A small and hospitable country, Armenia is squeezed by the mountain slopes of the Caucasus. Regular public transport is absent here as such - the minibus driver will refuse to carry a small number of passengers, so it is quite possible to get stuck for many hours waiting for any transport here. Therefore, the most proven way to travel is to own a car, although the roads in Armenia are clearly not designed for the faint of heart.
Roads surrounded by mountains
Almost the entire territory of the country is represented by mountains and highlands. It is difficult to find flat places here that are convenient for building roads. On the one hand, such a relief gives the traveler endless pleasure from magnificent views, in some places reminiscent of rural, calm Switzerland, and in others, making you freeze with delight at the sight of majestic peaks and narrow gorges.
On the other hand, driving on mountain roads, often serpentine, requires certain skills and dexterity. Take your time here, because speed can cause an accident. Due to the peculiarities of the geographic location, there are not many major roads in Armenia. Basically, they pass through the capital, Yerevan. First of all, this is the international highway E117, coming from the capital of Georgia. Bypassing the beautiful Lake Sevan from the north, this road leads travelers to Yerevan, and from there it stretches to the south throughout the country, ending at the border with Iran.
Another major road runs along the border with Turkey, again entering Yerevan. In the near future, it is also planned to build another major highway that will connect the north and south of Armenia.
Since the country is small in size, you can see all the sights and natural monuments, leaving Yerevan and returning to the capital, and then go in a different direction.
Bad roads and dashing hot guys driving
The main disadvantages of the Armenian roads are the following:
- very poor quality of the coating;
- dashing driving style from local car owners;
- difficult mountainous relief.
Almost all roads are paved, but the condition of many passages in the country can be called catastrophic. And if you can still drive on the main roads, then many secondary roads have long acquired a huge number of pits and potholes. The situation is aggravated by the large number of avalanches and landslides in the mountains, which often simply destroy the existing road. In rural areas, roads are rarely repaired, and even more so, new ones are not built, so for a trip away from the main highway it is worth taking a stronger car.
It is also worth considering the traditional for southern countries driving style without rules. Although the drivers are not particularly rude and do not arrange accidents out of malice, there are enough reckless drivers on the roads. At the same time, order is not monitored very carefully, so strong nerves and a quick reaction are needed to avoid an accident on local roads.
Despite the poor condition of the roads, which makes them often impassable, as well as some chaos on the roads, traveling by car will provide an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Armenia and the hospitality of its inhabitants, which will completely atone for all these disadvantages.
