TRIP DOSSIER
Beyond the Silk Road
ARMENIA
• An exciting “east meet west” trek and tour adventure
• Dramatic views from atop Aragats’ South Peak
• Armenia’s rich history and culture
Guided Group Departures
Walking Grade: B/C – Moderate/Demanding
Trip Code: TBSR
For dates and prices visit
www.walksworldwide.com
www.walksworldwide.co.uk
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
2
Beyond the Silk Road
Introduction
Armenia lies on the crossroads between East and West
and for a relatively small country has more than its fair
share of diverse landscapes watched over by mighty
Mount Ararat just across the border in eastern Turkey.
Dramatic canyons, volcanic formations, turquoise lakes,
lush forests, expansive highlands and spectacular
mountains rising to over 4000m all help to create
unique ecosystems and varied climatic zones. Armenia
is home to a rich abundance of flora and fauna too
including the Caucasian leopard, wolf, lynx, bear and
Asian wild sheep. Here amongst these wild landscapes
nomadic Armenian shepherds and Yezidi Kurds can still
be encountered. Armenia has always been a place of
collisions between the great empires of antiquity and
middle ages. Rome, Persia, Byzantium, Arabs, Seljuks
and Mongols have all passed through and left their
mark.
Armenia possesses a wealth of UNESCO World
Heritage sites too including ancient monasteries and
churches. The Silk Road passed through Armenia and
some Caravanserai still remain and Marco Polo is
known to have travelled over Armenia’s Sulema
Mountains describing how the locals lived amongst the
rugged landscapes. Add all of this together and we
think that Armenia presents the discerning traveller with
an excellent backdrop for a trekking and cultural
journey through its landscapes and history. We truly
believe this is one of the best holidays in our entire
worldwide portfolio…varied walks, history, culture, great
food and great hospitality in one of the most
spectacular and interesting countries you’ve never been
to! With trekking tourism very much in its infancy in
Armenia here at Walks Worldwide we’re delighted to be
amongst the first UK Tour Operators to pioneer the
delights of trekking and touring in Armenia. This is an
amazing adventure with the itinerary enabling you to
enjoy the richness and diversity of Armenia.
Important Note
Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day
itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as
statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We
regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account
changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local
transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of
www.walksworldwide.com
holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other
factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen
circumstances and other matters entirely out of our
control etc can also lead to enforced changes during
the course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee
that any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the
anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will
be made available on our website. We will also send
you the most up to date trip dossier with your “Final
Joining Instructions” approx. 2 weeks before departure
and you should carefully check this for any changes
that may affect your plans. Before booking you should
read our “Types of Trip” and “Essential and Useful
information” sections on www.walksworldwide.com
including our ‘Important Warning’.
Your holiday
Life on trek
As this is quite a varied adventure holiday, there is no
one particular fixed routine. The holiday itself presents
an unprecedented journey amongst Armenia’s most
spectacular wild, mountainous environments in order to
discover Armenia’s unbelievably rich cultural, historical
and ethnic heritage. Whilst most of each day is spent
trekking and exploring this beautiful country and
meeting it’s friendly people on foot, the locations for
acceptable accommodation don’t lend themselves to
point-to-point trekking and thus the use of overland and
trail transfers (often on bumpy, roads) are required out
of necessity. A healthy element of sightseeing is
included to incorporate “must sees” within Armenia too
providing a holiday that combines both trekking and
touring. Travelling times are approximate and
dependent upon road/traffic conditions. Please refer to
the description of each day later in this trip dossier.
Walking conditions
You’ll be walking on a variety of mountainous trails. See
detailed daily descriptions in this dossier. Conditions
underfoot vary. Sometimes you’ll be walking on 4wd
tracks, rough, stony (sometimes loose) mountain trails,
overgrown and indistinct trails and sometimes no trail at
all. Most days you will be walking between 4-8 hours.
The walks are quite challenging at times in
mountainous terrain and involve both ascent and
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
3
Beyond the Silk Road
descent, which at times will be steep, but not always
particularly sustained. This is not a trip for beginners to
mountain walking however or those whose experience
is limited to leisurely walking. This trip is best suited to
experienced and competent mountain walkers (Scottish
Highlands/Lake District Fells/Snowdonia), whom are
confident in their own abilities across a variety of
terrain. For the ascent of Aragats South Peak it is likely
that some of the walking will be over snow slopes
(trekking poles essential), as well as some light, easy
scrambling. However, no technical mountaineering is
involved or any special mountaineering equipment
required. Monasteries are of historical and important
significance in Armenia, and as these are invariably
dramatically and almost unbelievably located amongst
scenic splendour, the routes between these
monasteries make for excellent and interesting walking
that we also will be taking advantage of. A full
explanation of the trip grading can be found online at
www.walksworldwide.com. You should ensure you are
comfortable walking at this level of grading and are
physically prepared for the trip.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Yerevan.
Depart UK and arrive at the group hotel in Yerevan.
Although Yerevan is perhaps not the most
architecturally interesting capital in the world, it is if you
wish to see Soviet style architecture. All the same it is
best enjoyed at night, lit up and it does possess a
wealth of relaxed bars and cafes, as well as several
interesting museums. The locals certainly enjoy getting
out and about at night for a spot of promenading.
Approx 10 mins from our hotel is the attractive Republic
(formerly Lenin) Square where there is a nightly (except
Mondays) free ‘son et lumiere’ music and dancing water
fountains performance that is particularly enjoyable.
There will be a pre-trip briefing tonight.
Hotel
Day 2 Garni Canyon trek and Garni Temple
We first drive out to Goght village (approx 90mins) to
around 1500m to start our first walk in Armenia and a
good leg stretcher it is too. Initially there is around
400m of continual ascent up a 4wd drive track and out
www.walksworldwide.com
of the Garni Canyon to reach a high plateau (approx
1900m). Reaching the plateau the Armenian Highlands
stretch out before you, reminiscent of the grassy
foothills of the Tien Shan in Kazakhstan.
Now high above the canyon itself as we continue, there
are breathtaking views down into the canyon and to the
strategically located Geghard Monastery below. We
then skirt around the top edge of the canyon along an
obvious trail that is mostly flat/undulating with great
views all around along the way. After a further 90 mins
of walking we reach a great viewpoint and ideal picnic
halt at the top of an escarpment. From Kazakhstan it
now seems as if we have walked into the Atlas
Mountains of Morocco, as the scenery changes from
rolling grasslands and distant hills to those of
sedimentary, folded mountains.
On clear days the imposing bulk of Ararat (5165m) may
be seen. From here we then begin our descent into the
canyon itself. A narrow, at times loose underfoot
mountain trail drops sharply at first to then cross a small
grassy ridge before continuing to descend further
through colourful and fragrant wild flower meadows.
The trail becomes more firm underfoot as we continue
our descent over rough stone and the views become
th
even more impressive as we see the ruins of the 11
Century Havuts Tsar Monastery, which adds a certain
additional atmosphere to today’s walk. Just past this
ruin is a spring where fresh, mountain water can be
obtained to quench your thirst as the temperatures
noticeably rise as we get lower. We then follow a typical
mountain trail that leads ever downwards, but now
more gradually and reach the Rangers Post of the
Khosrov National Reserve. It’s then a short, but steep
downhill to the floor of the canyon where we cross the
Azat River by means of a bridge and follow a bumpy
road to reach the “Symphony of Stones”.
This is a geological wonder of hundreds of conjoined
basalt columns, which tower above you. Fingals Cave
anyone? The sting in the tail to today’s walk is a stiff
and steep 200m to reach the ancient and scenically
located Garni Pagan Temple (1300m). This is an
outstanding example of Hellenistic culture in Armenia
rd
and dates back to the 3 Century. Before returning to
Yerevan we’ll take dinner tonight at an outdoor village
restaurant in Garni Village where Lavash (Armenian
bread) is baked in a traditional underground oven. Total
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
4
Beyond the Silk Road
Heritage site at Haghpat. We’ll be following a route to
link these two important monastic masterpieces of
Armenian architecture.
walking time today is approx 6-7hrs with 650m of
ascent and 700m descent.
Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 3 Odzun Monastery and Debet canyon
Leaving Yerevan we now head for the Lori Region,
famous for its handmade carpets and which is around
3hrs overland. In complete contrast to yesterday’s wild
and barren landscapes we’re now in the far NE of
Armenia amongst the verdant and wooded mountain
th
lands. Today’s walk will begin at the 6 Century Odzun
Monastery above the Debet Canyon amongst one of
the best preserved examples in Armenia. On the drive
up from the canyon floor to the monastery you may
have already noticed huge Griffon Vultures with a 3m+
wingspan soaring above on the thermals. Likely you’ll
see more of these on today’s walk too as the top ledges
of the canyons are their favoured haunts.
From Odzun we descend part way into the canyon
down a series of rough stone steps (the original way to
the monastery). We then follow a narrow, ancient and
at times overgrown trail about half way up along the
side of the canyon skirting the impressive overhanging
rock escarpment above. Beneath the trail, the canyon
hillside drops dramatically and steeply to the canyon
floor and river below. Although now mostly level this is
an incredibly atmospheric walk as we contour along the
canyon hillside, with great views in front, behind, above
and below. Above the Griffon Vultures soar effortlessly.
At the half-way point the trail is just beneath the ruins of
th
the 12 Century ruins of Kobayr Monastery that clings
precariously to the hillside, making for a most scenic
picnic lunch halt.
We continue to contour and more of the extent of this
massive canyon is revealed as it becomes increasingly
wider. We then descend to the canyon floor down an
old rocky footpath that zig-zags its way down. Emerging
onto the road, there’s a small local bar, where the
option of a cold beer/soft refreshment will be no doubt
most welcome. A 15 minute transfer then takes us to a
delightful, riverside boutique hotel in Dzoraget. Walking
time 3-4 hrs with approx 350m descent.
The walk is relatively easy and takes about an hour and
a half at a slow pace. On arrival, you’ll check into your
guesthouse and in the afternoon, there will be time to
explore the village. You will hopefully find yourselves
slowing down to the pace of village life, observing a
very different and simple way of living and perhaps
having a chance encounter with a local family. The
village itself is set below Mount Toubkal, which forms a
panoramic back-drop. Rooms at the guest house are
normally four beds to each room with shared bathroom
facilities.
Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 4 Rural walk from Sanahin to Haghpat
Today we have the opportunity to discover the more
rural side of Armenia, whilst remaining in the charming
Lori region. A drive of approximately one hour takes us
to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sanahin, and
from here we’ll be walking to another UNESCO World
www.walksworldwide.com
During the walk we’ll pass through idyllic, rural villages
typical of the Lori region and get to meet the locals and
observe their way of life. From Sanahin we descend
through the village, whilst appreciating the typical
Armenian rural homes and gardens with orchards along
the way. We then initially head gently upwards through
woodland, to emerge and follow a relatively flat section
across a mini-plateau of rural farmlands that brings us
to the edge of the Debed gorge.
The views across the gorge are incredible with “Lost
World” like plateau and soaring limestone peaks on the
other side. Above us rise beautiful forested hills and
meadows.
We are in “Armenian Switzerland” after all. Our route
through this bucolic landscape affords us the
opportunity to witness a way of life long since past in
most of Europe. On the July reccy we saw Egyptian
Vultures buzzing the farmlands. At our picnic halt above
one of the largest canyons in Armenia we can look
across a small valley and clearly see our final
destination on the other side. Not so far as the crow
flies. But, we aren’t crows, so there’s still a descent and
ascent to go yet. The descent to the valley floor is
relatively short, but steep on a sometimes muddy trail.
It’s then up to Haghpat by way of an old horse and cart
road that is mostly gradual ascent. After a look at the
monastery we transfer to the Armenian soviet resort
town of Dilijan Spa by road in time for dinner.
Anticipated walking time approx 4-5 hrs, with 300m of
ascent and 400m descent.
Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 5 Ridge walk above Lake Sevan
We leave “Armenian Switzerland” and head out
overland We drive up a steep road and emerge in a
high, open valley at approx 2150m. It takes around 2hrs
to reach our trailhead, just past an unpronounceable
named village, which is in fact populated entirely by
Russians whom observe quite an austere way of life,
which your guide will tell you more about.
We then follow a trail up an open grassy hillside, with
an incredible array of wild flowers and the scent of
herbs can be quite overwhelming. As the trail rises you
should begin to get your first glimpses of the incredible
lake of Sevan. The lake is around 75km long and is by
far the largest lake in Armenia. At an altitude of 2000m
it’s also one of the largest high alpine lakes in the world
too. After around 375m of ascent the first hill summit is
reached (there’s a TV mast here) and Lake Sevan
should be revealed in all its impressive glory beneath
you.
We’ll then take a walk on the wild side and follow an
untrailed ridge line across a series of grassy hills that
range between 2300m and 2480m and clear days
reveal an impressive 360° panorama, with Lake Sevan
on one side and the wild mountains of Armenia
occupying the rest. It’s a case of up and down along the
ridge line until we descend steeply down a hillside to
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
5
Beyond the Silk Road
the shores of Lake Sevan and make a short transfer to
our hotel. Walking time approx 5-6hrs, with around
650m ascent and descent.
Day 7 Climb Mt. Geghmakhan
Probably the most challenging day. Around 1hr of
driving takes us to the village of Sevaberd (2000m)
We’re now in the Geghama Mountains, which reminded
some of certain parts of Mongolia.
Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 6 A fascinating day on the Silk Road
In order for us to gain an appreciation of other aspects
of Armenian heritage we need to take a day off from
walking and do a spot of touring instead. Although we
may have already seen many monasteries so far, the
Sevanavank Monastery on a peninsula of Sevan Lake
is certainly photogenic being located above the lake on
a peninsula, that used to be an island until the lake
level fell as a result of a Soviet H.E.P. scheme. We then
follow the lake shore line road for around an hour
before turning west and driving along part of the Silk
Road to the Selim Pass (2530m).
The wild mountain scenery along the way is absolutely
breathtaking and crossing the pass the scenery
changes once more. Not far beneath the pass there is a
fine example of a Caravanserai. These Caravanserais
were once found all along the various Silk Road
routings offering shelter and hospitality to travellers.
The one we’ll visit at Selim dates back to 1332 and was
built by Prince Chesar Orbelian. Marco Polo is known to
have passed through this way too.
We then drive down into the valley below passing ruins
of other Caravanserai as well as glimpses of ancient
bridges that were part of the original silk road. Now at
low altitude and close to the border with Iran, the
temperatures have noticably risen too. So we’ll take
lunch at a nearby open-air restaurant surrounded by an
impressive mountain landscape. By crossing the pass
we have headed into a part of Armenia we’ve not yet
seen. The landscapes suggest that this is a relatively
hot and relatively dry part of Armenia and so not
surprisingly is also renowned for its wine production
too. We then make a short detour on a narrow road that
somehow finds its way through an outlandish narrow,
rocky gorge emerging into scenery that could be part of
the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh.
As the road heads higher into this amazing valley,
above looms the incredibly located Noravank
Monastery. We’ll leave you to contemplate for yourself
just what an incredible feat it must have been to
th
construct this monastery in such a location in the 13
Century as you enjoy the spectacular views. We then
head into the Ararat Valley dominated by Mount Ararat
itself, which rises to 5165m uninterrupted.
An impressive sight indeed as the valley floor is only
around 700m. Our final stop is Khor Virab. It may be a
recent monastery by Armenian standards (although the
th
site dates back to the 4 Century), but our main
purpose for visiting here is two-fold. Firstly, this is as
close as we can get you to Mount Ararat, which is now
only 20km away and it’s also literally the border with
Turkey, which is of course closed and beneath the
monastery you’ll see the high fence that stretches all
along the Armenia/Turkish border to Georgia. It’s then
around 45mins to Yerevan. Travelling time approx 7hrs.
Hotel (breakfast and lunch)
www.walksworldwide.com
The peaks here are between 2500m-3500m and form a
huge triangle. In fact the Geghama are large, extinct
volcanoes with that ‘cone-shaped’ classic volcano
appearance, as well as craters too. Many of the craters
have now been filled with water, thus becoming high
mountain lakes. In such a short space of time from
cosmopolitan Yerevan we have entered a wild and
formidable ‘other world’ landscape. So, the best thing to
do is to explore this landscape on foot. We’ll do this by
heading for the summit of Mt.Geghmakhan (3220m).
The hill itself is a long walk in and a long walk out and
on the reccy we saw both Golden and White Tailed Sea
Eagles, amongst others. From the village we head
continually upwards across open grassland meadows
following tracks made by vehicles of the Yezidi nomadic
shepherds to their pasture grounds on the high plateau.
As we reach the peak itself, the untrailed climb to the
summit is steep and unforgiving and takes around an
hour. However, the view is the reward as the wild
Geghama volcano peaks are revealed in all their glory
and on clear days Aragats as well as Ararat can be
seen. Descending from the volcano summit of
Geghmakhan, we re-enter a land where nomadic
shepherds come once the winter snows have retreated
with their flocks. Dependent upon where their camps
are, we’ll certainly do our best to follow a route that will
enable us to meet some of these nomads and learn
more about them. At the end of todays exploration we’ll
make the short transfer back to Yerevan. Anticipated
walking time around 7-9hrs with around 1300m ascent
and descent.
Hotel (breakfast and lunch)
Day 8 Climb Aragats South Peak
We end our Armenian odyssey on a high, 3900m high
to be precise as we climb the south summit of
Armenia’s highest mountain, Aragats. This stratovolcano actually has four summits that form the rim of
the volcanic crater, the highest (North Peak) being
4090m and the realm of skilled mountaineers. However
the south summit at 3900m is definitely readily
achievable as a trekking peak and other than the
altitude and some late lying snow fields is actually just
like climbing a Lakeland fell akin to Great Gable, Pillar,
Bowfell etc.
The good news is you start the climb at 3200m by
driving from Yerevan by means of a snaking single
track mountain road up to an old cosmic ray
observatory by a mountain lake. From the lake we’ll
usually ascend by following a trail up through a grassy
mountain meadow and then cross a boulder field before
an obvious trail route to our left is revealed. Rough and
rocky in parts we reach a col and have our first views of
the other three summits and then down into the crater,
before we finally reach the summit where we can enjoy
not only a good picnic, but some outrageous views too.
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
6
Beyond the Silk Road
By default there’ll be late lying “old” snow fields to
traverse, the extent of which will vary from year to year
and month to month.
prices. Alternatively, a licensed, metered taxi or local,
public transport may be arranged from the hotel to take
you to the airport.
However, they are not very steeply angled and are
crossed primarily horizontally. But, we suggest that
trekking poles are essential for this day as a result. As
for the rest of the climb we found it no more challenging
than one of the higher Lakeland fells and by going at a
steady pace, with frequent rest stops acquired the
summit in under four hours. So, mostly moderately
steep ascent, with some shorter steeper bits, brief
boulder field crossings, rough and rocky mountain trails
and the odd snow traverse, with a bit of meadow too.
Flight Inclusive
There’s certainly nothing in the way of exposure until
you reach the summit itself, which then falls away
dramatically into the crater itself, although the summit is
large and quite rounded, again like most Lakeland fell
tops.
After suitable time on the summit absorbing the
panorama and close up views of the three other
summits, we descend by a similar route to ascent. The
guide may vary the ascent and descent route according
to local conditions. Returning to Yerevan and heading
out for our final dinner we’ll no doubt allow ourselves an
extra ration of vodka or similar to toast our climb to the
top of Aragats South, as well as the end of our Armenia
adventure and can reflect on what a varied, interesting
and fascinating adventure it has been. Walking time
approx 6-7hrs, with around 700m ascent and descent.
Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 9 Depart Yerevan, arrive UK
Depart Yerevan.
(breakfast)
Practical Information
How to join and depart this trip
The joining point for this trip is our group hotel in
Yerevan on day 1 of the itinerary above. Please ensure
you attend the pre-trip briefing at 2130 hrs on Day 1.
In order to avoid unnecessary costs inflating the price of
your trip, arrival airport transfers are not included as
group members may be arriving at very different times,
so you should make your way on arrival to the joining
point (full details of the joining hotel will be sent 2-3
weeks before your trip departs). However, if you prefer,
our consultants can arrange an arrival transfer for you if
you request this - please contact us for prices.
Alternatively, a licensed, metered taxi or local, public
transport may be available from the airport.
The departure point for this trip is our group hotel in
Yerevan, and you can plan your departure anytime on
day 9 of the trip itinerary. Again, in order to avoid
unnecessary costs inflating the trip price, departure
airport transfers are also not included as group
members may be departing at very different times. If
you prefer, our consultants can arrange a departure
transfer for you on request - please contact us for
www.walksworldwide.com
We recommend that you book this trip as a 'Flight
Inclusive' package. Booking your international flights
through Walks Worldwide guarantees you peace of
mind and provides 100% financial protection under our
CAA ATOL licence. What's more, if you book your flights
with us as well as your ground arrangements, we will
manage these flight arrangements both before and
during your trip. As an ATOL Licence holder, we are
able to secure and arrange competitively-priced airfares
with most major airlines from the UK (as displayed on
our website), as well as the option of regional departures
too.
Land Only
If you would prefer to arrange your own international
travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package,
where the price does not include international flights.
Please note that if you are booking your own flights
there are certain risks you should be aware of. Many
airline tickets purchased directly are non-refundable
and often do not provide you with any financial
protection (unlike booking your flights with ourselves
where you would be 100% protected under our CAA
ATOL licence). For this reason we strongly advise that
you check the rules of any flight booking you make, and
check the limitations under any insurance policy you
may have in relation to cancellation or date changes.
We cannot be held liable for any losses incurred or
consequences of any flight bookings or related travel
arrangements you have made yourself, such as if your
international flights were delayed or cancelled and you
could not join or depart your holiday on time. If you do
decide to book Land Only, we strongly advise that you
do not book international flights or make other travel
arrangements (especially if there are financial penalties
for cancellation or change) until your chosen holiday is
guaranteed to run. Please also ensure when making
your own international travel arrangements that they
enable you to join and depart this trip in accordance
with the criteria specified in the How to join and depart
this trip section of this Trip Dossier.
Local transport
Trail transfers and overland travel will be by private
mini-bus/small coach with a dedicated driver.
Accommodation
Accommodation will be reserved for you on a twin
share basis unless you have already requested a single
room in advance and at extra cost. Throughout the
entire trip the group will be staying in hotels of a good
standard, all en-suite. In Yerevan we stay in a centrally
located 3* hotel. One night is spent at a delightful 4*
boutique hotel in Dzoraget, as well as 3* Hotel in Dilijan
and Lake Sevan.
Food
Meals included in the Land Only trip price are indicated
in the trip itinerary. Food during the trip will of course be
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
7
Beyond the Silk Road
Armenian and of a surprisingly good standard. Very
tasty, very fresh, very nutritious and plenty of it too.
Being at a crossroads so to speak, Armenian cuisine
reflects many influences including Mediterranean,
Turkish, Arabic, Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
Breakfasts will be continental buffet style and with a
comprehensive selection of items available. Whilst
trekking we’ll usually each carry a provided picnic
lunch. In Yerevan you can dine in a variety of traditional
Armenian restaurants of a good standard. Lavash
(Armenian flat bread) always accompanies main meals.
Dinners are usually a selection of Armenian salads
made from fresh, in season vegetables for starters, with
plenty of bread and lavash (be careful not to overdo it
on the starters as there’s more to follow). Main courses
are usually either various grilled meats or fresh fish,
with appropriate accompaniments, with desserts being
home-made pastries or delicious fresh fruit that is in
season. Dinners whilst in Dzoraget, Dilijan and Lake
Sevan will be taken in the hotels.
Climate
It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather
conditions you will encounter during the course of this
holiday. However, we do schedule our holidays to
coincide with what should be the most suitable weather
periods for walking. Armenia experiences a typical
Central Asian climate usually with cold winters and
warm-hot dry summers, although Armenia does have
some micro-climate areas that can and do experience
rain during summer months. For this particular trip
expect daytime temperatures of 25ºC+/- as an average
indicator. In Yerevan itself it can and will get much
hotter dependent upon which month you are travelling,
as well as humid. However, much of this trip is spent at
higher altitudes, so it is likely to be cooler and less
humid. Essentially we can expect variations in climate
from sub-tropical to alpine. Mountains are notorious for
creating their own, localised weather conditions, so you
should always be prepared for inclement weather
conditions. Rain and thunderstorms are always a
possibility For climate statistics visit
www.worldweather.org
Roughly speaking temperatures decrease by approx.
1ºC for every 200 metre increase in altitude.
Altitude
Whilst a couple of the trekking days reach moderately
high altitudes, these are in essence brief moments and
invariably we are always quickly descending straight
back down to more modest altitudes. Thus, altitude
should be a major concern for this holiday. It is possible
that you may feel a little breathless ascending
Mt.Geghmakhan (3220m) and Aragats South Peak
(3900m) and thus walking at a slower pace and
remaining well-hydrated is advisable. However, there is
still plenty of oxygen at those heights and you always
return to a much lower altitude (Yerevan is around
900m). Most of the trekking is spent at more moderate
altitudes and as such you should not encounter any
major difficulties. We are always happy to discuss any
concerns you may have over altitude related problems.
Baggage
www.walksworldwide.com
Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked
with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the
labels get detached. As your main baggage will be
transported by mini-bus you may use a normal suitcase
(one piece only) for your main baggage. Items not
required when not staying in Yerevan can be left at the
hotel in Yerevan for storage. You can also leave
laundry at the hotel in Yerevan for your return.
Vaccinations & health
We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist
for a check-up before travelling. Your doctor will also
have access to the most up to date information on
vaccinations and medical precautions for the country
you are about to visit. In general, no vaccinations are
necessary for Armenia. A useful travel health online
resource is www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
Please make sure that you obtain form EHIC either
online www.dh.gov.uk or from your local post office
– you will need to produce this if you have to see a
doctor.
First Aid
You should always carry your own small, personal first
aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general
anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (bandaids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET),
rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment
(e.g. Imodium).
Security
Whilst the vast majority of travellers never experience
anything untoward it is worth taking precautions
particularly in urban areas. You should take sensible
precautions in crowded areas such as street markets
and airports, where pick-pocketing is common, and
keep clear of any street disturbances. Don’t wear
jewellery, or leave your bags unattended, keep large
amounts of money, cameras and mobile phones out of
sight when walking in town centres, and avoid walking
in city centres after dark. Keep copies of important
documents, including passports, in a separate place to
the documents themselves, together with details of
credit cards. Leave copies at home with a friend
too. Safeguard valuables, important documents and
cash and deposit them in hotel safes, where
practicable.
Currency
The Armenian currency is the Dram (AMD). Please
refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates. By far the
easiest to obtain your travel cash is from an ATM in
Yerevan (of which there are many). There is an ATM in
the lobby of the group hotel in Yerevan. If you wish to
exchange cash at a bank instead, there are several
banks close to the hotel. Most banks will readily
exchange £sterling.
Language
In Armenia the language is Armenian, although Russian
is spoken too by many people also. Although we’re
accompanied by an English-speaking guide and
English may be spoken in more tourist frequented
locations, many Armenians will not speak any English.
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014
ARMENIA
8
Beyond the Silk Road
We recommend you take along a phrase book and also
try to learn some simple Armenian phrases and
greetings.
Tipping
It is customary to give your Guide and Driver a tip if you
have received good service. The amount is entirely at
your discretion, although an amount of £15 for your
Trekking Guide and £5 for your driver per person is
reasonable.
Maps
We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London
WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you
have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your
responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical
and personal accident risks for the part of the world you
intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover
should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and
helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out
cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are nonrefundable.
You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip
travel insurance through Walks Worldwide. Please call
us on 01962 737565 for a quotation.
Passports & Visas
British passport holders (and other EU passport
holders) don’t require a visa to visit Armenia.
American, Canadian and Australian passport holders
can obtain a visa upon arrival at Airport. Other
nationalities should check with their nearest Armenian
Embassy for visa requirements.
Staff on your trip
An English speaking Armenian Guide will accompany
the group whilst on trek. All overland and trail transfers
will be by private mini-bus/small coach with a dedicated
driver.
Budgeting for your trip
Please refer to the detailed itinerary for information on
what is included in this trip. You will need to budget for
meals and drinks not included in the holiday, any
optional sightseeing, souvenirs and items of a personal
nature such as laundry.
Clothing & Equipment
Please check our website for the most up to date
information regarding packing for your trip. The
information we provide is our suggested guide to help
you with your packing based upon our many years of
travelling. Using your own judgment for packing is of
course important, especially with regard to casual
clothing etc. but please do not hesitate to contact us if
you have any questions about packing for your trip.
www.walksworldwide.com
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 05 Sep 2014