Practical Information

Getting To Dilijan

By bus/minivan from Yerevan: Scheduled minivans operated by ggTaxi run several times a day, departing from the top of Mashots Avenue below the Matenadaran musuem and costing AMD 1,600. Download the app to reserve a seat in advance.

Minibuses (mashrutkas) depart from the Northern Bus Station (hyusisayin avtokayaran) for Dilijan every hour between 10am and 4pm daily, costing 1000 AMD. The bus station itself can be reached by the 259 bus from the city center, or by private taxi.

By taxi from Yerevan: A private taxi from Yerevan should cost AMD9–11,000 at the standard rate of AMD100–120/km.

By bus from Tbilisi: Minibuses or shared minivans to Yerevan may drop you in Dilijan for a reduced rate, which should be negotiated before departure.

Where To Stay In Dilijan

Our official accommodation partner in Dilijan is the centrally-located Dilijan Hikers Hostel, which can host up to 10 guests in 4-bed and 6-bed dorms with shared facilities. Visit their website or call/SMS/WhatsApp +374 91 145741.

When To Hike

It’s usually possible to hike from April onwards in the northern half of the Park, where snow begins to melt earlier, though it is unlikely to have vanished completely at higher elevations until May, and the trails will be very muddy. June and July can be wet but this is a fantastic time for wildflower lovers, when the alpine meadows are in full bloom. August is generally dry but can also be very hot, and the best of the wildflowers will be over. Some of the more remote sections of the trail can be quite overgrown at this time. September and October bring more favourable daytime temperatures and much of the vegetation will have died down. Late October and early November – when the autumn leaves are magnificent shades of red and gold – is perhaps the most visually spectacular time to be hiking in Dilijan National Park, though many tourist services will have closed down for winter, herding settlements in the mountains will be abandoned, and campers should prepare for cold nights.

Local Weather

Dilijan has a variable semi-rainforest climate with plentiful rain throughout the year, relative to the region. Winter sees subzero temperatures and snow throughout the region, while spring is the wettest season, with heavy rainfall from April to June. July to September is generally drier and does not reach the same high temperatures as elsewhere in Armenia. The drier weather continues through autumn; by December temperatures are already dropping well below freezing. Rainstorms can blow through at any time; we recommend hikers pack waterproofs and appropriate footwear for mud at any time of year. Even in summer, thunder and hail are not uncommon at higher elevations and near peaks and ridgelines.

Accessing The Trailheads

Neither Hovk nor Khachardzan are served by public transport at this time, so the easiest way to reach either trailhead is to take a private taxi. In Dilijan, street taxis congregate outside the bus station, opposite Cafe #2, but you may feel more comfortable using a ride-hailing app such as ggTaxi or YandexGo to be sure of the price in advance. Some sections of the trail can be hiked beginning in Dilijan itself.

Further Information

• Wikipedia articles about Dilijan and Dilijan National Park
• Dilijan article on Armeniapedia.org
• Dilijan weather forecast on Windy.com