The Armenian section of the Transcaucasian Trial has been launched.
For the past five years, the team has been chipping away at the monumental task of creating a 3,000-kilometer trail network across the Caucasus. It’s been slow work finding old trails, building new trails, and creating the resources necessary to help hikers have a safe and enjoyable experience.
This marks the first country section in the international TCT. The Armenia trail will connect to Georgia, eventually taking hikers all the way to the Greater Caucasus.
Stretching 832 kilometers from Lake Arpi in the north to the town of Meghri in the south, the Armenia route is part ancient trails, part newly built trails, part Soviet jeep tracks, and part open terrain. It incorporates historic routes between villages and cultural monuments that have been explored and mapped by our team in Armenia, as well as newly constructed trails that connect these historic routes together.
Together, it’s a preliminary route that experienced and self-sufficient hikers should be able to use to traverse the length of Armenia.
The Transcaucasian Trail has put together a small team to test the route, including representatives from the Transcaucasian Trail Association, the TCT NGO of Armenia, the TCT NGO of Georgia, and the wide network of hikers and partner organizations who have helped bring the trail to life.
Tom Allen, Roffi Petrossian, and Meagan Neal– are aiming to thru-hike the whole route. Along the way, they will be joined at various points by other members of the TCT community.
The 40 days of self-supported hiking started at Lake Arpi on Monday. From there the team will head south through some of Armenia’s most spectacular cultural and natural landscape, traveling through 6 regions of Armenia, walking an average of 25km a day and camping along the way.
“We’ll climb some of Armenia’s most iconic peaks, including Azhdahak and Khustup. We’ll walk beside the gorgeous lakes of Arpi and Sevan. We’ll explore the national parks of Dilijan and Arevi and the canyons and gorges of Dzoraget and Debed. We’ll visit the dramatically positioned Noravank and Tatev monasteries, pass through the Yeghegis and Arax valleys, and follow the Arpa and Vorotan rivers. And we’ll conclude the journey in Meghri, Armenia’s southern gateway,” Meagan Neal said.
