Things to Do in Tavush: Yenokavan, Lastiver and the Forest

Tavush is Armenia's green northeast — deep forests, mountain rivers, waterfalls and some of the country's best outdoor adventure, alongside monasteries genuinely hidden in the woods rather than standing beside a car park. Dilijan is the well-known part; here's everything else, with real depth on what doesn't have its own page yet.

What are the best things to do in Tavush?

Dilijan and its national park — Haghartsin, Goshavank, Lake Parz, Lake Gosh — are the essential first stop, and each has its own detailed guide on this site. Beyond that: Yenokavan and Lastiver for adventure and hiking, Ijevan as a base for the quieter monasteries and Tavush wine, Makaravank and the remote fortresses for travelers who want fewer crowds, and Tavush's forest food and craft culture throughout.

Dilijan and its park, briefly

Dilijan town, Dilijan National Park, Haghartsin and Goshavank monasteries, and the forest lakes Parz and Gosh are covered in full on their own pages — including the walking route linking Dilijan, both lakes and Goshavank, and the quieter forest monasteries of Jukhtak and Matosavank close to town. Start there for Tavush's best-known sights; what follows is everything else.

Yenokavan and Yell Extreme Park

Yenokavan, a small village above the dramatic Khachaghbyur Gorge, is Tavush's adventure hub. Yell Extreme Park, Armenia's first purpose-built adventure park, is the reason most people come: multiple ziplines running across forested canyon, a rope course, via ferrata, rock climbing, zorbing, off-road tours, horseback riding and paragliding — real terrain rather than a manufactured attraction. It's genuinely strong for families with older children, groups and younger travelers, and it fills a full day easily.

Horse riding is available in and around Yenokavan and Dilijan too, a slower, quieter way to see the same forested countryside — good for couples, families and anyone who wants nature without the adrenaline.

Hike to Lastiver

Starting from Yenokavan, the Lastiver hike is one of Tavush's best: dense forest, canyon walls, a river, and a genuine payoff at the end — a cave with old carved imagery, long associated with local shelter, and waterfalls hidden within the canyon that run strongest after rain or snowmelt. The combination — forest, cave, canyon, waterfall — is what makes it more rewarding than a single roadside stop, and it pairs naturally with Yenokavan for a full adventure day. Some travelers overnight nearby for a quieter, slower version of the same landscape.

Ijevan

The regional capital, on the Aghstev River, gives a more everyday picture of Tavush than the tourist-facing towns — markets, parks, restaurants, and a genuine wine tradition rather than a resort atmosphere. It's the practical base for Makaravank, the remote fortresses, and the eastern half of the region.

Tavush wine deserves its own mention: this cooler, greener northeast produces a noticeably different style from the dry vineyards of Vayots Dzor, Ararat or Armavir, built around aromatic white grapes including Kangun, Lalvari, Banants and Garan Dmak. Both commercial wineries and smaller family producers welcome visitors around Ijevan.

Makaravank Monastery

In forested mountains near Achajur, north of Ijevan, Makaravank developed mainly through the 12th and 13th centuries and stands out for particularly ornate carved decoration — window-frame carving and khachkars among Tavush's finest. It sees a fraction of Haghartsin or Goshavank's visitors, which makes it the natural next stop for anyone who wants another Tavush monastery without the crowds.

Nor Varagavank and Khoranashat

Nor Varagavank, developed mainly through the 12th and 13th centuries in eastern Tavush, is, according to tradition, connected to a relic of the Holy Cross — a story that gives a remote, lightly-visited site real weight for religious-heritage travelers.

Khoranashat Monastery, from the 13th century, was historically an important centre of learning, with a medieval school operating there. It sits near Tavush's northeastern border area, so check current access conditions before planning a visit.

The remote fortresses

Three fortresses reward travelers willing to hike for them. Aghjkaberd ("Girl's Fortress"), reached via a trail from Hovk, holds surviving defensive walls, water reservoirs, residential remains and a small church on its naturally defended mountain. Mantasheaberd (Ashot Erkat Fortress), south of Ijevan, occupies an early-medieval defensive position with real mountain views. Berdavan Fortress, in northern Tavush, has medieval origins but much of what's visible today reflects later rebuilding — a natural stop on a route toward Noyemberyan and the Georgian border.

Mount Dimats, Shaghot Waterfall and Mount Apakekar

Mount Dimats, at 2,378 m in the Ijevan mountain range, is Tavush's serious hiking objective — long, difficult, approached from Haghartsin or Hovk, with a rough 4x4 alternative on some routes. Treat it as a genuine mountain excursion, not a casual walk. Shaghot Waterfall, east of the mountain, is usually folded into that same longer hike or 4x4 trip rather than visited on its own.

For something more manageable, Mount Apakekar, around 1,651 m between Haghartsin and Hovk, is an increasingly popular alternative — real forest and mountain views for a half- or full-day hike, without Dimats's full commitment.

The Transcaucasian Trail

Tavush carries a substantial section of the long-distance Transcaucasian Trail, running through Dilijan National Park and connecting villages, monasteries, forests, lakes and mountain summits across the region. It's one of the strongest bases in Armenia for multi-day hiking, combining camping with village guesthouse stays along the way.

Forest food and foraging culture

Tavush's forests aren't just scenery — foraging for mushrooms, wild berries, herbs and medicinal plants remains part of everyday life here, more so than in most Armenian regions. A properly arranged foraging experience, done with a local guide rather than casually, is a genuine standout for food-focused or slow-travel itineraries.

The regional table draws directly on that: khashil (wheat-based) and korkot (wheat and pork), grilled pork khorovats, wild mushrooms and greens, mountain herbal teas from thyme, mint and chamomile, gata and nazuk pastries, honey and homemade preserves. Homemade fruit spirits — mulberry, plum, cornelian cherry, pear — are common at family guesthouses, best encountered as part of a shared meal rather than as a standalone tasting.

Crafts and museums

Woodworking is Tavush's most characteristic craft, given its forest resources, alongside rug weaving, embroidery, ceramics and jewellery — visible in historic homes, furniture and decorative architecture throughout the region. Dilijan is the easiest place to see these traditions through galleries and workshops.

The Dilijan Local Lore Museum and Art Gallery combines archaeology, ethnography and art — Armenian realist painting alongside older international works, and archaeological finds from the area reaching back to the third millennium BC. It's a genuinely good rainy-day option, and one many first-time visitors to Dilijan miss.

Festivals

Tavush hosts several recurring events around wine, food, crafts and outdoor sport. Yell Sport Fest is the standout: a trail-running and cycling festival based at Yell Extreme Park, with routes stretching across both Tavush and Lori — one stage through Lori's canyons near Akhtala, another climbing from Haghartsin to Mount Dimats. It's currently scheduled for 22–24 October 2026, but dates and formats shift year to year, so confirm before building a trip around it.

How to fit it together

• Half a day to a day: Dilijan, Haghartsin, Lake Parz.
• Two days: add Goshavank, Lake Gosh, and a forest hike.
• Three days: add Yenokavan and Lastiver.
• Four or more: Ijevan, Makaravank, the fortresses, wine, and forest food experiences.
• For serious hikers: the Transcaucasian Trail, Mount Dimats, or a multi-day route combining several of the above.

When to go

April–June brings green forest, strong waterfalls and wildflowers — one of Tavush's best windows. July–August is cooler and greener than Yerevan, good for mountain hiking and adventure activities. September–October may be the strongest overall, with the forests turning gold and Yell Sport Fest (dates permitting) adding a genuine event to plan around. November–March is quieter and colder, with mountain trails and remote roads affected by snow.