The journey is over! Peter, Tanya, Katrin, Udo and Angela are back in Yerevan after two adventurous weeks full of new impressions and encounters. Specifically, during the past two weeks (May 22 – June 5), the five guests from Germany and the Netherlands visited Armenia’s most famous cultural sites and breathtaking landscapes by bike with SunChild Eco Tours (SET). Led by Hovhannes, an experienced biker, and Lusine, an excellent German speaker, the five visited various monasteries (e.g. Saghmosavank, Haghpat and Tatev), The Armenian Stonehenge (Zorats Karer) and the mysterious dwelling caves of Khondzoresk. As the group sits together for the final time, they reminisce on the highlights of their trip.
All five agree that biking is a wonderful way to discover Armenia. They laugh as they recall the respect and the admiration shown by the locals for our five foreigners while they biked up steep hills and struggled to get through muddy cart ways. They also agree that having a minibus with a trailer made biking much easier. The mini bus with a trailer was provided by SET for those who found the road too steep and wished to load their bike into the trailer and travel conveniently by car. In addition, the minibus allowed them to safely store their entire luggage. With only a light daypack, they found biking enjoyable even when it came to difficult and mountainous roads.
Katrin enthuses about the spectacular tranquilly of the landscapes and states that after spending two weeks close to nature being back in the city has been a culture shock.
Udo and his wife Angela emphasize that from the very first night they spent in the house of the local Ushi villagers, they felt relaxed and welcomed. They say that their memoirs of living in the houses of the locals have become an inseparable part of their “Armenian experiences”. Unlike most other tours, SET guests do not stay in hotels but instead have the unique opportunity of spending their nights in locals’ homes. There, they gain an insight into the lives of local people and the local culture. Of course staying in a private house in an Armenian village does not offer the luxury and comfort of a 3 star hotel but the overwhelming cordiality and hospitality of their hosts has left an unforgettable impression on the five guests.
They all also agree that one of the most memorable highlight of the trip was the biking tour in Karabagh. Peter was highly impressed by the beauty and loneliness of the landscapes in Karabagh. He also emphasized that biking there was a real pleasure as the roads were in a very good condition and traffic was much less in comparison to Armenia. Interestingly, this side trip was not even part of the initial plan. But, SET follows the philosophy that a tour should not be a tight dogma but an open framework that accommodates the guests’ wishes. Thus, as all bikers expressed a strong wish to use one of the planned resting days to go to Karabagh, the SET staff quickly organized a trip to Karabagh.
However, SET is not just a travel agency but a part of the larger “Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets” (FPWC) which is an environmental organization working in the field of nature protection and environmental education for children and youth. FPWC maintains SunChild Eco-clubs throughout Armenia where young environmentalists learn how to solve environmental problems and raise awareness for nature protection in their local communities. Guests who are traveling with SET also enjoy the opportunity to meet the young members of local SunChild Eco-clubs and learn about Armenia’s natural treasures as well as the endangerment of the country’s unique biodiversity.
Finally, the bike tour ends as the bikers say farewell at a typical Armenian restaurant in Yerevan accompanied with homemade dolmas and wine from Ijevan. “Auf Wiedersehen!” They say as they leave. No, this is not a goodbye but a “See you again”. I’m quite certain that the five will come back soon and SET will be more than happy to help them discover more of Armenia’s cultural sites and breathtaking landscapes.
