Are you tired of hustle and bustle of busy and noisy cities? Come to Armenia and combine hiking, walking and discovering activities in one tour! Just explore Armenia with all its wonders! And we are sure you will return home full with impressions and  experience!

 

Day 1: Yerevan

Arrival in Yerevan, at the International Airport “Zvartnots”.

Transfer to the hotel. Check in. Rest.

You will have a City tour with visiting main attractions and museums of our capital –Matenadaran – the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Tsitsernakaberd-Genocide Memorial Complex. The last point of our tour will be Yerevan Brandy Factory with brandy tasting.

Return to the hotel. Free evening.

 Day 2: Yerevan – Amberd – Mountain Aragats – Kari Lake – Yerevan

After breakfast you will go to  the fortress  of Amberd (10-12th C) (2300 m above the sea level). Then the excursion will continue to the foot of  mountain Aragats, the highest point of Armenia (4090 m). You will also visit Kari lake which is translated as “Stone lake”from Armenian.  Return to Yerevan.

 Day 3: Yerevan – Sevan – Dilijan – Hagartsin – Parz Lake – Yerevan 

After breakfast we will proceed to Sevan   to admire the  blue pearl of Armenia – Lake Sevan, 1900m above the sea level. You will go up the Sevan peninsula and watch St. Astvatsatsin and Apostoles churches (9th C).

The next point of our tour is  Dilijan, the Armenian Switzerland which is known for its bushy forests, the  architectural masterpiece of monastery  complex of Hagartsin.  You will also visit Parz Lake , located in the Dilijan National Park. “Parz” in Armenian means clear.

Return to Yerevan.

Day 4: Yerevan – Khor Virap  – Noravank – Areni – Goris

In the morning we are going to visit Khor Virap monastery which is considered a cradle of Armenian Christianity. From the walls of the monastery you will enjoy a majestic view over Ararat mountain.

The next destination is Noravank, a complex hidden among the red rocks. In the village of Areni we offer you a wine degustation  because this region is famous for its rich wineries.

Then we arrive in Goris for overnight in a local hotel.

Day 5:  Goris – Khndzoresk – Tatev – Goris

Breakfast in the hotel. Then visit to Khndzoresk, the historic cave village, located on the steep slope of a gorge, which  is comprised of both natural and manmade caves. The village  even had two churches and three schools. The cave dwellings were inhabited until as late as the 1950s.

The next destination of our excursion is Tatev monastery.

The jewel of medieval Armenian architecture, Tatev, was constructed in the 9th-13th centuries. In the past, Tatev was difficult to reach, because the winding road had to descend the steep walls of a gorge, and cross a river on the Devil’s Bridge, but now Tatev is easily accessible by the world’s longest reversible cable car.

You will have a 12- minute unforgettable ride  by cable car over Vorotan gorge.

After visiting Monastery –return to Goris for overnight.

Day 6: Goris – Karahunj – Yerevan

After breakfast in the hotel we return to Yerevan, but on the way we will visit Zorats Karer, also called Karahunj,  a prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian.  It is also often referred to in international tourist lore as the “Armenian Stonehenge“.The name Carahunge is interpreted as deriving from two Armenian words: car (or kar) meaning stone, and hunge or hoonch  meaning sound. Thus the name Carahunge means Speaking Stones.

This interpretation is related to the fact that the stones make whistling sounds on a windy day,  because of multiple reach-through holes bored under different angles into the stones in prehistoric times.

Return to Yerevan.

Day 7: Yerevan

Free day in Yerevan- walk, enjoy and discover new things in our capital. Optionally: museums

Day 8: Yerevan – Echmiadzin – Zvartnots –Yerevan

In the morning we will drive to Echmiadzin – the administrative and spiritual center of Armenian Apostolic Church. In Echnmiadzin you will also visit the churches of St. Hripsime (7th C) and St.Gajane (7th C). On the way back You will observe the ruins of the cathedral Zvartnots (7th C). Return to Yerevan.

Day 9: Garni – Geghard

After breakfast at the hotel we start our tour with the excursion to Garni and Geghard. Garni is the only pagan temple preserved since ancient times, the former summer residence of Armenian Kings (1st C). We will finish our tour visiting Geghard monastery complex (12-13th C), cut in one monolithic rock. You will have a 5- hour hiking and a picnic. Return to Yerevan.

Day 10: Haghpat – Sanahin – Yerevan

In the morning we are going to Lori region to visit the sister Medieval monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat , which are  an absolute “must see” and have 1 ¼ hours hiking  from Dsevank (old Haghpat bridge) to Kayan Fortress. Starting at the foot of Haghpat near the old stone bridge we gradually ascend to Kayan fortress, built in medieval times to protect the two great monasteries. It is now in ruins but well worth the walk and gives wonderful views of the Debed Valley.  Return to Yerevan.

Day 11: Yerevan 

We offer you to  visit open-air market,  so called  vernissage. In addition to carved wood and art works, traditional carpets, old collections of coins and medallions, books, jewellery, musical instruments, electronics can be bought  in the market.

Day 12: Departure

Check out, Transfer to the Airport “Zvartnots”.