Selim Pass

The Selim Pass carries the old road between Vayots Dzor and Lake Sevan over the Vardenis range at 2,410 metres. The modern route through the Vardenyats tunnel is faster, which is exactly why the old road is worth taking: a long series of hairpins through alpine pasture with almost no traffic.

At the top stands Orbelian's Caravanserai, built in 1332 by Prince Chesar Orbelian to shelter merchants and their animals crossing the range. It is the best-preserved caravanserai in Armenia — a long basalt hall lit only by openings in the roof, with stone troughs still running down both sides.

Step inside on a hot day and the temperature drops immediately; the silence and the smell of cold stone do more to convey the Silk Road than any museum. The pass is closed by snow through winter, so check conditions before setting out.