Greet Spring with These 5 Easy Hikes
Spring is just around the corner here in Armenia! As the ground thaws, vegetation pokes through to greet the long-awaited warmth of the sun, and bird songs fill the air, you might find yourself ready to return to the great outdoors. Whether you’re in Armenia or not, spring is an especially beautiful and exciting time to reconnect with nature.
If you are in Armenia, or will be soon, we’ve put together a list of five easy day hikes you can, and really should do while you’re here. Whether you’re new to hiking or just want a relaxing time in the mountains, there are many options for you to choose from! Although they aren’t as long nor arduous as some of the other trails found on our free app and website, rest assured, the views are no less stunning!
Parz Lake Loop
Location: Tavush Province
Distance: 2 km
Time to complete: 1 hr
Just 2 km in length, this trail loops around Parz Lake, a beautiful lake and popular tourist destination near the mountain resort town of Dilijan. Parz means “clear” in Armenian, and this lake is aptly named for its stunningly clear water that reflects the surrounding forest. This is a great trail to do if you have children or just want a quick bout of exercise. In addition to hiking, the area around Parz Lake offers an opportunity to partake in other recreational activities, like rowboating or an outdoor ropes course. Or, if you prefer to sit and perhaps enjoy a bite to eat, there’s a restaurant that serves delicious Armenian food. We recommend some fried wild mushrooms and greens to start, followed by traditional pork BBQ with potatoes and delicious lavash bread (the cooks will gladly BBQ some vegetables for those who prefer a vegetarian meal). And for dessert, don’t miss out on gata, an Armenian sweet bread filled with a flour, butter, and sugar filling. They have a version of this traditional sweet that includes tarragon inside (called tarkhoon in Armenian). It is heavenly!
Martiros Waterfall Trail
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
Distance: 2 km
Time to complete: 1 hr
Also 2 km in length, this trail leads you to a charming waterfall located in the Vayots Dzor Province. On your way, you’ll encounter stone retaining walls that run through the stunning hillsides, which very well may have supported transportation corridors along the old Silk Road. Natural beauty, impressive feats of construction, and history? All in a short hike? That’s what hiking in Armenia’s all about! The Martiros Waterfall trail can be completed in about an hour, without too much of an elevation gain.
Yew Grove Trail
Location: Tavush Province
Distance: 3 km
Time to complete: 1.5 hrs
Perhaps slightly more difficult than the previous two hikes but still easy, this 3 km trail will take you to the ruins of Aghavnavank Monastery, or the Monastery of Doves, and a rare grove of yew trees. Yew trees have special significance in mythology and folklore, and are widely known for their longevity, sometimes living for 600 years! You can stop to rest or have a picnic under the shade of these magical trees and just think — perhaps monks sat under these same yew trees hundreds of years ago. It’s a nice thought, no?
Giqor Trail
Location: Lori Province
Distance: 3.9 km
Time to complete: 2 hrs
Interested in learning about Armenia’s literary tradition? Then this trail’s for you. Not only does it wind through thick forests and monastic ruins, it is named after a famous Armenian poem called Giqor, later made into a film. Written by renowned poet Hovhannes Tumanyan, Giqor tells the tale of an Armenian boy whose father sends him to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia just north of Armenia, to work. There, he meets a tragic fate... We won’t spoil it for you. To find out Giqor’s fate, you can scan a QR code placed on a sign at the beginning of the hike, download the poem, and listen in English as you hike.
Arch Trail
Location: Vayots Dzor Province
Distance: 5 km
Time to complete: 2 hrs
From valleys, to cliffs, to burial sites, to a beautiful basalt rock arch with a river running through it. Sound too good to be true? It’s not! While hiking the 5 km Arch trail, you’ll pass by a cliff with khachkars, medieval Christian cross-stones, carved directly onto its face! This is quite unusual for khachkars, as they are usually free-standing stones. Khachkars are uniquely Armenian, and serve a multitude of purposes, from healing the sick to acting as gravestones. While they are characteristic of Armenia’s medieval period, khachkars are still carved today.
Can you feel the warm spring sun beaming down on you already? We sure can! For more information about these trails, like how to reach them, their GPS tracks, and guides you can contact to accompany you, just download our free app or visit our website. We’d also love to meet you at our information center once you’re in Armenia. Happy hiking!
