All of our journeys begin as an idea: a scribbled note after talking to a friend, a memory of a place visited many years ago, or a suggestion from a returning guest. From there it’s a lengthy research process.
And sometimes we happen up something really special. When Chief Trip Designer Emily visited Armenia earlier this year, she knew it would be perfect for Slow Cyclists. Here is how she brought our Armenian Highlands journey to life.
This year I have spent 45 days in Armenia. That’s 45 days of exploring highlands, cities and villages, making countless new friends and stumbling across hidden, unexpected gems.
My job is to craft journeys in unfamiliar places, where I often being knowing nobody and slowly weave together a journey that I know our guests will love. But each trip also becomes a part of my own personal journey. I want to tell you about the Armenia that I found.
I found wild mountains, vast landscapes, untouched nature, pristine forests and remote villages. I first travelled to Armenia in February and our partner Artur had told me it would be cold in the mountains. But despite pouring over maps for many months before I arrived, I had not quite comprehended that Armenia is, in fact, all mountains. It was cold.
I found an unexpectedly charming city in Yerevan, with a thriving dining and coffee culture. On my first night there I found myself dancing to traditional Armenian music in a local tavern. I knew then that it was a special place.
I found many monasteries and a land steeped in ancient Christianity.
I found that if I stand around for long enough in a village, sooner or later someone will invite me in for coffee. They will remember me when I return, and hug me like a long lost daughter, and might even start baking a cake for me while I’m still taking my shoes off at their door.
I found that it’s very difficult to remember Armenian words, apart from ‘bari luys’, which means ‘good morning’ and sounds a lot like the name Barry Lewis. I made this into a verb, to Barry Lewis, which means saying good morning to anyone I encounter on my walks around the villages. ‘I’m just popping out to buy some bread and to Barry Lewis.’
I found a vibrant and rejuvenated wine making scene. During soviet times Armenia became the brandy manufacturing centre of the union, and Georgia took wine. Armenia lost its 6000 year old wine making traditions. Once lost ancient vine varieties are now being discovered again.
I found food. A lot of food. Particularly lavash, the flatbread inscribed on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The knowledge and skills of preparing and consuming lavash have been passed down through families for generations. It’s more than just bread; it’s a fundamental part of Armenian ritual and identity.
I found poets and writers and art that runs through generations of families. For me, a culture still deeply connected to its traditional music and dance is something profound. In Armenia’s arts, I found symbols of identity, heritage, tradition, history, joy and sorrow – a way of expressing human connection.
I found the duduk, an ancient instrument made from the wood of the apricot tree which bypasses the brain and goes straight to the heart.
And so, my journey through Armenia’s wild landscapes, mountains, villages and cities becomes the story of our trip. A wild adventure woven together through the northern highlands of Shirak and Lori provinces, built upon the connections and relationships I forged along the way. A story rooted in an ancient, often troubled history, yet marked by the resilience of its people and their unwavering hospitality.
If you’d like to discover the Armenian Highlands by foot and by e-bike, find out more about our journeys or enquire now.
