YEREVAN-TOURINFO-Source: Forbes.com- Article by Travel Journalist -Breanna Wilson
It’s not every day that Time names a hiking trail to their annual World’s 100 Greatest Places list.
In fact, this is a first.
And this is just the beginning of the attention and recognition that the new Transcaucasian Trail, a more than 1,800-mile trail that connects some of the most beautiful and remote regions of Armenia and Georgia (and eventually Azerbaijan) to one another, has started to receive.
And while these are some of the most incredible landscapes you could ever experience in person, it isn’t just the views that make the Transcaucasian Trail a special experience, it’s the interactions and hospitality of the locals along the way that especially set these hiking trails apart.
And whether you thru-hike the trail and camp all along the way or you decide to join a small group trip that will equip you with a guide, pre-plan your nightly stays at quaint and delightful local guesthouses and small hotels, and feed you all along the way, there’s no wrong way to experience everything that the trail has to offer.
Which, being short on time and completely unsure where to start (and unfamiliar with traveling in Armenia, where I most wanted to see how development of the trail was coming along), is the option I opted for, signing up with World Expeditions for their Transcaucasian Trail Hike Armenia.
Their itinerary starts in Yerevan, where you ease into life in Armenia before hitting the trails with two nights in the city before heading up to Sevan Lake and hitting the trails on day three, which is, as you might guess, when things really start to get good.
The Landscape
From the moment you start this hike, with Sevan Lake to your back as you ascend into the clouds that you really start to realize the beauty – and diversity in landscapes – that Armenia has to offer.
In the following days, hiking through cities like Kalavan, Gosh, and through the forests of Dilijan National Park – the Armenian Switzerland, as locals like to call it – it was the leaves that changing colors of the leaves, the mountaintop views, and unique rock formations that made the hike perfectly picturesque.
But you’ll have to work for these views because with ascents from 1,100 to 4,200 feet up into the clouds and with trails as long as 14.5 miles, this hike is, one might say, no walk in the park.
The trails we set off on included heading from Sevan Lake to Khachardzan (the village next to Kalavan), Kalavan to Gosh, Gosh to Dilijan National Park, and then Dilijan National Park to Haghartsin Monastery Complex. From Haghartsin Monastery Complex we then drove to Haghpat, in the northern part of the country and closer to the Georgian border, to hike from Haghpat to Sanahin Monastery for our last little adventure. Each leg offered something completely different, with most routes being planned to get the elevation gains out of the way first.
Day 1 of this journey meant a 6.8-mile, 4.5-hour hike starting from Sevan Lake and ending in Kalavan.Breanna Wilson
The Guesthouses
Being that World Expeditions planned all of our stays, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was in for (which is how I like it so that I can experience everything with an open mind). And that’s exactly what made each night a treat.
From the local guesthouse in Khachardzan, just below the village of Kalavan, where the guesthouse owner had no shortage of homemade vodka on hand – and who sat down to eat dinner with us, a delightful treat so that we could ask him questions about the area, his family and the bees and green house he has on the property – it was experiences like this that really opened our eyes to what life in this part of Armenia is like.
Guesthouse in Armenia along the Transcaucasian Trail, near Kalavan.Getty
The following night’s boutique hotel in Gosh and guesthouse in Dilijan were just as insightful. So, while you can certainly camp your way across these trails, it’s worth making it into the villages for the local experiences and interactions, plus a hot meal and shower never hurt either.
The Food
Simply put, Armenia has some of the best food in the world. With a plate of fresh herbs on every table next to the basket of the day’s baked lavash, homemade cheeses and pickles, a fresh summer salad of locally grown cucumbers and tomatoes, and homemade dolma – delicious grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat – to stuffed peppers and cabbage, baked eggplant, and manti – the delicious meat dumplings served with garlic yogurt on the side – it wasn’t just a day of hiking that made this food taste so delicious. Between the fresh ingredients and the fact that each day’s meal was made from scratch just for us, there was nothing heavy about these meals and they were exactly what our bodies were craving after long days pushing our limits mentally and physically.
Dinner spread at our guesthouse in Khachardzan.Breanna Wilson
And finishing each meal with homemade baklava, fresh cantaloupe and watermelon (which were in season at the time), washing it all down with tea and Armenian coffee (a short, potent cup of joe made in a long-handled copper Jezve, similar to – but, whatever you do, never say this to an Armenian – Turkish coffee), it became our nightly tradition to end our days discussing what would be in store for us the following day as we each decompressed and licked the last of the baklava off our fingers.
Gearing Up for Your Trip
There’s no sugar coating it – the trail is still in development and that means that some parts are better marked than others. Which also means some parts of the trail are better cleared than others. And both of things ultimately mean: a good, sturdy pair of hiking boots is important.
Be prepared for rain and the mud that follows, especially if you’re hiking the trails in the fall.Breanna Wilson
A pair of shoes like Hoka One One’s Arkali hiking boots are perfect for this type of hiking. Something light and comfortable is always important but hiking boots with great traction are especially essential here. Wear your boots big so that you can double up on socks for both warmth and comfort, and make sure you either buy shoe inserts, or choose a pair of books with enough cushion in the sole. (The Arkali’s responsive cushion kept my feet from getting sore so I never had to worry about tired and blistered feed even once.) Also look for a shoe with a toe cap (like the Arkali) to keep your toes safe as you climb and make your way through the more unkempt portions of the trails. Trust me when I say that the trail will throw everything that it has at you, so this is not the time to underestimate the importance of a good hiking boot.
Especially because, depending on the time of year but especially in the fall, you can expect mud. A lot of mud. Again, don’t underestimate the importance of good hiking shoes. And a solid rain jacket. Which is a must. Opt for something light and easy to carry in your day pack like the Mammut Nordwand Advanced hooded hardshell, a jacket that can handle both rain and wind, but also has vents under the arm pit for when you’re making your way up the trail but you need to cool down just a bit.
There also aren’t always bridges at rivers crossings, so, be prepared for that. (Since it was mostly nice out when we were in the valleys, taking off our boots and wading across the rivers was a nice, refreshing way to get across.) And walking poles certainly wouldn’t hurt either.
And most importantly, don’t forget wet wipes (and to pack them out with you), a hydration pack so that you don’t go through water bottles the way we did, and it isn’t a bad idea to download the AllTrails app before you set out on the trails either – don’t expect much cell phone service out here.
Source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/breannawilson/2019/10/11/hiking-armenias-new-transcaucasian-trail-is-a-beautiful-way-to-immerse-yourself-in-armenian-culture/
