Vayots Dzor · Armenia
Selim Pass
H-79Martuni to Yeghegnadzor
Armenia’s most celebrated mountain road climbs from Lake Sevan to a 2,410 m summit crowned by a perfectly preserved 14th-century Silk Road caravanserai, then descends into the wine valleys of Vayots Dzor.
The road leaves Martuni on Lake Sevan and ascends through alpine steppe, hairpin after hairpin with the lake glittering behind. At the summit stands Orbelian’s Caravanserai (1332), the finest surviving Silk Road waystation in Armenia, before the road drops sharply into the Vayots Dzor canyon to Yeghegnadzor. Asphalt throughout but potholed.
Few roads deliver history like this, a 14th-century Silk Road caravanserai standing alone at 2,410 m right where you crest the pass. The asphalt is rough and the mountains are empty in every direction, which is exactly the point.
Why we picked it
Selim Pass on the map35.0 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 24Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%1,107.8 – 2,412.1 mPoints of interest4 stops
- Selim PassViewpoint15 mi in
- Orbelian’s CaravanseraiLandmark16 mi in
- Yerkrapah ParkLandmark35 mi in
- EhrenmahlLandmark35 mi in
Hazards
- Potholes
- Rockfall
- Steep grades
- Hairpin bends
- Snow and ice in shoulder seasons
Sources
“While driving through this challenging road, with hairpin turns, steep sections and countless curves, you'll get stunning views.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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