Walking tour | Hovvahanavnk Monastery - Kasagh Gorge - Saghmosavank Monastery

Walking tour | Hovvahanavnk Monastery - Kasagh Gorge - Saghmosavank Monastery

This hike, in the Aragatsotn region, will take you through beautiful mountainous scenery and to the Hovhannavank and Saghmosavank monasteries. You will see the Hatis mountain (2,524 m) to the east, Ararat (5,165m) to the west, Ara (2,605 m) to the south, and Aragats (4,095m) - Armenia’s highest peak - to the north. The hike will first take you to Hovhannavank, then down into the river gorge, and along the river up to Saghmosavank. Chapels and monasteries made of stone can be found in ruins along the way. Caves and animal dens are spread along the canyon. The return is from Saghmosavank village.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Hovhannavank Monastery, Ohanavan Armenia

Hovhannavank is a medieval monastery located in the village of Ohanavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The monastery stands on the edge of the Kasagh River canyon, and its territory is adjacent to the village of Ohanavan. The deep gorge is carved by the Kasagh River.
Hovhannavank Monastery (built between the 5th - 13th centuries) rests on the right edge of the Kasakh river gorge in the Ohanavan village. It was dedicated to John the Baptist, and was a part of the historic Ararat province of Greater Armenia. Legend credits its’ founding to Gregory the Illuminator (3rd – 4th centuries).

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kasagh River, Artashavan Armenia

Kasagh is a river in the west-central region of Armenia which flows north to south. It originates near Mount Aragats in Aragatsotn province, flows south into Armavir province and into the Metsamor River, which itself is a tributary of the Aras River.

Duration: 5 hours

Stop At: Saghmosavank, Saghmosavan 0211, Armenia

Saghmosavank Monastery stands on the edge of the deep Kasakh river gorge. Built by Prince Vache Vachutyan and his dynasty in the 13th century, the monastery consists of the St. Sion and St. Astvatsatsin (St. Holy Mother of God) churches, a narthex and a scriptorium. St. Sion is the main church of the complex; it is a domed church with several aisles and a four-pillared narthex on its west side. The scriptorium-church is located on the southeast of St. Sion.

Duration: 40 minutes