At Devil’s Bridge, numerous mineral springs form a natural pool where visitors can enjoy a healing bath outdoors. Springs beneath the bridge add to the flow of water there. Bathing and the water’s distinctive formation go hand in hand here—a striking introduction to Syunik’s varied nature and cultural experiences.
Water, Hiking Trails and Landscapes
From Tatev Monastery, you can hike the Devil’s Bridge Trail to Devil’s Bridge; the free HIKEArmenia app is available for this. Canyoning adventures in Syunik also pass through Vorotan Canyon and lead to Devil’s Bridge. For a longer hiking route, the Legends Trail connects Goris and Kapan over 150 kilometers. Each of these trails and activities leads to its own discoveries, without needing to combine them into a single route.
The Vorotan is Syunik Region’s main water supplier and also an important natural landscape in Armenia. In Arevik National Park, the landscape lies on the southern slope of the Meghri spur of the Zangezur Range and in the watersheds of the Astghadzor and Nyuvadi rivers. Wildlife and bird watching are possible there. Another striking natural feature is Shaki Waterfall in Syunik Province: it is 18 meters high.
High-altitude settings also shape the nature experiences. At 3,201 meters, Mount Khustup is the highest peak of the Katar Range in Syunik. At Oughtasar, ancient rock paintings dating from the 5th to the 2nd millennium BC have been preserved at an altitude of about 3,300 meters. These landscapes bring together a high mountain and archaeological traces from the distant past.
Archaeology, Churches and Historic Neighborhoods
Zorats Karer, also known as Karahunj, is an archaeological site in the Syunik highlands near Sisian. Large, upright basalt slabs form a striking pattern there: they are arranged partly in circles and partly in rows. Their arrangement and the dark basalt give the site a distinctive character that you can discover as you look around.
The Mrgadzor Khach Church is located in Old Khot. Baghak Kar, also known as Baghakakar Fortress, is one of Syunik’s well-known fortresses. Meghri’s Pokr Tagh reveals another side of the region’s cultural heritage: this old quarter has narrow, cobbled lanes and centuries-old houses carved into the rock. Textile and carpet weaving have also been preserved in Syunik.
Museums offer further insight into regional collections. The Sisian History Museum has an ethnographic collection from Syunik, including household items, traditional clothing and textiles. The Goris Local Lore Museum houses more than 5,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects. Together with the continuing weaving tradition, these collections and practices offer different ways to explore history and craftsmanship.
Activities and Travel Planning
Other options include horseback rides in the village of Antarashat, with views of Mount Tapasar. Around Tatev, the hike to Devil’s Bridge has a clearly identified starting point: the monastery. The Wings of Tatev cable car, also known as Tatever, connects the village of Halidzor with the village of Tatev, where the monastery is located. Options for getting to the monastery include a private or group tour, a rental car or a taxi; public transport takes you to the nearby town of Goris.
If you’re looking for a hotel in Syunik, you can plan your trip around the discoveries that interest you most: nature and wildlife watching, archaeological sites and historic buildings, or hiking and horseback riding. These different themes give you a concrete starting point for finding suitable accommodation without limiting the region to just one way of traveling.
Discover More Destinations:
Goris, Kapan, Sissian, Halidzor, Tatev, Meghri, Ashotavan, Agarak
For the broader travel guide: Armenia.
