Sevan Lake is known as the blue eye of Armenia, and for the people of this country, it means the sea. This lake is one of the most important sights in Armenia, which shines like a jewel near Yerevan. Usually, one day of the Armenia tour program is dedicated to visiting the Sevan Lake and nearby attractions.
Did you know that this natural attraction is the largest lake in the Caucasus and the largest freshwater mountain lake in the world? This is why Sevan Lake has a special place for tourism and the ecosystem of the region. This attraction is so beautiful that you feel like you are standing right in the middle of heaven.
In this article, we have collected everything you need to know about visiting Sevan Lake and nearby attractions. If you plan to travel to Armenia and visit the sights of Armenia, this article will prepare you for the trip.
Introducing Sevan Lake, Armenia
Lake Suvan in Armenia, known as the blue eyes of Armenia, is located 60 km northeast of Yerevan in Gagharkonik province. Svan means “Land of Lakes” and is derived from the Urartian root Siona. Urartu was called the Kingdom of Van and the Kingdom of Ararat and is the name of a civilization in the Iron Age.
Geographically, the Urartian civilization was located around Lake Urmia, Lake Van, the mountainous land of Armenia, and the Eastern Anatolia region of present-day Turkey. Originally, Urartu people were the ancestors of Georgians and Armenians.
image from: google maps
Approximately 36 streams flow into Lake Suvan in Armenia, and only the Hrazdan River originates from this lake. Herazdan river is located in Kotayk province and it is named after the city of Herazdan.
Lake Suvan is the largest freshwater lake in the world, the largest drinkable lake in the Caucasus region and the largest lake in Armenia, for this reason it is considered one of the most important sights in Armenia.
This lake is located at an altitude of about 1905 meters above sea level, and because it is in a mountainous region, it has a cool climate. On average, about 20 to 25 days of the year, the water of Sevan Lake freezes.
Where is Sevan Lake in Armenia?
Armenia’s Sevan Lake, which is considered the largest water area in the Caucasus, is located in the heart of Swan National Park, one of the tourist spots in Armenia. To go to Sevan Lake, you need to buy a plane ticket to Yerevan and go from Yerevan to Gagharkonik Province, the city of Swan. The city of Suvan is about 67 kilometers away from Yerevan, which takes one hour by car.
Lake Swan is located in the east of Armenia, Gegharkonik Province, Suvan City, Suvan National Park.
Area and depth of Lake Sevan, Armenia
The area of the lake basin is 5000 square kilometers, equal to one sixth of the entire area of Armenia. The deepest point of Armenia’s Swan Lake is about 86 meters and its average depth is 26.5 meters. The age of the lake is estimated between 25 and 30 thousand years and it is said that its area was 10 times larger in the past than it is now.
image from: Wikipedia
Sevan Lake in Armenia consists of two parts in the following order:
Bolshoi Svan means Big Sevan in the southeast with a depth of 39 meters
Mali Svan means small Svan in the northwest with a depth of 85 meters
Access route to Sevan Lake , Armenia
To go to Sevan Lake from Yerevan, you have several ways ahead of you, which I will introduce below. Choosing the access route to Sevan Lake in Armenia depends on your patience, budget, time and desires.
Access route from Yerevan to Sevan Lake by minibus (marshrutka)
One of the most common ways to reach Sevan Lake from Yerevan is to use a marshrutka or minibus. Many locals in Armenia use minibuses to go to the lake. To go to Sevan Lake by minibus, you need to go to Yerevan North Bus Station, which is about 30 minutes away from Yerevan city center.
marshrutka
Minibuses depart from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. once every hour. Depending on the number of stops you will have during the trip, this trip will take about 50 minutes to an hour.
The minibus will take you to the city of Sevan and not directly to the lake! As a result, you have to take a taxi to Sevan Lake. To get a taxi, you can install the Yandex Taxi application on your phone.
Access route from Yerevan to Sevan Lake by train
Another suitable option to get from Yerevan to Swan Lake is the train. Although traveling by train from Yerevan to Sevan Lake, one of Armenia’s attractions, is an ‘option’, it may not be a good choice for everyone. In fact, this is the longest route you can take to travel to the lake. That’s why I always say that the choice of vehicle or travel season depends on you.
Because despite the long route, many people still choose to travel by train. This group of people enjoy watching the scenery on the way and taking photos and videos, that’s why traveling by train is considered the best choice for them.
Traveling from Yerevan to Sevan by train takes about three hours and you can see the lake from the train window in parts of the route.
The route of the train is from Almast railway station of Yerevan to Svan and Shorzha. Every day of the week except Wednesdays, the train departs from Yerevan to Sevan station, which is near the lake, and if you don’t have extra luggage, you can walk from the train station to the lake.
Trains leave Almast railway station at 8:30 and return to Yerevan at 17:00. Pay attention that the trains leave only once a day.
Access route to Sevan Lake by taxi
One of the fastest and best options to reach Sevan Lake from Yerevan is to use a taxi. Armenia has several online taxi apps such as GG, Yandex and UTaxi that make your work easy. It is less than an hour by taxi from Yerevan city center to Sevan Lake. But it costs a lot.
Good to know that taxis operate in many parts of Swansea, but not everywhere! If you go out of the city of Suvan and the tourist areas and go to a place like Gavar, you may not be able to get a taxi with the app.
Renting a car in Armenia is the best way to access Sevan Lake from Yerevan
Renting a car in Yerevan is probably the best option to reach the Sevan Lake in Armenia. By renting a car in Armenia, you have the freedom to stop wherever you want along the way and see the sights near Sevan Lake and Yerevan along the way.
It’s good to know that if you rent a car and go to Sevan, continue a little north on the road, you will reach Dilijan. The area around the lake is a little desert, but after crossing that area, as soon as you pass through the tunnel and reach Dilijan, it’s like you’ve entered another world.
A green and forest world with thousands of trees, blue sky full of cartoon clouds, cool air, pleasant and refreshing air and pleasant scenery with the sound of birds; It is as if you have reached the middle of heaven. Traveling to Sevan by renting a car in Yerevan is both an omen and a sight. With this, you can enjoy every moment of your journey on the way and see the best sights of Armenia.
image from Move2armenia
Distance from Sevan Lake to Yerevan
Sevan Lake is located approximately 67 km from Yerevan and is about 1900 meters above sea level. It takes about an hour from Yerevan to Sevan Lake by car.
Distance from Lake Urmia to Lake Sevan, Armenia
It takes 8 and a half hours from Urmia Lake to Sevan Lake by car without stopping. The distance between Lake Urmia and Lake Suvan in Armenia is equal to 541 km, and this route passes through Azerbaijan.
The best time to travel to Sevan Lake
The best time to visit Sevan depends on your interests and your tolerance level for different weather conditions. If you prefer warm weather and water activities, summer season is ideal. If you want to escape from the crowds and prefer cooler weather, spring and autumn are the best times to visit Sevan Lake in Armenia.
Winter is perfect for those looking for winter sports and a unique, snow-covered landscape. But be careful that the lake weather is very cold in winter and the lake water freezes.
Denomination of Swan Lake, Armenia
In the historical texts from the ancient times to the middle ages, this lake is mentioned with the name of “Gagham” sea.
Some language experts say that the word “Sevan” means lake in the Urartian language, which was the language of the people of this region in the past. They even found an inscription around the lake on which the name of the lake is written in cuneiform.
Legends of Armenia’s Sevan Lake
Legends have always been an integral part of the history of the Armenian people and their daily life. Armenians always tell stories about lakes, mountains and other geographical attractions. That’s why there are legends about almost every attraction you see in Armenia. The legends of Swan Lake are not the same, so in this article I will tell you only one of these legends that local people believe.
It is said that in the past, there was a village full of forest and hills in the place of today’s Swan Lake, and near the village, there was a reservoir that supplied water to the villagers. To get water, they had to open the reservoir and carefully close it again, because the volume of water was very high and if it overflowed, the village would have drowned.
Image from Armenia guide
One day, one of the village women went to the reservoir to fetch water, but forgot to close it again. The water started flowing and soon it reached the village. When the villagers realized what had happened, they fled the village and cursed the person who had left the reservoir open to turn into stone. The woman who had accidentally opened the water path was immediately turned to stone. Meanwhile, the water continued to flow and covered the entire village and its surroundings. As a result, Swan Lake was created.
Flora and fauna of Swan Lake
Ishkhan salmon, which means prince, also known as swan flower, is native to this lake and is considered one of the most famous aquatic species in Armenia. Due to the cold water temperature of Sevan Lake, only certain aquatic species live in it, including spring fish and goldfish. This lake is home to various species of birds and also hosts seagulls and migratory birds from the surrounding countries in spring and summer.
As you know, the lake is located in the Sevan National Park and there are many types of trees, especially pine, and numerous flora and fauna around the lake. The variety of flora and fauna and even birds of Sevan Lake in Armenia is so great that it cannot be included in this article.
Facilities of Sevan Lake, Armenia
There are many facilities in Sevan Lake for accommodation and recreation. For overnight stay around the lake, you can rent hotels and accommodations in Sevan Lake at different prices.
All kinds of cafes, restaurants and entertainments are available around Lake Sevvan in Armenia. That’s why you don’t need to worry about the lack of amenities. Most of the activities in this area are water and you can rent a bike to cycle around the lake. Beaches, sports fields, sanitary facilities, first aid and rescue, children’s playground and free parking are some of the other facilities of Svan Lake in Armenia.
Facilities of Sevan Lake, Armenia
Recreation of Sevan Lake, Armenia
Swimming and water sports
For swimming, you should choose special beaches for swimming. For the people of Armenia, Sevan Lake is like the sea, and for this reason, many beaches with the necessary facilities for swimming have been built.
jet ski
One of the best activities in Sevan Lake in Armenia is jet skiing. If you are not afraid of water and like to cool off a bit, jet skiing is a good choice for you.
Sevan Lake in Armenia is jet skiing.
Paraglider riding
If you are looking for an exciting experience, paragliding is one of the best activities in Sevan Lake in Armenia. The feeling of flying over the blue sky with a view of the lake is an unforgettable experience that you will remember from your trip to Armenia.
Kite catamaran
Another entertainment in Sevan Lake is kite catamaran riding. In this water fun, the boat is connected to the kite and it will spin you on the Sevan waters.
boat riding
If you are afraid of heights and are looking for less exciting water fun, you can try boating in Armenia’s Sevan Lake.
Wake boarding
One of the exciting water sports is wake boarding. In this water fun, you stand on a special board that is attached to a motor boat and ride on the water of the lake.
Sightseeing places near Sevan Lake
If you go to visit Sevan Lake, don’t miss visiting the attractions near the lake. You can see valuable and beautiful historical and natural attractions around the lake. From the national park to the historical monasteries, they are all among the best places to visit in Armenia. The best places to visit near Lake Sevan in Armenia are as follows:
Sevan National Park
Sevan Lake and its surrounding natural area are called Swan National Park. This park is one of the four protected national parks of the Republic of Armenia, which was established in 1978 to protect this area.
Image from: Google maps
Neuratus Cemetery
This cemetery, which remains from the Middle Ages, is famous for its proximity to Sevan Lake and the presence of thousands of khachkari (tombstones). Most people who visit Sevan Lake also visit this cemetery.
Image from: Google maps
Nerkin Getashan village
Nerkin Getashen is one of the villages of Armenia, which is located in Gagharkonik province and southwest of Suvan Lake. If you visit Swan Lake, be sure to visit this city.
Image from: wikipedia
Adzberd Castle
Edsberd Castle, formerly known as Teyseba, is one of the historical attractions around Sevan Lake. To visit the castle, it is enough to go to the city of Tsovinar, which is located on the south side of Sevan Lake.
Adzberd Castle
This castle is located on a hill in the east of the city of Tsovinar and was the residence of Armenian kings 2,800 years ago. This castle is one of the most intact castles left around Lake Suvan and is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Armenia.
Hayravank Monastery
Hayravank is an Armenian apostolic monastery located on the shore of Sevan Lake. This monastery, designed in the style of Armenian architecture, was built in the 9th century AD and its construction work was completed in the 12th century. There is also a small cemetery near this monastery.
Image from: Google maps
Svanavank Monastery
Svanavank (meaning Sevan Monastery) is an Armenian apostolic monastery complex in Gagharkonik Province, located on a hill near the city of Svan on the northwestern shore of Sevan Lake. This monastery was built in the 9th century by Princess Maryam, daughter of Ashot.
Image from:Positiveday
Stay near Sevan Lake
There are many hotels to stay near Sevan Lake. From luxury hotels to ecotourism accommodations that are suitable for your overnight stay according to your budget and taste. The best hotels in Armenia’s Sevan Lake are: Oasis Hotel, Newland Hotel, Blue Sevan Hotel, Water Park and Horsenger Hotel, Set Western, Bohemian Resort Hotel and Lavash Hotel.
Tips for traveling to Sevan Lake
This area gets very crowded on holidays, so if you are running away from crowds, weekends are not the best time to visit the lake.
In the restaurants near the lake, enjoy local fish of this lake.
Even if you are traveling in summer, it is better to bring warm clothes.
Visit nearby churches and attractions near Swan Lake.
Take a hat and sunglasses with you.
Try cycling around the lake.
Do not miss the water activities of Swan Lake.
The last word is to respect people’s culture and take care of the environment. Do not throw garbage in the water of the lake and its surroundings and do not harm the nature.
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