I breathe in the warm, dry air on the tarmac. Above us the black starry sky, in front of us the airport building, behind us the old Airbus that brought us into the country via Vienna. It's four o'clock in the morning and we've just landed in Armenia.
I breathe in the warm, dry air on the tarmac. Above us the black starry sky, in front of us the airport building, behind us the old Airbus that brought us into the country via Vienna. It's four o'clock in the morning and we've just landed in Armenia.
Flying in the wave
Finally in my hotel bed, I sleep for a few hours and then we head off with the small group to the nearby trendy coffee shop. A really good espresso fortifies us for the day and then we drive to the first flying area. Sudden lane changes, honking horns and potholes immediately put us in the Armenian reality and give us a sense of adventure and wanderlust right from the start.
We spend the first few days of our round trip exploring the flying areas around the capital, with excursions to the second largest mountain lake in the world. Lake Sevan is twice the size of Lake Constance and lies at an altitude of 1800 meters. A local weather phenomenon occurs almost daily at its western end. Caused by colder air in the north, which flows over the mountains into the warm lowlands to the south, a small foehn wave is created, in which we can soar for hours and watch the impressive spectacle of the descending and dissolving dust clouds. The flight from the local volcano near Yerevan will certainly remain in our memories, the view here is magnificent and the take-off from the crater rim is spectacular.
Gallery
Lake Sevan is a great place to relax after flying. The small beach bars with a view of the silhouettes of the volcanoes in the light of the sunset and the fresh lake fish for dinner make you forget the time and show how simple and beautiful life can be.
Other flying and scenic highlights of our trip were flights north of Lake Sevan. The landscape here changes from the dusty and ochre-colored volcanic region to a more familiar picture. Limestone mountains, endless green grassy slopes and Swiss green vegetation including alpine farming characterize this part of the country. The difference to our flying areas is the wild approach in Hamo's off-road vehicle over the steepest mountain paths and boulder fields. The flights here in the wild no man's land are very impressive, the unlimited expanse, free-roaming herds of horses and the huge uninhabited area leave a lasting impression on us.
The time in Armenia literally flew by. The small country with its great hospitality, the ancient Christian culture and the very exciting culinary mix with oriental, Russian and European influences also offers an incredible amount of variety in addition to flying. We were on the road for ten days and only saw and flew a fraction of the country. A good reason to plan your next trip to Armenia in 2026!
So far unmentioned but all the more important: a big thank you to all my fellow travelers. Your company made the trip very special and I treasure the moments we shared and the many wonderful memories we created together!
