The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh

This is also the only travel book on Armenia that is truly an "insider’s guide." This is because its authors, Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian, have each lived, worked, and traveled throughout the region for a decade. The text—which is written in a conversational tone that’s easy to read—is also comprehensive and filled with the wisdom of travelers who are as comfortable in Armenia as they are when traveling back home in the US.

Visitors will find that this book is essential gear when traveling throughout Armenia and Karabagh, in the villages as well as in the cities. This guide will help travelers make the best choices when deciding where to go, what to see, and where to eat and sleep.

Short term visitors who don’t speak Armenian will be able to communicate with the assistance of the glossary of phrases. Travelers who have never been to Armenia, and also those who have made a dozen trips, will find the information about the country’s historic sites to be equally fascinating and readable. Nature and conservation are also featured prominently.

The book’s beautiful photography and intriguing background information makes this a book for armchair travelers, too. In addition to being a valuable field guide for seasoned travelers it is also an ideal introduction to the region with lots of intriguing facts and interesting anecdotes about the land and people.

This quality paperback has a durable binding and is a standard 5 x 8 inches to easily fit into your backpack while you’re traveling. Detailed and full color maps, prepared by the American University of Armenia, cover every region of Armenia. Accurate street maps are included for every major city and town. Color tabs make it easy to locate information in any of the book’s ten chapters.

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Phenomenal!

This book is tremendous. It has extremely detailed history sections which provide an excellent overview of Armenia and Karabagh. The photos are worthy of being framed. It also provides good cultural explanations for an area that needs much clarification. It is very easy to navigate and has a detailed Armenian language guide for those of us who are Armenian clueless. The Karabagh section is excellent and details the complicated conflict. It's a must buy for a trip to Armenia and Karabagh.

Buy This One!

I hadn't planned on buying another Armenia & Karabakh travel book, since I've been to these two wonderful countries before, but as I was leafing through the "Armenia and Karabagh" guide (looking for a particular piece of information), I realized how much knowledge this book contained that was different from other guidebooks, such as the "Lonely Planet: Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan" guide or the "Armenia (with Nagorno Karabagh): The Bradt Travel Guide." So I broke down and bought it! The Nagorno Karabakh section looks very good in this one. Such a wonderful little land, full of ancient Armenian monuments, incredible vistas and truly amazing people.

I really appreciate the perspective of the authors, who have written a text for people who are somewhat environmental-conscious and perhaps looking for some experiences that may be slightly off the beaten path. I particularly like the book's organization, impressive photos and the authors' practical insights. I like it when guidebook authors actually offer opinions and don't just list information that may turn out to be a poor choice. Well done!