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Dilijan National Park. Author Beko.

Top 10 Sensational Facts about Dilijan National Park

 The Dilijan National Park is a favorite to many travelers when they visit Armenia. And it’s not without a good reason. This huge national park is one of the main treasures of the country. It offers amazing scenery, some of the best hikes in nature, great weather and delicious food.

Located in the north-eastern Tavush Province of Armenia, Dilijan National Park is one of the four national parks and Occupies an area of 240 km².  It is known for its forest landscapes, rich biodiversity, medicinal mineral water springs, natural and cultural monuments, and extensive network of hiking trails.

Dilijan National Park was upgraded in 2002 as a state nature reserve from the former Dilijan and Kuybishev forest enterprises.

1. Its Uniqueness Is In The Different Sections Are elevated Differently Above Sea Level

The Dilijan National Park, situated in the north of Tavush Province, is one of the most picturesque places in Armenia. It is unique in that different sections of the park are differently elevated above the sea level, from 1000 to 2300 meters. It spreads across the slopes of Ijevan, Pambak, Areguni, Miapor, and Halab mountain chains.

2. It Was Elevated From A Reserve To A National Park

The change of the status of Dilijan State Reserve to Dilijan National Park was necessitated by several factors, such as, inevitability of commercial activity in the area, presence of numerous settlements, including Dilijan town with its mineral water resorts, Yerevan-Ijevan railway line passing through its whole territory and others.

Currently, the general plan of the national park is under development, including the clarification of the borders and mapping of economic, recreational and buffer zones of the national park.

3. Considered Home To About 1000 Different Plants

The Dilijan National Park is considered home to about 1000 different plants, including over two dozen endangered species. But the park is especially famous for its rich fruit trees and bushes, including walnut and hazelnut trees, pear trees, and much more. You can also find a lot of animals here – foxes, wolves, lynxes, boars and other animals typically met in European forests are in abundance here.

4. It Is Home To 902 Species Of Vascular Plants

 Dilijan National Park is home to 902 species of vascular plants, namely Lycopodium (1 species), Horse-tails, Ferns , Gymnosperms  and Angiosperms (881).  About 40 rare species of plants occur in this territory. 29 species of the flora are registered in the Red Book of Endangered Species of Armenia and 4 in the Red Data Book of the USSR.

5. The Vegetation Of The National Park Is Of Mesophilous Caucasian Type

It is worth noting that the vegetation of the national park is of mesophilous Caucasian type mainly represented by forest associations. It mainly consists of deciduous species such as oak (Quercus iberica, Q. macranthera), oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), common and oriental hornbeam (Carpinus betulus, C. orientalis), which form homogeneous oak, beech and hornbeam forests as well as mixed forests with different combinations of the species mentioned.

6. The Forests In The National Park Are Rich In Fruit Trees And Bushes

The forests in the national park are rich in fruit trees and bushes such as oriental apple – Malus orientalis, walnut – Juglans regia, cornel – Cornus mas, plum – Prunus spp., blackthorn – Prunus spinosa, pear – Pyrus communis subsp. caucasica, gooseberry – Grossularia reclinata (Ribes reclinatum), medlar – Mespilus germanica, common hazelnut – Corylus avellana (see also Hazelnut Reservation), various species of Blackcurrant – Ribes spp., and hawthorn – Crataegus spp.

 There are also species that are well known as medicinal plants. These include; (Saint John’s wort – Hypericum spp., mint – Mentha, thyme – Thymus, ziziphora – Ziziphora, etc.), edible plants (sorrel – Rumex, falcaria – Falcaria, cow parsnip – Heracleum, etc.), forage (clover – Trifolium, sainfoin – Onobrychis, sea-holly – Eryngium, etc.) or decorative plants (iris, orchids, etc.).

7. The National Park Are Also Rich In Petrophyes And Rare Plants

A part of the National Park, at the western rocky slopes of the Ijevan mountain range and Mount Abeghasar are rich in petrophytes and rare plants. Rocks and cliffs serves as a favorable habitat for numerous rare species such as Armenian Saint John’s wort (Hypericum armenum, saxifrage (Saxifraga juniperifolia, S. tridactylites), scorzonera (Scorzonera rigida), cephalaria (Cephalaria media), small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), jasmine (Jasminum fruticans) and others. Mount Abeghasar is especially rich in rare species.

8. Various Species Of Beetles And Reptiles Can Also Be Found Here

For the lover of nature, the fauna of the national park is also rich. There are about 800 species of beetles as well as numerous species of reptiles (Viper – Vipera lebetina, Armenian and Dahl lizards – Darevskia armeniaca, D. dahli etc.), amphibians (lake frog – Rana ridibunda, green toad – Bufo viridis etc.), fish (trout – Salmo fario, barbel or Kura beghlou- Barbus lacertacyri etc.). Birds are also abundant represented by 150 species including black grouse (Tetrao mlokosievicsi), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), bearded eagle (Gypaetus barbatus aureus), Caspian snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius) and others.

Over 40 species of mammals are registered in the national park such as red deer (Cervus elaphus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), fox (Vulpes vulpes), lynx (Lynx), wolf (Canis lupus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), wild cat (Felis silvestris), roe (Capreolus capreolus), badger (Meles meles), squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) and others.

9. Dilijan National Park Also Has Gems

Tertiary relict yew and Caucasian rhododendron (Rhododendron caucasicum) are the gems of the national park.

At present, only the remnants of previous dense forest have survived in the form of individual trees in an inaccessible terrain. Groups of yew trees and individual trees occur also over the whole territory of the national park.

10. Relict Species Caucasian Rhododendron Is Also Noteworthy

Relict species Caucasian rhododendron should also be considered as something sensational. It grows on the northern slopes of the Pambak Mountains. Rhododendron occurs in the moist meadow vegetation of subalpine zone and stretches westward to Mount Ampasar (the Pambak mountain range) where the largest rhododendron area of Armenia is situated (see Rhododendron Reservation).