Small Armenia attracts travelers with its climate, many cultural, historical and architectural monuments and affordable prices. At the same time, the tourism sector continues to develop: new hotels and restaurants are opening, cities and resorts are being developed.
In winter, tourists are welcomed by the ski resorts of Armenia: Tsaghkadzor, Jermuk and Sevan. The whole country is on a hill (average 1800 m above sea level). At the same time, the climate allows you to enjoy both summer holidays and conquer snow-covered slopes in winter. The ski season lasts from the second half of December to the end of March, sometimes it snows all April.
Tsakhkadzor is the "star" of Armenian tourism
The undisputed winner of the nomination "The best ski resorts in Armenia" - Tsaghkadzor. Reviews of skiers leave no doubt that this is the most developed resort in the country. More than 30 km of trails cover the slopes of Mount Teghenis, at the foot of which the city was built. Modern lifts quickly and comfortably deliver to slopes of different difficulty levels. During the ascent, a panorama of most of Armenia opens before your eyes. In the warm season, Tsaghkadzor is surrounded by flowering meadows, for which it received the name "Valley of Flowers".
Tsakhkadzor is located just 50 km from Yerevan, so the easiest way to get to the resort is through it. Such large airlines as Aeroflot, Armavia, S7 and Ural Airlines regularly fly to the capital of Armenia. You can overcome 75 km from Yerevan airport to Tsakhkadzor by bus, minibus or taxi, it is possible to order a transfer. The fare on the bus and minibus does not exceed 100 rubles, while for the car you will have to pay one and a half to two thousand. The roads in the country are excellent, the trip will be easy and fast. When traveling on your own, focus on Hrazdan, it is only 5 km from the resort.
Tsaghkadzor for skiers: slopes and lifts
The resort attracted the attention of skiers from all over the world after the broadcast of the Soviet team on the slopes of Teghenis was shown. This was an excellent indicator that the ski resorts of Armenia are in no way inferior to more popular destinations. With the growing number of people wishing to get acquainted with the culture of the country and personally check the tracks of Tsakhkadzor, the resort attracted more and more attention. In 2004, Lightner, one of the leading companies in the production and installation of ropeways, began to implement its project in the Armenian resort.
Austrian-the Italian company has installed five lifts with a total length of more than six kilometers over several years. You can climb them to the highest point (to a height of 2819 m), from which you can see the entire gorge, Lake Sevan and even neighboring Ararat. A big plus of the new chairlift is that the seats are soft and heated, giving maximum comfort even in cold weather. The lower station is at the level of 1966 m above the sea. If you choose the farthest route, you get a vertical drop of 850 m. The cable car from Leitner is designed for the maximum influx of tourists and delivers them to the slopes so quickly that there are almost no queues at the stations.
Armenian ski resorts are suitable for both beginners and experts in skiing and snowboarding. In Tsakhkadzor, the tracks are blue, red and black (depending on the level of difficulty). For those who are not confident in their abilities, instructors from local ski schools will help. The longest track of the resort is about eight kilometers long. Professionals can ride the sports chute and the former bobsleigh track. This will give a lot of vivid impressions and even more adrenaline.
Sights of Tsaghkadzor
Fans of not only skiing, but also excursion programs should visit the ski resorts of Armenia, Tsaghkadzor in particular. During breaks from dizzying descents, you can visit one of the attractions to your taste. The most popular is Kecharis, a complex of churches and chapels where monks still live. The first church was built in 1013 and named after St. Grigor, whose relicskept in one of the chapels.
Across the road from the monastery there is another church that many people miss against the backdrop of Kecharis. Orbeli Brothers Memorial Museum is a 5-minute walk away. The history of a whole family of scientists can be read on the tablets, but it is better to book a tour with a professional guide. Various seminars and conferences are hosted by the House of Writers of Armenia. Lake Sevan and hot springs should be included in the cultural program.
Prices for holidays in Tsaghkadzor
Another reason to choose ski resorts in Armenia is the prices. They are significantly lower than in most European countries. A daily ski pass will cost 1300 rubles, for a week - about 5100 rubles. For one lift they will ask for 220 rubles. An hour of skiing with an instructor costs about 2000 rubles. Hotel prices start at $17 per person per night.
There are equipment rentals in the city and near the stations. The cost of a skiing kit is about 550 rubles. per day, on a snowboard - 750 rubles, for glasses and a helmet they will ask for 220 rubles each.
Hotels and entertainment in Tsaghkadzor
For accommodation there are hotels from 2to 5in different price categories. All of them are located at the foot of the mountain, 1.5-3 km from the first cable car station. To the ski lifts from some hotels they carry on their buses, you can take a taxi for 100 rubles. Near the stations there are several cafes, all the rest are located in the city. Almost all entertainment is in hotels, although the infrastructure continuesdevelop, attracting more and more people to the ski resorts of Armenia.
Travelers' reviews distinguish such hotels as "Russia", "Jupiter", "Kecharis" and the rest house "Universitet". They all provide good service and have a shuttle service to the cable car.
Jermuk - healing water and mountains
The resort has been called the balneological he alth resort of the country since 2007, when it began to develop actively. It can be credited to the ski resorts of Armenia thanks to two slopes on Mount Shish, located 170 km from the capital. The slopes are gentle, so suitable for beginners.
You can come to Jermuk at any time of the year for treatment, in winter the possibility of skiing is added. A lift has been laid to the beginning of the slopes, there is equipment rental for those who did not plan to ski. The resort is going to develop, build more cable cars and hotels, and projects for new routes are being prepared.
Sevan - union of water and mountains
This is another growing area that combines skiing and recreation on the shores of the famous lake. The trails are mainly of interest to beginners, as they are very gentle and even. A big plus is the variety of attractions nearby.
Any of the ski resorts in Armenia is worthy of attention now, and in a few years they promise to only get better.
