Travellers who want to explore Armenia’s beautiful Dilijan National Park may soon have some help, thanks to a new modern hiking map of the region.
Dilijan National Park. Image by Tom Allen/Transcaucasian Trail Association
Cartisan is a new independent branch of the Transcaucasian Trail that has spent the last year researching and developing a hiking map for the area. They are aiming to raise US$12,900 (€11,206) to create the map and are currently halfway to their goal. While any amount can be donated, a US$30 (€26) donation will get you a copy of the finished map as well as “bonus goodies”.
Explore the national park with the help of a new map. Image by Tom Allen/Transcaucasian Trail Association
The organization notes that paper maps are important when exploring remote regions, as they don’t lose signals or run out of battery like electronics. Since there’s now a trail network in the park that is seeing more and more visitors, some people have been seeking out maps, but none existed.
Dilijan National Park. Image by Tom Allen/Transcaucasian Trail Association
The map is just one part of the TCT’s efforts to turn the region into a destination for hikers, starting with this small region. “If successful, the 1:25,000-scale topographical map published through this campaign will represent another huge step towards transforming Dilijan National Park into a sustainable, world-class hiking destination”.
While the TCT is still being completed, one eager traveller has already hiked the trail between Georgia and Armenia. University of Bristol student Val Ismaili became the first person to hike the uncompleted trail last year.