Adventure time: Here are 6 thrilling outdoor activities you can enjoy in Armenia

Whether it’s exploring hidden caves, skiing, snowboarding, paragliding or zip lining, Armenia has loads of thrilling adventure pursuits for visitors to enjoy.

Skiing

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Armenia has a host of excellent ski destinations that are popular during winter. This Caucasus nation is covered in a blanket of thick snow throughout November, December and January.

 

There are affordable ski resorts located at Tsaghkadzor, Sevan and Jermuk, where you can enjoy captivating views and exciting slopes.

 

Thanks to its cold climate throughout winter (temperatures can easily reach -10°C), Armenia is a hotspot for travellers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Iran looking to book an exciting ski break in Eastern Europe.

Paragliding

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Ever wanted to know what it feels like to soar high above the clouds like a bird?

 

With Sky Club Armenia, who employ a team of qualified and professional pilots, you can take part in a thrilling tandem paragliding experience in locations like Aparan, Lake Sevan, Buzhakan and Dilijan.

 

You don’t need any previous experience to go paragliding. With Sky Club, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the views as their expert pilot takes care of the launch, flight and landing. An exhilarating experience that will take your breath away.

Hiking

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There’s no doubt about it, Armenia is a hiker’s paradise. There are 32 colourful trails dotted throughout the country’s vast green countryside and mountain ranges.

 

There are hiking opportunities for beginners and experts alike. The most famous is the intense ‘Transcaucasian Trail’ that will run 3,000 km through Georgia, Armenia and into Azerbaijan (it takes about a month to complete!)

 

European countries like Portugal, Croatia and Spain have big reputations for having some of the most enchanting hikes across the continent, but Armenia is very much a hidden gem when it comes to brilliant, underrated trails.

Zip lining

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Armenia has the longest zip line in the entire world, located at Yell Extreme Park in the village of Yenokavan.

 

At 2,680m long and at an altitude of 300m, it’s a brilliant, spine-tingling experience for any brave adventure seeker who’s not afraid of heights.

 

Yell Extreme Park has five different zip lines and also provides activities like paragliding, paintballing, horse riding and off-road driving tours.

Exploring ancient caves

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Ancient relics and historic landmarks are everywhere you look throughout Armenia. There’s no better way to uncover this beautiful country’s past than with an afternoon of cave exploration.

 

Recent archaeological digs have uncovered the world’s oldest shoe and the world’s oldest winery in Armenia. Excavations are still ongoing to this day which are still uncovering new pieces of the nation’s fascinating history.

 

At ancient caves like Areni, Karahunj, Magil, Khndzoresk, and Lastiver you can see traces of the Stone Age, view exquisite stalagmites and stalactites and witness evidence of ancient civilizations from Armenia’s rich past.

Hot air balloon ride

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For the best view of Armenia’s beautiful terrain and landscapes we highly recommend taking a hot air balloon ride through the countryside. You can pop open a bottle of champagne and watch the sun set over Yerevan amid beautiful surroundings.

 

Armenia is a country which boasts stunning mountains along the Caucuses and lush green countryside scenery too — all of which look even better from above in the heavens.

 

An hour-long hot air balloon ride (you can book with companies like Sky Ball) is a perfect outdoor activity for families and also a romantic delight on an intimate couples getaway.

Heading on a trip to Armenia soon? Make sure to tag us in your photos using the hashtag #ryanairstories – you might be featured on Ryanair’s Instagram feed!