14-day mountain bike trip through the Lesser Caucasus

We arrive in Yerevan in the early morning hours. After transferring to our hotel, we first catch up on sleep and start a joint city tour in the late morning. As a planned city from the Soviet era, the metropolis, known as the Pink City due to its many buildings clad in red tuff, invites exploration and relaxation day and night with its vibrant restaurant and bar scene.

Our tour starts at Lake Arpi in the far northwest of the country. With the tour vehicle, we reach the starting point at the lake in about 3.5 hours from Yerevan. After a strengthening picnic, we start on a little-used old asphalt road, where we turn into the Akhuryan Valley and follow the river on a jeep track to our idyllic campsite right by the river.

In the first kilometers, we continue to follow the idyllic valley of the Akhuryan River. From here, we first use simple asphalt roads from village to village and then continue on jeep tracks, slowly working our way up to the Karakhach Pass (2,272m). With a wonderful view, we then descend for more than 30 kilometers to the very popular spa town of Stepanavan, both then (during Soviet times) and now.

Today's route offers a beautiful mix of culture and nature. From Stepanavan, we follow the Dzoraget River to the medieval Hnevank Monastery and then deep into the Arevatsag Dsor, translated as "Gorge of the Sunrise". Photo stops are guaranteed here. Finally, we reach the impressive Debed Canyon and the village of Dsegh via a dirt road.

After the first three stages, we are taking a rest day today. The Debed Gorge offers a wonderful setting for this. After a cozy breakfast, we start with the tour vehicle and visit the ancient monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat, which are among the first Christian monasteries ever and are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Close by is the small museum of the Mikoyan brothers, the designers of the first MiG fighter jets. A short hike along the Debed Gorge rounds off the trip.

Optional: Singletrail bike tour through the gorge

Today marks the first major challenge: crossing the "Bazum" mountain range on the direct route to Dilijan. We start in Dsegh at 1,250m. Along a dirt road through initially forested areas, we pass by small farms to reach remote high pastures. We will reach the pass at 2,750m in the early afternoon. We are rewarded with a breathtaking view over large parts of northern Armenia and descend on a 16 km long slope to Dilijan, located 1,500m lower, a traditional mountain resort in the midst of Dilijan National Park, often referred to as the Switzerland of Armenia.

Our today's stage first takes us 17km gently downhill along the provincial road through typical Armenian villages. On a side road with a gentle incline, first on asphalt and later gravel, we reach the small village of Kalavan, the destination of our today's stage. Tourism has only recently arrived in this sleepy little village.

From Kavalan, we follow the river valley upstream to the Dusjurt Pass at 2,300 m. Here we cross the Areguni mountain range, which shields Lake Sevan from the east. On a gravel road, we descend 400 meters in altitude to the shore of the largest body of water in Armenia. On the little-traveled panoramic lakeside road, we drive to our accommodation right by the lake. Optionally, we can circle the Artanish peninsula on gravel roads and jeep trails (+20km). In the afternoon, it's time to swim with a sea feeling at 1,900m above sea level.

Five impressive bike stages are behind us. Today, we first take the tour vehicle to the other side of the lake. Here we start the last three stages through the volcanic mountain world of the Geghama Mountains. At the foot of the extinct volcano Ashdahak, at over 3,000 meters, we will spend the night in a comfortable camp. In the late afternoon, we will climb the crater rim of Ashdahak (3,600m) with a short hike. The dreamlike panorama with views of Lake Sevan, Aragats, and Ararat is unforgettable.

Another impressive stage awaits us today. The first half of the day takes us further through the barren highlands of the Geghama Mountains, continuously at nearly 3,000 meters. Along the way, we can see millennia-old petroglyphs on the shiny volcanic rock. In the afternoon, we enjoy the over 30 kilometers long and 1,200 meters descent continuously back down about 1,200m to Lake Sevan in the cozy village of Nerkin Getashen, about 6km from the shore of the lake.

We begin the king stage of our journey with an ascent back towards the Geghama Mountains. We turn south and follow an old Silk Road route for about 20 km on a high plateau. Interrupted only by a short climb, it is then 30 kilometers down into the valley of the Arpa River and to the sleepy village of Areni. After days in the rugged highlands, the cradle of winemaking in Armenia welcomes us with warm temperatures and a landscape of red rocks and green vineyards!

In Areni, we enjoy the conclusion of our journey with culture and wine. We visit the wonderful Noravank Monastery and the impressive cave "Cave 1", where remnants of the oldest wine production in the world were found. We end the day with traditionally cooked Khorovatz (shashlik) and house wine in our guesthouse.

On our way back today to Yerevan, we have a wonderful view of the sacred mountain Ararat for Armenians and visit the famous Khor Virap Monastery. In Yerevan, we have time in the afternoon for last-minute souvenir shopping. Those who wish can visit the famous Ararat Cognac Factory. During a joint dinner, we will reflect on the journey once again. 

In the early morning hours, it's time to say goodbye. We are being taken to the airport. It's time to go back home.