Luckily we have plenty of mountains in Armenia for all those who like to go around a mountain. Last week we ventured to cycle around mount Hatis and that was a beautiful ride! So we decided to try out another route, this time around Mount Ara.
The mountain is a bit of a legend itself. It’s said to be where Ara the Handsome situated his troops when fighting with the Assyrian queen Semiramis. The shape of the mountain resembles Ara’s profile with nose sticking out as the most prominent piece. If not the clouds, you could see that for yourself, but I am afraid you will have to cycle there to see it.
As you can see on the map below we have made the journey from left to right with the idea to make the highway piece in the early morning before the traffic hits the road. This would still be fine if not for an off-road segment that you have to go uphill this way. It starts right when you are on the mountain slopes and start circling it. So I think going downhill would make it a lot more enjoyable and would rather turn the journey around. That way you will have an excellent asphalt until the northern point of the route where Yernjatap village is. Only after the next village/summer house place the asphalt will disappear but you will be going downhill and that should be fun.
Practical Info
Route 
Elevation Profile
- Type: round trip
- Length: 89km
- Climb: 1260m
- Altitude: 1030-1930m
- Surface: mostly asphalt (destroyed in some parts) + an off-road segment
- Difficulty: medium-hard
- Sightseeing: Mount Ara, Kasagh river gorge
- Food: there are a few villages on the way, but it’s best to stock up before leaving the village of Nor Erznka
- Drink: public water sources are available along the way; when in doubt – ask locals
- Best season: year-round but take care of the off-road segment as it can get very muddy after the rain
- Link to Komoot Tour
If you like overnight trips with camping, this spot below was quite spectacular. It’s right before you enter (or exit if you choose to ride vice-versa) the summerhouses. On the photo below, Mount Ara is on my right, ahead and to the left is the beautiful gorge of Kasagh river and ahead are Tsaghkunyats Mountains.
The second part of the journey is nothing but enjoying the wind and the scenery and hitting the breaks from time to time. The road in either direction will pass through several villages so you can buy something to eat and get fresh water.
All in all, it’s an excellent day trip or a weekend overnight trip for any medium-level cyclist. As always, I recommend leaving early in order to complete the climb before it gets hot, plan your stops well and enjoy the views.
