This monastery is located only some 40 kms from Goris but the access of season is not easy. They told me that there is once a day marshrutka going there but when I arrived at 8.30 am to the stop nobody appeared. Maybe in the season… You have to bargain if you want to use taxi. Finally the driver of the old lada soviet car took me to Halidzor for 3000.
Why to Halidzor – some 10 oms before Tatev? Because there is a chance to “fly” to the monastery by world’s longest cable car. The lenght of the non- stop journey is 5752 m! They open at 10.00 am, I bought the OW ticket for 5500 drams (RT costs 7000) and I started 12 minutes journey. Great views! In the highest point you are more then 300 m above the canyon. Goldenhead eagles are flying around….
The upper station is just 100 m from the monastery. Tatev , founded in 4th century is a big place with 3 churches, Bishop’s quarters, oil mill. I had a chance to see blessing ceremonies in the big church, where a great music goes all the time.
It is worth to walk some 2 kms by gravel road to the opposite slope for the best picture-postcard view of the complex. Then, happy due to the excellent weather I started to walk back to Halidzor. There are attractions on the way. Devil’s Bridge is run down and not worth to see. Then there is pavilion view point overlookind the canyon and that is nice. I has hitchhiking back to Goris. 3 cars one by one took me home – thank you dear Armenian and Russian drivers!
