Ashtarak's town centre is compact and fully walkable. The main churches — Karmravor, Tsiranavor, and Spitakavor — are within a few minutes of each other on foot, and a stroll along the gorge edge links them naturally.
Getting to the outlying sites requires transport. The village of Mughni (Saint Gevork Monastery) is about 3 kilometres north; Hovhannavank is about 7 kilometres north along the gorge road. Taxis can be arranged in town for a circuit of the valley monasteries. There are local bus connections within the marz but services are infrequent — hiring a car in Yerevan or using a taxi is far more practical if you want to see more than the town churches.
Mount Aragats, the highest peak in Armenia, is about 40 kilometres from Ashtarak. The road to Amberd fortress and the alpine lakes is driveable in a normal car in summer but requires care early and late in the season when snow is possible.