Lori Province

A northern province crisscrossed by gorges, whose biggest draw is the World Heritage monasteries in the Debed Canyon.

Lori Province lies in northern Armenia, bordering Georgia, with mountainous terrain and a deep canyon cut by the Debed River. Along the canyon are two World Heritage monasteries, Haghpat and Sanahin, as well as other sights such as Akhtala Monastery and Odzun Church; Dsegh, the birthplace of the writer Hovhannes Tumanyan, is also in the province, and its capital, Vanadzor, is one of the country's major cities. Spring through autumn are all good times to visit, with autumn the most colorful. You can drive north from Yerevan, and the province is also a common stop on the way to and from Tbilisi, Georgia.

Destinations

• Debed Canyon (Tumanyan)

Itineraries

• Northern Armenia Slow Travel by Public Transport – Connect Lake Sevan, Dilijan, the Debed Canyon, and Gyumri using marshrutkas and trains.
• Grand Armenia Loop – From Tatev in the south to Debed and Gyumri in the north, cover all the main regions of the country in one loop.
• Caucasus Overland: Baku to Yerevan – Fly into Baku, travel overland through Sheki into Georgia, continue to Armenia, and fly out of Yerevan.
• Georgia & Armenia Combo – Head north from Tbilisi to Kazbegi, cross the border into the Debed Canyon, and travel south to Tatev.