Teksar mountain I Srkghonk mountain I Gayledzor mountain I Vayots Dzor Region

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑇𝑒𝑘𝑠𝑎𝑟 𝑀𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐴𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑎.

▶ Recommended For:
Hikers who enjoy long, scenic hikes through mountain ranges, with a mix of smooth jeep tracks and rugged, wild mountain routes.

This trail offers a great opportunity to hike all three peaks or any of them separately. Thanks to their positioning, you can follow the main route without major detours, allowing you to 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚.

This is the best approach to Srkghonk and Gayledor mountains I've ever taken, and one of the main routes leading to Teksar Mountain (another shorter route goes via Kharakan Mountain).

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 ( Թեքսարի լեռներ ), situated in Armenia's Vayots Dzor region, stretches 45 km as the southern extension of the Vardenis Mountains.

𝐓𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 ( Թեքսար լեռ ) is a peak in the Teksar Mountains or Teksari mountains, stands at 2898 m in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia.
There are two main routes leading to Teksar, both starting from Vernashen village. One takes you to Teksar via the left side, passing Spitakavor Monastery, which is the longer route at 17 km. The other is a shorter route on the right side, passing Kharakan Mountain, with a distance of 13 km.
This is the longer route to Teksar summit via Spitakavor monastery.

𝐒𝐫𝐤𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐤 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 ( Սրկղոնք լեռ ) is a peak in the Teqsari Mountains, located next to Teqsar Peak, with an elevation of 2885 m in Vayots Dzor Province.

𝐆𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐳𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 ( Գայլեձոր լեռ ) is a peak in the Teqsar Mountains, reaching an elevation of 2762 m.

▶Distance from Yerevan to Vernashen:
142 km 2 hr 15 min

◤ Description of the Trail:

This route is a hike through a wild mountain range with no marked sections, so it's essential to use navigation tools to ensure safety.

--- This is definitely not a day hike if you're looking to enjoy the experience rather than chase sport goals. With an altitude gain of about 2,000 meters, it’s better to split the hike into two days if you don't plan to use vehicle support. We reached the 12.5 km mark by 4x4 car, then began hiking. In total, we covered 25 km of the trail by car and 14 km on foot.
⚠️ Keep in mind that this is a 4x4 drive on steep slopes, which can be risky if the driver lacks experience in handling such conditions.

𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: If you're doing this trail without car support or have locals drop you off and drive back, and there is no need to return to the car, I’d suggest continuing your ascent after Teksar Mountain via the Kharakan route. It’s much shorter and gives you the chance to explore the range from the other side.

--- We started the drive from the end of Vernashen village ( Վերնաշեն գյուղ ).

--- At 8.2 km, you'll reach the Spitakavor Monastery junction. Continue straight for the trail, or take a switchback if you want to detour 200 meters each way to visit the church.

--- At 9.1 km, a 400-meter detour (each way) leads to the Proshaberd fortress ruins. This detour takes time as it involves some altitude gain.

--- We drove up to 12.5 km, but due to the poor condition of the jeep trek, you may need to stop earlier depending on your car’s ability and features.

--- We continued to Srkghonk Mountain via the jeep trek. At 14.6 km, we left the jeep trek and took a left turn to hike Srkghonk. We rejoined the jeep trek again after 1 km at 15.6 km.

--- Due to an unusual snowblock on the jeep trek in May, we left the trail for a 300-meter stretch from 18.7 km to 19 km. If there's no snow, it's better to continue on the jeep trek.

--- At 17.8 km, we reached Teksar summit. From here, you can either head back to the car if you arrived by vehicle and left it along the way or descend the other side of Teksar Mountain via Kharakan (13 km). I'll add the link to this route at the end.

--- After returning to the car at 23.1 km, we ascended Gayledzor Mountain for a 1.5 km (each way) climb and then headed back to the car. The view from the summit is truly breathtaking. I’ve climbed this mountain several times from different routes—Yeghegis, Proshaberd—and I can confidently say this is the smoothest and most enjoyable path.

The trail is 𝐤𝐢𝐝-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲, with the only consideration being its length, which can be shortened by car or by splitting the hike into days, depending on the children's age.

Another Route to Teksar Mountain via Kharakan: ↴

∝FAUNA

Vayots Dzor province is home to wildlife, including bears and bezoar goats. While the first 10 km of the trail is not very remote, the route then leads to more isolated mountain paths. To stay safe and avoid surprising wildlife, it’s a good idea to make some noise. The main safety concern is avoiding bears, but the good news is that there are many bezoar goats in the area, and we spotted several during the hike.

Additionally, it’s advisable to avoid hiking during the hotter months (July, August, September) to reduce the risk of encountering snakes.

≋ Water Sources

There is no water source along the trail. If you need water, it's best to turn onto the junction at the 8.2 km mark leading to Spitakavor Monastery, where you’ll find a water pipe.

◤ When to Go?
Snow is typically present from December to mid-April.

✔ Best Season:
𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑒
From late April to June, the area is covered in greenery and wildflowers, with May being the peak of the blooming season.

𝑀𝑖𝑑-𝑂𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝐷𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟
From mid-fall to early winter, the landscape turns golden, and the temperatures are comfortable for hiking in these mountains.

✖ Not Recommended:
From mid-June to mid-October due to extreme heat, dryness, and high snake activity.

*𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑦 𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒:
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