GUESTHOUSE ∞ VAYOTS DZOR ∞ ARMENIA
BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR TRIP
If you are here, you are probably considering a holiday in our guesthouse. We are delighted and we are sure that, if you decide to proceed, you will have a great time but, before you book, please review the information below to avoid disappointment (of course, if you are a seasoned hiker or regularly travel off the beaten path, this will all sound rather obvious).
Gomk is a tiny, remote (and lovely) village, this is its charm but do not expect any such a thing as big city life. There are no bars, restaurants and shops in the village, no pharmacy, no post office and no ATM. Be prepared to go back to nature!
Whatever you need, be it medicines, hygiene products, a special bottle of champagne or a battery charger, think about it and bring it along. As “emergencies” happen, don’t worry too much, the town of Vayk is 20 minutes away and all the basics are available there.
Fruit, veg, dairy and eggs are true 0 Km food, produced by our neighbours and cooked for you by our cook Breakfast includes the usual suspects (tea, coffee, bread, butter, jam etc.) and a generally egg based dish every day. Lunch is a picnic (you will be out and about exploring the mountains) and dinner is a different dish every day with accompaniments such as bread, pickles, veg, fruit as per local tradition, in a fusion Armenian-Mediterranean style. Meals are at fixed times. We can’t cook à la carte and we are unable to accommodate major dietary issues.
If you’re vegetarian you should be fine. If you’re vegan, there will be plenty of fruit and veg but the menu will not work. The meat is not halal. Unfortunately our kitchen, like most household kitchens, does not guarantee the avoidance of cross contamination. If you have severe food allergies or are celiac please contact us.
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You can bring along your favourite wine or spirit, otherwise you can taste and buy great Armenian wines in Areni. And we can always get you a beer. Bring cash for payments if required.
From time to time, there are power and water cuts, nothing to worry about: it usually gets sorted rather quickly. There is no A/C in the house. The evenings are nice and cool in the summer, so just in case, take something warm with you.
There is no wi-fi in the house. We recommend buying an Armenian SIM Card at Yerevan airport when you land (or in the city). VivaCell-MTS has cheap packages, ideal for tourists, and is the only provider with good coverage in the village. The last time we checked, a 10GB package with local minutes was $ 6. Do not expect 4G but internet is good enough to catch up with family and friends and browse social media.
The people in the village generally do not speak English. We will provide you with a basic phrase book in Armenian: if we managed in a few months to learn enough Armenian to buy and renovate a house, you will learn how to ask for a glass of water in no time! Everyone will be happy to practise with you. For more complex issues, our coordinator (who speaks good English) will be one WhatsApp message away.
There will be animals around. It’s a rural setting, neighbours’ chicken, ducks and dogs (and the occasional cow who finds the way in) regularly trespass on our land. They are all friendly creatures. Of course, there might be insects too, spiders, flies, mosquitoes, worms, you name it.
Download the HikeArmenia App on your phone and start planning! Don’t forget to review the App, it was developed by friends of ours, who also marked and maintain the trails as part of the activities of a great local charity.
Get travel insurance, you will be hiking and horse riding, you need it! Also, check if you’re up to date with your vaccinations (Diphtheria-Tetanus etc.) just to be safe. There is a medical center in Vayk.