Things to Do in Tsaghkadzor in Winter and Summer
Tsaghkadzor, whose name means “valley of flowers”, is a ski and mountain resort and a year-round base in the hills north-east of Yerevan. Winter belongs to skiers and snowboarders, while summer belongs to chairlift riders, zipline fans and walkers.
At a glance
- Location: Kotayk Province, about 55 km from Yerevan, at roughly 1,800 m
- Currency: Armenian dram (AMD)
- Main attraction: the Tsaghkadzor Ropeway on Mount Teghenis
- Lift hours: daily 10:00 to 17:30
- Advice: see gov.uk and travel.state.gov for current Armenia guidance before travelling
Skiing and snowboarding
The lift system is made up of five fixed-grip chairlifts, the first with four seats and the rest with two, and two rope tows for learners. Together they climb from about 1,966 m to about 2,819 m. Because every lift is an open chair, dress for wind chill. Skiresort.com gives the terrain as about 30 km of pistes, split roughly between easy and intermediate with about 2 km of difficult runs. Wikipedia counts 16 trails, with the longest near 5.8 km.
A typical season runs from mid-December into March, and the upper slopes sometimes stay open into April. Opening dates are announced each year on the official site, and no 2026-27 date had been posted by the end of October 2026.
What it costs
| Item | AMD |
|---|---|
| Single ride | 3,000 |
| Ten-ride card | 10,000 |
| One-day card | 12,000 |
| Three-day card | 30,000 |
| Skis, rental | 5,000 |
| Snowboard, rental | 7,000 |
| Helmet or goggles, each | 2,000 |
These come from the operator’s winter price list at ropeway.am . Multi-day cards are for consecutive days only. Ski and snowboard lessons, private or group, are offered through the operator, and snowmobile rental is advertised without a price, so ask at the ticket office.
When there is no snow
The chairlifts are listed as open all year, so a summer ride to the top is the main draw, about 3,000 AMD per ride on recent listings. Ask at the ticket office for the current fare. The ride takes about 32 minutes, and clear days bring views of Lake Sevan and Mount Ararat. The ropeway may pause in high wind or storms.
The zipline is in the Action Park in the city park near Kecharis, not at the ropeway base. It is listed as a three-stage route with a 480 m first flight, a 150 m walk back up and a 700 m return flight, at about 10,000 AMD. One page gives daily 11:00 to 18:00, so check before you go. ATV and buggy rides are sold by tour operators with no published prices. For horse riding and bike hire, ask your hotel.
Safety on the mountain
- Stay on marked runs.
- Off-piste snow can hold avalanche danger and hidden rocks.
- Leave the resort boundary only with a qualified local guide and rescue gear.
- Ask the operator for current conditions before heading up.
- Pack a windproof layer in every season, since the weather can change fast.
Read more: outdoor activities in Tsaghkadzor . To compare organised trips, browse GetYourGuide .