Mount Azhdahak

Azhdahak is the high point of the Geghama volcanic range at around 3,597 metres, an old crater with a lake in the bottom that holds snowmelt through the summer and freezes over by autumn. The plateau below is scattered with petroglyph boulders, and Yezidi shepherds bring flocks up here for the season. There is no road: vehicles get within a few kilometres in good conditions and the rest is walked across open volcanic ground.

What you actually see

• The crater lake - a lake in the summit crater, holding snowmelt through summer.
• The petroglyphs - carved boulders scattered across the plateau on the approach.
• The volcanic plateau - open lava country with cinder cones in every direction.
• The summer camps - Yezidi shepherd camps on the high pastures.

When to go

July to September only; snow covers the range for the rest of the year. Weather at this altitude changes fast and cloud can close in within minutes. Nights are below freezing even in August.

Honest expectations

This is a long day at altitude on trackless ground and it is easy to get lost in cloud; a guide with a vehicle is the standard arrangement. There is no shelter, no water fit to drink and no signal. Vehicles get stuck regularly.

Nearby

Lake Sevan is east, and Geghard monastery is on the western side of the range.