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Lake Gosh, Dilijan

Aerial view of small dark Lake Gosh ringed on all sides by dense green forest
Photo: Vahag851, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — no gate or ticket office
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Always open; go in daylight
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
2 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Time needed
≈ 2–3 hours, village to lake and back
Walk from Gosh village
2.5–4 km each way, depending on the source
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
From central Dilijan
≈ 20–23 km to Gosh village by taxi, about 30 min
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
By car
4x4 only, on a steep rutted dirt track
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Facilities
Picnic tables and a spring; no café or toilets
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
Dram cash for the village; taxis via GG or Yandex Go
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
40.72006, 45.01603YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

≈ 100 × 80 mthe whole lake — you can walk round it in minutes
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaArmenia DiscoveryOneWayTour
up to 8 mmaximum depth
3 sourcesArmenia DiscoveryOneWayTourRussian Wikipedia
1,444–1,500 maltitude above sea level, depending on the source
2 sourcesWikidata (1,444 m)Russian Wikipedia (1,500 m)
≈ 2.2 kmfrom Gosh village as the crow flies; longer on the trail
3 sourcesHiking ProjectOneWayTourRussian Wikipedia (2 km)
Landslidea slipped hillside dammed the hollow — it’s a landslide-dammed lake
3 sourcesArmenia DiscoveryOneWayTourHiking Project
≈ 14 °Csummer water temperature
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaArmenia DiscoveryHiking Project
9.7 kmthe trail from Lake Parz through Gosh village to the lake
2 sourcesHiking ProjectTranscaucasian Trail
Springs and rainwhat feeds the lake
2 sourcesArmenia DiscoveryHiking Project
Dilijan National Parkthe lake lies in its forests, in the Aghstev river basin
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaArmenia Discovery
Goshi Lichits Armenian name; older records call it Tzrka
SourceRussian Wikipedia

How to get to Lake Gosh from Dilijan

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. Start at Dilijan’s central square by the Mimino statue — minibuses from Yerevan’s Northern Bus Station pull in here and taxis wait.
  2. Book a ride in GG or Yandex Go, or agree a fare with a driver on the square. Ask for “Gosh village, Goshavank” — about 30 minutes (unofficial).
  3. Get out at Goshavank monastery; most people see it before or after the lake, and it’s free too.
  4. Walk up from the village into the forest on the waymarked Transcaucasian Trail — red-and-white paint blazes. Not sure where it starts? Ask a local for the “lich”, the lake.
  5. After 1–1.5 hours the trail drops you at a picnic area on the shore. The spring is just west of it, across a small footbridge.
  6. Walk back the same way — about an hour downhill — and book a taxi from the village. Haghartsin makes an easy stop on the drive back to Dilijan.

How long is the hike to Lake Gosh?

From Gosh village it’s 2.5–4 km each way. Sources disagree because there are two routes: a short, steep dirt road and a longer, gentler marked trail. Expect 1–1.5 hours up and a bit less coming down. The climb isn’t big overall, but some pitches are steep, so pace varies a lot.

The marked route was built by Transcaucasian Trail volunteers. It’s blazed in red and white and ends right at the picnic area on the shore. Near the lake a tangle of forest tracks makes it easy to wander off, so stick to the blazes. The clay turns slick after rain — in wet weather, wait for another day. April to October is the best window.

For a full day, start at Lake Parz and walk through the forest and Gosh village: about 9.7 km with roughly 450 m of climbing. Take a taxi from Gosh back to Dilijan.

Is Lake Gosh worth it?

Yes, if you’re already going to Goshavank and have two spare hours and decent shoes. It’s one of the easiest forest walks around Dilijan: short, free, simple to follow, with a clear goal at the end. School-age kids manage it fine.

No, if you’re short on time or picturing a big scenic lake. Lake Gosh is small and partly overgrown, and without the forest around it there wouldn’t be much to see. In that case pick Lake Parz — there’s a road to it and a café — or spend the time on monasteries instead.

Entry fee, costs and the best time to go

There’s no entrance fee: this is national park forest, with no gate or ticket office. There are no hours either, but head in during the morning or early afternoon so you’re out before dark. Your only costs are the taxi, lunch and — if you’d rather not walk — a 4x4, arranged in the village or as a jeep tour. This is unofficial.

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards work in Dilijan’s hotels and cafés, but carry Armenian dram cash for Gosh village. Taxi apps GG and Yandex Go both work here and show the fare up front. Go from late spring to mid-autumn, in dry weather; in October the forest round the lake turns gold. On summer weekends local families barbecue by the water, so weekdays are quieter.

What is Lake Gosh?

Lake Gosh is a small landslide-dammed lake: a hillside once slipped and blocked a hollow in the forest, which then filled with spring water and rain. It’s about 100 by 80 m and up to 8 m deep, wrapped in dense broadleaf forest — which is why it looks like a dark eye in the green from above.

In Armenian it’s Goshi Lich, named after Gosh village and Goshavank, the monastery founded by the medieval scholar Mkhitar Gosh. The lake is slowly silting up and turning marshy at the edges; frogs, crayfish and small fish live in it. In summer the water only reaches about 14 °C, so it’s more a place to sit than to swim.

Don’t expect a resort. You’ll find a few picnic tables and benches, a spring nearby, and that’s it. The point is the quiet, the forest and the walk itself.

What to see on the way

  • The lake itself — dark water in a ring of trees; the best view is from the trail just above the shore.
  • The picnic area with tables and benches — the obvious lunch stop.
  • A freshwater spring west of the picnic area, over a little footbridge — refill your bottle.
  • Khachkars under a handkerchief tree at the junction above the village, on the marked route.
  • Mkhitar Gosh’s mausoleum and St Sargis chapel on the hillside above Gosh — the trail from the lake passes them.
  • Goshavank, the 12th–13th-century monastery with its lace-like khachkar, at the start and end of the walk.

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Lake Gosh vs Lake Parz

Lake Goshyou are hereForest above Gosh village1,444–1,500 mOn foot from the village or by 4x4Picnic tables and a spring
Lake ParzForest about 9 km from Dilijan≈ 1,350 mRoad to the recreation areaRecreation area with food and lodging

A 9.7 km forest trail links the two via Gosh village. Want quiet and a walk — Gosh. Want to drive up and sit in a café by the water — Parz.

Lakes and water around Dilijan compared

Waterside places around Dilijan rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Lake Parz331 h 30 minFree5.8 km
Sevanavank291 hFree17.4 km
Lake Goshyou are here262 hFree—

Goshavank, the lake and Haghartsin in a day

Goshavank in the morning, the walk to Lake Gosh, Haghartsin in the forest on the way back and an evening on Dilijan’s old street. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Goshavank45 min · Free
  2. 33 min walk from the previous stopLake Goshyou are here2 h · Free
  3. 241 min walk from the previous stopHaghartsin Monastery1 h · Free
  4. 124 min walk from the previous stopOld Dilijan (Sharambeyan Street)45 min · Free

4 places · about 11 h 8 min with walks · 398 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Goshavank

Dilijan, Armenia

45 min · Free · 33 min walk

How to do it right

  • Pair the walk with Goshavank — the trail starts in the same village.
  • Follow the red-and-white Transcaucasian Trail blazes; near the lake it’s easy to take the wrong forest track.
  • Skip it straight after rain, or bring trekking poles — the clay gets slippery.
  • Weekdays are far quieter than summer weekends.
  • The water is about 14 °C in summer — bring a picnic rather than swimwear.
  • Eat in Gosh village after the walk instead of heading back to Dilijan hungry.

Questions

How do I get to Lake Gosh?

Take a taxi from Dilijan to Gosh village (about 30 minutes), then walk 1–1.5 hours through the forest. A normal car can’t reach the lake — only a 4x4.

How long is the hike from Gosh village to Lake Gosh?

2.5–4 km each way depending on the route and source — roughly 1–1.5 hours up and a little less down. The marked trail is longer but gentler.

Is there an entrance fee for Lake Gosh?

No. It’s open forest with no gate or ticket office; you only pay for the taxi, lunch and an optional 4x4.

Is Lake Gosh worth visiting?

Yes, as an easy forest walk alongside Goshavank. If you want a big scenic lake, it will disappoint — it’s small and partly overgrown.

Can you drive to Lake Gosh?

Only in a 4x4: the track is steep and rutted. You can arrange a jeep in the village or join a jeep tour (unofficial).

Can you hike from Lake Parz to Lake Gosh?

Yes, on the Transcaucasian Trail — about 9.7 km through the forest and Gosh village, with roughly 450 m of climbing. Plan a full day and a taxi back.

Can you swim in Lake Gosh?

We found no ban, but the water is about 14 °C in summer and the bottom is silty. It’s better for a picnic than a swim.

Can you camp at Lake Gosh?

Trail hikers often camp on the shore. Expect local barbecue groups on summer evenings, use existing fire rings and take your rubbish with you.

When is the best time to visit Lake Gosh?

April to October in dry weather. October brings autumn colour; summer weekends are the busiest.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Russian Wikipedia: Gosh (lake); Wikidata Q4134799
  • Transcaucasian Trail: Dilijan National Park map and trail notes
  • Hiking Project: Lake Parz to Lake Gosh Trail
  • Armenia Discovery: Gosh Lake
  • OneWayTour: Lake Gosh
  • Travelers & Dreamers: Dilijan National Park
  • OneTwoTrip: Hiking in Armenia — one-day trips (in Russian)
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThere’s no official page for the lake, so entry, hours, access, payment and transport are marked “verifying” and called unofficial. Size, depth, water temperature and the lake’s origin are checked against at least two sources. Where sources differ we say so: altitude is 1,444 m in Wikidata and 1,500 m in Russian Wikipedia, so we show both; 8 m is the maximum depth for Armenia Discovery and OneWayTour but the average in the Wikipedia infobox, so we write “up to 8 m”. Distance from the village is 2–2.2 km as the crow flies (Wikipedia, Hiking Project), 2.5 km and 1.5 hours up (Travelers & Dreamers), 4.2 km on the marked Transcaucasian Trail and 4–5 km per OneTwoTrip — we give 2.5–4 km. Sources contradict each other on the direction from the village and the water volume, so we leave both out. No source names a national park entry fee.

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