Armenia was one of the easiest places in the world to get a lift. Hitchhiking around a landlocked country with a population under three million meant that we met big hearts from several nationalities. Whoever took us—be it Armenians, Turks, Iranians, or Georgians—went out of their way to keep us housed and fed.

 

 

Oh, and it’s the first country I’ve been to that has no McDonald’s.

Armenia only gained independence from the USSR in 1991 after 55 years of socialism, and it’s still pretty evident. I can feel it in the city life and the buildings. Supermarket prices are crazy low; some cars and buses on the highways are ancient.

As a political enemy of both Turkey and Azerbaijan, the only open land borders are with Georgia and Iran. Options for Armenians to take quick trips can be limited, resulting in many Armenians being rather shut out from the rest of the world.

Don’t get me wrong, they still listen to reggaeton out here. Yerevan has some crazy fast wifi. And they have Burger King.

Armenian churches sprout up all over the country. Combined with a variety of landscapes and rural village life, the beauty of Armenia will take your breath away.

 

 

Yerevan

Cool cafes and bars, this capital city was our base for several day trips, as well as our crash point for entering and exiting Armenia. We were satisfied with our stays at Old Yerevan Hostel, dorms around $6 per night, prices negotiable.

Spend a lovely evening walking the Yerevan Cascade as you admire the modern sculptures, which include a few works by Fernando Botero. On a sunny day drop by the Blue Mosque and admire its bright features.

 

Khor Virap

A lovely hilltop monastery very close to Yerevan. Visible is Mount Ararat, the snow-capped beauty that is biblically recognized as the landing site of Noah’s Ark, located across the border in Turkey. We took two hours to walk through the small complex and complete a short, uneventful hike behind the hill.

Drivers who helped us access this site via hitchhiking included the local police, and a woman who works with the United Nations.

 

Garni & Geghard

The village of Garni boasts a symmetric little temple set against sweeping views looking into Garni Gorge. Around the corner of the entrance is a trail that leads down to Symphony of Stones, a must-see set of breathtaking basalt columns. Continuing along the trail before turning back uphill, on the left hand side one can find, and walk across, the picturesque 11th Century Bridge. This is also the trailhead for a 2.5-kilometer hike to the Havuts Tar Monastery.

Five kilometers further looms the UNESCO Geghard Monastery, a stone relic of medieval times. Shoutout to the Russian physicians who took us out there from Garni, and back to the main junction Garni.

In either village one will find tons of roadside stalls selling giant circles of gata, an indulgent bread filled with a concoction of butter, flour, and sugar. Buying one on an empty stomach is not recommended.

 

 

Noravank

While heading for South Armenia, our drivers pushed us to join them in a quick stop at the beautiful Noravank monastery. It wasn’t in our plan, yet didn’t see why not. We arrived just in time for scrambling up the narrow stairs of the main facade, and down an underground ladder, before sundown. Our next driver was even sweeter, inviting us to stay at home with his beautiful family.

 

Goris

A larger town with supermarkets, ATMs, and our base for exploring Southern Armenia. We stayed in Adranik B&B, $18 for a double room, no breakfast.

 

Shaki Waterfall

Accessible via the small town of Sisian is a small hike we had all to ourselves.

 

 

Tatev

We never actually made it to Armenia’s most famous monastery. This 9th century fortressed complex can be reached by an aerial tramway known as the Wings of Tatev.

We were met with an afternoon so foggy that hitchhiking was not only miserable, but also dangerous. Feeling stuck, a woman running her bakery sheltered us with a hot cup of tea and a piece of the fresh (and world’s best) gata bread that had just come out of her underground oven.

 

Other notable destinations

• Mineral water and thermal baths of Jermuk
• Alpine prettiness and spas of Dilijan
• Nagorno-Karabakh historic region*

 

A note of truth: Hamza and I both had difficulty finding a deep connection with Armenia. Many people touched our hearts and will forever stay in my memory, yet overall I felt that Armenians lacked the open warmth of people from, well, warmer countries. Traveling in low season in such a tiny nation, we were often met with bad weather, and ten days left us bored and craving to reach Georgia.

 

 

Hitchhiking Hope Tips

• Always start with barev, or hello, and end with mersi, or thanks.
• Even better if you practice saying shnorhakalootsyoon, the official and most fun way of saying thank you.
• Stand in an open spot where vehicles can see you from far away.
• If starting from Yerevan, take a metro out of the city first.
• We didn’t make hitchhiking signs.
• Finding a ride further south from Goris was impossible. The weather was bad and no one was in the mood to stop. As soon as we switched to head north, the kindest Iranians scooped us up in their semi truck.
• Pack light.
• Smile.
• Dance.
• Expect to be invited home, or treated to lunch and tea.

 

*If going to Azerbaijan after Armenia, they will ask you if you’ve been to Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of territorial dispute between the two nations. You will only be allowed to enter Azerbaijan if you say no.

 

 

Eating

Yerevan locals love dining at Karas, a food chain that markets itself as serving Armenian home cooking, with reasonable prices, lots of options, and a taste that I found rather mediocre for the hype.

Outside of Yerevan I was surprised at the limited options for snacks, like brands of chips. However, we shouldn’t be eating these any way.

In the mornings small bakeries have fresh breads stuffed with meats or vegetables. I loved going to mini markets for crunchy grapes, bananas, and mandarin oranges. For meals, you can’t go wrong with dolmas, kebab, or borsch soup.

 

Hitchhiking Hope

Hitchhiking Hope is a concept that began during my hitchhiking adventures through the Caucasus countries. We were moved by the love of people helping people without expecting anything in return.

Hitchhiking is humbling and humiliating. It is deep and extraordinarily spontaneous. It connects me with construction workers, truck drivers, physicians, and law students. Discoveries of new music, dances, and foods are made on a daily basis.

The conversations and home-stays we shared with our drivers broke the invisible boundaries of culture, language, and money. Because almost anyone can hitchhike anywhere, I wish to share stories and inspire others to practice one of my favorite modes of transportation.