# Lake Parz, Dilijan > Lake Parz (Parz Lich, “clear lake”) is a small forest lake in Dilijan National Park, 14 km by road from central Dilijan. **Entry is free and open 24/7**; only the boats, zipline, ropes course and restaurant charge, in the daytime. Allow 1–1.5 hours, or half a day with the hike to Goshavank. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-parz - City: [Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan), Armenia - YesGo score: 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: Free; boats and zipline extra - Opening hours: The lake is open 24/7; boats, zipline, ropes course and restaurant run in the daytime on their own schedule - With kids: Fine with kids - Entrance: Free — it is part of the national park, with no gate or ticket office - Boats, zipline, ropes course: Paid on site; no official price list published - Time needed: 1–1.5 hours at the lake; half a day with the trail to Goshavank - From central Dilijan: ≈ 14 km by road, 20–25 minutes by taxi - Swimming: Not allowed; boating is - Payment: Bring cash dram; Visa and Mastercard at restaurants and hotels, not every stall - Where: Dilijan National Park, Tavush Province, east of Dilijan - Coordinates: 40.75139, 44.96056 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — to visit — the lake sits inside the national park, with no gate (source: Armenian Travel Bureau; armland.am; OneWayTour) - **≈ 14 km** — by road from the Mimino statue in central Dilijan, 20–25 minutes by car (source: YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap; armland.am and OneWayTour give about 15 km) - **7.2 km** — on the Transcaucasian Trail from the lake to Goshavank monastery (source: Transcaucasian Trail — Dilijan National Park trail notes) - **≈ 1,330 m** — above sea level (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Wikidata (1,334 m); armland.am, OneWayTour (1,330 m)) - **Under 400 m** — long and about 100 m wide — a lap takes around half an hour (source: Russian Wikipedia and Armenian Travel Bureau (385 × 85 m); English Wikipedia (350 × 100 m)) - **“Clear lake”** — the meaning of the Armenian name Parz Lich (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Armenian Travel Bureau) - **2017** — the Transcaucasian Trail linked the lake with Dilijan and Gosh village (source: English Wikipedia; Transcaucasian Trail) - **2002** — Dilijan National Park was created, from a nature reserve founded in 1958 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “Dilijan National Park”) - **≈ 240 km²** — of oak, beech and hornbeam forest in the national park (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “Dilijan National Park”) - **Zipline** — across the water, plus a ropes course, boats and a lakeside restaurant (source: English Wikipedia; Live the World) ## Is there an entrance fee at Lake Parz? No. Lake Parz is inside **Dilijan National Park** and there is no gate, ticket office or park fee to walk around it, at any hour. You pay only for extras: rowing boats and pedal boats, the zipline, the ropes course and the lakeside restaurant. No official price list is published and the figures quoted in guides differ, so we don’t give any — ask at the kiosks. An hour to an hour and a half covers the lakeside loop, photos and a coffee; add the zipline and a boat and it is closer to two. With the trail to [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank), plan half a day and have your taxi pick you up in Gosh village instead. > **A forest pond, not a swimming lake** Parz is small — under 400 metres long — and set deep in the woods. Swimming is not allowed, there is no beach, and no bus goes there. Come for the forest, a boat and the trails. For big open water and wide views, head to [Lake Sevan and Sevanavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/sevanavank) instead. ## How to get to Lake Parz 1. Start at the **Mimino statue** on Dilijan’s central roundabout, where minibuses from Yerevan stop and taxis wait. There is no public transport to the lake. 2. Agree the fare **before you set off**, and arrange the ride back at the same time — mobile signal in the forest is patchy and you may not be able to call a car from the shore. 3. The road heads east on the Ijevan highway along the Aghstev river, then turns off at the sign for Parz Lich, crosses a bridge over the river and climbs through the forest. 4. About **14 km and 20–25 minutes** in total. Cars stop at the car park by the restaurant; the water is a two-minute walk. 5. Head back the same way — or walk down to Dilijan on the Transcaucasian Trail, about 13 km to the Takhta neighbourhood. ## Getting to Lake Parz from Yerevan Dilijan is about **100 km** from Yerevan via Lake Sevan. Marshrutkas (minibuses) leave from Yerevan’s **Northern Bus Station** and take roughly 1.5–2 hours, dropping you at the Mimino roundabout. From there it is a 14 km taxi ride to the lake. Driving yourself, allow about two hours from Yerevan to the shore. Break the trip at Sevanavank on Lake Sevan, and after the lake carry on to Goshavank, which is off the same Ijevan road. ## Hiking from Lake Parz to Goshavank and Lake Gosh The best-known hike in Dilijan National Park starts here: a section of the **Transcaucasian Trail**. It is **7.2 km** through the forest to Goshavank monastery in Gosh village, then about 4 km more to [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh). Guides put the whole Parz-to-Gosh walk at roughly 10–11 km. The route is waymarked with **red-and-white blazes**. It crosses logging tracks, so keep an eye on the marks and carry an offline map — there is no reliable signal in the park. The only spring before Goshavank comes just after a switchback; fill up beforehand. After rain the clay gets slippery, so wear shoes with grip. The easy way to do it: taxi to Parz in the morning, walk to Gosh, see the monastery and get collected there by a driver you booked in advance. ## About Dilijan National Park Dilijan National Park was set up in **2002** from a nature reserve dating back to 1958. It covers around 240 km² of mountains and forest around the town — beech on the northern slopes, oak on the southern, hornbeam everywhere. Brown bear, red deer, lynx and wolf live here, along with well over a hundred bird species. Besides Parz, the park holds Lake Gosh and the monasteries of [Haghartsin](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/haghartsin-monastery), Goshavank, [Jukhtakvank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/jukhtakvank) and [Matosavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/matosavank). Lake Parz is the easiest way in: a road runs to the shore, while most other spots mean a longer drive or a walk. ## Things to do at Lake Parz - **Walk the lakeside loop** — about half an hour on a flat path that works for kids. - **Rent a rowing or pedal boat** — from the water you see the forest rising straight off the shore. - **Ride the zipline** across the lake — the big draw for teenagers and adults. - **Try the ropes course** — routes of different difficulty, including easy ones for children. - **Eat at the lakeside restaurant** or picnic in the woods — and take your rubbish with you. - **Set off on the Transcaucasian Trail** towards Goshavank — follow the red-and-white marks. ## Is Lake Parz worth visiting? Yes, if you are already in Dilijan and want a taste of the forest without committing to a full-day hike. It is the simplest way into the national park, and with children it works especially well: boats, a ropes course and an easy path by the water. It is not worth a trip from Yerevan on its own. The lake is small, and you can’t swim in it. Its value is in the combination — the lake, the trail to Goshavank and the monasteries around. The prettiest months are **May–June and October**, when the woods are fresh green or turning gold. ## Money and payment Bring **Armenian dram in cash** for the taxi, boat hire and small purchases at the lake. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at restaurants and hotels in Dilijan, but not at every rental kiosk. ATMs and exchange offices are easy to find in Yerevan and central Dilijan — there is nothing at the lake itself. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Taxi booked both ways - [ ] Cash dram for a boat and the zipline - [ ] Sturdy shoes — the shore gets muddy after rain - [ ] Offline map if I’m hiking on - [ ] Water for the trail to Goshavank - [ ] A warm layer — the forest is cooler than town ## Lake Parz vs Lake Gosh | | Lake Parz | Lake Gosh | | --- | --- | --- | | Access | By car almost to the water | On foot: ≈ 4 km on the trail from Goshavank | | On the shore | Restaurant, boats, zipline, ropes course | Picnic clearing and a spring | | Best for | Families and anyone with an hour or two | Walkers who want quiet woods | | Between them | ≈ 10–11 km on the Transcaucasian Trail via Gosh | ≈ 10–11 km on the Transcaucasian Trail via Gosh | Short on time or travelling with small children — Parz. Want quiet forest without the attractions — Gosh. Better still, walk from one to the other. ## Lakes and water around Dilijan compared Every waterside spot in and 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 ## Dilijan and the forest in a day Morning on the old street, then Lake Parz, the trail to Goshavank and Lake Gosh. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Old Dilijan (Sharambeyan Street)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 2. [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 3. [Goshavank](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/goshavank) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 4. [Lake Gosh](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/lake-gosh) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free ## Good to know Parz Lich is not the park’s only lake: there is also Lake Gosh (Goshi Lich) and little Tsrkalich. “Parz” simply means “clear” in Armenian, so you will see the word in other place names too. ## Tips - Come on a weekday morning — it is quieter and easier to get a boat. - Book the taxi both ways up front: there may be no car to flag down at the lake, and signal is weak. - Pair the lake with Goshavank — both are off the same road east of Dilijan. - Hiking on? Leave the lake before noon so you reach Gosh in daylight with time to spare. - In October the forest around the lake turns gold — the best time for photos from a boat. - On the way back, stop at [Old Dilijan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/dilijan/old-dilijan) for a coffee on Sharambeyan Street. ## Questions ### Where is Lake Parz? In Dilijan National Park, Tavush Province, north-eastern Armenia — about 14 km by road east of central Dilijan. ### How do I get to Lake Parz without a car? Take a marshrutka from Yerevan’s Northern Bus Station to Dilijan, then a taxi from the Mimino roundabout: about 14 km and 20–25 minutes. No bus goes to the lake. ### Is there an entrance fee for Lake Parz or Dilijan National Park? No. Walking around the lake is free at any hour; you pay only for boats, the zipline, the ropes course and food. ### Can you swim in Lake Parz? No, swimming is not allowed. You can rent a rowing or pedal boat instead. ### How long is the hike from Lake Parz to Lake Gosh? Roughly 10–11 km on the Transcaucasian Trail: 7.2 km to Goshavank monastery, then about 4 km to Lake Gosh. Allow most of a day. ### How much time do I need at Lake Parz? 1–1.5 hours for the walk around and a boat, about two with the zipline, half a day with the hike to Goshavank. ### Is Lake Parz worth visiting? Yes if you’re in Dilijan and want an easy forest outing, especially with kids. Not worth a separate trip from Yerevan — combine it with Goshavank and Haghartsin. ### What does Parz Lich mean? “Clear lake” in Armenian. ### Can I pay by card at Lake Parz? Sometimes at the restaurant; bring cash dram for the taxi and the boat and zipline kiosks. ## How we checked There is no official website for the lake or its rentals, so we give no activity prices, and their hours, the swimming rule and payment are marked “verifying”. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. Sizes differ: 385 × 85 m (Russian Wikipedia, Armenian Travel Bureau), 350 × 100 m (English Wikipedia), 300 × 100 m (armland.am, OneWayTour), so we say “under 400 m”. Depth figures range from 5 to 10 m, so we leave depth out. Wikidata’s area (0.27 km²) disagrees with the others (0.03 km²) and looks like a decimal slip. YesGo measured the distance from the town centre on OpenStreetMap; armland.am and OneWayTour say about 15 km. Trail lengths to Goshavank (7.2 km) and on to Lake Gosh (4.2 km) come from the official Transcaucasian Trail notes; guides give 9.7–10 km for the whole walk. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: “Lake Parz”; Russian Wikipedia: “Парз”; Wikidata Q2315006 - English and Russian Wikipedia: “Dilijan National Park” - Armenian Travel Bureau (atb.am): “Lake Parz Lich” — size and directions - armland.am: “Lake Parz”; OneWayTour: “Lake Parz”; Armenia Discovery: “Parz Lake” - Transcaucasian Trail: “Dilijan National Park — map & trail notes” - Live the World: “Parz Lich Extreme Park” — ropes course and zipline - OpenStreetMap — route from the Mimino statue to the lake, measured by YesGo --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.