In Tavush Region, tourists and mountain hiking enthusiasts can now immerse themselves in the filming locations of Armenian cinema classics, trace the legacy of 20th-century Armenian film production, relive the most memorable scenes, and engage with various aspects of rural life.
The mastermind behind this initiative is Edgar Navasardyan, a mountaineer and a board member of the Armenian Federation of Alpinism and Mountain Tourism. In 2019, he established the "Our Mountains" sports camp in Gosh village.
After discovering a large rock in the village, Edgar acquired the surrounding land and developed a new adventure tourism concept around it. To bring his idea to life, he procured sports equipment, tents, and built a bonfire area, a kitchen, and camping grounds.
"The name of the site comes from the film We Are Our Mountains. We strive to connect people with the mountains. Here, we organize training sessions, traditional Armenian yard games, and quests for both tourists and locals. We also host team-building activities for organizations. Rock climbing is an essential component of our games. Every year, we add a new element, and we have now developed the climbing rock. We have built sanitary facilities, a kitchen, a dining area, and a bonfire site. The project has come to life. Visitors come here both for training and overnight stays," Edgar said.
With the support of Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) project, Edgar Navasardyan aims to expand the camp’s capabilities, contribute to the development of the village, and involve local residents in the tourism sector.
"This project’s support was crucial in increasing our resources and tools," he emphasized. In 2024, as a beneficiary of the project, the Our Mountains sports camp signed a Memorandum of Understanding, under which it was equipped with modern technology to enhance the adventure experience.
"In the spring, we plan to build a winter pavilion and a new stage with a bonfire area. We also need to update the equipment required for organizing quests," Edgar shared about his future plans.
Addressing the challenges in the village, he noted: "There are many problems here. We are trying to solve them by involving local residents as hiking guides and suppliers of local products. The more infrastructure develops, the better the villagers' quality of life becomes. We use their off-road vehicles, hire them as cooks, and engage them in various camp maintenance tasks. Another form of support is integrating them into our rural quests, which involves hosting guests in their homes."
The spirit of We Are Our Mountains is present everywhere in this environment. Edgar Navasardyan and his like-minded colleagues have discovered a unique direction for Armenian tourism.
Visitors to the camp can take part in film-themed quests. Currently, there is one such quest based on We Are Our Mountains.
"Living Landscapes for Market Development" (LILA) project is funded by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and is implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Caucasus and Armenia offices, in cooperation with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.
February 13, 2025 at 16:55