Lake Arpi National Park

Lake Arpi sits at around two thousand metres on the Javakheti plateau in the far northwest, a shallow lake in open grassland that was dammed for irrigation and is now the centre of a national park. It is one of the more significant bird sites in the Caucasus: Armenian gulls breed here in thousands, along with Dalmatian pelicans, and the wet meadows around hold breeding waders. The landscape is treeless and wide, quite unlike the rest of the country.

What you actually see

• The gull colony - Armenian gulls breeding on the lake islands in large numbers.
• The Dalmatian pelicans - a small breeding population, among the region's few.
• The wet meadows - flower-rich grassland around the shore, at its peak in June.
• The plateau - open treeless country at around two thousand metres.

When to go

May to September is the season and June is the peak for breeding birds and flowers. Winters here are among the coldest in Armenia and access is difficult. Mornings are best for birdwatching.

Honest expectations

Facilities are minimal outside the visitor centre and there are no hides. Access to parts of the lake needs a permit in the breeding season and is rightly restricted. The area is remote with limited accommodation.

Nearby

Gyumri is southeast, and the Georgian border runs along the north.