From Charchakis village to Mount Hol (2714m)

Description of the trail
We suggest you take a ski trail on Aragatsotn province. Mount Hol, as well as the village of Charchakis which is at the foot of the mount, are 8 km away from the Aparan-Yerevan highway and are hidden behind the picturesque wooded mountains. The road is less trafficable in winter, as public transport does not work. People drive with their own cars or taxies. But it is impossible to describe how beautiful it is to view the west from the peak of Mount Hol. It is seen in the highest mount of Armenia, Aragats (4095 m) and Mount Ararat, which is behind it. It is a rare beautiful sight.
The trail from beginning to the end is promising with picturesque mountains, the snow quality. It is interesting to know the life of this village to get acquainted with it. I suggest organizing your dinner and lunch in the village where the trail begins and ends. Here you will see the love and longing of the residents towards the guest. The trail starts at the last house of the village. Many skiers have passed through this trail, admired by the snow quality and spectacular views of the peaks.

Description of the Monuments
The Pambak sierra is bordered by Aragatsotn and Lori province. There is the 2714m high Mount Hol in here. The highest peak of the sierra is Mount Tezh, 3101m, which is located in the central part of the Pambak sierra. One of the highest peaks is the Maymekh, 3094m. The slopes are center slopes and are very clipped.
Charchakis or Derek village of Aragatsotn province, on the slope of the Mount Pambak. The distance from the center is 48 km, and the height from sea level is 2180 m. Only the southeast wall of the 4-6th century church has been preserved in the village. According to the villagers testimony, the church was destroyed in 1988 by the Spitak earthquake.
On the way back we recommend you visit Armenian Alphabet Monument, Saghmosavank, Hovhannavank Monasteries, the other sights of Aragatsotn province.

The Armenian Alphabet Monument after M. Mashtots is located on the eastern slope of Mount Aragats, near Artashavan village in Aragatsotn province, on the left side of the Yerevan-Aparan highway. The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots, a prominent linguist, religious and political leader between 405-406 and has been used for Armenian writing ever since. His goal was to make the Bible accessible for Armenians to spread Christianity. The monument was built in 2005 to commemorate the 1,600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet. It features 39 beautifully ornamented letters of the alphabet and statues of key Armenian figures. Each letter is 1.5m-2m high.
According to tradition, anyone who visits this monument takes a photo with the first letter of their name. By the Monument, you can see the statues of the great minds of Armenia – Mesrop Mashtots (with the letters in his hands), Grigor Lusavorich (holding the cross beyond), Anania Shirakatsi (a symbol of the earth and the universe in his left hand), Mkhitar Gosh (with the book in his hands), Khachatur Abovyan (writer) and Hovhannes Tumanyan (writer).

Saghmosavank Monastery is located in Saghmosavan village of Aragatsotn marz. It is located in the edge of the deep Kasakh river canyon. Gigantic Mount Ara is on the back side of Saghmosavank. Mount Ararat is on the western side of the church. Mount Aragats, which is the highest mount in Armenia (4095m), is on the northern side of the church. The Saghmosavank manuscript repository was built in 1255 and there are khachkars (cross-stones) on the western facade of the monastery. The complex is comprised of the St. Sion and St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) churches, a book depository, and a narthex.

The St. Sion church is the main church of the complex. It is a cross-shaped, domed church that differs from other churches built in that epoch by the layout of the narthex. The eastern part of the church features an altar and niches inside the walls.

Hovhannavank Monastery is located in Ohanavan village of Aragatsotn marz. It is beautifully perched on a gorge, high above the right bank of the Kasagh river. The monastery overlooks Mount Ara and the Geghama Mountains in the south. Over different periods of time, the monastery used to maintain vast plowlands, gardens, pastures, mills, and villages. Hovhannavank was built in the 5th - 13th centuries. It also used to be a significant center for Armenian writing, with a rich library. Some of the manuscripts created there are still preserved to this day.

Fauna
One of the main animal species of the area is the brown bear (Ursus arctos). The gray wolf (Canis lupus), the wild cat (Felis silvestris), the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are also encountered .

Safety and Security
From Charchakis village to Mount Hol, Ucom and Viva Cell-Mts mobile connections are always available․ In the case of an accident 911 rescue services operate in Armenia 24/7. Beware of dogs in the village.

Trail technical parameters
Best period: January - March
Distance: 71 km from Yerevan, by taxi
Duration: 1 hour 20 min
Ski trail length: 7.5 km
Skiing duration: 3 hours
Height from sea level: 2120-2750m
The best drink is hot tea

How to get to the trail
In order to reach the above mentioned ski trail it should be take a taxi from Yerevan to Charchakis village(Derek) of Argatsotn marz, from where the ski trail starts. Please use the taxies, in which counters are installed. Taxies throughout Armenia are quite affordable.