Sanahin is officially a suburb of Alaverdi, about 170 km north of Yerevan in the Lori province. The most direct route is by car or marshrutka (minibus) from Yerevan to Alaverdi, which takes about three hours on a road that winds through increasingly dramatic mountain scenery. From Alaverdi, a cable car climbs to Sanahin — check schedules locally as hours are irregular and the system occasionally shuts down for maintenance. The alternative is a steep, winding road that takes about fifteen minutes by car. A shared taxi from Alaverdi is cheap and easy to arrange. Most visitors combine Sanahin with Haghpat monastery across the valley in a single day trip.