Build the Transcaucasian Trail in Armenia

The program was extremely rewarding. Loved seeing the interaction between members of the crew, the commitment of the entire Armenian crew to the TFC/TCT and the cultural exposure. Could never had an experience close to this travelling independently.

It was above my expectations! Very good working, and camping conditions, and also a great team with a great atmosphere. Good vibes :) The cultural exchange moments: singing and dancing, becoming part of the TCT family :)

The sense of community I experienced, with both Armenian and international volunteers, definitely exceeded my expectations. I felt being part of something really important. I expected a bit more diverse trail work. However I understand that this is not possible all the time.

My expectations all came from the social media followings. It’s going to be hard work but also amazing teamwork. We are going to be in amazing backcountry and camping in tents. It exceeded my expectations because we ended up with the most amazing volunteers.

I had a fantastic time with lovely people who were being mindful and motivated all along. The organizers went out of their way to provide a great experience and I felt very much at home with everyone all the while trying to do my part by learning how to build and maintain hiking infrastructure. The integration with the locals was almost seamless and I feel like I made many new friends.

The program far exceeded my expectations, particularly in terms of the organization and community-building and cultural elements of the program. The logistics--everything from departure to the camp, delegation of camp responsibilities, camp set-up, etc.--seemed well-thought out. The cultural activities were very enjoyable as well.

The diversity of people I interacted with was much greater than I thought it was going to be both an age range , but also in life experience and philosophy. The logistics of the volunteering experience were very well planned out and well managed by the staff which made focusing on interacting with the local and international volunteers and focusing on the work that we were doing on the trails much easier. The meals and camp facilities were a lot more luxurious than I was expecting. Which I know for some maybe a downside, if they are looking for a more traditional backpacking experience, but for me it was welcome, given that I had already experienced that some during my time in Armenia. The local history and cultural experiences were different than what I expected. But very enjoyable, nonetheless. And I think brought the group closer together very quickly. All of the nonvolunteer staff were increadble.

The organisation of the week and the wonderful people who took part exceeded my expectations. Everyone was so generous and kind. The camp organisation was a step up from my previous experience in Georgia.

I enjoyed to the people and a deep connection with the group. Hard work each day with good fun and conversations and the crew leader do well during my time in the field. Also, the camp food have improved my overall volunteer experience.

We got a lot of information about the county, the hike and meet new people. Also feeling that I contributed towards the future of the trail and country. Thank you for educating me on Armenia, it’s beautiful culture, it’s people , it’s nature and trail building.

I didn't really know what to expect beforehand and was impressed by the level of professionalism of the team and the overall quality of the organisation. "Pretty much everything ! :) I enjoyed very much the camp life and leisure time as much as the trailwork. I also enjoyed the feeling of being part of a larger territorial and transnational project."

I've had interest for the Transcaucasian Trail for a couple of years, which brought me to read about the international volunteer camps. In Fall 2025 I finally had the chance to take part in a 7-day camp in Lori North of Dilijan. The experience exceeded my expectations : we were really well taken cared of by the local crew, the work is well organized and balanced with leisured time and other activities. Above all, we had a lot of fun and lots of laughter all together, while we did a fair deal of work on the trail maintenance ! It is a great way to meet Armenian people and get to know better different aspects of the local culture. I can only recommend these camps to anyone looking for outdoor collective experiences to remember and meeting great people. I'll definitely return to repeat the experience in other regions and also take some more time to hike on the TCT !

I volunteered with TFC in Armenia in 2025. It was an absolute fantastic experience. The trailbuilding was interesting and fun. The feeling of community with the Armenian participiants was even better. Wonderful authentic human beings, hard working and still having so much fun together. I can totally recommend! The program covers transportation, accomodation, food and everything that is important. We even had a cultural day in Dilijan where we learned to dance and got to know the place better.

Volunteering with TFC Trails for Change was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. The friends I made became like family, and they were constantly concerned for my comfort and excited to share their knowledge and expertise. The trails are breathtaking, the culture warm, and the organization was spot on. I would do it again ina heartbeat!

Photos

I had the pleasure of doing this project in Gosh Lake by the Dilijan National Park in 2025 July with an amazing group of volunteers from all over the world. Work was very rewarding especially when seeing hikers come through and use the newly maintained trails. We shared stories and danced around the campfires. I made friends for life!

Photos