Bike Across The Majestic Wilderness of Armenia
Mountain Biking Tour of Armenia
Visit: April – October
9 day/8 night
From £2680 per person (based on 2 sharing) – cycling groups please request group prices
Experience: Medium+
Accommodation: hotel, lodges, guest houses
Mountain Biking in Armenia
Please Note!
This tour is created for EXPERIENCED mountain bikers, You don’t need to be a professional but having experience of riding on different terrain and some skills is a MUST!
Armenia doesn’t yet have single track mountain bike trails, so the tour will be on mountain tracks and gravel roads which will vary between technical and easy.
If you’d like to experience mountain biking in Armenia please contact us for more information and your preferred dates of travel, no of people in your party etc. We can accommodate individuals, or small groups.
Highlights
- Transfers, servicing, provision of and transportation of bikes
- Accommodation on BB basis
- 4 x lunches
- 3 x dinner
- Snacks while cycling
- Ropeway Ticket
- Areni Winery Tasting Session
- Entrance fees as per program
Itinerary
You’ll be met at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Early arrivals can have a short city tour.
A chance this afternoon to check the bikes and equipment before your mountain bike tour of Armenia starts tomorrow.
Early morning departure to visit Monastery Geghard founded in the IV century. It was one of the largest cultural centres of medieval Armenia.
After visiting the monastery you will join the bikes at 1930m above sea level, high above the monastery. From here you will cycle across a high plateau (2400m) before descending through the Khosrov forest state reserve. The first part of the descent is technical and rocky.
Visit an ancient monastery Aghjots XIII century.
Continue down to the river valley, before a small climb (100m long) to the village of Glan (1700m) and lunch with the local villagers
Continue climbing inside the Forest reserve for 1.5 km (gradient 4 – 6%)
Leaving the reserve, descend to the Azat gorge, to a significant natural monument ‘‘The symphony of stones’. Then climb to the city Garni where you will visit the ancient pagan temple Garni. Afterwards drive to Yerevan for the overnight
Length: 34km
Elevation: + 700m – 1200m
After breakfast begin cycling from 2100 meters above the sea level – excellent acclimatization!
Then a climb of around 13 km until you reach 2700m. For the most part it’s not too steep, and comprises of small uphills and downhills. The final 1,5 km (with ~200m elevation) is a technical climb to reach 2700m. All around you are stunning views of mountains, villages, Dilijan forests and Sevan lake.
Snack and photos at lake Sevan before the final 21km descent to the village of Drakhtik – long descents and short climbs. Again, with majestic views.
From Drakhtik transfer by vehicle to a hotel next to the lake, and the option of a refreshing swim after your cycling adventure.
Dinner and overnight in village Tsapatagh.
Length: 31 km
Elevation: +1530m –1560m
After breakfast transfer to the cycling starting point in Aghpradzor village. Today will bring fantastic views of high altitude lakes as we head to the spa city Jermuk (2000m)
The first part of the ride to the lakes is about 9 km uphill, not technical at all, but follwed by 2 x 3 km steep uphills. Just know that your destination is well worth the extra effort! The hightest altitude today is 3000m.
Lunch will be at 2700 viewing the amazing lakes.
Refreshed, climb 3km uphill to reach 3000 m before a straight descent to Jermuk, with just a few short and easy uphill stretches.
After dinner you’ll have the chance for an evening walk around the city.
Overnight in Jermuk.
Length: 38 km
Elevation: +1000m –600m
After breakfast it’s straight on the bikes to head out of the city before heading left onto an off-road trail. There’s a 9km climb and some parts are pretty steep, but it’s all good training!
Snacks at the top before the road carries on downhill to the city of Goris. En route visit the Shaki waterfall for a picnic lunch.
Overnight in Goris.
Length on asphalt: 4km.
Length on off road: 23 km.
Elevation: + 300m – – 400m
After breakfast transfer out of the city by vehicle to the start of the ride today. A lovely ride through woods, above gorges and at the end – Tatev. The largest and most famous monastery in Armenia. Here also is the longest cable car in the world is situated.
The trail has 1.5 km easy climbs, and just one 4km climb which is a bit technical, but as the track goes through beautiful woods you’ll hardly feel it!
En route visit the ancient church Bgheno Noravank, which has a unique architecture. And you’ll see the Voritan gorge from above, which is really impressive. Finally you’ll descend on an old asphalt road to get a beautiful view of Tatev monastery.
After visiting the monastery, ride on the longest reversible cable car in the world to the other side of the gorge.
From here travel by vehicle to the cave village Old Kndzoresk, inhabited until 1952.
Goris city is the overnight stop.
Length: 28km.
Car transfer to Gnishik village where you’ll have a short ride through Mozrov village and magnificent views across Vayots Dzor province.
Lunch in Areni village- famous for its wine. Archaeologists have discovered a winery here dating back 6000 years!
Wine tasting and visit to the Khor Virap monastery.
Overnight in Yerevan
Riding Length: 16 km.
Elevation: + 100m – – 600m
Car transfer to Lake Kari (3200m) in the shadow of Moutn Aragats. Begin your climb to 3600m above sea level before returning back the same way to the lake Kari, and continuing on downhill to Amberd Castle.
The climb is not too long, but it is rocky, steep and technical, so you can take it slow and because it is the same way back you can head downhill to Amberd whenever you want.
After viewing Amberd, a magnificent medieval fortress, the car will take you to Echmiadzin cathedral monastery 301-303. After which you will return to Yerevan city.
Length: 20km
Elevation: +150m – -1020m
Yerevan. Breakfast in the hotel (depending on the time of departure). Transfer to Yerevan Airport.
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