Call us: 555-555-5555

Blog Post

Shaki Waterfall: One of Southern Armenia's Natural Gems

  • By Thong Do
  • 12 Jul, 2017

One of the most beautiful natural attractions Armenia has to offer is the Shaki Waterfall located in the southern region. Located just a few minutes from the city of Sisian in the Syunik Province lays this 18 meters high waterfall. Also used for hydroelectric purposes this quiet little waterfall offers a great view, a place to picnic, and a get away from the daily noise. Most of the water comes from the Vorotan River and to reach here is very accessible.

the small path you take from the parking area to Shaki Waterfall...
getting closer.... I took this photo as we were leaving...
this is the view from the right side with a nice view of the waterfall before it was turned on..
view with the water turned on... notice the path on the left will take you to the very top...

I visited Shaki Waterfall in June on a slight overcast day and to get here you must past a small power station that’s currently undergoing some renovations. Once you get past it there is a small trail that will take you to this natural oasis. When I got there the waterfall was not “on” but after a few minutes the power station workers released the water and the scenery was worth the wait! There are trails to the left of the waterfall that will take you to the top if you want and a little path to the right that will give you a good vista point too.

I kept my shutter open for about 2 seconds to get this effect...
I had to wait patiently for the groups to leave to get a shot like this...
On the main road to get here we ran into a major sheep traffic jam...
must of been a herd of at least a thousand sheep....
the sheepherders were really cool and enjoyed being photographed by me...

There’s a very interesting legend about this waterfall too. Accordingly, during the invasion of Temur-Lenk aka Tamerlane, Mongols kidnapped 93 virgin women from the Gegharkuni village for their commander. It was here that they asked their captors if they could clean themselves up and bathe in the Vorotan River. The captors agreed and the undressed and jumped in to the river and sank and disappeared. Only one woman, a blued eyed woman, with long curly hair by the name of Shaki swam across the river to escape. After the invaders managed to catch up with her she managed to flee and hide under the foamy water. After this incident, that’s how the waterfall and nearby village got its name!

Anyways, if you’re on your way to Tatev Monastery or Karahunj (Armenia’s Stone Henge) then it’s definitely worth the small detour to see this natural beauty in the south.

Happy traveling....

By Thong Do 06 Jan, 2018
Armenia celebrates Christmas on January 6th and although it's recognized as the first country to adopt Christianity as it's state religion it also has very deep pagan traditions.
By Thong Do 30 Oct, 2017
The Shwesandaw Pagoda, Htilominlo and Thatbyinnyu Temples are cultural and architectural beauties that can be found in the Bagan Archaelogical Zone in central Myanmar.
By Thong Do 28 Sep, 2017
The Holy Cross of Aparan stands at 33 meters high comprised of over 1,700 small crosses and the Holy Trinity Altar of Hope was opened in 2005.
By Thong Do 27 Sep, 2017
Alphabet Park was opened in May 28, 2005 on the 1,600 year anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet by Saint Mesrop Mashtots.
By Thong Do 31 Aug, 2017
Located near the border of Shirak and Lori Province, Trchkan Waterfall stands at 23 meters high.
By Thong Do 16 Aug, 2017
Mount Aragats is Armenia's tallest mountain at 13,420 feet
By Thong Do 15 Aug, 2017
The Bagan Archaeological Zone has over 2,000 temples, pagodas, and shrines spread out over a 50 square kilometer area in central Myanmar.
By Thong Do 10 Aug, 2017
The Ughtasar Petroglyphs date back to the Paleolithic Era (12,000 B.C.E.) and can be found near Mt. Ughtasar near the city of Sisian in southern Armenia.
By Thong Do 09 Aug, 2017
Jermuk Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Armenia at 72 meters and located in the Vayots Dzor province.
By Thong Do 08 Aug, 2017
Karahunj is comprised of over 223 large stones that was used for astronomical and ritual purposes and is over 7,500 years old. It is referred to as Armenia's Stonehenge and over 3,000 years older than Britain's Stonehenge
More Posts
Share by: