Solo Female Travel: A Guide to Armenia
Overall Armenia felt safe as a solo female traveller and there are plenty of females who travel across Armenia alone so you are bound to meet similar solo females along your journey.
The Armenian people are friendly and welcoming towards females so expect people saying hello to you. Bear in mind, not a lot of people speak good English so you may find there is a barrier in language. Usually you will be able to get by easily though.
Armenia and Azerbaijan Conflict:
The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is centred around the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Emerging after the fall of the Soviet Union. Tensions flared as Armenia and Azerbaijan fight for control over Nagorno-Karabakh. This region is an ethnically Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan. Decades of sporadic violence resulted in a devastating war in the early 1990s, this lead to a ceasefire. The conflict resurged in 2020, leading to another war that ended with Azerbaijan gaining significant territorial advantages. This conflict shows the difficulties between historical grievances, ethnic identities, and the challenges of achieving a lasting peace in the region.
Today Armenia is a safe and peaceful place to travel around. Just be aware that things could escalate at any moment. Exercise caution when travelling here.
Safety and Scams:
Taxis/Tours/Guides – Make sure to always agree on a price before starting the journey or tour as if you don’t they will rip you off and charge you a lot more than what you should have paid so make sure to always do this.
Armenia’s borders – Be careful when travelling close to Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan as they are currently closed. More so with Azerbaijan, as there is always a risk of the situation escalating near the borders. There is a risk of military action so exercise caution when travelling within 5 miles of the border. The border with Turkey is also closed so you should avoid travelling within 5 miles of this border.
Nagorno-Karabakh – avoid travelling to this region as there is conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over who controls this territory. There is a risk of military action and if you enter this land you may not be allowed to travel to Azerbaijan after.
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