Is it worth leaving the main circuit?<\/h2>\n
For most travellers on a repeat or longer trip, yes. The main sites (Garni, Geghard, Khor Virap, Noravank) are famous for a reason, and our top 10 monasteries in Armenia<\/a> covers them. But they can be busy in summer, with tour coaches arriving at the same hours. These four are smaller and quieter, and each has its own character: a clifftop setting, a gorge, a forest, a scholarly past.<\/p>\n If you only have a couple of days in the country, do the headline sites first. If you have a free half day, choose one of these loops.<\/p>\n Aragatsotn province lies north-west of Yerevan, at the foot of Mount Aragats. The usual order is Yerevan, Saghmosavank (about 50 km, around 50 to 60 minutes), then Hovhannavank a few kilometres further along the same gorge, then Ohanavan, and back, with an option to climb towards Amberd and Aragats.<\/p>\n Saghmosavank, “Monastery of Psalms”, was built mainly between 1215 and 1235 under Prince Vache Vachutian in the Zakarian period. It stands right at the rim of the Kasagh canyon, with a drop of roughly 200 metres below. The main church of Sion, the gavit and a small library building are the highlights, and the position makes it one of the best sunset or early morning stops near Yerevan. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. There are no facilities on site, so bring water.<\/p>\n Hovhannavank sits about 5 km away in the village of Ohanavan, also on the gorge edge. The oldest part, a small church of St Karapet, is traditionally dated to the early fourth century. The large cathedral of St Hovhannes was built in the early 13th century, with a gavit added later in the same century. The roof of the gavit rests on twelve columns, and the monastery was a scriptorium and school for centuries. An earthquake in 1918 damaged the dome and wall, and both were rebuilt in the 1990s. Allow 45 to 60 minutes.<\/p>\n Ohanavan is also known for the Ohanavan gorge and the viewpoint over the Kasagh. You can add a short walk to the rim, or a stop at a roadside cafe in the village.<\/p>\n Many day tours add Amberd, a fortress and small church high on the slopes of Aragats at about 2,300 metres, plus the Alphabet Monument near Artashavan. Amberd needs extra time and decent weather, and the road can be closed or icy outside summer. Our guide to Mount Aragats, Lake Kari and Amberd<\/a> covers it in depth. With Amberd, plan 7 to 8 hours in total.<\/p>\n Dilijan sits in the forested hills of Tavush province, about 90 to 100 km north-east of Yerevan, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by car depending on traffic and the Sevan section. The loop starts in Yerevan, passes Dilijan, then continues to the monasteries and returns the same way or via Lake Sevan.<\/p>\n Haghartsin was founded in the 10th century and grew mainly in the 12th and 13th centuries. It has three churches, a large gavit with carved tomb slabs, and a rare, surviving refectory with stone dining benches. It lies roughly 18 km from Dilijan, a drive of about 25 minutes along a narrow, winding road. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours. The dense woods around it are as much of the attraction as the stone.<\/p>\n Goshavank was founded in the 12th century by Mkhitar Gosh, a scholar and priest known for an early Armenian law code and for fables. After an earthquake destroyed the earlier monastery of Getik in 1188, he re-established it here. The compound includes a library tower, the church of St Gregory with carvings, and a famous khachkar from 1291 by the sculptor Poghos. Allow about an hour.<\/p>\n Parz Lake is a small forest lake near the village of Gosh, and a short walk or hike links it with the monastery. It is a pleasant place for lunch or a stroll after the churches. For more on the town itself, see our Dilijan and Tavush guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n There is no reliable direct public transport to any of these four monasteries, and timetables change. Honest options:<\/p>\n If you are weighing tours against doing it yourself, Armenia: guided tour or DIY?<\/a> helps you decide.<\/p>\n Weekday mornings are quietest. Weekends and October colours bring more local visitors, especially at Haghartsin and Parz Lake. Geghard and Noravank get more tour coaches than all four of these. Spring and early summer are green, and September to October is the most colourful. Winter visits are possible but plan extra time for icy roads.<\/p>\n If you would rather not negotiate taxis or drive winding roads, our small-group and private tours cover both loops, with timing built around quiet hours. Browse our tours<\/a> or tell us which monasteries you want to see.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Check roads and any entry details shortly before you go, as conditions and prices change.<\/p>\nHow does the Aragatsotn loop work?<\/h2>\n
Saghmosavank: the monastery on the edge of the gorge<\/h3>\n
![\"Saghmosavank](\"https:\/\/solotravel.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/saghmosavank-monastery-perched-on-the-edge-of-the-kasagh-river-gorge-armenia-1024x769.jpg\")
Hovhannavank and Ohanavan: the older, larger complex<\/h3>\n
![\"Hovhannavank](\"https:\/\/solotravel.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/hovhannavank-monastery-above-the-kasagh-gorge-in-ohanavan-armenia-1024x681.jpg\")
Optional extensions: Amberd and Aragats<\/h3>\n
How does the Dilijan loop work?<\/h2>\n
Haghartsin: churches in the forest<\/h3>\n
![\"Haghartsin](\"https:\/\/solotravel.am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/haghartsin-monastery-stone-churches-in-the-forested-hills-near-dilijan-armenia-1024x683.jpg\")
Goshavank and Parz Lake<\/h3>\n
How do you get there without a car?<\/h2>\n
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What do travellers complain about, and who should skip these?<\/h2>\n
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When is the best time, and how do crowds compare?<\/h2>\n