A Scenic Tour of Lake Sevan's Shores

Lake Sevan sits high in the Armenian mountains, one of the largest freshwater lakes at this altitude anywhere in the world, and locals have called it the Blue Pearl for good reason. Its shoreline holds centuries of history carved directly into stone, from monasteries that once stood on islands to a cemetery of cross-stones unlike anything else on earth. We follow the western and southern shores for a full day of contrast: ancient khachkars at Noratus, a quiet cliffside monastery at Hayravank, a working family cheese farm in the highlands, and finally Sevanavank itself, perched on what used to be an island before the lake's water level dropped. Along the way, the Geghama mountains stay on the horizon the whole time.