From Bjni Fortress to the Peaks of Tsaghkadzor and Lake Sevan

We designed this route so that the scenery and impressions keep changing throughout a single day. First comes an old Armenian village and a fortress high above a gorge. Then the medieval Kecharis Monastery and the story of one of Armenia’s most important princely families. After that, mountainous Tsaghkadzor and a cable car ride up the slopes of Teghenis. And the journey ends with the vast blue expanse of Lake Sevan and ancient Sevanavank. This is a route where in one day you can see several completely different faces of Armenia.

This is a private tour, and its price is calculated individually. Cars are available in Standard, Comfort, Premium and Luxury categories. The tour can be booked in two formats: with a professional driver, or with a professional driver plus a separate professional tour guide. If you wish, professional drone filming can be added to the trip.

At the agreed time, the Amaras Tour car arrives directly at the address you give us in Yerevan — your hotel, apartment or another place arranged in advance. There are no shared meeting points and no waiting for other participants. This day belongs only to you and your company. Once everyone is on board, we set off for the Kotayk region, and our first stop is Bjni.

Bjni is an old Armenian village in the gorge of the Hrazdan River. Today many people associate the name Bjni first of all with the famous Armenian mineral water, but the history of this place is far older. In the Middle Ages Bjni was of strategic importance and was linked to the powerful princely family of the Pahlavunis. The ruins of an ancient fortress still rise above the village. The fortress stands on a high rocky hill, and the site was not chosen by chance: from up here one could control the gorge and the roads running through this part of Armenia. It was one of the Pahlavunis’ key strongholds and was especially active during the Middle Ages.

The fortifications of Bjni are dated to the 9th–10th centuries, when this territory was under the influence of the Bagratids and the Pahlavuni family. The fortress gained particular importance in the 11th century. One of the family’s best-known members was Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni — a prince, statesman, scholar and one of the notable intellectuals of medieval Armenia. We will meet his name once more today, in Tsaghkadzor. The fortress has not survived intact. We will see the remains of defensive walls and fortifications and traces of the buildings that once stood inside. But the real value of this place is the chance to feel the very geography of a medieval fortress: standing at the top, it is easy to understand why this particular rock was chosen for defence. From here there are beautiful views over Bjni, the gorge and the surrounding mountains. Comfortable shoes are a must for the fortress, as part of the route is on foot over natural terrain.

After the fortress we visit another important monument of Bjni, the Church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). It was built in 1031, and its construction is linked to the same Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. In this way Bjni becomes a perfect historical introduction to the next part of the journey, because the Pahlavunis also played a key role in the history of Kecharis Monastery. From Bjni we continue towards Tsaghkadzor. The road gradually climbs, the vegetation changes, forested mountain slopes appear and the air grows cooler. Soon we arrive at one of Armenia’s best-known mountain resorts.

The name Tsaghkadzor literally translates as “valley of flowers.” The town lies at about 1,840 metres above sea level on the slopes of Mount Teghenis. Today Tsaghkadzor is known as Armenia’s main ski and year-round mountain resort: in winter people come for the snow and skiing, in summer for the mountains, cool air, walks and panoramas. But the history of Tsaghkadzor began long before the modern hotels and the cable car.

In the historic part of Tsaghkadzor stands the Kecharis monastery complex, one of the most important medieval monastic ensembles in Kotayk. The main complex took shape in the 11th–13th centuries, and its history is closely tied to the Pahlavuni family. One of the key figures in the monastery’s history was Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni, whom we already met in Bjni. He was not simply a member of an influential princely family but an educated statesman, philosopher and scholar of his time. It was under the Pahlavunis that Kecharis began to flourish. So two points of our route, Bjni and Kecharis, are joined by a single story, which makes the journey far more interesting than an ordinary list of sights. In the 12th–13th centuries Kecharis became a major spiritual and cultural centre of medieval Armenia. The monastery had a school, and clergy, scholars and masters of the manuscript tradition lived and worked here. The complex grew over several centuries, so today you can see buildings from different periods: several churches, chapels, a gavit and khachkars. One of the main churches is Surb Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator). The ensemble was later expanded with new buildings, some of them dating from the 13th century. That is why Kecharis is interesting not as a single church but as a true medieval monastery complex.

After the history, it is time to head higher into the mountains. We make our way to Tsaghkadzor’s famous cable car. The ride climbs the slopes of Mount Teghenis: as you rise, the town drops further below, the forest gradually gives way to open mountain landscapes and the panorama grows ever wider. Tsaghkadzor lies at the eastern foot of Mount Teghenis. The cable car has several sections and carries visitors high above the resort. In good weather there are sweeping views of Kotayk and the surrounding mountains. In winter you see snowy slopes, in spring and summer green alpine landscapes, and in autumn entirely different colours, so the route is beautiful at almost any time of year. Since the tour is private, there is no need to hurry here. You can ride the cable car, take photos, have a coffee, stroll a little and simply enjoy the mountain air. We adjust the length of the stop to suit our guests. Cable car tickets are paid separately, and its operation depends on the season and the weather.

After Tsaghkadzor the scenery changes again as we head into the Gegharkunik region. The road gradually brings us out to a vast blue expanse, and Lake Sevan appears before us. Sevan is Armenia’s largest lake and one of the country’s main natural symbols. It lies at about 1,900 metres above sea level, which is why the climate here differs from Yerevan: even in summer it can be cool and windy by the water. Sevan is often called the Armenian sea, and when you stand on the shore watching the water stretch to the horizon, it is easy to see why.

On a peninsula above the lake stands the famous Sevanavank monastery. Reaching it means climbing a flight of steps, but at the top one of Armenia’s most recognisable panoramas opens up: ancient stone churches on one side and the vast expanse of Sevan with its surrounding mountains on the other. The monastic tradition here has early roots, but the complex’s main surviving churches date from the 9th century. In 874 the churches of Surb Arakelots and Surb Astvatsatsin were built here. Their construction is associated with Princess Mariam, daughter of the future Armenian king Ashot I Bagratuni. Today you can reach Sevanavank by land, but historically the monastery stood on an island. In the 20th century the water level of Sevan dropped significantly, and the former island became a peninsula. That is why old photographs of Sevanavank look so different, with the monastery literally rising out of the water. After exploring the monastery’s history we leave time for a walk and don’t rush back to the car. Here you can take photos at leisure, look out over Sevan from above and simply relax after a full day.

If you wish, we can arrange lunch near Sevan, with a choice of Armenian cuisine or dishes made from local fish. Meals are not included in the base price of the private tour and are paid separately; the restaurant and the length of the stop can be agreed in advance. After Sevan we begin the journey back, and at the end of the day the Amaras Tour car drops you directly at the address you specify in Yerevan. The whole trip takes approximately 9–10 hours.