Don’t worry—there haven’t been bandits in these parts for a long time. This trail, thought to once have been part of the Silk Road, connects the villages of Gomk and Artavan.

You may notice that this trail overlaps with the Stairway To Heaven trail, but there’s a vital turnoff that takes you to the village of Artavan from Gomk, and vice-versa. While hiking the Old Bandit Road, you’ll find yourself on man-made stone steps that switchback up the mountains dividing the two villages. This section of the trail is thought to have been part of the Silk Road! Continuing up, you’ll traverse a scenic cliff-ledge pathway along rock outcrops. Near Artavan, ancient trails have been restored in a beautiful forest, where you’ll notice old Silk Road bandit camps, without the bandits—they’re long gone. This trail is part of the Transcaucasian Trail route that goes through the Vayots Dzor Province.