Armenia, the land of a thousand and one mountains, is a true paradise for all climbers and mountain lovers. Wherever you look, there are big and small mountains everywhere and you will always find something new to discover. But among those thousands, there are also those who impress you for a lifetime, become a part of your memories and call you to them non-stop.
We present to you the list of 5 mountains whose charm will not leave anyone indifferent.
Occupying an area of 820 square kilometers, this mountain is the highest point of the Republic of Armenia, reaching a height of 4090 m. It is an extinct volcano with 4 peaks.
The highest is the Northern peak at 4090 m, then the Western one at 4001 m, followed by the Eastern one at 3916 m and then the Southern one at 3879 m.
There are several lakes on the slopes of Aragats, which were formed by the snow melts of the mountain itself.
One of the largest is Kari Lake, which has a diameter of 1150m and is located at an altitude of 3207m.
The rocky part of the mountain is covered with tufa in many colors: dark red, pink, black and yellow.
The north face of the mountain is covered with a lava surface that is smooth and has formed a beautiful step-like cover over the years from water, wind and other influences.
Khustup is also a part of the Bargushat mountains, along with the Katar massif.
The length of Khustup is 44 km, and the maximum height is 3201 m.
Khustup is located in Syunik region, not far from Kapan. The mountain is composed of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. It has rich vegetation, the northeastern part is even covered with forests.
There are also caves and rock formations on the slopes of the mountain. The last 100 meters to the top are rocky.
Khustup is often covered with heavy snow, the melting of which created the Wachagan River.
From the top there is an indescribable view of the endless mountain range of Zangezur and the plateau of Syunik.
The word “Khutu” behind Khustup’s name means prayer.The mountain is considered a holy mountain. It has always been a place of worship and a pilgrimage. Khustup has another feature. The relics of Garegin Nzhdeh are buried near the Kozni spring on the slope of Khustup.
This volcanic cone is considered the highest peak of the Gegham mountain range. The height is 3597 m.
There are more than 50 extinct volcanoes and large and small crater lakes formed as a result of eruptions in the Gegham mountain range.
Far from civilization, the most beautiful vantage point to see Azhdahak in all its beauty is the peak of Karmirkatar, which also has a red color. Both Karmirkatar and Azhdahak have crater lakes. Azhdahak crater lake changes its colors several times a day. In good weather, Lake Sevan, Lake Akna, Dragon Lake and in other direction Hatis, Ara and Aragats can be seen from the top.
You can climb to the top of Azhdahak by different ways: the classic route is Paitasar- Karmirkatar- Azhdahak.
The start point of the hike is given from the height of 3000-3100 m, at the foot of Mount Paitasar.
In the case of group trips, we cover a part of the road with trucks, and for individual trips, with all-terrain vehicles.
The Sartsapat is the highest peak of the mountains adjacent to Ijevan. The height is 2532 m. The mountain is located between the Arosaget and Sarnaghbyur rivers, 7 km to the northwest of Hagartsin village.
Shaghot waterfall (10m height) is located on the slope of Sartsapat, which we discovered in 2016 during the expedition ascent to Sartsapat. The waterfall is also called Eagle’s Wings because the surrounding rocks look like eagle’s wings.
In order to get to the top of Sarsapat you can start from Haghartsin village and reach a height of 1700 meters with all-terrain vehicles and start walking from there. The total length of the hike is 13 km.
Sartsapat has either forested or meadow cover. From the top there is a beautiful view of the forests of Dilijan.
The translation of the name Sartsapat from Armenian to English is “Icy wall”, and it will immediately become clear why the mountain is called like that. The rocks look like white ice. In 2016, the ArmLand Hiking Club was the first to discover the trail as a hiking route and continues to organize expeditions to Mount Sartsapat to this day.
Another beauty of Ijevan mountains is Mount Dimats which is located in the Tavush region. The height of the mountain is 2378 meters. From the top of the mountain there is a spectacular view of the rocky walls of the Ijevan mountains. Dimats mountain is located in the territory of Dilijan National Park.
Mount Artanish is located in the Gegharkunik region, in the eastern part of Lake Sevan, on the Artanish Peninsula and separates the Big and Little Sevan. The only mountain from which the pearl of Armenia – Lake Sevan, emerges from its shell in all its beauty. The mountain is 2460 m above sea level. Relative height: 500-600 m. The peculiarity of the hike is that from the top of the mountain Lake Sevan gradually opens its world. As if a space refracted through the prism of the sky, which absorbs all shades of the blue spectrum.
The wind is usually strong on the top of mount Artanish, however, it seems to be an abstract force pushing from all sides, which takes you to perfection, to the top.
From the top there is a beautiful view of the sea. And yes, we can truly say it is “Sea”. The lake creates a perspective illusion from above, preventing you from seeing its borders… From the top, you can see mountain ranges Geghama, Vardenis, Tsaghkunyats, Areguni and even mount Aragats standing majestically in the distance.
The last part of the route is also interesting – a walk along the lake, under calm waves to the village of Shoghakat. The coast of the peninsula is also a great place for tent camping.
The article was compiled based on observations and materials collected by the ArmLand club.
Author of photos: Artyom Martirosyan
