Goris, Tatev & Tandzaver

Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Goris and Tatev! ↓

I didn’t see it coming. I decided to pay Armenia a visit as I happened to be in Georgia anyway, so I figured I might as well quickly pop in. The “quick” visit promptly became a month (still way too short) and this country I hadn’t really spent a single thought on before my arrival sharply rose to one of my all-time favorites. Armenia swept me clean off my feet with its almost overwhelming hospitality, its ancient architecture and primal history as well as the unexpected grandeur of their nature reserves and trail networks. Characteristics that reach a thrilling climax in the very south of the country, around the areas of Goris, Tatev and the most sensational stretches of the Transcaucasion Trail.

Goris

Just like I had zero expectations of Armenia, I had no idea what to expect from Goris. It was just there on the map, in between the Areni wine region (a must-visit for me) and the world famous Tatev Monastery (another no-brainer). Little did I know that Goris would become in fact my favorite destination of entire Armenia! What a bliss to at times arrive entirely unprepared, still unaware of the wild escapades awaiting you.

Too busy to read now? No problem, save it for later!
Save on Get Pocket | Save in Browser Bookmarks| Save on Instapaper

The area which now includes Goris has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Looking at Old Goris, also nicknamed the Goris Cave Dwellings or the Goris Rock Forest, it indeed seems like you stumbled upon a backdrop of some Flintstones re-enactment. However, the rock settlement, consisting of cave residences carved out of smooth, pointy boulders, only came into existence in the 13th century. The caves, called “Krataker” in Armenian, formed fully functional accommodations, mostly consisting of one large room with several cavity-rooms at the side, whereas some even contain multiple stories with connected corridors to the upper chambers. Other caves took on a purely defensive role, with ropes to give access to the look-out points on top. You’d be surprised to hear that this truly mindblowing sight, which forms a natural and architectural monument of national importance, was still inhabited until the beginning of the 19th century, when it provided a home to no less than 119 households! Only when the Soviet regime seized power, living in a cave became prohibited. Personally, I can’t believe that this attraction isn’t hyped as much as Tatev or Khor Virap. Whereas these monasteries are raided by endless mobs of tourists, I didn’t see a single soul when hiking passed Goris’ ingeniously crafted cave dwellings serving as a perfectly preserved time capsule of the Armenia that once was. Comparable to Bulgaria’s Belogradchik or Peru’s Cajamarca, the Goris Cave Dwellings should be listed among the country’s top attractions!

* Talking of which… if the Ministry of Culture’s plans to rehabilitate (and re-inhabit!) the Goris Cave Town for tourism development indeed get proper shape, it certainly will get the fame it deserves. Which means you have to visit NOW to enjoy it in its unaltered form.

** The most “popular” way to visit the Cave Town is by the Khndzoresk Bridge (entry fee). However, you can simply walk up from the city of Goris… it’s not that challenging.

Goris Hikes

When it comes to hiking, following the trails along the abandoned Cave Dwellings is an obligated activity when visiting Goris. The “Hike Armenia” office (yeah that’s a thing!) listed a recommended loop hike on their app (the official day 1 of the Legends Trail – keep reading)… but honestly, your best bet is just get up there and follow your instinct. You’ll stumble upon an endless network of narrow trails crawling into every direction, all triggering an equal sense of curiosity. Besides the caves, wander out a bit further to admire the dramatic canyons, agrressively ripping the peaceful green fields covering Goris’ surroundings open. Another interesting stop are the Bells of Goris, which is a very recent monument of the city (2018).

The biggest trail of Armenia? The Transcaucasian Trail, a 3000+km stretch traversing not only Armenia, but also Georgia and with future expansion into Azarbaijan. The part leading through the Syunik Region, kicking off in Goris, is however the most popular section in Armenia and is marketed the “Legends Trail.” Officially they recommend a 14-day itinerary, but I reckon that’s a hysterical exaggeration. Any decent hiker could finish it in about 10 days tops. If you can’t be bothered with a multi-day trail, a stay in Goris allows you to complete some sections of the Legends Trail as a day hike alternative. The Goris – Old Khot / Shinuhayr Section (day 1 + partly 2 of the Legends Trail) is extraordinary and rather easy to complete. Just like Old Goris, the villages of Khot and Shinuhayr are home to ancient cave dwellings taking you on a journey right back in time. The path leading there takes you through untamed forests and knee-weakening look-out points basically the entire way through. The GPS of my Old Khot Day Hike is recorded here (starting from Viroshen). I marked the water sources, shelters, picnic spots and potential wild camping sites (which is legal). For a unique experience it’s possible to camp in the abandoned Old Khot caves if you take enough water from New Khot, however: be careful for snakes and don’t damage or leave trash in these ancient monuments. You can buy groceries is Karahunj (marked) and New Khot. Because of the sheer amount of ticks and nettles, long pants are recommended. To gett off the Legends Trail to drive or hitchhike back to Goris from Shinuhayr, be prepared to walk another 1.8km uphill.

Poto by Miles Watson Photography.

* The Hike Armenia app is a very helpful tool. You can download the maps offline, see yourself moving on the map and use the instant button to call emergency services. A downside is the tracking function, which on my phone continuously stopped tracking mid-hike and then started fresh, which defeats the purpose. Wikiloc is by all means superior when it comes to logging-purposes.

Tatev

Tatev is not only the name of the illustrious UNESCO Monastery, it is also the name of the town surrounding it. “Town” being a slight exaggeration. Expect a modest countryside settlement comprising a small aggregation of houses lined up along a couple of dusty dirt-roads. Simple, but full of character and hospitality. The monastery, named after Eustateus (a disciple of Apostle St. Thaddeus), knows a long and tumultuous history. Initially a pagan temple graced the large basalt plateau along the deep gorge of the Vorotan River, but since the Christianization of Armenia in the 4th century the institution was exchanged for a monastery… and one that over the centuries has continuously been subjected to looting and destruction, being by rivalling tribes or nations or by earthquakes. Tatev experienced a revival in the 14th and 15th century, when the monastery hosted one of the most important universities of the nation, contributing to the advancement of philosophy, science, theology, miniature painting and book reproduction. The last destructive earthquake took place in 1931, when the dome of the St. Paul and Peter Church as well as the Bell Tower were ravaged (the latter up until today). Currently, the Tatev Revival Program is focused on restoring and re-establishing the monastic and educational life in the monastery, of which the well-known “Wings of Tatev” cable car is an element. An areal tramway that was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “longest non-stop double track cable car” (quite the mouth full), but one that is really overpriced for Armenian standards.

Another well-visited attraction includes the Devil’s Bridge, an easy hitchhike away from downtown Tatev (be aware: taxi drivers grossly overcharge for this short 6-minute ride). This natural arch was once formed by the sediments of mineral waters (travertines), which gave shape to impressive stalagmites and stalactites as well as mineral hot springs which are believed to possess healing powers. As centuries ago one was incapable of explaining the geological processes shaping this natural occurrence, it was believed to be the Devil’s work. Another explanation of the name refers to the many drowning cases that occurred here… and indeed, a visit is not for the faint-hearted. Be ready to climb and slither down with ropes, and stumble through the streams and over extremely slippery rocks causing many visitors to make some spectacular falls.

Even though the beauty of this sight is undeniable, be ready to witness the human desecration in the form of trash and toilet paper at every corner, the omnipresent wafts of piss and in my case: even a fresh splash of diarrhoea right on the trail. Ready for a refreshing dive? I was not.

Tatev Hikes

The best trail network surrounding Tatev is once again formed by the overlapping Transcaucasian / Legends Trail. You can take this trail to hike from Goris to Tatev in 2 days (even though the website says 4, that’s just ridiculous). However, if you carry too much luggage or simply want to divide it up in day-treks, you can use Tatev as a base to follow this trail into both directions. In that case you can either do the Tatev – Halidzor Section and easily return by either hitchhike or cable car (or easier: the other way around). Take into account that Tatev is located in a valley, so quite a lot of uphill is involved.

Into the other direction you can complete the Tatev – Bardzravan Section, or continue all the way to Tandzaver. I must warn you, I attempted this and the signage was very poor, causing me to get lost and off-trail scramble up an extremely steep and dangerous mountain side which was definitely not made for such endeavours. I did not have a fun day.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Tandzaver

Hurray, yet another stop on the Transcaucasian / Legends Trail! One that can be reached on foot from Tatev (in 1 day) or by hitchhiking. The town, consisting of 1 street, has not much to it. Yet, I decided to make a stop upon a Couchsurfer’s invitation in his newly constructed Eco Camp. Extremely basic but functional little pods on a hillside, overlooking Syuanik’s natural glory… sounds like something I would do. In order to reach my resting place for the night I had to cross a river over a tree branch (with about 30kg of luggage hanging from my body, mind you) and follow my host slamming a way through the stinging nettles with a machete, but alas… adventure is my middle name. As an extra bonus, the Eco Camp is located right on the Magic Forest Loop (GPS here), another side-stretch of the Legends Trail. This short yet rather steep und overgrown trail deserved its name by the various artworks scattered along the paths. An interesting stroll indeed, the ending made even better by the overwhelming hospitality of Tandzaver’s few inhabitants incapable of believing actual foreigners have reached their village.

Continuation of the Legends Trail:

Tandzaver – Verin Khotanan
Verin Khotanan – Arajadzor
Arajadzor – Shgharshik
Sgharshik – Bekh
Bekh – Baghaburj
Baghaburj – Storot
Storot – Mount Khustup (and back to Storot)

These are the stretches as suggested by Hike Armenia. I haven’t done the last ones myself, but based on the first half of the trail that I did complete (in 3 days instead of 7), I can only assume that only half of the suggested time is needed if you’re a reasonably fit hiker.
Go further south to reach the Arevik National Park and the Shikahigh State Reserve, on the border with Iran. Southwest lies the Zangezur National Park.

Quick Budget Fact Overview

Armenia Facts

Capital: Yerevan
Language: Armenian (incl. their own alphabet)
Population: ± 2.9 mln*
Sq km: ± 29,743 km²
Currency: Dram (֏)
Electricity Outlet: C & F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
Country Code Phone: +374
Emergency Phone: 103 (ambulance), 101 (fire), 102 (police)
Visa: Check out the visa requirements here. Easy applications can be arranged here.
Climate: Hot Summer Continental (Dfa)
High season: Summer

* An estimated 7mln Armenians live outside of Armenia in “Diaspora Communities”. The main reason for this immigration was the genocide carried out towards the Armenian people by Turkey (beginning of 19th century) and the recent war with Azerbaijan concentrated in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Short History Recap

2400BC: The Book of Genesis identifies the land of Ararat as the resting place of Noah's Ark. 2300BC: Armenian nation created in Ararat. 1200BC: Nairi tribes in highlands (Van /Hakkari provinces of current Turkey). 860BC: Kingdom of Urartu. 782BC: Fortress of Erebuni constructed. 512BC: Annexed to Persia. 331BC: Alexander the Great attacks Persia, but doesn’t conquer Armenia à independence from Persia gained. 190BC: Artaxiad Dynasty. 83BC: Conquest of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia. 66BC: Pompey invades Armenia, but returns to Rome after money is offered by Armenian Tigranes the Great. 1AD: Arsacid Dynasty. 58: Roman invasion. 301: Armenia 1st Christian state in the world (by King Tiridates III). Division into West-East between Sassanid Persians and Roman Byzantines (Peace of Acisilene). 405: Armenian alphabet invented. 428: Part of Sassanid Empire. 639: 1st Arab invasion. 650: Khazar-Arab Wars & Byzantine-Arab Wars. 1016: Seljuk Turks à become dominant in Anatolia. 1045: Armenia falls to Byzantine troops à Armenian exodus. Conqueror Timur from Timurid Empire invades Armenia, Georgia & Anatolia: slaughter / enslavement. 1502: Safavid Dynasty of Persia conquers Armenia. ’14: Ottoman-Persian Wars. ’32: Ottoman-Safavid Wars. ‘55: Peace of Amasya & 1639’s Treaty of Zuhab: Western Armenia under Ottoman rule. 1813: Treaty of Gulistan: Eastern Armenia under Persian rule, Karabakh part of Russian Empire. ’26-’28: Russo-Persian Warà Eastern Armenia to Russia. ’94-’96: Hamidian Massacres; an estimated 80,000–300,000 Armenians are killed by Ottomans. 1909: Adana Massacre: 15000-30000 Armenians killed by Ottomans. WWI: Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire (still denied by Turkey) à between 600,000-2.5mln Armenians murdered or sent on death marches to present-day Syria. Motivations: Christianity & suspicion of pro-Russian sympathies. ’16-’18: Armenian regions of Ottoman Empire fall to Russia / Soviet Union. ’18: The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk gives Armenian Kars, Ardahan and Batum regions to the Ottoman Empire. Independent Armenia. ’20: Invasion by Turkey & Bolshevik Russia. ’22: Armenia incorporated into USSR. ’88: Armenians begin to campaign for Nagorno-Karabakh (NK), a region with a predominantly Armenian population in Azerbaijan, to be united with Armenia. Earthquake kills 25,000. ’89: NK begins à many Azeri citizens are forced to flee their homes. ’90: Nationalists win elections à Independence Armenia declared, but ignored by Russia. ’91: Joins Commonwealth of Independent States (successor to Soviet Union). ’92: Joins UN. Trade + energy embargo imposed by Azerbaijan. ’94: Demonstrations over food+ energy shortages à Russian-brokered ceasefire ends NK fighting. Self-proclaimed republic: Armenian forces in control of Azerbaijani territory. ’99: Prime minister + 6 officials killed in parliament. 2001: Council of Europe member. ’07: Parliament allows dual citizenship: naturalisation of Armenia's massive foreign diaspora (8mnl people). ’14: Tensions rise over NK again. ’15: Eurasian Union. Gyumri massacre (Armenians killed by Russians). ’16: NK clashes. ’20: NK War à recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

FREE Recommended Sights / Activities*

Sights: Old Goris / Medieval Goris Cave Dwellings / Goris Rock Forest; Old Bells of Goris; St. Gregory the Illuminator Church; Kotrats Caravanserai / Tatev Monastery (UNESCO); Old Khot; Old Halidzor; Devil’s Bridge; Tatevi Anapat Monastery.
Hikes / Nature: Transcaucasian Trail; Magic Forest Loop (Tandzaver).

PAID Recommended Sights / Activities*

Museums: Aksel Bakunts House Museum; Goris Geological Museum; Local Lore Museum.
Other: Wings of Tatev.

Evening Entertainment

Nightlife Areas: City Centre of Goris, although nothing too crazy. Tatev doesn’t have a nightlife.

Theatres: Vagharsh Vagharsyhyan Drama Theatre.

Local Festivals

Goris/Syanik Mulberry Festival – July.
Midsummer Music Fest Tatev – July.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Budget Bites

Supermarkets: Goris has some “bigger” supermarkets such as Ararat Supermarket, although most are corner stores. In Tatev and Tandzaver you can only find small corner stores.
Local Dishes: Khorovats (BBQ); Tolma (dolma, rice/meat in wine leaves); Harissa (ground wheat / pulled meat porridge); Qyufta / Kufta (meatballs); Tjvjik (beef / lamb liver); Arishta (thick noodles); Spas / Tanov Apur (yoghurt soup); Khash (beef broth); Khashlama (lamb veg stew); Ghapama (pumpkin with minced meat, boiled rice, nuts, dried fruits); Jingyalov Hats (greens in flatbread); Aveluk Salad (Armenian wild sorrel with pomegranate seeds, garlic, oil, and walnuts); Tatar Boraki(yoghurt pasta); Basturma (dried beef tenderloin); Panrkhash (boiled cheese/butter/onions); Potchapur (bean onion soup with meat); Gata (sweet vanilla bread); Dabgadz Banir Boerag (flaky puff pastries filled with cheeses); Topik (chickpea dumplings); Lavash (flatbread); Manti (tiny little boats of dough, filled with meat); Shashlik / Kebab (meat skewers); Itch / Eech (bulgur salad); Kchuch (meat and vegetable stew / soup); Vospov Kofte (lentil kofte); Ishkhan (trout); Pelmeni (Russian dumplings).
The Veg Situation: Going veg is rather complicated in Armenia, as the local kitchen is very meat- and cheese-centred. On top of that, refusing food that’s offered by the generous locals can be taken as an insult. However, where there’s a will there’s a way. Find all veg-friendly in this destination here. https://www.happycow.net/asia/armenia Local veg dishes (description above): Pasuc Tolma (vegan); Arishta (vegan); Spas / Tanov Apur; Jingyalov Hats; Aveluk Salad (vegan); Tatar Boraki; Panrkhash; Gata; Dabgadz Banir Boerag; Topik (vegan); Lavash (vegan); Itch / Eech (vegan); Vospov Kofte (vegan); Mshosh (vegan - lentils/onions/walnuts/apricots); Ailazan (vegan - stew).
National Drink: Vodka (oghi); Cognac; Wine; Beer.

Sleep Cheap

Hostels / Hotels: Whereas Armenia is quite a cheap destination (depending on where you’re coming from) with relatively low costs of food, transportation and touristic attractions, you’re likely to spend the most of your travel budget on accommodation. Ho(s)tel prices aren’t outrageous, but generally a bit pricier than in Georgia or Iran. However, in homestays and guesthouses in the southern countryside you’ll be often treated on free meals, coffee and snacks as a general gesture of hospitality, so you can save some expenses there. Always re-confirm your booking per phone or whatsapp, as sometimes a property doesn’t have space for you at all, even though they’re accepting bookings. It also (rarely) happens that you’re given a different (worse) room than booked, or a different (higher) price is suddenly quoted. Payment is generally in cash. I personally found the best deals on Booking.com. They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. I don’t recommend Air BnB in Armenia, as it’s not only much more expensive, but often properties accept bookings but aren’t available at all… and as it’s prepaid, the owner has to cancel the booking for you to get your money back (try to explain that in Armenian / Russian). Writer’s choice: In Goris I stayed at the very affordable Verishen Guesthouse, where we received one of the best hospitality in entire Armenia. It is in Verishen, a few km away from Goris, but that didn’t personally bother me. In Tatev I stayed at Vazken, which was a homestay where we received a similar high level of hospitality. It is on walking distance from the Tatev Monastery. In Tandzaver we Couchsurfed at Tandzaver Eco Camping, which provides wooden pods on the hills overlooking the mountains. Quite the experience!
Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). Unfortunately, the active Couchsurfing community is quite limited in Armenia. During a month’s time I landed two stays, but I noticed that most profile’s are inactive or hosts live in with their parents and therefore cannot host.
Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their house and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee is pays itself back quickly. The main housesitting site is Trusted Housesitters.
Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Armenia. Of course, make sure to not litter and be careful in choosing your camping location, as bears and wolves are common in many natural areas of Armenia (never ever keep food inside of your tent and cook far away from your camping spot). Steer clear of shepherd’s territories, as the dogs guarding the cattle can be quite aggressive. When camping around towns and villages: Armenians are incredibly hospitable, and if you ask permission to camp on their land they’ll probably treat you on food and drinks.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Mama Said

Safety: Armenia is generally safe, but use your common sense like everywhere. Don’t walk alone in remote areas after sunset, don’t take valuables along and follow your instinct when entering certain neighbourhoods further away from the centre. Goris is close to the Nagorno-Karabakh area, which is sometimes subject to upheaval. It is wise to check the situation in advance.
Tap Water: is generally drinkable. That said, always double-check this with the accommodation owner, as some houses store their water supplies in water tanks, causing possible contamination.
Language: Keep into account that English is not spoken here. At all. Besides Armenian, most people speak Russian. If you don’t speak any of these two languages, make sure to have a translation app (such as Google Translate) at your disposal, as that makes life much easier.
The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates without any extra fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Unfortunately, you cannot create an Armenian Dram wallet on your Wise account (yet!). Money exchange offices are concentrated in Yerevan and generally charge decent exchange rates (avoid doing it at the airport). I noticed there are quite some exchange offices, but almost none are listed on Google Maps, so it’s better to just look around.
Cash: Card payments are rarely accepted in Armenia. Always bring enough cash with you and keep in mind that small villages often don’t have ATM’s nor money exchange offices. Another difficulty is that large bills (sometimes even as small as 5000 dram / €10) are not accepted, as local shop owners simply don’t have change.
Simcard: Acquiring a simcard is rather easy and very affordable in Armenia (as long as you’re in a city). Simply walk into a phone shop with your passport and buy the sim and package that interest you, and the employees will set it up for you. Avoid any expensive tourist packages or deals sold at the airports. I experienced excellent service and coverage with Ucom, where I bought a 30-day call and data package. Other companies include Vivacell MTS and Beeline.

Photo by Miles Watson Photography.

Transport

Walking: In Goris, Tatev and Tandzaver, all tourist attractions are located within walking distance. In fact, hiking is one of the main attractions of the environment.
Cycling: Due to the hectic traffic situation and the reckless driving behavior of Armenian drivers I don’t recommend cycling. That said, you are the best judge of your own abilities, so re-evaluate if this is something you think is an enjoyable activity.
City Buses / Tram / Metro: Goris has very inexpensive mashrutka’s (minibuses). You can pay the drivers. Tatev and Tandzaver are so small that no transport is necessary. Navigation apps such as Google Maps and Moovit don’t operate here, so you will have to ask locals which mashrutka to take. English isn’t spoken, but everyone will go out of their way to help you.
Taxi / Uber: The local taxi app is called Yandex Go.
Intercity Buses: Most city are linked by mashrutka. To reach Goris from Yerevan, use the Southern Bus Station. The buses in Goris depart next to the post office. From there, you can take a bus (light blue) to Tatev around 2PM. There are also buses to Halidzor, from where you can take the Wings of Tatev cable car to Tatev. However, that is quite a pricy activity. There is no official connection in between Tatev and Tandzaver, but you can ask locals when a mashrutka to Kapan passes by (this is quite flexible). We hitchhiked everything, which was by all means easier… especially in Armenia!
Train: Even though there are many train stations all over Armenia, few are operational. For your connection, check the railway station for availability.
Car Rental: I only recommend car rental to stress-free and confident drivers. The local traffic situation is quite the madhouse and traffic rules don’t seem to be followed. If you decide to rent a vehicle, get a proper insurance coverage as accidents and damage is never far away in Armenia. Expect to pay about 30 bucks per day.
Airport: Zvartnots International Airport (EVN). Mashrutka 201 connects the airport with downtown Yerevan (metro station Yeritasadarkan).
Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Armenia and it’s a very common concept. Waiting times are relatively short and people generally buy you drinks and snacks along the way (and refuse to receive any generosity from your end). Take into account that English is not widely spoken, so chit-chat might be complicated.

Next?

National Destinations Close By: Kapan; Jermuk; Areni; Khor Virap; Yerevan.
International Destinations Close By: Turkey (border closed); Azarbaijan (border closed); Iran; Georgia.

In order to support the travelers’ community, I spend many hours per week to adequately document all information and advices for prospective visitors, accompanied by a (hopefully) entertaining insight into my personal observations and experiences. This service is and will remain free. However, if you voluntarily want to make a contribution and support my travels and thus the creation of new stories and information supply, here is the button you’re looking for:

Donate