Mountains of Armenia and their Highest Summits

There are four distinct regions that can be identified among the mountains of Armenia, but in this article we are going to talk about three of those regions and about mountains of Artsakh. Ararat concavity isn’t included in this article. We are going to present the longest mountain ranges and their highest summits that are above 2000 meters and will raise an interest among tourists. Within the framework of the project “Our’s” we have climbed all the below mentioned mountains. To get a detailed information about all those mountains just clicking on the name of each mount and follow the link. Here you will find information about those summits and photos taken during our hikes. This information is also included in Tigran Varag’s book “The Mountainous Island”.

Northern Mountain Ranges

This region covers the northern and northeastern part of Armenia, and can be subdivided into two groups – the outer ranges of Virahayots, Gugarats and Miapor, and the inner ranges of Bazum, Shirak, Bovakar, Ijevan, Papakar, Pambak, Tsaghkunyats, Teghenyats, Areguni, Sevan and some others. The region is also home to the Lori and Shirak Plains, Pambak, Debed and Aghstev Valleys, as well as the Sevan Concavity.

Northern Mountain Ranges

Virahayots Mountains

Length: 86 km

Highest summit: Mount Lalvar (2552 m)

Shirak Mountains

Length: 47 km

Highest summit: Mount Tsulasar (2556 m)

Bazum Mountains

Length: 66 km

Highest summit: Mount Urasar (2992 m)

Karhank Mountains

Length: 14 km

Highest summit: Mount Shikalich (2402 m)

Vahagn Mountains

Length: 16 km

Highest summit: Mount Karhat (2230 m)

Taper Mountains

Length: 12 km

Highest summit: Mount Vardut (2353 m)

Kamatur Mountains

Length: 3,5 km

Highest summit: Mount Glut (2101 m)

Gugarats Mountains

Length: 80 km

Highest summit: Mount Dzharsar (2244 m)

Ijevan Mountains

Length: 32 km

Highest summit: Mount Sartsapat(2532 m)

Kenats Mountains

Length: 50 km

Highest summit: Mount Kenatssar (2139 m)

Tavush Mountains

Length: 47 km

Highest summit: Mount Metslanj (2052 m)

Pambak Mountains

Length: 106 km

Highest summit: Mount Tezh (3101 m)

Arjanots Mountains

Length: 28 km

Highest summit: Mount Dzor (2628 m)

Arjut Tamqots Mountains

Length: 16 km

Highest summit: Mount Nzhuyg (2470 m)

Teghenyats Mountains

Length: 22 km

Highest summit: Mount Teghenis (2851 m)

Karmir Tev Mountains

Length: 4,7 km

Highest summit: Mount Karmir Tev (2582 m)

Bovakar Mountains

Length: 36 km

Highest summit: Mount Bovakar (3016 m)

Areguni Mountains

Length: 65 km

Highest summit: Mount Karktasar (2750 m)

Kenatsblour Mountains

Length: 8 km

Highest summit: Mount Kenatsblour (2428 m)

Miapor Mountains

Length: 63 km

Highest summit: Mount Miapor (2993 m)

Paytapar Mountains

Length: 16,5 km

Highest summit: Mount Shunkar (2079 m)

Tsagkhot Mountains

Length: 7 km

Highest summit: Mount Makaghakar (2170 m)

Arjakar Mountains

Length: 9,5 km

Highest summit: Mount Artanish (2461 m)

Eastern Sevan Mountains

Length: 48 km

Highest summit: Mount Tsarasar (3427 m)

Volcanic Mountains and Plateau

Armenia’s Volcanic Mountain and Plateau region stretches across the southcentral part of the country from west to east separating the northern region of fold-fragment mountain ranges from its corresponding southern part. This region of volcanic mountains takes up about 45% of Armenia’s total area, beginning in the northwest (with the Yaghnakhagh and Javakhk Mountain Ranges) and extending south and southeast, including Mount Aragats and Mount Ara, the Geghama and Vardenis Ranges, and finally the Syunik Highlands.

The region is characterized by high plateaus (formed by volcanic lava flow), volcanic cones and weak surface rock strata, which are prone to erosion. One of the main forms of volcanic relief found here is the result of effusive volcanic eruption. In this kind of eruption, extremely runny magma reaches the surfaces and flows quite quickly away from the volcanic crater, leaving a rather broad and gently sloping volcanic protrusion which is best exemplified by the peaks of Mount Spitakasar, Vardenis and Great Ishkhanasar.

The Volcanic Mountains and Volcanic Plateau region can be further subdivided into the Javakhk-Ashotsk and Aragats-Syunik sub-regions.

Volcanic Mountains and Plateau

Javakhk Mountains

Length: 65 km (20 km of which are in Armenia)

Highest summit: Mount Achkasar (3196 m)

Yeghnakhagh Mountains

Length: 60 km

Highest summit: Mount Mets Yeghnakhagh (3042 m)

Aragats Mountain

Highest summit: The Nothern Peak (4090 m)

Geghama Mountains

Length: 72 km

Highest summit: Mount Azhdahak (3597m)

Vardenis Mountains

Length: 78 km

Highest summit: Mount Vardenis (3552 m)

Syunik Highland

Highest summit: Mount Trasar (3594 m)

Southern Mountain Ranges

This region extends from the valley of the Azat River to the Araks (Araxes) Valley, and can be divided into two sub-regions – the Urts-Vayk and Zangezur. The region is characterized by its extremely uneven surface, with deep valleys, gorges and steep mountain peaks with high and narrow apices. The mountains of Zangezur are the largest, followed by the Vayk, Bargushat and Meghri Mountain Ranges and their smaller branches. The bow-shaped Khustup-Katar Mountain Range is considered to be a separate, distinct unit.

Southern Mountain Ranges

Voghjaberd Mountains

Length: 28 km

Highest summit: Mount Voghjaberd (2220 m)

Yeranos Mountains

Length: 41 km

Highest summit: Mount Handasar (2293 m)

Kotuts Mountains

Length: 13 km

Highest summit: Mount Kotuts (2061 m)

Tasanord Mountains

Length: 14 km

Highest summit: Mount Tasanord (2535 m)

Urts Mountains

Length: 27 km

Highest summit: Mount Urts (2446 m)

Qarkatar Mountains

Length: 25 km

Highest summit: Mount Qarkatar (2961 m)

Vayk Mountains

Length: 72 km (55 km of which is in Armenia)

Highest summit: Mount Gog (3120 m)

Teksar Mountains

Length: 45 km

Highest summit: Mount Semasar (3385 m)

Zangezur Mountains

Length: 160 km

Highest summit: Mount Kaputjugh (3906 m)

Bargushat Mountains

Length: 86 km

Highest summit: Mount Aramazd (3399 m)

Khustuph-Katar Mountains

Length: 44 km

Highest summit: Mount Khustuph (3201 m)

Meghri Mountains

Length: 64 km

Highest summit: Mount Baghatssar (3249 m)

Author: Tigran Varag

Maps by Anushavan Barseghyan

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