Mount Aragats: Aparan Ascent

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The best time to visit and ski is from January to April. Yerevan is 56km away from the town of Aparan, so the road there takes just under an hour and costs 5,600-6,000 AMD (by taxi).

To reach the ascent trail, you need to get to the town of Aparan, in Aragatsotn province. It is most convenient to travel by taxi. Taxi services are quite affordable throughout Armenia. We recommend taking a cab with a functional meter. To reach this trail, you must leave the town of Aparan and head toward the village of Kuchak, about 2km away. Look for the main intersection where the trail starts. If the weather is clear and the road is passable, you can go ahead and start skinning. Climbing a bit higher, you'll see the Ara, Teghenis 1, and Tsaghkunyac mountains. The route is a long one, without any stops.

Mount Aragats is considered the highest peak in Armenia (4,090 m/13,419 ft.). It is an isolated shield-like massif of about 200km in circumference. Together with its fan-shaped slopes, it covers 4,000 sq. m, and is situated in both the Aragatsotn and Shirak provinces. Aragats used to be one of the world’s largest volcanos. It has a gigantic 400m-deep crater, 3km in diameter with 4 peaks. The highest point is the North Summit; the West Summit is second (3,995.3 m/13,207 ft.) and is followed by the East (3,908.2 m/ 12,822 ft.) and South Summit (3,887.8 m/12,755 ft).

The Holy Cross Church is situated in the town of Aparan. It was built at the end of the 4th century and was renovated in 1877. The church received its name due to the relic of the Lord True Cross kept there. This chapel functioned till the 1940s, even during the Soviet times.