Tsovagyugh – Lake Gosh Trail

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Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

To reach the trail, you'll need to get to the village of Tsovagyugh. It is most convenient to travel by taxi. Taxi services are quite affordable throughout Armenia and it is recommended to take a cab with a taximeter. Yerevan is 78km away from the village of Tsovagyugh, so the drive there takes 1 hr. 10 min. and costs 7,800 – 8,000 AMD (by taxi). Alternatively, you can get to Tsovagyugh by Dilijan transportation (which runs on an hourly basis) from the Yerevan Northern Bus Station. The cost is 1000 AMD. Then you can get to the beginning of the trail either by running or by hitchhiking.

This trail begins in the province of Gegharkunik and ends in the Tavush province. The trail starts in Tsovagyugh, which is located on the bank of Pokr (Small) Sevan. From the top of the village, you can enjoy the impressive views of shining lake Sevan and the surrounding woods, in harmony with Geghama mountains to the south. The best time to run this trail is April to October.

Running few kilometers up, you'll cross the Tavush province border and reach the Dilijan National Park. On the peaks and slopes of the mountains, you'll come across small lakes created by rains and snowmelt.

The mountain range of Miapor (2,993m) is the highest peak in the northwest. You'll run through valleys, and be able to enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Gosh in the village of Gosh. Lake Gosh is a small 100m long drainage basin surrounded with beautiful trees. Then you must run by the marked trail towards the Goshavank monastery, one of the mysterious medieval monasteries of the Tavush province to reach the town of Goshavank.

Flora: The Dilijan woods occupy a territory of more than 340,000 ha. In 2002 the area for preserving national forests (established in 1958) was established and subsequently called the Dilijan National Park. About 40 valuable species of trees, in particular, hornbeam, oak, beech and 18 species of shrubs grow in the woods. There are also 123 species of plants used in food supplements, being evaluated on the basis of their use. About 180 species of herbs grow here (perennial, mint, thyme, Marrubium vulgare, snake bryony, etc.). There are also many species of mushrooms in the woods, the majority of which are use as food supplements. The variety of herbs and flowers in these high mountain meadows is very impressive. The slopes, at an altitude of 600-2,000m, are forested. The main species of trees in the forests are oriental beech, oak, hornbeam, linden, maple and yew.