# Lake Gosh, Dilijan > Lake Gosh is a tiny forest lake in Dilijan National Park, above Gosh village and about 25 km from central Dilijan. It’s free, with no gate or opening hours — just go in daylight. The last 2.5–4 km are on foot from the village or [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) monastery, roughly 1–1.5 hours uphill. Allow two to three hours for the round walk. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh - City: [Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan), Armenia - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — no gate or ticket office - Hours: Always open; go in daylight - Time needed: ≈ 2–3 hours, village to lake and back - Walk from Gosh village: 2.5–4 km each way, depending on the source - From central Dilijan: ≈ 20–23 km to Gosh village by taxi, about 30 min - By car: 4x4 only, on a steep rutted dirt track - Facilities: Picnic tables and a spring; no café or toilets - Payment: Dram cash for the village; taxis via GG or Yandex Go - Coordinates: 40.72006, 45.01603 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 100 × 80 m** — the whole lake — you can walk round it in minutes (source: Russian Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery; OneWayTour) - **up to 8 m** — maximum depth (source: Armenia Discovery; OneWayTour; Russian Wikipedia) - **1,444–1,500 m** — altitude above sea level, depending on the source (source: Wikidata (1,444 m); Russian Wikipedia (1,500 m)) - **≈ 2.2 km** — from Gosh village as the crow flies; longer on the trail (source: Hiking Project; OneWayTour; Russian Wikipedia (2 km)) - **Landslide** — a slipped hillside dammed the hollow — it’s a landslide-dammed lake (source: Armenia Discovery; OneWayTour; Hiking Project) - **≈ 14 °C** — summer water temperature (source: Russian Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery; Hiking Project) - **9.7 km** — the trail from Lake Parz through Gosh village to the lake (source: Hiking Project; Transcaucasian Trail) - **Springs and rain** — what feeds the lake (source: Armenia Discovery; Hiking Project) - **Dilijan National Park** — the lake lies in its forests, in the Aghstev river basin (source: Russian Wikipedia; Armenia Discovery) - **Goshi Lich** — its Armenian name; older records call it Tzrka (source: Russian Wikipedia) ## How to get to Lake Gosh from Dilijan 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](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) makes an easy stop on the drive back to Dilijan. > **You can’t drive a normal car to the lake** The track from Gosh village up to the lake is steep and deeply rutted; only 4x4s use it, and the ruts fill with water after rain. A taxi gets you to the village or Goshavank, and from there you walk. Sort out your ride back before the driver leaves — phone signal is usually fine in the forest, but taxis take longer to reach a village than the town (unofficial). ## 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](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/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. > **Camping at Lake Gosh** Transcaucasian Trail hikers often pitch a tent on the shore before heading down to Gosh village. Just know that on summer and early-autumn evenings it’s a favourite barbecue spot for locals, so a quiet night isn’t guaranteed. Use existing fire rings only and pack out all rubbish — there are no bins in the forest. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Starting in the morning or early afternoon — back before dark - [ ] Shoes with grip — clay and tree roots on the trail - [ ] Water and snacks: nothing to buy at the lake - [ ] Armenian dram cash for the taxi and lunch in Gosh - [ ] Taxi app installed and the ride back planned - [ ] Offline map with the trail downloaded — forest tracks near the lake are confusing - [ ] Heavy rain overnight? Postpone - [ ] A bag for your rubbish ## Lake Gosh vs Lake Parz | | Lake Gosh | Lake Parz | | --- | --- | --- | | Where | Forest above Gosh village | Forest about 9 km from Dilijan | | Altitude | 1,444–1,500 m | ≈ 1,350 m | | Access | On foot from the village or by 4x4 | Road to the recreation area | | Facilities | Picnic tables and a spring | Recreation 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. - [Lake Parz](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-parz) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; boats and zipline extra - [Sevanavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/sevanavank) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free ## 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. [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 2. [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 3. [Haghartsin Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 4. [Old Dilijan (Sharambeyan Street)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free ## Good to know Gosh is the village, the lake above it and the surname of Goshavank’s founder. Don’t mix Lake Gosh up with Lake Göygöl in Azerbaijan: one of the Armenian lake’s old names is Geygel too, but they’re different lakes in different countries. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked There’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. ## Sources - 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) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.