Discover Syunik: Nature, Trails and Cultural Heritage

Syunik offers a variety of starting points for a trip: natural sites, hikes, archaeological sites, museums and regional crafts. If you are looking for a hotel in Syunik, your personal interests can help guide your initial trip planning. The examples below range from a natural bathing pool at Devil’s Bridge to collections in Goris and Sisian.

Nature and Water Landscapes in Syunik

At Devil’s Bridge, numerous mineral springs form a natural pool where visitors can enjoy a healing bath outdoors. Natural springs beneath the bridge increase the volume of water there. The bathing pool and the explanation of the water volume are therefore part of the same site, while the springs are also a geological feature of Devil’s Bridge.

Shaki Waterfall in Syunik Province is 18 meters high. The Vorotan is the main water supplier for the Syunik region and an important natural landscape in Armenia. The two examples highlight different aspects: the waterfall’s height provides a specific point of reference, while the Vorotan’s role in supplying water to the region takes center stage.

Arevik National Park lies on the southern slope of the Meghri spur of the Zangezur Range and within the catchment areas of the Astghadzor and Nyuvadi rivers. Wildlife and birdwatching are possible in the national park. The mountain slope and river catchments provide two distinct geographical reference points for the park’s location.

Hiking, Mountains and Activities

At 3,201 meters, Mount Khustup is the highest peak in the Katar Range in Syunik. Ancient petroglyphs dating from the 5th to the 2nd millennium BC have been preserved at Oughtasar, at an elevation of about 3,300 meters. The elevation figures refer to different destinations: the summit at Khustup and the location of the petroglyphs at Oughtasar. Here, an exceptional elevation combines with an archaeological subject reaching far back into the past.

The Devil’s Bridge Trail leads from Tatev Monastery to Devil’s Bridge. Visitors can take the hike using the free HIKEArmenia app. Canyoning adventures in Syunik pass through Vorotan Canyon and reach Devil’s Bridge. The bridge therefore features in two different activity contexts: as the destination of a hike from Tatev Monastery and as a destination for canyoning adventures through Vorotan Canyon.

The Legends Trail connects Goris and Kapan over 150 kilometers. Rather than focusing on a single place, it provides a long route between two cities. In the village of Antarashat, visitors can go horseback riding and enjoy views of Mount Tapasar—another clearly identified activity in Syunik.

Archaeology, History and Crafts

Zorats Karer, also known as Karahunj, is an archaeological site in the highlands of the Syunik region near the town of Sisian. Large upright basalt slabs stand there, arranged partly in circles and partly in rows. These different arrangements shape the appearance of the site.

The Mrgadzor Khach church is located in Old Khot. Baghak Kar, also called Baghakakar Fortress, is one of Syunik’s well-known fortresses. In Meghri, Pokr Tagh is the old town district, with narrow cobbled lanes and centuries-old houses carved into the rock. The three places represent different aspects of the region’s cultural heritage: a church, a fortress and a historic town district.

Textile and carpet weaving have also been preserved in Syunik. Regional crafts add another cultural focus to visits to churches, fortresses and archaeological sites.

The Sisian History Museum has an ethnographic collection from the Syunik region, including household items, traditional clothing and textiles. The Goris Local Lore Museum houses more than 5,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects. In Sisian, specific everyday items and textiles are part of the collection; in Goris, it includes both ethnographic and archaeological objects.

Tatev and Getting Around Between Places

The Wings of Tatev aerial tramway, also known as Tatever, connects the village of Halidzor with the village of Tatev, where the monastery is located. Visitors can reach Tatev Monastery by private tour, group tour, rental car or taxi. Public transport takes you to the nearby town of Goris. These details distinguish between the listed ways of reaching the monastery and the public transport connection to Goris.

Discover more destinations: Goris, Kapan, Sissian, Halidzor, Tatev, Meghri, Ashotavan, Agarak.

For the broader travel overview: Armenia.