5 Natural Wonders In Armenia Worth Hiking To
Armenia is located at the junction of major geographical zones, wedged between the Caucasus Mountains, Anatolia, and the greater Near East. This means that despite its size, landscapes in Armenia vary greatly, even from just one side of a mountain to the other!
Making these landscapes and the wonders they hold accessible to you is our job, which is why we’ve compiled the first of what will be many lists of natural wonders in Armenia that are only accessible by hiking. So, grab a pen and paper (or better yet, download our free app) and start planning your next adventure in Armenia!
Hidden Waterfall at Haghartsin Monastery
Location: Tavush Province
How To Hike There: Hidden Waterfall Trail
This is a small, multi-level waterfall hidden in the forest near the 13th century Haghartsin Monastery. Haghartsin is a pretty popular tourist destination, having recently undergone a major restoration. But this waterfall is so well hidden by cliffs and boulders that it wasn’t discovered until recently! You can wade through the water to get to it, or use the trail features to stay dry — the choice is yours!
Karmir Lake
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
How To Hike There: Karmir Lake Loop
Karmir Lake (also known as Al Lake), is named after a red fish that’s found in its waters (“karmir” and “al” mean red/crimson in Armenian). This lake is located in a beautiful green valley surrounded by rolling hills near the village of Artavan in Vayots Dzor. Aside from its location, the natural islands in Karmir Lake look oddly similar to the earth’s continents. Pretty neat, right? Karmir Lake is a great place to relax, have lunch, and camp overnight while hiking the Karmir Lake Loop.
Nareh Waterfall
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
How To Hike There: Karmir Lake Loop
While you’re hiking the Karmir Lake Loop, you’ll see a junction signpost directing you to the Nareh Waterfall, a remote and beautiful waterfall. This off-shoot is just 1.7km in length one way, and the waterfall is a great place to cool off and relax. You’ll feel like you’re in your own private paradise while you chill by the water!
Natural Stone Arch
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
How To Hike There: Arch Trail
Very few people in Armenia know about this wonder! Perhaps it’s because getting there is a bit of a challenge, but we promise, it’s well worth it. Tucked away beneath impressive cliffs, this spectacular basalt rock arch has a small river that passes through it. While walking through, you’ll see the river cascading over a large rock face and glimmering in the sunlight if the weather permits — fingers crossed!
Kapuyt Cliffside Carvings
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
How To Hike There: Arch Trail
This wonder isn’t 100% natural, but we had to include it on our list because it’s so unique. Khachkars (cross-stones) are standalone steles of volcanic stone with intricate carvings of crosses and other religious imagery dating back to the 9th century, though predecessors of the khachkar go back millennia. The khachkars you’ll see on the Arch Trail, however, are carved directly onto a stone cliff, quite a rare site in Armenia, and very beautiful!
BONUS: Angels’ Canyon
Location: Ararat Province
How To Hike There: Keep reading to find out!
Ok, this may not be an official point of interest on our app, and there may not be an official trail that leads to it, but it’s such a cool site and so easy to get to we decided to include it on our list!
Angels’ Canyon is a small natural canyon located near the village of Dashtakar in the Ararat Province that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. We’d seen pictures of it online, and decided to check it out ourselves. After making several wrong stops, asking local people, and eventually getting in contact with a village mayor, we found it! Turns out even locals don’t know about Angels’ Canyon, which is a shame because it’s awesome!
Here’s how you get there. From the city of Vedi, take the H10 highway to the neighboring village of Dashtakar. Immediately upon entering the village and before the highway forks, turn left onto an unpaved road that follows the Barakaghbyur River. Follow this road for about 3km. After passing two industrial buildings, cross the river and continue straight on the path for about 900m. The path switchbacks right before the entrance of the canyon (Coordinates: 39.94968,44.74121). We promise, the search is worth it!
