We weren’t supposed to go to Armenia. I’d told Susan it would be great to check out, but thanks to amazing hiking in the Caucuses, we wanted to stay in Georgia. However, due to some iffy weather, we booked a night train to Yerevan from Tbilisi, and it ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.

In Armenia, we met some wonderful girls who joined us on a spontaneous road trip to the south of the country. They showed us the best sites, booked an amazing ecohostel on the side of a mountain, and introduced us to delicious Armenian dishes and wine.

Yerevan

We started the trip in Armenia’s capital, where we met up with mutual friends of Susan’s. Sophie and Diana both live in Yerevan and showed us around. We went to a restaurant and tried Armenian dishes and later climbed the nearly 1,000 steps of the Yerevan Cascade to look out over the city. While wandering around, watching the city come alive at night and sipping on coffee and fruit juice, we came up with a plan to road trip down south and see the best parts of the country.

Khor Virap

Our first stop was a monastery with stunning views of Mount Ararat. Sophie explained that the monastery was the site where Saint Gregory, the first Christian saint of Armenia, was thrown into a pit and didn’t leave until 297 AD. The monastery was packed with people trying to climb down into the pit to get an idea of what Gregory went through. We didn’t go down, but we did climb to the top of the monastery to take in the sweeping views.

Shaki Waterfall

This waterfall was a bit out of the way from the main road. We ended up following a random car who led us to the side where we had to climb toward the waterfall. We crossed a log over rushing rapids leading toward the falls and hopped over two embankments. For someone who naturally falls over flat surfaces, I was nervous, but with the help of the random guy who led us to the waterfall and my friends, we made it across. The falls were incredible, like something out of a storybook, and we took turns taking photos with the rushing water. After climbing back up the waterfall and jumping safely back to shore, we headed on our way south.

Wings of Tatev

“WELCOME to the WINGGSSSS of TATEEEVVV!” The recorded British voice kept saying as we loaded up in the world’s longest reversible cable car. The ride over to the monastery on the side of the mountain took 15 minutes as we smashed our faces to the clear windows and stared down at the canyon far below. “Imagine falling from here,” my friends teased, knowing my phobia of falling. However, the ride was worth any childhood fear and we made it to the other side just fine where we toured the monastery complex.

Halizador, Armenia

We stayed near Halizador, spending the night in a fantastic ecoresort that boasted beds in wooden barrels. Harsnadzor Resort, Syunik is a relatively new space but they have modern amenities, a little restaurant with great food, spectacular views and affordable prices. We had a picnic on the side of the mountain and stayed up drinking wine, talking and playing “Would you rather?”

Bell Chapel

Just five minutes down the road was the Bell Chapel which the girls told us was used as a lookout tower to alert Armenians about dangerous invaders. When the bells rang, people in the area would go and seek shelter. Sophie also told us young women would throw themselves from the tower rather than be forced to marry invaders. Thankfully, no one threw themselves down this time and we were able to take in the spectacular views of the Vorotan Gorge.

Devil’s Bridge

If you want to visit the Devil’s Bridge area, you’ll need to climb under the yellow caution tape, climb down a metal rope hanging from the side of the cliff and then a set of stairs down to the rushing river beneath. You can check out the natural caverns and pools while enjoying a break from the heat. Susan and Sophie explored it while I chilled in the pools above. The area is beautiful and not far from the Wings of Tatev.

Carahunge (Zorats Karer, Karahunj, Qarahunjand Carenish)

This was one of my favourite sites we visited. Known as the Armenian Stonehenge, the rocks here are actually older than Stonehenge and still remain a mystery to modern archaeologists. No one knows how they arrived in the area or why there are perfect holes in the rocks. It was used as a natural observatory by ancient peoples, but experts are still discovering things about the area.

Old Khndzoresk Cave Village

To access the cave villages, which were in use as homes until the 1950s, you must follow a long country road to the village, climb down several sets of steep stairs until finally reaching a swinging metal bridge that you can take across to see the caves.

Once on the other side, you can explore the abandoned cave homes to your heart’s content and visit a small chapel that’s nearby.

Noravank Monastery

Our last stop before heading back to Yerevan was at the beautiful Noravank Monastery, where we took a scenic drive toward the church which is found in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River. The monastery is surrounded by reddish-orange cliffs, and a wide variety of butterflies, birds and wildlife can be found there.

We made it back to Yerevan after two days on the road and a new appreciation for Armenia. On the way, we bought wild mountain tea and homemade wine from roadside stands. We passed by bunkers from border crossings and learned about the intense political struggles Armenia still faces with neighboring countries. We sang along to a bomb playlist made by our new friends which included artists from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia, and even a bit of John Denver. Susan and I are forever grateful to Sophie and Diana for showing us their country and hope to travel with them in the future. շնորհակալություն