Ice Skating
The edge is marked, the thickness is measured, the light is flat.
At a glance
- Duration
- 1–2 hrs
- Season
- December to February
- Region
- Lake Sevan
- Group
- 1–15
- Price
- on request
Every route is put together differently — we work out the price once you ask.
Fitness
Nothing particular; if you have never been on blades you need the first half hour and a hand on the barrier.
Why these months
From March to November we advise against it: outside deep winter the prepared surface by the shore does not hold.
What to expect in Armenia
A lot of Lake Sevan freezes in winter, but not evenly, which is why we do not send you out onto the lake itself. Skating happens on a prepared surface near the shore, with an edge, with light, and with somebody who knows the thickness.
The lake is still right there. On clear winter days it is white all the way to the far shore, the wind comes across the open surface without an obstacle, and by three in the afternoon the light lies flat over the ice.
The activity itself asks nothing of you. If you can skate, you skate. If you cannot, you spend the first twenty minutes at the edge and the rest of the hour away from it. Children learn faster than their parents, which reliably puts the wrong people in a good mood.
Hardly anybody lasts longer than two hours. Cold feet arrive before tired legs, because skates fit tightly and tight boots restrict circulation. A second pair of socks does not help with that; a dry pair does.
Gloves are mandatory with us, and the reason is unromantic: in a fall the hands go down first, and other people’s blades are moving on the same ice. Helmets are there for children and beginners.
A thaw closes the surface faster than frost rebuilds it. If the temperature stays up for several days the ice softens, and then the session does not take place. In January and February that is rare; in March it is regular. We then ask the day before whether the surface still holds, and tell you before you set off.
What separates this afternoon from a rink at home is the surroundings: no music programme, no crowd, and instead the wind off the lake, which drives you back indoors earlier than you had planned. Afterwards there is hot tea in the village, and on a February afternoon by Sevan it is worth more than it costs.
Included
- Access to the ice
- Skates in your size
- Instruction for beginners
Not included
- Travel to Lake Sevan
- Hot drinks afterwards
Bring
- Warm gloves
- Hat
- Dry, thin socks
- Windproof jacket
We provide
- Skates
- Helmet for children and beginners
Safety and weather
When the weather doesn't cooperate
Over the open lake the wind cools you more than the thermometer suggests — at minus five with wind it is over after an hour even if two were booked. If a thaw holds for several days the surface stays closed.
How we keep you safe
Skating is only on the prepared and supervised surface; the natural ice of the lake is off limits, even on days when it looks solid. Gloves are mandatory, because hands hit the ice first in a fall and other people’s blades are sharp. Helmets are available for children and beginners, and the ice is supervised.
Winter conditions
Equipment standard: Skates are fitted on site rather than lent a size too big: a boot that is too large is the most common cause of twisted ankles. Gloves for everyone, helmets for children and beginners.
Sound like your kind of day?
Tell us what draws you — we'll build it into your trip or plan it on its own.