Lake Arpi National Park, National park and Ramsar wetland site in Shirak Province, Armenia.
Lake Arpi National Park is a protected wetland in Shirak Province, northern Armenia, recognized as a Ramsar site and situated at around 2,025 meters above sea level. The lake is surrounded by reed beds and marshy zones that gradually give way to open meadows and steppe vegetation toward its outer edges.
The lake grew to its current size after the Arpi Dam was built between 1946 and 1950, reshaping what had previously been a smaller body of water. Its status as a national park and Ramsar site came decades later, once its value for wildlife was formally recognized.
Fishing has long been part of daily life in the villages that surround this wetland, and some communities still practice it today. The lake and its reed beds are not just a natural feature but a working landscape tied to local habits.
Visitor information points in the nearby communities of Ghazanchi and Mets Sepasar are a good starting point before entering the park. Designated camping areas are available inside the park for those who want to stay overnight.
The park holds one of the world's largest breeding colonies of Armenian Gulls, with thousands of nesting pairs gathering here every season. This concentration is rare enough to make the site a reference point for the conservation of this species.
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