Felix Kocharyan / A Member of Armenian Geographic Club

What’s your profession?

I am a programmer and I work in one of the IT companies in Yerevan.

What made you take part in hiking trip for the first time? How did you feel when you stepped out of your comfort zone for the first time?

After graduating from university, my friends and I decided to celebrate our graduation and climb the Northern summit of Aragats, which is the highest among 4 peaks of the mountain. That was my first serious hike. 13-hour walk was tiring, but everything went well. After that we decided to go hiking once a month. As for getting out of my comfort zone, I didn’t have such problem as I grew up in a village and I did my military service in the mountains.

Felix Kocharyan

Why do you climb mountains? What do they give you?

First of all, hiking trips are a way to know Armenia better. And then, being close to nature is always pleasant. Besides, in mountains I feel myself stronger. Climbing mountains is like becoming friends with them. If you are able to climb the mountain it becomes your friend. Therefore you become stronger having a strong friend like it. Every time I have a pleasant feeling seeing in distance the mountain I’ve climbed as if I saw my friend. Maybe I climb mountains to become friends with them.

Do you have a favorite quote about mountains?

“The best view comes after the hardest climb”. You can understand it both directly and indirectly.

Do you have a desire to climb more difficult and higher mountains?

I have a great desire to do hiking to one of the mountains in Western Armenia, but still it’s not clear which one.

Felix Kocharyan

Which is your most memorable hiking trip and what made it special?

One of the most memorable hiking trips is 3-day hiking trip in Meghri. Firstly, I have never been in the south of Armenia, and what I saw was a great discovery for me. Another amazing feeling during the same trip was to meet so many awesome people. Most of them are my friends till now.

What advice do you have for those who want to start doing hiking but don’t dare to do that?

I will just advice them to find the courage and try it. Besides the beautiful scenes you obtain many skills which you can get only during hiking trips.