On the Summit of Mount Astghonk
On June 28, 2026, we set off for the Vardenis Mountains. Our goal was to climb Mount Astghonk (3,470 m), the second-highest peak of the range. Astghonk is located in the Gegharkunik region, in the central part of the Vardenis Mountains. On the mountain’s south-facing slopes lies the area known as the “Seven Lakes” — a cluster of small lakes close to one another.
We left Yerevan early in the morning. This year we deliberately started our “summer hikes” very early. At the same time, we were preparing for the ascent of Mount Ararat, so it was necessary to adapt not only to altitude and physical exertion, but also to waking early and walking at dawn.
By 9 a.m. we were already in Martuni. We’d loaded into a truck and were speeding toward the starting point of the climb. After covering about half the off-road stretch, we found ourselves in an indescribably beautiful gorge. On both sides rose the steep peaks of the Vardenis Mountains, one after another, while the Martuni River rushed through the gorge below.
Here nature seemed to have mixed up the seasons. Bright summer green blended with wide strips of snow still clinging to the slopes. Deep blue sky, white and gray clouds, snow-capped summits, green slopes, and dark rock faces came together to form one vast, living canvas.
During the climb we passed alongside patches of snow, walking through green valleys and high slopes. The higher we climbed, the wider our view became, revealing a panorama of the snow-covered, rolling peaks of the Vardenis range. Clouds sometimes thickened over the ridge, sometimes parted to reveal the sky’s bright blue, changing the landscape’s colors and mood by the minute.
That day we covered 10.5 km and gained 800 meters in elevation. One more beautiful and important climb was added — not only to our hiking history, but also to the road of preparation for Ararat.
- Route length: 10.5 km
- Elevation gain: 800 m
- Astghonk’s height: 3,470 m
