Ascent of Mount Sevazhayr

• peaksam June 26, 2021October 4, 2026

We organized the first overnight hike of 2021 on June 26. We set off to the Vayots Dzor region and set up our tents half a kilometer from the village of Sevazhayr. Our goal was to climb Mount Sevazhayr, which is 2,727 m high. 59 people took part in these two-day adventures, 47 of them children. By 13:30 the tents were pitched and the children fed, which meant the fun bustle of the camp could begin. Some were playing volleyball, some were building a pool in the river, one group was flying a kite, and once the pool was ready, some even started playing water volleyball. Some of the boys were in a hurry and very quickly started gathering wood for the evening campfire.

The most impressive was the volleyball… We renamed it “kick it if you can”, since we played with whatever we could: hands, feet, heads, the main thing being that the ball didn’t leave the circle.

In the evening, a round of the dodgeball-style game “Duck Hunters” began, and later, a stone game.

The first day was full of games, which is a very good way to fully relieve stress. Big and small had mixed together and gone off into the world of fairy tales.

What kind of camp would it be if there were no need to gather around a campfire, toast lavash on a skewer and cook marshmallows, potatoes and bell peppers?

This overnight hike gave many their first experience of sleeping in a tent, and their impressions could be read in the morning on their sleepy faces.

At 07:00 in the morning we started the ascent: calmly at first, then with slightly faster steps. The first part of the route was very easy to cover, since the slopes were gentle, and from the middle of the route the difficult ascent began. Sevazhayr is a mountain with rocky slopes and a rocky summit, with slopes covered in greenery and flowers. It has a very attractive and majestic appearance, seems inaccessible, and that is exactly what attracts those who love to climb mountains. Halfway along the route a dog joined us, which had probably been to the summit of Sevazhayr many times. The children were feeding the dog, taking care of it. Everyone managed to reach the summit, admire the views from there, and rest on the summit with a feeling of victory. In the distance, Vayotssar and the peaks of the Vardenis Mountains could be seen: Astghonk, Sokhasar, Sandukhtasar, Vardenis and others.

After returning from the summit we rested a little, after which we packed up the camp and returned to Yerevan.

We walked 11 km and covered 700 m of total elevation gain.