How to Visit Angelsʻ Canyon in Armenia (Info, Tips, & Map!)
I grew up in an area teeming with trees and a lot of greenery, so I have always found Armenia’s drier regions so captivating. And one place that always caught my attention was Angels’ Canyon, a small canyon in the Ararat region.
In this guide, I will detail how to visit Angels’ Canyon (including how to get there from Yerevan), why you should go there, and a few quick tips for your trip. I will also share a little about my experience there!
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the following:
Introducing… Angels’ Canyon
Situated close to Vedi in the Ararat marz of Armenia, Angels’ Canyon is located in Dashtakar, a village that is around a 50-minute drive from Yerevan (to the south). It may take longer depending on where you’re coming from.
The canyon is called Hreshtakneri Dzor in Armenian, and it is pretty easy to locate once you have arrived in Dashtakar.
How do you know you’ve entered Dashtakar? There is a large arch with the village’s name written in Armenian (photo below).
The canyon is nothing major, but it is big enough to make your jaw drop and keep you occupied for half a day if you plan to hike and enjoy a picnic there. Angels’ Canyon is in a very arid area, and the landscapes are so different than what you’d see closer to Yerevan.
Another perk of visiting Angels’ Canyon is that you’re located a stone’s throw from Khosrov State Reserve and the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR), a privately protected area that is one of my favorite places in Armenia!
Angel’s Canyon is also home to various wildlife, like snakes, tortoises, and many eagles. Keep an eye out before you enter the area, as the eagles are always in the fields before!
One of the main things to do in Angels’ Canyon is to take to the HIKEArmenia loop trail that is there. The Angels’ Canyon Loop Trail takes about 2.5 hours to complete and is classified as easy. It is 10.9 kilometers in total (about 6.7 miles).
How to Get to Angels’ Canyon from Yerevan
Angels’ Canyon is surprisingly easy to reach from Yerevan. There are two ways to get from Yerevan to Angels’ Canyon: by car or by taxi.
Taxi may be a bit trickier, as you need to ensure you can get picked back up (best to arrange that with your hotel if possible). Otherwise, you can have your taxi wait there for you and pay for the additional wait time.
To reach Angels’ Canyon in Dashtakar village (close to Vedi), you will need to get to Dashtakar and do the following:
- Enter through the Dashtakar sign (photo is above). Shortly after, you will see the yellow trail sign from HIKEArmenia.
- Take a left and continue on the road as far as you can (the road may be bad, but don’t worry, it should be drivable). You will be driving along the Barakaghbyur River.
- Park at the mineral water station (about 3 km or 1.8 mi).
- Cross a small stream toward the canyon (the stream is possibly dry if you’re visiting in summer).
- From there, go a bit left and follow the trail markers to the canyon.
The canyon takes about 10 minutes to reach from that point (at the most).
Be sure to veer left in the direction because if you continue right, you will run into a bubbling mineral water station. This is a great place to have a picnic once your hike is done, on the other hand!
If you are going to Angels’ Canyon with a taxi, you will need to either grab one from Yerevan or get to Vedi and grab one there. You can easily find marshrutkas to Vedi from Sasuntsi Davit (the main railway area).
Taxi prices on GG are around 8000 AMD one-way (around $20).
Tips for Hiking Angels’ Canyon Loop Trail
While I didn’t get a chance to hike the entire trail, I did a portion of it (and turned back around as I was ill-equipped for the journey). Here are some tips and thoughts from my experience:
- You may not have cell phone service down there! Be sure to download HIKEArmenia’s Angels’ Canyon Loop Trail offline beforehand, just in case.
- If you don’t see signs along the trail for any reason, find your way close to the stream, which tends to take you back on the path.
- There is little to no shade on the trail. Wear sunscreen and a hat.
- I would not hike this trail in the summer months if you are not used to heat. I did it in May, and it was still pretty hot. The temperatures are scorching in the summer months (around 35-40C or 95-100F) and it is very dry.
- There is no water right at the trail, but if you go to the trail by car and you pass a small building on the right… There is mineral water available. Beware – it can be unsettling on your stomach!
- This area is renowned for its snakes! Especially during the summer months. Be alert and keep an eye out at all times.
- Leave no trace. You may notice that others have, so bring a bag with you and pick up a few pieces of trash along the way to help keep this trail beautiful.
Places to Visit Near Angels’ Canyon
There are plenty of cool places near Angels’ Canyon in Armenia. Here are a few to check out:
- Stone Book: This is actually on the way to the canyon and is worth the quick stop. I have marked it on the map below.
- Vedi Fortress (an archaeological site that has an ongoing excavation)
- Caucasus Wildlife Refuge
Angels’ Canyon & Vicinity (On a Map!)
How To Use This Map
You can use your fingers/mouse to zoom in and out. To get more info about a place, simply touch/click the icons. Want to save this map for later use? Click the ‘⭐’ by the map title and it will add it to your Google Maps account (Saved > Maps or ‘Your Places’).
Do you have any questions about visiting Angels’ Canyon in Armenia? Let me know in the comments if you do. Thanks!
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