We leave Yerevan behind and head towards the mountains. After passing Garni and Geghard, the character of the ride quickly changes. We leave the main roads behind and start climbing towards the slopes of Mount Aragats.
The landscape opens up as we gain altitude, with wide mountain pastures, volcanic landscapes and spectacular views across central Armenia. During the summer months the highlands are used by local shepherds and their flocks.
Where conditions allow, we continue towards Lake Kari, situated at around 3,200 metres on the slopes of Aragats. The combination of altitude, rough mountain tracks and almost complete absence of traffic makes this a perfect first day of adventure riding.
We descend towards Byurakan for the night.
Distance Covered: ±160 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±32 KM/H
Highest point: ±3,200 M
We continue north through the highlands of Armenia, deliberately avoiding the main roads wherever possible.
The route takes us across open mountain terrain towards Shirak. Gravel tracks, agricultural roads and rougher mountain sections lead us towards Trchkan Waterfall, after which the landscape gradually becomes greener as we enter Lori.
There is very little traffic on these roads. In many places the only other people we encounter are farmers and shepherds working the high mountain pastures.
By the afternoon we reach the forests and valleys around Stepanavan, giving us a completely different landscape from the volcanic highlands of Aragats.
Distance Covered: ±170 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±34 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,500 M
Today we continue east through the mountains of Lori.
We first ride towards Odzun before descending into the spectacular Debed Gorge. Here we make a stop at Haghpat Monastery, one of Armenia’s most impressive medieval monasteries, dramatically positioned above the surrounding valley.
From Haghpat we leave the main roads again and continue east through the Lori highlands. The route gradually becomes more remote as we head towards the forests of Tavush.
By the afternoon the landscape has changed completely. Open highlands have made way for dense forests and deep green valleys.
We finish the day around Yenokavan, high above the surrounding countryside.
Distance Covered: ±160 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±32 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,000 M
Today is all about mountain riding.
From Yenokavan we head towards Ijevan before turning into the Tavush mountains. Around Navur, the asphalt gives way to gravel and we begin climbing through the forests towards Lake Parz.
This is classic adventure motorcycle terrain: long stretches of gravel, forest tracks, mountain bends and occasional rougher sections. We deliberately take the slower roads because they are the reason we are here.
Eventually we reach Lake Parz, hidden among the forests of Dilijan National Park.
From the lake we descend towards Dilijan, a historic mountain town surrounded by forest. After several hours on the tracks, it is the perfect place to stop for the day, have a good meal and enjoy a little Armenian hospitality.
Distance Covered: ±150 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±30 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,200 M
We leave Dilijan and climb back into the mountains.
Rather than following the busy route towards Lake Sevan, we look for the smaller mountain roads and gravel tracks that cross the surrounding countryside.
Eventually Lake Sevan appears between the mountains. At almost 1,900 metres above sea level, it is one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in Eurasia.
We continue along the eastern side of the lake, again favouring smaller roads and mountain tracks over the fastest route.
The riding today is generally more flowing, giving us the chance to cover some distance while enjoying enormous views across the lake and surrounding mountains.
We finish around Vardenis, positioning ourselves for the high mountain crossing into southern Armenia.
Distance Covered: ±180 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±36 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,500 M
Today we cross from the Lake Sevan basin into Vayots Dzor.
The mountains become increasingly barren as we climb towards the Vardenyants, or Selim Pass. For centuries this was an important route across Armenia and formed part of the ancient Silk Road.
High above the pass stands the impressive Selim Caravanserai, built in the 14th century to provide shelter for merchants and travellers crossing the mountains.
We don’t simply follow the modern road. Whenever possible, we explore the old and higher mountain tracks surrounding the pass, riding across remote plateaus where shepherds and their animals are often the only signs of human activity.
Eventually we descend towards Yeghegis, deep in the Vayots Dzor region.
Distance Covered: ±160 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±32 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,700 M
Today the road gets rougher.
We leave Yeghegis and start climbing towards the remote mountain plateau separating the Yeghegis and Herher valleys.
The asphalt disappears almost completely as we enter a world of mountain tracks, rocks and open highland terrain. Progress is slower here, but that is exactly what makes the day interesting.
There are no towns, petrol stations or busy roads. Just mountains, shepherds and a track disappearing into the distance.
Weather and local conditions can make this a challenging section, and the exact route may depend on the condition of the tracks when we ride it.
After crossing the mountains we descend towards Herher before continuing to Jermuk, one of Armenia’s best-known mountain resorts.
Distance Covered: ±150 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±30 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,500 M
Today we leave most of the luggage behind and head into one of the wildest areas of the journey.
From Jermuk we ride towards Sisian, where we turn south into the highlands surrounding Ughtasar.
The road soon becomes a mountain track. We climb through increasingly remote terrain towards the volcanic landscape of Mount Ughtasar, reaching altitudes of more than 3,000 metres.
High above the valleys are prehistoric petroglyphs carved into volcanic rocks thousands of years ago. Reaching them is an adventure in itself.
The terrain can be rough, with loose rocks, ruts, water crossings and steep sections. At this altitude there are no villages or services, and the landscape feels genuinely remote.
After exploring the highlands we descend back towards Sisian for the night.
Distance Covered: ±150 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±30 KM/H
Highest point: ±3,300 M
We continue south into Syunik, one of Armenia’s most spectacular regions.
The roads become increasingly mountainous as we cross the highlands towards Goris. Rather than simply following the main road, we use smaller roads and gravel tracks wherever conditions allow.
The scenery here is enormous. Deep valleys, dramatic rock formations and mountain peaks surround us as we make our way south.
From Goris we continue towards Tatev, where the 9th-century Tatev Monastery stands dramatically above the Vorotan Gorge.
After several days of remote mountain riding, Tatev is a spectacular place to finish the day.
We spend the night around Tatev/Harsnadzor, surrounded by the mountains of southern Armenia.
Distance Covered: ±170 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±34 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,500 M
Our final day brings together some of the best riding and scenery of the entire trip.
We leave Tatev and descend towards the Vorotan Gorge, exploring the smaller roads and gravel tracks around the gorge before gradually turning north.
We eventually reach Noravank, one of Armenia’s most spectacular monasteries. Dating from the 13th century, it sits hidden between towering red cliffs at the end of a dramatic gorge.
From Noravank we begin our final ride towards Yerevan.
The landscape gradually changes once again as we leave the mountains behind. Eventually the Armenian capital appears on the horizon and the remote tracks of the previous days give way to city streets.
Ten days after leaving Yerevan, we arrive back in the capital — with roughly 1,600 kilometres of Armenian mountains, gravel roads and remote tracks behind us.
Distance Covered: ±190 KM
Riding hours: ±5
Average speed: ±38 KM/H
Highest point: ±2,300 M