The Transcaucasian Trail: Armenia

Meghri to Kapan

In Meghri we stayed at Narema Family Hotel Meghri. The rooms were modern, clean and the location was perfect. It also had a beautiful shared covered balcony. The host was so kind and accommodating, making us breakfast at 6am so we could start hiking early.

Day 1 we hiked 14.6 miles with an elevation change of 5,604(-1,871) . It had a few challenging steep climbs, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. We took an alt another hiker had suggested, skipping Malev ruins and a horrendous bushwhack by taking a jeep track that had some pretty awesome views. The views were beautiful all day and we even got up close with a herd of friendly horses! Our camp feels magical, in a meadow next to an old abandoned church looking at another abandoned church both from the 17-18 century. The pasta with smoked fish we made for dinner was pretty amazing!

Day 2 we hiked 14.1 miles with an elevation change of 3,494(-2,384). Day two was HARD! Right away we had some cross country navigation that put us in a field of stinging nettle. It hurt… a lot. I ended up taking 800 mg of ibuprofen and an antihistamine because the swelling and pain were so bad. A lot of the day was either steep trail or cross country. There were a few more run-ins with the stinging nettle as well. This day had me rethinking my choice to hike this trail. But as always, laying here in my sleeping bag I think "that wasn't too bad", knowing full well it was. Tomorrow is another hard day, but less off trail so hopefully it's a little easier, we will see.

Day 3 we hiked 14.94 miles with an elevation change of 3,376 (-7,444). The day started with a 3,000 foot climb over 4 miles on a dirt road. Next we took the high route alt along the western side of Mount Khustup. Even though we were pretty socked in most of the time, only being able to see about 30 feet in front of us, it was worth it. Honestly the fog probably helped with my fear of heights. I can't fear what I can't see 😂 There was only one spot for about 10 feet that I was really uncomfortable with. Every once in a while the fog would clear and the view was spectacular! The long downhill definitely took its toll and I'm glad tomorrow is town day. At our last water stop right before camp we ran into 4 TCT trail crew members! They have done such an amazing job with the trail and we couldn't do this without them. It was nice to thank them in person!

Day 4 we hiked 5.5 miles with an elevation change of 1,479(-1,707). Today is town day and boy do I need a break! This section kicked my butt! Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! The mountains out here are amazing as well as the historical buildings and the people are so friendly! We woke up to horses grazing near our tent, it was magical.

In Kapan we stayed at the Regal Hotel. The room was big, clean and modern and close to the main drag. The young man working the day we checked in agreed to do our laundry and assured us it would be done in an hour, in a country that doesn’t use dryers. This turned into a funny, all night saga of trying to figure out where our clothes actually went and eventually getting them returned the following morning after assuring them it was okay if they were still a little damp, these were the only clothes we had. Still grateful for the laundry service!

Kapan to Tatev

Day 5 we hiked 17.2 miles with an elevation change of 2,935(-2,861). We enjoyed a simple breakfast at our hotel and then took a short taxi ride to Baghaberd Fortress which is a 10-12 century fortress first mentioned in the 4th century and instrumental in the defense of Syunik kingdom. It was worth the side trip. We hiked from there back to the primary route. The trail is much better in this section, but still disappears sometimes. We weaved in and out of several small villages and the people we saw always greeted us with a smile, so happy to communicate with us through the little Russian Seth and I know. We also hiked through our first rain storm today, thankfully it was light and brief!

Day 6 we hiked 15.22 miles with an elevation change of 4,050(-3,100). I'm finally starting to feel stronger though I think it's because the trail has been easier lol. The Transcaucasian Trail crew has done an amazing job creating this trail and adding blazes! We started the day in a beautiful (but wet) daisy meadow while climbing our way up another 2,000 feet (seems most mornings start like this) we had a pretty nice trail or road the whole day, switching between meadow and woods. The smell of all the flowers was amazing as well as the views. We passed many farm animals including horses, donkeys, pigs, chickens and cows. I had to stop and say hi to all of them. We ended the day in the beautiful small town of Tatev. Before heading to our guest stay we went to explore the Tatev Monastery. It is a 9th century Armenian Apostolic Christian monastery that is still a working monastery. It was amazing to walk around and see the old parts of the building mixed with the new restoration work. We booked a room at Saro's BnB where our amazing host cooked us one of the most delicious meals I've ever had! The meal included fried freshwater fish and potatoes, bean and rice soup, two salads, salt-cured pork fat, and green tea with homemade jam. We will also have breakfast here tomorrow before hitting the trail!

In Tatev we stayed at Saro B&B and Safari Tours. The rooms were traditional and small but clean. The host was very sweet and I definitely recommend getting dinner there, it was amazing.

Tatev to Sisian

Day 7 we hiked 15.7 miles with an elevation change of 3,560 (-3,816). In the morning we enjoyed a nice breakfast at Saro's BnB. We noticed that most breakfasts here consist of hard boiled eggs (1or2), lavash, butter and sour cream. Breakfast this morning also included apricot preserves, honey cake, cottage cheese curds, cucumber, herbal tea and Armenian coffee. The day started with a 2,000 foot descent down steep loose rock which resulted in me taking a pretty hard fall, but I'm okay. After we reached the bottom of the valley we immediately climbed right back up to a village called Harzhis. We headed straight to the convenience store looking for something to snack on. We found ice cream and a pork sausage so we were very happy. While we were enjoying our snacks a local had his granddaughter make us Armenian coffee and a plate of treats. We spent the next hour talking with a group of men switching between English, Russian and hand gestures. It was honestly my favorite part of the trip so far! After our goodbyes we headed back into the mountains and enjoyed some of the best scenery so far! The trail is still challenging, but I'm feeling stronger every day. Though my feet are pretty sore right now!😂

Day 8 we hiked 17.9 miles with an elevation change of 2,358 (-1,656). Today's hiking was pretty easy compared to the prior days. The valley and hills are so beautiful and filled with flowers. Most of today was on good trail, dirt road or the highway. We stopped at Vorotnavank Monastery and ended up leaving with another trail puppy. This one followed us all the way to the next town, which made us worry that she might not leave us. But once we got to town she did what all trail puppies do and found her own way. She was very sweet and playful and I will miss her! Once we got to Sisian we quickly went to the grocery store and grabbed what we needed for the next 100 miles stretch so we could do another BnB stay 5 miles outside of downtown. We are staying at Azoyan Holiday resort. It's super cute with great owners. It used to be a Soviet collective pig farm! It is supposed to have an amazing breakfast so we are hoping for more protein! We each carried out our own rotisserie chicken from town for dinner 😂 I couldn't finish mine so I asked the owners to please give the leftovers to his cute dogs.

In Sisian we stayed a few miles outside of town at Azoyan Holiday Resort. The room was big, clean and modern, though if you aren't doing the alt it is far from the trail. The host was very kind and the shared kitchen has everything you could need. We also enjoyed a very nice big breakfast before heading back to the trail.

Sisian to Yeghegnadzor

Day 9 we hiked 17.5 miles with an elevation change of 2,606(-1,244). What a crazy day. It started off good with a nice breakfast at our BnB followed by nice trail and dirt road walking. Around lunch we passed a convenience store and bought some coffee and snacks. After leaving town it was more road walking to the bottom of a valley and that's when things started to change lol. Without warning our trail ended and we were faced with hogsweed 5 feet tall. We tried to find a way around, but couldn't. So we put on our rain gear ( hogsweed can cause a nasty rash or blisters on exposed skin when the sun hits it) and walked on top of a 12 inch diameter pipe to avoid the worst of it. The trail was pretty in and out for a while (seems to be a theme). Finally we hit some two track and started cruising. We were starting to look for a place to camp when the sky turned dark gray, we knew we needed to hurry. Unfortunately we weren't fast enough and ended up pitching the tent in a pretty nasty hail storm. It was definitely worse than it sounds. It was freezing cold, with large hail and hard rain. By the time we got in the tent we were pretty wet and cold. Thankfully we warmed up quickly in our sleeping bags.

Day 10 we hike 19.09 miles with an elevation change of 2,810(-1859). It was a pretty good day. I slept pretty well despite the crazy night before and it wasn't raining when we woke up. We had a few miles of meadow cross country and some road walking. Mid morning we hit a roadside restaurant that served different wraps and had lunch there and packed one out for dinner. The shop owner asked what we were doing and when we told her she looked very confused, like every other local we have told. 😂The flowers were beautiful and the birds sang all day as the sun shined! Now I'm warm in my sleeping bag hoping tomorrow's path will be just as nice.

Day 11 we hiked 20 miles with an elevation change of 3,618(-4,577). The day did not start out great. The winds lasted most of the night and were steady at about 45 MPH. I wasn't worried about the tent, it's made for that, but the sound kept me up most of the night. With the lack of sleep the first climb of 2,200 feet felt like it took forever! After the climb we went right back down to a small village that seemed to only be occupied by dogs and cows. I still wasn't having the best time. After the next few miles we were back in another village, this one slightly bigger. And that's where the trail magic happened! Don and Seth stopped to ask a beekeeper if they could buy some of his honey, before we knew it we were invited in for coffee! The family's niece was there visiting from Yerevan and she spoke some English which helped a lot! We sat for an hour talking and sipping coffee. They even refused payment for the honey! Experience's like this is why the TCT appealed to me so much. The Armenian people are so amazing and their country is breathtakingly beautiful! After that the miles seemed to fly by and part of that is due to the amazing work the trail crew has done! About two miles into our hike we had another dog start to follow us, despite our best efforts to scare her off. We have a long stretch between towns and not enough food to give her any. After about 3 hours of trying to get her to turn around we gave up. We were relieved when near the end of the day I saw her start hunting and catch at least 3 mice and eat them! Hopefully she will realize in the next town that she should just stay there. We hiked a little extra so we could sleep near a church that was built a cave in 1286. It was a great camp site with an awesome sunset.

Day 12 we hiked 18.2 miles with an elevation change of 2,462(-2,748). It was a beautiful sunny day walking mostly on dirt roads. We are ahead of schedule so we slept in a little and took our time, which was nice because the full sun was hot today! The flowers and the green mountains are beautiful. I love seeing all the new-to-me flowers and old ruins. My body is definitely ready for a real break though. On 6 day stretches it's hard to carry enough food so towards the end I'm always hungry and my body starts to ache a little more. I named our trail dog sweetness, because she really is the sweetest. We are thinking she is pretty young based on her teeth and I pray she can find a good loving home in the next town. She loves to cuddle and get her ears scratched. Last night she slept in Seth's vestibule and I imagine she will again. And on a side note, I smell and am in need of a shower and laundry!😂

Day 13 we hiked 16.5 miles with an elevation change of 2,553(-4,945). The morning was really nice. Sweetness slept in our vestibule all night. Even though I watched her hunt all day I didn't actually see her eat anything so I gave her a little of my breakfast. The trail was well marked and nicely groomed thanks to all the hard work by the TCT trail crew. We decided to hike half a mile off trail to go to a Noravank Monastery that had a restaurant! This was the hottest weather we've hiked in so far so the extra 500ft climb in the full sun was not fun. Once we made it to the monastery Sweetness took off looking for a less adventurous family. 😂 We were so excited for a hot meal only to find out the restaurant was closed on Sundays. 😞 You could see the disappointment on all of our faces. But the Noravank church was really awesome to see. Throughout the day the grass hills began to change into a more desert scene. The red rocks were beautiful, but the temperature was too hot for me! The climb after the monastery seemed to go on forever and Seth and I needed a few shade breaks on the way up! Tomorrow is town day and I am SO excited! We bought some kind of bulk pasta in the last town and it's not very good and definitely not a wheat pasta. It turned into kind of a sticky mess like wet bread. I'm ready for some real food!

Day 14 we hike 6.1 miles with an elevation change of 600(-450). I was so ready for town! My body desperately needs food and more protein. We did stop several times to eat mulberries along the trail, my hands and face were stained purple 😂 We headed to a food court that we had stopped at on our marshrutka ride to Meghri. We sat for 3 hours just buying more food and drinks. Then we all had a much needed shower and did laundry! We also got to hang out with some other TCT hikers and now we are best friends and going to buy horses together in Mongolia! There is just something special about trail/travel friends.

In Yeghenadzor we stayed at Eleven-11. The room was big, modern and clean. There is also a well equipped shared kitchen and outdoor space with a beautiful flower garden. The hosts are very kind and ready to help you in any way.

Yeghenadzor to Sevan

Day 15 we hiked no miles! I hope you are enjoying my "daily" posts. This is the first time I've kept a nightly trail journal and I feel it better represents how thru-hiking is for me. It's the most beautiful, wonderful thing, but it's also hard. Sometimes it sucks and I don't understand why I'm doing it again. Then I get to the top of a ridge or get a good night sleep and all the bad fades away. It's definitely medicine for my soul. I am often hiking behind everyone so it's just me and the mountains and the animals and the flowers and everything just feels right and I feel at peace. We spent the day going to a few small shops to get our food ready for the next stretch. It's another 100 miles between towns, so I'm not super excited about the weight of my pack with the 4,000 foot climb the first day. I am excited that we will be at 11,000+ feet in the Gegham mountains! Yeghegnadzor is an amazing small town with amazing people. It's also one of the most beautiful cities we have stayed in. I could definitely see myself coming back here. Don and I went out for an amazing meal at a local restaurant AknArevi. The food and the people were wonderful! If you are ever here I definitely recommend staying at Guest House eleven-11

Day 16 we hiked 17.3 miles with an elevation change of 4,564(-3,054). Carrying 6 days of food is never fun, especially when you have a lot of climbing. Most of the day we were on trails or dirt roads so that definitely helped. A few miles into our hike in a small village, a young boy, probably 10, ran out to give me a flower and his friend did the same. It's definitely made my morning! They didn't say a word, just handed me the flowers, smiled and ran away. It is a special memory I will carry with me forever! We past by 2 church's today the first one The small, picturesque monastery of Spitakavor (“White-ish”), also known as Tsaghkavank (“Monastery of Flowers”), consists mainly of the church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). It was built in 1321 by two Proshian princes on the site of a 5th-century basilica. The modern grave outside is of Garegin Nzhdeh, buried here for a second time in 1987. The second known as Shatik Hermitage, Shativank was founded in 929 but destroyed in the 14th century. The three-aisle basilica church of St. Sion was rebuilt in 1665. Ruined ancillary buildings litter the walled compound. Its location and size suggest an important religious, cultural and mercantile centre. Both were really special to spend time in and we bought a candle to light at each. Now we are in the tent on a beautiful ridge and I'm hoping it doesn't get too windy!

Day 17 we hiked 19.5 miles with an elevation change of 3,150(-1,535). Well it wasn't windy overnight, but at about 5:30 am a huge gust of wind came and pulled one of our stakes out ( we knew it wasn't in very well). Our tent needs all 4 corner stakes to stay up right so the back wall was starting to fall in. Thankfully Don was awake when it happened so he hopped out and got it fixed quickly and I went back to sleep! The rain and wind stopped before we packed up and the rest of the day was pretty beautiful. On the climb up I almost stepped on a baby viper, my foot was about half an inch from it! I jumped and it ducked lol. We've seen many vipers on this trip and they all do their best to avoid us! We did an off trail hike to Selim Caravanserai, at 2,410m elevation, is Armenia’s best preserved Silk Road-era merchants’ inn. It was constructed in 1332 and sensitively restored in 1956–9. It was pretty amazing to see how well preserved the building was. They allow hikers to sleep there as well, but the miles didn't line up for us. We found a beautiful camp overlooking a river and also into the Gegham mountains that we will enter tomorrow. There is still snow up there, but hopefully not too much where we will be. This trail is still challenging for me with the steep elevation change and now at 8,000 feet I find it even harder. But I still love it and I think it's the most amazing way to experience Armenian. We will see how I feel tomorrow at 10,000 feet in the rain! I'm so grateful for all the water fountains around Armenia, not having to filter water all the time saves a lot of time!

Day 18 we hiked 18.63 miles with an elevation change of 2,996(-694) Today the trail gods blessed us! Our weather report said we would get .5 inches of rain between 11am-5pm with thunder storms. All day we watched the storms form behind us and in front of us just waiting for it to hit us and they never did. We experienced a few very light rain and hail storms, but they were over in a matter of minutes. The elevation gain was on a pretty nice trail and at a good grade which makes it so much easier. Don't get me wrong I still felt like I was dying at the top of every climb, but I got up it quicker. We also had 2 warnings about aggressive dogs at shepherds camps, but thankfully the shepherds haven't moved this high yet. We climbed to 10,092 feet today and the views were spectacular! The wildflowers have also begun blooming and make all the mountains that much more beautiful. Shortly after our summit we stopped at an old Soviet building that a local villager said was a strategic installation of some kind in Soviet times. On a clear day it's possible to see hundreds of km beyond the Iron Curtain and into Turkey, so it kind of makes sense, but it could also be a complete lie. Now we are camping at 9,800 feet with a clear view of Mount Ararat which is in Turkey!

Day 19 we hiked 15.8 miles with an elevation change of 2,735 (-2,024). Today was the best day ever! Also the coldest and the wettest even though it didn't rain. Right away we went through the "obsidian river". Obsidian is a type of glass-like volcanic rock and it's absolutely beautiful! I think we spent over an hour in the valley just looking at the different pieces. It was definitely worth it. Next we headed to a snow crossing that had us a little nervous, because the TCTA said it could be steep. It wasn't bad at all and I even slid down it on my butt. It was a lot of fun! The views today were amazing in every direction, we could even see Lake Sevan! As we scoped out our next path we realized there was more snow and we would have to take a different path to our pass. At this point I think we were all done with the snow, but it wasn't done with us. The sun has started to melt the snow and it became a slushy mess with some thigh deep postholing. The last few miles to camp were a mix of slushy snow and puddles. Our feet were soaked and pretty cold. Most of the day was windy and pretty bitter cold. It was also almost all off trail today which makes travel a bit slower. But it was still the best day ever!

Day 20 we hiked 22.3 miles with an elevation change of 177(-4,300). We woke up with frozen shoes this morning 😑 It's not really surprising considering we were surrounded by snow. As we continued to descend the temperature got warmer. It was like going from winter to spring in one day. The hillsides became greener then were covered with wildflowers again. We started seeing more and more shepherds with their sheep and cows. We only came across one aggressive dog and the owner quickly came out and grabbed him. I could believe how many volcanos were out here! It really is a sight to see. Tomorrow is town day and you guessed it, I'm in desperate need of a shower and food!

Day 21 we hiked 5.2 miles with an elevation change of 77(-214) We were awake for maybe 30 mins when 2 cowboys came through with their herd of cows. They found us sleeping in the tent to be very interesting. We had met them last night right before we set up as they were bringing the herd down. They were very friendly and checked to make sure we were okay! The first thing we did in Sevan was eat! We had delicious traditional dishes and some BBQ lamb. I can't wait to explore Sevan some more, but laundry and showers first!

In Sevan we stayed at Sweet Home. This is a traditional studio apartment that has a full kitchen as well as a washing machine. It was close to the main shopping area and the hosts were very helpful and friendly.

Sevan to Dilijan

Day 22 we hiked 0 miles! We spent the day exploring Sevan, resting and of course eating!

Day 23 we hiked 22.3 miles with an elevation change of 2,461 (-2,958). We started off the day with a good breakfast, Don scrambled up 20 eggs! We passed a lot of shepherds today moving their cows and sheep. Stopped in a small village today for an ice cream and a local invited us in for coffee, but we had to decline this time to get to camp. Towards the end of the day we entered Dilijan National Park. The open meadows slowly began to get trees until we were fully in a dimly lit forest surrounded by oak trees. It was so nice to be in the cool damp forest. I'm excited to see more of the park tomorrow. In town I was able to buy a huge piece of aveluk, think spinach, but better! They pick it in the spring, braid it, then dry it for later use. It lasts a very long time like this and tastes AMAZING in my pasta.

Day 24 we hike 17.72 miles with an elevation change of 2,242 (-3,897) . This morning wasn't too great when I started eating my buckwheat and realized it didn't taste right. After talking with Seth we agreed it was probably moldy 😑 Note to self, spend more the .65 cents on a bag, lol thankfully I didn't eat more then a few bits. The rest of the day was pretty nice. I enjoyed being in the forest and out of the sun, though the humidity was killing me on the climbs. Mid morning we arrived at a small village called Gosh where we had planned on grabbing a quick snack then leaving. Once there we decided to have lunch, then coffee, then a snack and we had to stop and check out the church lol. Our quick stop became two hours. Thankfully the trail was really nice today so we still made it to the hostel by 5:30 pm. Showered, had dinner and did our resupply shopping. Now it's time for sleep!

In Dilijan we stayed at the Dilijan Hiker Hostel. There are two mixed bunk rooms, a shared kitchen and bathroom as well as a washing machine. This is a great place to meet other hikers as well as support Tom Allen, who is the author of the Armenian trail guide

Dilijan to Alaverdi

Day 25 we hiked 11.5 miles with an elevation change of 3,139(-2,576) . We stayed in town until about noon packaging our resupply for the next stretch then went and got some coffee and waffles before we started hiking. The heat really got to me today. It's not just the temperature, it's the humidity. It was just awful on the climb out of town, to the point that I was like "why the heck am I doing this again" I was drenched in sweat and felt like I was going to have a heat stroke. I just wanted the day to be over, but there is no way but forward. Once I made it to the top I collapsed and took in the view. As also once I cooled off I felt better about the day. Especially since it was all downhill and I knew there would be food at the end of the day! We made it to the monastery around 5 pm and bought some compote and gata (a delicious Armenian bread) , this one filled with apricots and thyme. We bought one for breakfast tomorrow too, that one is cheese and tarragon. We are now in our tent right outside Haghartsin Monastery, one of Armenia's most visited monasteries built in the 10th century and extensively renovated beginning in 2010. We are very grateful for the opportunity to sleep here and that the priest came out to talk to us and show us where we could camp!

Day 26 we hiked 18.48 miles with an elevation change of 3,890(-2,286) . Today was hard! It started with a big climb up a dirt road that had turned to mud that stuck to your shoes. Every step forward I went half a step back. The humidity was also intense making the climb even harder. Then all 3 of us (separate times) ended up going through a field of stinging nettle. The pain was so intense once I was on the ridge I took 800mg ibuprofen and a 4 hour allergy pill. For the rest of the day my legs felt like I was being poked with electrified needles, not fun. I took some Benadryl so hopefully I can get some sleep tonight.

Day 27 we hike 20.02 miles with an elevation change of 2,847(-3,654). (It's long but worth the read) Today was a pretty special day. Shortly after we began hiking it started raining so we decided to cut through a small village to make things a little easier. Once we entered the village a nice couple invited us in for some coffee, at first we said no thank you, but they insisted and we were wet and cold. They took us into their home and told us to sit by the fire. It was wonderful! They then made us some delicious Armenian coffee. We communicated through some Russian and hand gestures, I always forget to pull out Google translate. While we were enjoying our coffee a young woman who spoke English came in. She invited us to her family's home to try some rejan (I think) a milk product they make in their village. When we got there we were warmly welcomed by her mother, father and grandmother, and little brother then we were served a feast! We had boiled pork skin, salad, 2 types of cheese, pickles, bread, khashlama (sheep preserved in fat, then boiled) juice and cake! Her little brother turned 9 the day before so we had some of his birthday cake. Everything was so amazing! As we were eating we watched her mother stretch and hang the same cheese we were enjoying. Life there looked amazing, definitely hard work, but their connection to the land, animals and each other was something to be admired. Her younger brother brought a horse around and she asked if I would like to get on! 😁 I'm sure you can guess my answer! Her Grandmother even offered us to spend the night and if Seth wasn't ahead of us we would have. They made us feel like family. When we were leaving her father said (his daughter wrote this into my Google translate) "դուք կարող եք ասել միուսնեին որ կան մեր նման հյուրասեր մարդիկ մարդկությունը չի վերացել մեզ մոտ" which translates to "You can tell others that there are hospitable people like us, humanity has not disappeared among us." I honestly felt tears in my eyes as he spoke even before I knew the translation. You could feel the sincerity as he spoke. The warmth and the kindness we have experienced with the Armenian people proves this statement to be true. This is a day that will stay close to my heart and I am beyond grateful for❤️

Day 28 we hiked 7.82 miles with an elevation change of 1084(-3709) Town day!!! I am in desperate need of a shower and clean laundry! A large amount of this section was in mud that was mostly made up of animal poop and pee😂, yesterday Don slipped in the mud and as I went to help him I fell!🤣 I found this to be a lot more comical then he did. At the end of the day we went through Sanahin Monastery, an incredible 10th century complex. and past a 12th century medieval spring, both were really impressive!

In Alaverdi we stayed at Guest House in Alaverdi. Our room was big, clean and modern. There is also a shared kitchen though we didn't use it. We also had my favorite breakfast here and the owner was so friendly and really made us feel like family! In town we had dinner at Buffet, it was definitely my favorite “fast food” restaurant. The guys each ordered their own whole rotisserie chicken and I had the best cheese burger I've ever had outside the US!

Alaverdi to Lake Arpi

Day 29 we hiked 12 miles with an elevation change of 2,464(-1,400). We decided to hike a short day to the next town and get another BnB! Right after we started I got a small migraine so I quickly took some ibuprofen and hoped for the best. The meds definitely helped but it wasn't fun. I decided to skip a higher up church and take a different, more direct road to a river ford. Unfortunately because of all the rain that fell when we were in Alaverdi the ford looked too deep and fast for me so we decided to back track and take a highway that connects the two towns. The road walk was quite nice! We stopped at a 6th century Church that was built on top of a 4th century Church! It's incredible how well it has held up, it was truly beautiful. Now I am nice and cozy in our BnB!

Day 30 we hiked 17.99 miles with an elevation change of 2,809(-2,070). Man, just when I thought this trail was getting easier it changed things up! The incline today was intense and the trail was very overgrown at times. And not with nice plants, but with irritating ones and ones with thorns. Though we did walk through Kobayr Monastery from the 12 century with the best frescos I've seen in Armenia. At lunch a young lady from Yerevan sat with us and we got to chat with her for a while. She spoke perfect English so we learned a lot. At the end of the day we walked through Kurtan which had 3 convenience stores and we stopped at all 3! I had two ice creams and a Coke, the stores were less then 1/4 mile apart 😂

Day 31 we hiked 18.53 miles with an elevation change of 2,197(-2,254). Today was a pretty cruisy day. In the morning we stopped by Stepanavan Dendropark, an arboretum that contains over 500 introduced species, but the highlight was one of the grounds keepers. We talked with him for 20 minutes about what we were doing and what he does around the park. He was a very interesting guy! When we were leaving he tried to give us money for lunch! We thanked him profusely and explained we had enough money. They guys also bought some different flower syrups, I'm excited to try it. When we were leaving the shop owner called me over and gave me a bundle of dried thyme to make tea with! We then made our way to Gargar where we had some BBQ from a fast food place and of course ice cream and coffee! Shortly after that we made it to Stepanavan where we did our last resupply for Armenia 😢 It's hard to believe we will be moving on to Georgia in just 3 days! I'm both excited and sad, Armenia will always hold a special place in my heart. After our resupply we grabbed some dinner then hiked a few miles out of town to a pretty river camp.

Day 32 we hiked 20.48 miles with an elevation change of 4,359(-749). The trail today was pretty good, a lot of old roads and any cross country was in beautiful meadows so who can complain about that. We went through a small village called Katnaghbyur where we stopped for an ice cream and soda. We chatted with the local kids a little and one of the young boys gave me a plum, it was delicious. The generosity and kindness starts young here! We climbed up quite a bit today and I'm so happy to be in the cooler temperatures. The stream and rivers up here are absolutely beautiful and the air smells of flowers. I will miss Armenia immensely!

Day 33 we hiked 23.5 miles with an elevation change of 1,907(-1,308) When we woke up the sky was pretty gray and cloudy and we could hear thunder ⛈️ in the distance. We packed the stuff in our pack liners and hoped the storm wouldn't be that bad. Right as we got our packs on it started at rain 😑 so we pulled out our umbrellas and started to hike. Thankfully it only drizzled and was over in 5 minutes! The day was mostly on dirt roads with some cross country through some meadows. The smell of the flowers in the morning sun was intoxicating. In the afternoon we stopped at a spring and picnic shelter for water and a rest. While we were there a nice family pulled in and said hello. The mother called me over and she had her daughter (maybe 3) give me the most beautiful poppy and blow me kisses! I also noticed the mom was holding a bunch of yellow flowers, she showed me how to eat them and gave me the bunch! The steams are crunchy and sweet! The people in Armenia are really amazing! She called me over again and gave me an herb to make tea with. I truly admire their knowledge of the land!

Day 34 we hiked 5.7 miles with an elevation change of 116(-80). It was a short easy hike to lake Arpi this morning. When we got there we asked someone to help us order a taxi to the border. Once that was arranged we took the final steps to the Armenian TCT monument. I am sad to leave Armenia as it has been a life changing experience, but I am excited to see what Georgia has in store for us. We paid 6,000 Dram ($15.61 USD) for our taxi ride which was about double what we had paid for similar rides, but we were too tired to try and find another way. We walked through the border which was very easy and we were able to hitch a ride for 20 GEL ($7.35 USD) the 14 miles to Ninotsminda, Georgia. Once in town we ate! Now it's time for showers, laundry and a nap! Also they had the box we shipped from Tbilisi to the hotel over a month ago waiting for us when we arrived! I just added up our miles for Armenia and the total was 507.32!