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Voykit pocket guide · Armenia
Sisian
Spend 1–2 days in Sisian to see petroglyphs, Vorotnavank, Zorats Karer and nearby waterfalls; day trips fit in a short stay.
Sisian is a small town in southern Armenia with easy walking access to its historic church and museum, and a good base for nearby mountain petroglyphs, Zorats Karer, Shaki waterfall and Vorotnavank monastery, all reachable within 30 min–2 h by taxi or jeep.
- Country
- Armenia
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, snow may block mountain roads)
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AMD
- Money
- Armenian dram (AMD, ֏): cards are widely taken in Yerevan; carry cash for taxis, markets, small cafés and anything outside the city.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₾3,000–5,000 excl. bed · Mid ₾5,000–8,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Team (ex-Beeline), Viva and Ucom sell SIMs with a passport; cheap and fast.
- Emergency
- Police 102 · Fire/ambulance 103 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European plugs fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Check for a service charge; otherwise 10%.; Drivers and guides: AMD 2,000–5,000 a day.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water in Yerevan is generally drinkable (check); bottled is cheap.
- Toilets
- Cafés and malls; basic at monasteries.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | ₾400–600 |
| Meal at a hotel restaurant | ₾800–1,200 |
| Taxi within town (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi within town (3.1 mi (5 km)) | ₾1,200–1,500 |
| Museum entry (Sisian History Museum) | ₾300–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
Typical fares
- Bus Yerevan → Sisian
- ≈4 h, several marshrutkas daily; price ~4,000 dram (check)
- Taxi Sisian → Goris
- ≈45 min, 2,000 dram
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable. Taxis at the bus junction cost ~4,000‑5,000 dram to Yerevan, ~6,000 dram to Goris, and can be hired for 2‑hour trips to petroglyphs (≈25,000 dram for a 4‑person jeep).
See and do
Known for
- Ughtasar petroglyphs
- Zorats Karer stone circle
- Vorotnavank monastery
- Shaki waterfall
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ughtasar Petroglyphs | Hire a jeep from town; 2 h drive, 25,000 dram for up to 4 people | ≈2 h |
| Zorats Karer (Carahunge) | Taxi or shared minibus north 5 km (3.1 mi); 10–15 minTaxi or shared minibus north 3.1 mi (5 km); 10–15 min | ≈30 min total |
| Shaki Waterfall | Taxi or local minibus; 20 min | ≈45 min |
| Vorotnavank Monastery | Taxi along river; ~30 min (road conditions) | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Basen Hotel Complex
- 9,000 dram per person; central, can arrange jeep tours.
- Dina Hotel
- 9–11,000 dram; basic Soviet‑era rooms, optional 3,000 dram for private bathroom.
- Lalaner
- 15–35,000 dram per room; sauna, pool, restaurant.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | բարև (barev)barev |
| Thank you | շնորհակալություն (shnorhakalutyun)shnorhakalutyun |
| How much is it? | քանի է (kani e?)kani e? |
| Where is the toilet? | ճանաչաները որտեղ են? (janachanery vortq e?)janachanery vortq e? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Refusing hospitality
- Churches: Light a candle; cover up; avoid: Loud talk
- History: Listen and ask; avoid: Turkish or Azerbaijani framing of the genocide or Karabakh
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads to Ughtasar and other mountain sites can be rough; hire a guide or 4WD vehicle.
- Petroglyph area open only July–September due to snow cover.
- Border proximity to Azerbaijan; check local advice before heading to border‑close sites.
Generally safe for tourists; keep aware of border proximity and road conditions; use reputable transport.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sisian yet. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ughtasar petroglyphs
- Zorats Karer stone circle
- Vorotnavank monastery
- Shaki waterfall
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sisian official site: sisian.am
- Wikivoyage: Sisian, revision 4986805 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4986805
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/sisian). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.