunyats mountains admire the beauty of Tsaghkunyats lake, also called Nana lake. Descend to the Aghveran.

Overnight in Crystal Resort Aghveran
Off-roading route: Margahovit-Meghradzor – Tsaghkunyats lake -Aghveran /35 km
Total driving: 10km

Aghveran. Breakfast in the hotel.
Drive to Kotayk region. Today you are going to visit Geghard Monastery, which is cut into the rock (13th c); and Garni – the only type of pagan temple across the Caucasus and the former Soviet Union (2nd half of 1st c AD). Geghard is one of the most famous medieval monasteries in Armenia. The complex of medieval buildings is set into a landscape of great natural beauty, surrounded by towering cliffs at the entrance to the Azat river valley. According to the legend, the monastery housed the spear which had wounded Christ on the Cross and from which comes its present name, Geghardavank (the Monastery of the Spear). Allegedly it was brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus, first recorded in a document of 1250. The church with its surrounding structures is included in the UNESCO World Cultural heritage List.

Visit to open-air museum of Garni pagan temple. It is the only surviving monument of the Hellenistic period in Armenia. The temple is dedicated to the God of the sun Mithra and was built in the 2nd half of the 1st c AD during the reign of king Tiridates I. The temple was completely destroyed during the earthquake of 1679. It was restored in the 1970s, using the surviving fragments and carving the missing ones renewed. The territory of the fortress that was used as a summer residence of Armenian royalty included the palace, the royal bath – house, the garrison barracks and other structures that did not survive. Garni pagan temple has unique design and is the only type of temple across the Caucasus and the former Soviet Union.

Drive back to Yerevan with a short off-road driving via Garni gorge. These wonderful basalt rocks seem to be artificial – so much beautiful they are. For their beauty rocks are called «Symphony of the stones».

Overnight in Silachi 3* hotel
Total driving: 120km

Yerevan. Breakfast in the hotel (depending on the time of departure). Transfer to the Yerevan Airport. Departure.