DAY 02: YEREVAN CITY TOUR –

Breakfast at the hotel. Yerevan is one of the most ancient cities in the world founded in 782 B.C. It’s 29 years older than Rome. The founder of Yerevan was the Urartian King Argishti I who founded the fortress of Erebuni on the southern part of Yerevan. Yerevan is considered to be the oldest operating capital in the world, older than Rome and Nineveh. The city celebrated its 2800th anniversary in 2018.

Now Yerevan is a vibrant and modern European city with much to offer.

In the morning you visit the Matenadaran – Depository, and Museum of Ancient Manuscripts with a collection of about 17000 manuscripts. The heaviest book in Matenadaran is around 34kgs and consists of 2 pieces. Afterward, you can see the most beautiful panorama of Yerevan City and the biblical Mount Ararat from the top of the huge Cascade Monument. Cascade is just a masterpiece in terms of architecture and has stunning decorations. Inside this monument, you find the Cafesdjian Art Center. There are a lot of original statues of modern art. Not far from Cascade, you see the Mother Armenia Statue, which symbolizes “peace through strength”. Having its location on a hill overlooking Yerevan City makes her “The Guardian “of the Armenian Capital.

Walk in Downtown Yerevan

During a short walking tour in the City Centre, you pass through the Northern Avenue which connects the two Yerevan Famous Squares – The Republic Square and the France Square (where the Opera House with the original statue of Rodin is located). The Republic Square in Armenia with the governmental buildings is considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in the world.

Street tour including Yerevan State University and the Island of universities, Victory Bridge, Tsitsernakaberd Hill with Genocide Museum, Sports & Concerts complex, Kyiv Bridge, Parliament, Residence of President, Academy of Sciences.

Visit to “Ararat” cognac factory. Tour and degustation.

Evening free. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 03: YEREVAN –ECHMIADZIN – ZVARTNOTS – MEGERYAN CARPET – YEREVAN

Breakfast at the hotel.

This tour includes UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Heritage Sites are “must-see” places. Today you visit the religious center of Armenia –Echmiadzin which is the “Vatican” city of Armenia with the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church where the Supreme Patriarch (Catholicos) of All Armenians resides. Armenia is the first Christian country in the world since 301 A.D. and the world’s oldest official Christian church is in Echmiadzin – the Mother Cathedral of Echmiadzin. In the cathedral, you can attend live the liturgy.

Continue to St. Hripsime church (7th century), a true masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture. On the way back to Yerevan visit the Ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral – the place of “celestial angels”. The remnants of Zvartnots, even in ruins, are a majestic sight. his marvelous temple is a result of the skillfulness and brave creativity of Armenian architects of the 7th century. Having been built on several columns it could survive only till the 10th century.

When this site was being excavated at the beginning of the 20th century many specialists could hardly accept its reconstruction model designed by famous Armenian architect TorosToramanyan as it was difficult to believe that such a huge and complicated construction could have been built those days, and amazingly at that time one of the bas-relieves of St. Chapelle church in Paris came to prove Toramanyan’s version; the bas-relief depicts Zvartnots temple with Noah’s Ark and it looks like the model represented by the architect.

Visit to “Megeryan Carpet” factory. Tour and master class.

Return to Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 04: YEREVAN – LAKE SEVAN – TSAKHADZOR

Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll have an unforgettable tour around Lake Sevan and visit the Sevanavank monastery:
Sevan is the world’s second-largest high-altitude lake at 1900m above sea level. Akhtamar peninsula is the most popular destination to enjoy the breath-taking view of Sevan Lake, make pics for sweet memories, and visit the ancient Sevanavank Monastery (IX century), which played a crucial role in Armenian history, founded in 874 AD.
Continue to Tsakhkadzor. Tsakhkadzoris a popular ski resort in the Kotayk region of Armenia. It is located on the eastern slope of Mt. Teghenis, 1840m high above sea level. By the way, it is only 10m below the highest 4 famous ski resorts of Courchevel and 60km or 40 min. drive from the capital of Armenia – Yerevan.Visit of Kecharis Monastery:
The monastery of Kecharis located in the northwestern part of Tsakhkadzor is considered to be a “gorge of flowers”. It was founded by a descendant of Kamsarakan, Pahlavuni Gregory Magistros. In 1033 he ordered to build Tsakhkadzor Temple to the name of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Overnight in Tsakhkadzor.

DAY 05: 2 LEISURE DAYS IN TSAKHKADZORYEREVAN – KHOR VIRAP – NORAVANK – ARENI WINE – YEREVAN

Breakfast at the hotel. A fantastic tour dedicated to the exploration of Southern Armenia combining the magic of Armenia’s finest medieval architecture with stunning landscapes by driving through the agricultural heart of Armenia. Our first stop will be at the Khor Virap Monastery – the most important place of pilgrimage in Armenia. St. Gregory the Illuminator – the first Catholic of all Armenians, had been imprisoned in “Khor Virap” (deep dungeon) for 13 years. From here you get a unique view of the holy Armenian mountain Ararat (5165m.), on which (according to the Bible) Noah’s ark landed after the World flood.

As soon as we pass the Ararat Plain we can experience the untamed beauty of Southern Armenia – surreal red rocks providing an eerie echo, and honey-colored villages sandwiched between them. Continue to the previous residence of Syunik’s bishops – Noravank monastery, nestled at the edge of the narrow gorge in the impressive mountainous landscape with peculiar red hanging rocks. The structure stands out thanks to a unique harmony of architectural forms and decorations.

On the way back to Yerevan a visit to the winery in the village Areni, wine tasting made from the endemic grapes. Return to Yerevan. Evening free. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 06: YEREVAN – GEGHARD CAVE MONASTERY –GARNI PAGAN TEMPLE – YEREVAN

Breakfast at the hotel.
A quiet mountain road leads high above the city, offering a glimpse into Earth’s ancient history.
A visit to Geghard Cave Monastery carved out of a huge monolithic rock.
Geghard is an incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. It is said that the Holy Lance that pierced the body of Christ was kept here. The architectural forms and the decoration of Geghard’s rock premises show that Armenian builders could not only create superb works of architecture out of stone but also hew them in solid rock. It is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Proceeding to the Garni pagan temple:
The Temple of the Sun God Mithra dates back to 77 A.D. Being in an amazing natural setting, it was the summer residence of the Armenian kings. The complex comprises also royal palace ruins, and Roman Baths with a well-preserved mosaic. The 15-color natural stone-made mosaic illustrates various sea images: deities, mermaids, fish-centaurs (a man with the body of a horse and the limb of a fish), a fisher, etc.
Lavash baking master class of traditional Armenian bread “lavash” being baked in tonir (earth oven). The preparation, meaning, and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia are on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Return to Yerevan. On the way back to Yerevan we stop at Armenian poet Charent’s Arch:
The breathtaking lookout point of the biblical Mount Ararat (known from the Bible as the landing spot of Noah’s Ark after the Big Flood).
Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 06: YEREVAN – ARAGATS – SAGHMOSAVANK – YEREVAN 

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive north to Aragats Mountain: Aragats Mountain is shaped like an oval shield. A circle of four peaks rises in the middle of the shield. The highest of them has an elevation of 4090 meters. The others are only a few meters lower. This circle of mountains is the remains of a crater from a big volcano.

The average temperature is minus 12 degrees C in winter but sometimes the absolute temperature reaches minus 40 degrees C. The snow disappears from the slopes in June. Stone Lake with the Cosmic Rays’ Scientific Research Centre is on the mountain of Aragats. Proceed to Saghmosavank monastery. 5 km far from Hovhanavank monastery on the edge of the Kasakh river canyon, in the 13th century Vachutian dukes built Saghmosavank monastery. The main church is near the scriptorium, where many manuscripts have been produced for centuries. Saghmosavank underwent the devastating influence of the earthquake in 1988. The reconstruction completed in 2000 returned the church to its beauty and glory. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 08: TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT

Check-out. Transfer from the hotel to the airport. Departure.

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