Shaki Waterfall
18-metre waterfall near Sisian
- Area Syunik
- Type Nature
- Time needed 30m
An eighteen-metre waterfall on the Vorotan river a short way from Sisian, dropping over a broad basalt lip into a small pool. It is a quick roadside stop rather than an excursion, and how impressive it looks depends heavily on how much water is in the river.
Open in the planner →Getting there
About 202 km from Yerevan, roughly 3h 40m by car, with a signed turn and a short access road from the Sisian area. From the parking area it is a few minutes on foot.
What you see
A wide curtain of water falling over dark rock, with spray reaching the viewing area when the flow is strong. The basalt ledges and the pool below are the whole of it. A small hydroelectric intake sits upstream, which is relevant to what you see.
What to pair it with
Natural pair with Karahunj and Sisian, and a reasonable leg-stretch on the drive between Yerevan and Goris.
When to go
Spring and early summer, during snowmelt, when the flow is at its highest. Later in the year water is drawn off for the hydro scheme and the fall can be much reduced or close to dry.
What is hard about it
The main risk is arriving to find very little water coming over, which happens regularly outside the melt season. The site is also small and sees coach groups, so the viewing area can be busy.
Common questions
Will there definitely be water?
No. Flow varies with the season and with the upstream hydro intake, so in late summer it can be a trickle.
Can I swim?
The pool is small, cold and rocky, and it is not set up for swimming. People do paddle at the edge.
Is there a charge or a car park?
There is a parking area, and arrangements for any fee are not reliably documented. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Nearby
- Tatev Monastery9th-century monastery on a cliff above the Vorotan gorge
- Wings of TatevRecord-breaking 5.7 km reversible cable car to Tatev
- Tatev Great HermitageFortified hermitage in the gorge below Tatev
- Karahunj (Zorats Karer)Prehistoric standing stones, sometimes called Armenian Stonehenge
- Old KhndzoreskCave village linked by a swinging footbridge
- VorotnavankFortified monastery on the Vorotan river