Meghri

Meghri is a city in Southern Armenia.

Understand

Although the nearby village of Agarak is the crossing point into Iran, Meghri is the last major centre and the gateway for those entering. The sheer jagged brown mountains here jut up from the thick waters of the Arax River. The old mud adobe architecture of the city is crumbling, much of it replaced with Soviet, but parts of it remain for those who want a taste of a town with a very middle eastern flair. There are a few churches, 2 of them are in very good condition and absolutely covered in frescoes inside. A series of fortresses and fortifications above the city are some of the most recent in Armenia, only a couple of centuries old.

Get in

By bus

Alley in old town Meghri

• Yerevan – One per day, 9-10 hr. Though, it might not be available each day.
• Kapan – Leaving for Meghri at 14:00 (or 15:00), 1.5 hr, and going further to Agarak. 2,000 dram for Meghri and Agarak.

Get around

The town is tiny, you will be good on foot.

See

Surp Hovhannes monastery

Holy Mother of God church

Saint Sarkis church

Meghri fortress

The old churches, the older sections of town which surround them, the fortresses, the Arax River.

• Fortress Megry. Built in the 17th century. 
• Astvatsatsin Mets Taha church. Built in the 17th century. 
• Church of St. Sargis Pokr Taha. Built the 17th century. 
• Ethnographic houses (17th - 20th centuries.)

Nearby:

• Mégret Wank church. Built in the 15th - 18th centuries. 

Eat

Food can be ordered in B&Bs and in a few barbecue joints along the road.

Sleep

• Mila Hotel, Adelyan 2nd Ln, ☏ +374 2860 3180. Amenities: hot, cold water in Luxe rooms, TV in all rooms, refrigerator, 15-20,000 dram. 
• Jemma's Hotel, 5 Nshagortsner Str., Agarak village (A few km west of Meghri), ☏ +374 2860 21480. Luxes have TV, hot/cold water, heating 3,000-20,000 dram. 
• Hotel Aygedzor, Aygedzor village (not in meghri!), ☏ +374 2860 43340, +374 94 602006. hot, cold water, TV set, refrigerator, bathroom, toilet, restaurant, horse-riding, swimming pool, hunting (upon request), cow milking 15,000 dram (per room). 
• Haer B&B (Follow the road north along the hill from the main square starting at the postoffice. After the cemeteries on your left a road will go up the hill, with the B&B on the right.). 6,000 dram, breakfast 2,000 dram, dinner 2,000 dram. 

Go next

• Jolfa, Iran – Take a taxi to Agarak border crossing. It is an 8-km ride and should not cost more than 1,000 dram. There is also one marshrutka per day to Agarak, coming from Kapan. Cross the border and arrange a taxi (US$10-15) or hitch a ride with an Iranian trucker to Jolfa, the first Iranian city having proper transport options.

Routes through Meghri

Kapan ←

N  S

→ Ends at Armenian-Irani border