Once you think about must-visit locations around the globe for avid hikers, you won’t consider together with the Caucasus on that record. However Armenia, a landlocked nation that has underrated seashores surrounded by mountain views, and Georgia, a rustic recognized for epic mountain climbing trails, are each properly price a devoted mountain climbing journey. Add Azerbaijan to that record and you’ve got a trifecta of mountain climbing bliss. However what a couple of mixture of all three? Touted as the primary worldwide mountain climbing path inside the Caucasus, the Transcaucasian Path will span throughout all three of those nations and two continents. The path takes hikers by way of huge valleys, rural meadows, and over mountain peaks, connecting shepherd paths to ATV routes and different pathways.
The Transcaucasian Path is notably the brand new child on the block in terms of long-distance mountain climbing trails. Not too long ago opened in 2022, the lesser-known path has been within the works since 2015 and is certain to make the lists of avid hikers. As of 2025, the path might be hiked in a number of completely different parts in all three nations, together with a protracted portion in Armenia that stretches over 500 miles and takes as much as 45 days. As soon as absolutely accomplished, the path will check the endurance of hikers, winding 1,864 miles by way of numerous landscapes in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
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How you can hike the Transcaucasian Path
An aerial view of Dilijan Nationwide Park in Armenia – trabantos/Shutterstock
The Transcaucasian Path made our record of 25 finest long-distance mountain climbing trails around the globe, and with good cause; it is stuffed with off-the-beaten-path pure magnificence. As a result of the path continues to be damaged up into parts, when to hike the path will depend upon which nation you will be trekking by way of. In Armenia, the path is finest hiked from mid-Could to mid-October. For Georgia sections, you will seemingly want a later begin as a consequence of excessive altitudes, making early-July to mid-October essentially the most perfect time to move out. As a result of the Azerbaijan parts are a bit milder in local weather, you will seemingly be capable to hike in all seasons with some variations.
For individuals who resolve to trek the most important portion of the finished path by way of Armenia, most hikers embark from Yerevan, the nation’s capital metropolis, to verify they top off on provides. From Yerevan, they then catch a bus to Meghri or Gyumri and take a taxi to Lake Arpi to start the path. This hike requires loads of planning, so it might be finest to spend just a few days in Yerevan triple-checking your record of necessities earlier than heading out.
Alongside the path, you will come throughout attractive views of the Gegham Mountains and Lake Sevan, and you will make your means by way of conventional villages and Arevik Nationwide Park. Many of the hike would require wild tenting, however there are just a few Armenian Drams, cash-only guesthouses, alongside the route that price wherever from $13 to $16 per night time and embrace breakfast. In the event you’re not feeling formidable sufficient to finish the entire trek, you too can rent guides for multi-day hikes on parts of the path in Dilijan Nationwide Park, the Gegham Mountains, and the Vayots Dzor province.
Different useful info for mountain climbing the Transcaucasian Path
Sevanavank Monastery overlooking Lake Sevan in Armenia – Christophe_cerisier/Getty Photos
On the r/Ultralight subreddit thread, Redditor u/Prestigious-Mango479 speaks about their expertise mountain climbing the Transcaucasian Path from July to October 2023. “This path has a bit of little bit of every thing: stunning mountains, deserts, forests, tiny villages with pretty folks, superb meals, wild tenting, visitor homes, historic websites, off-trail journey, and extra.” Within the thread, u/Prestigious-Mango479 additionally breaks down obligatory info like prices, size, gear they used, in addition to how and the place to resupply meals, and what the path situations had been like.
Take into account that there are not any bodily path maps obtainable, which implies that downloading route planning apps is a should. Interactive maps, guides, and GPS knowledge for the routes might be discovered on the TCT’s official web site. Hikers may also be added to a Slack channel, which provides you direct entry to path planners, in addition to current hikers who’re a wealth of data. Some hikers have began to attach unfinished parts of the path by way of Georgia and Armenia. You possibly can be part of the TCT Trailblazers program, a thru-hiking assist program that gives useful maps, recommendation, and different assets for finishing the extra undeveloped sections.
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