The weathered walls of Berdakar guard a hilltop in Tavush, one of Armenia's protected heritage sites.
A stronghold on the heights
Berdakar — a name that itself means "fortress-stone" — crowns a defensible rise in Armenia's wooded Tavush region. Recognized among the country's cultural heritage monuments, it belongs to the long line of medieval fortresses that once watched over the valleys and roads of the Armenian highlands.
A three-day journey through southern Armenia. A night in Goris, visits to Khndzoresk and the cave churches. One of the country’s most striking routes.
Walls that read the land
Fortresses like this were never placed by chance. Their builders chose the steep ground, the long sightlines, the natural cliffs that did half the defending for them. Even in ruin, the layout still tells you where the danger was expected to come from.
A two-day ascent of Armenia’s highest mountain. Lake Kari at 3,200 m, an overnight at the station, a morning push to the southern (4,094 m) or western peak. For the well-prepared only.
The stones have fallen quiet, but the hill still remembers why they were raised.
Climbing to Berdakar
A one-day tour from Yerevan to Tatev Monastery, riding the world’s longest cableway. Lunch in Khot and a guided tour of the monastery.
The reward of the climb is as much the view as the walls — green ridges, forest and valley opening out below. Wear sturdy shoes and take your time on the slope.
Weather on these heights can change fast, with sun giving way to cloud or a cool wind, so check the forecast for the nearest point before you set out.
From Yerevan to this place a car or transfer is the most convenient — public transport reaches most Armenian places rarely. Plan a day for the road plus at least half a day for the place itself.
Stay nearby
Where to stay if you're going for a day or more
Old Dilijan — the Shamiryan guesthouse
A 19th-century craftsmen’s wooden house, restored by local masters. Forested Armenia at the doorstep, bicycles in the garage.
An eco-lodge in Yenokavan
Wooden cabins in a meadow, 10 minutes from the Dilijan–Ijevan road. Forest trails in the morning, spa and dinner by the fireplace in the evening.
Riverside cabins in Gosh
Six separate cabins by the river, each with a fire pit. Goshavank is a 5-minute walk away, plus the forest trails of Dilijan park.