Lake Sevan, Dilijan & Parz Lake

1. 1
   Hotel in YerevanPick-up at your address at the chosen time09:00
2. 2
   Sevanavank Monastery and lake viewpointSevanavank is an active monastery on a peninsula off the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan. Two small 9th-century churches of dark basalt stand on the hilltop, their drums topped with conical roofs; their construction is linked to Princess Mariam of the Bagratuni family. Until the 1950s this was an island: the peninsula appeared when the lake level was artificially lowered. A long staircase leads from the car park up to the churches, and the top offers a wide view of the lake and mountains.60 min

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   © BarevTrip

   Sevanavank is an active monastery on a peninsula off the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan. Two small 9th-century churches of dark basalt stand on the hilltop, their drums topped with conical roofs; their construction is linked to Princess Mariam of the Bagratuni family. Until the 1950s this was an island: the peninsula appeared when the lake level was artificially lowered. A long staircase leads from the car park up to the churches, and the top offers a wide view of the lake and mountains.

   Free entry

3. 3
   Haghartsin MonasteryHaghartsin is a working monastery of the 10th to 13th centuries on a wooded promontory near Dilijan. Its small site holds three churches, a chapel, narthexes and a refectory from 1248, a long hall whose vaults rest on intersecting arches. The main church, Astvatsatsin, rises to a tall faceted drum, and its east wall bears a carving of two figures with staffs on either side of a church model. A forest trail to the Hidden Waterfall starts at the monastery.45 min
4. 4
   Parz Lake, walk around the lakeParz is a small lake in a forested hollow of Dilijan National Park, about 15 km by road east of Dilijan. Its Armenian name means “clear”. Wooded slopes enclose the water on three sides, a pale rock face rises above the lake, and in autumn the yellow and red foliage is reflected in it. An easy park loop trail circles the lake past a spring and old khachkars, and by the car park there is a restaurant, boat hire and a zipline.45 min
5. 5
   Dilijan National Park, wild deer nurseryIn the forests of Dilijan National Park, by the road to Lake Parz, a breeding center is working to bring back the Caucasian red deer. The species had vanished from Armenia by 1954. In 2018, 14 deer were brought here from Iran, and since 2022 animals born at the center have been released into the forest. Visitors may enter one of the six fenced areas: it is about 300 m on foot from the parking lot, and you watch the deer through the mesh in a forest clearing.45 min
6. 6
   Dilijan old town, Sharambeyan streetOld Dilijan occupies the short pedestrian Sharambeyan Street in the town centre. Two-storey houses with stone ground floors, carved wooden balconies and outdoor staircases follow the 19th-century architecture of Dilijan. The ensemble is a restoration: a reserve-museum of folk architecture opened here in 1983 on the initiative of the artist Hovhannes Sharambeyan, and the quarter was rebuilt in the 2000s. Today the street has craft workshops and shops, cafés, a hotel and viewpoints over the town and the mountains.40 min
7. 7
   Goshavank Monastery — optional, extra chargeGoshavank is a monastery of the late 12th and 13th centuries in the village of Gosh, on a wooded slope in Tavush not far from Dilijan. It was founded by the jurist and fabulist Mkhitar Gosh, in whose time a monastic school worked here. The main church with a four-pillared narthex, two more churches and a two-storey book depository topped by a bell tower stand in a close group. At the entrance to the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator stands a khachkar by the master Poghos from 1291, with fine lace-like carving.30 min
8. 8
   Hotel in YerevanReturn to the same or another address in the city≈ 17:00

Driving between stops takes about 3.5 h. You can change the order by telling the driver.