In the kingdom of stones, moss and water: why you should visit the Unot gorge in Nagorno-Karabakh

There is an opinion that there is nothing to see in Nagorno-Karabakh. Like, the mountains here are lower than in Georgia, and the monasteries are less magnificent than in Armenia. Well, there are no comrades for the taste and color, but nevertheless there is one place in this unrecognized republic, which the old man and the baby may immediately like. Perhaps even here the hearts of the most callous critics tremble.

This time we will talk about the Hunot Gorge and the amazing Umbrella Waterfall. When I found myself here, I felt in the fantastic realm of ancient stones, bright green moss and clear, clear water.

Let's have a look at this amazing and fabulously beautiful place together!

The Unot gorge, which has another unpronounceable name Dzhdrduz, can be considered the main natural attraction of Nagorno-Karabakh. All new arrivals here are required to visit him. And the gorge is really worthy of the attention of wildlife lovers.

It is located very close to Stepanakert, so it’s easy to get here. The easiest way to do this is by car, but you can also take a minibus to the village of Mkhitarshen, from where you can easily reach the gorge.

There are several tourist routes of different difficulty levels. And most importantly, in the gorge itself there are a number of unique places that are worth visiting for everyone coming to these parts.

The first thing you see at the entrance to the beginning of the route is the southern slope of the mountain, at the top of which there is a town with the long-suffering fate of Shushi. I already managed to write about this unusual place. The walls of the ancient Shusha fortress are just visible from above.

This slope of 250 meters height is one of the walls of the gorge. At its very bottom flows a river with the bird name Karkar. Here, in the depths of the gorge, an abandoned town hid. People left him more than 80 years ago, but life once seethed here.

There were several mills, an Armenian church and a couple of dozen apartment buildings. The town bore the same name as the gorge - Unot. In translation, this name is associated with dogwood. The places here are fertile. Not only the same dogwood grows in abundance, but also cherry plum, blackberry, and wild rose. From this small town, once upstairs, flour was regularly delivered to Shushi.

Why people left here is not very clear. They say that several times rockfalls badly damaged this place. Multi-ton boulders, such as the one shown in the bottom photo, destroyed everything in its path when it fell.

There may have been other reasons. By the way, in the last war along the gorge, provisions were delivered to Stepanakert, which was imposed by the Azerbaijani military. To interrupt this message, part of the gorge was blown up.

Surprisingly, the bridge, which is more than 300 years old, has survived to this day in almost perfect condition. It looks amazing!

You can go to the partially destroyed church of a semicircular shape. In many ruins of houses, stone millstones can still be found. In short, this place can easily be called the Karabakh Machu Picchu.

Probably, it does not reach the legendary Peruvian attractions, but so far there are no crowds of tourists and crazy prices. Only a few locals arranged for a few travelers an impromptu cafe in the middle of the city ruins. You can drink a seagull directly from an ancient samovar or purchase some handmade trinket.

The hiking trail does not end here and leads further to the most beautiful place in the gorge - to the Umbrella Waterfall. Locals also call it Mamrot Kar (Mossy Stone), or Ovanots.

This waterfall is very unusual. It is a stone block overgrown with green moss hanging over a small cave.

Water is everywhere. It flows under the moss and flows along the edges of this block, really creating the feeling of an umbrella. True, this holey umbrella and hide from the water under it will not work. Entering, or rather slipping through a cobweb of water inside the cave, you understand that moisture is everywhere - under your feet, above your head and around you. It is very pleasant to be inside in hot weather, but only all clothes and shoes get wet through quickly.

This place is amazing with its photogenicity and a special unique aura. In fact, this natural grotto looks like a kind of altar. Near the picture is complemented by a small and very flimsy bridge leading to a stone platform, as if specially created for group photographs.

This waterfall, an abandoned city and magnificent mountain views are far from all that the Unot gorge can offer to spoiled tourists. There are many caves, an ancient cemetery, and those who love a little extreme can try to climb the old dilapidated road up the gorge to Shushi.

Summing up, I can say that the Unot gorge is worth seeing to everyone who comes to Nagorno-Karabakh. A walk here can give a lot of emotions and remain a vivid memory from a trip to the unrecognized republic.

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