Mushroom Path from Sevaberd to Geghashen

Hiking trail description
This trail follows a popular mushroom picking path from the Sevaberd Fortress to Geghashen village, on the slopes of the Gegham Mountain Ridge in the Kotayk province. The path goes through wild fields, over rolling hills and deep gorges. Though beautiful in all seasons, it is hiked most often in spring and autumn, due to the abundance in mushrooms such as champignons and blue vein mushrooms. Although many of these are edible, no mushroom should be ingested without checking with an experienced local, unless hikers are knowledgeable in mycology and mushroom hunting, especially with regards to this region.
Azhdahak Mountain, the heighest peak of the Gegham Ridge, at an altitude of 3,597m, is visible on this hike.
There are hotels in Geghashen where hikers can rest overnight, before returning to Yerevan.

Monuments description
Sevaberd Fortress (Black Fortress, in Armenian) is located along the road to Sevaberd village. It is a notable fortress, built in black stone, but a lack of scientific and historic research into its origins means there is little information about it.
The down layouts of the castle are cyclopean, while the upper walls are reminiscent of medieval architecture. In this regard, the foundation of the castle has been dated from around the 1000-2000 BC to medieval period.
The inhabitants of Geghashen village, who had emigrated from the cities of Western Armenia – built Saint George Church (Surb Gevorg, in Armenian) in 1870. The church is still operational, and holds many wedding ceremonies throughout the year.

Flora
Besides the mushrooms on this hike, Kotayk’s flora is rich in herbs, bushes and forests. The flowers along the route sustain apiculture farms in the region, and many are used for medicinal purposes as well. Flowers commonly found in this area include chicory, sage, valerian, cornflower, nettle, plantago, white bryony and achillea.
Locals from the area typically harvest wild herbs, to eat and make tea with, including thyme, which is known to reduce blood pressure.

Fauna
The fauna of the area includes mostly small animals, such as foxes, rabbits and mice – although occasionally their predators, wolves, descend into these valleys. There are a wide variety of birds, butterflies, insects and beetles, especially in spring. In the hot summer months, care should be taken to avoid dangerous encounters with snakes.

Safety and Security
Mobile telephone coverage is available throughout the hike, and the 911 emergency service operates throughout Armenia in case of any accidents.
Be sure to bring bottled water!

Technical parameters
Best period: April -October
Distance: 38km from Yerevan
Duration: 50 minutes
Hiking trail length: 10.5 km
Walk duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Altitude from Sea Level: 1,633-2,043m
Existing Trail Surface: 20% existing, 80% easily discernible

How to Get There
In order to reach this hike, the most convenient option is to take a taxi from Yerevan to Sevaberd. It is better to take a taxi with a working meter (be sure the driver uses it), or agree on a price beforehand.