Day 1: Arrival in Yerevan — city tour — Ararat «Noah» Brandy Factory

• Arrival at Zvartnots International Airport. Our guide will meet you at the airport. Transfer to the hotel in Yerevan.
  (15:00) Sightseeing tour of Yerevan — the ancient capital of Armenia, which is 29 years older than Rome. Tour itinerary: Mother Armenia Monument — offering a wonderful view of the entire city, Opera House, Republic Square, Cascade architectural complex, Cafesjian Museum of Modern Art.
• Visit to Ararat «Noah» Brandy Factory — tour and cognac tasting.
• Welcome dinner in Yerevan (Traditional Armenian Restaurant).
• Transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Day 2: Yerevan — Echmiadzin — Hripsime — Zvartnots — Armenia Wine — Yerevan

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Trip to the city of Echmiadzin. Visit to the Church of St. Hripsime (7th century). The church was built in 618 on the site of an ancient pagan temple where Saint Hripsime was tortured and killed.
  Visit to the ruins of the beautiful and majestic Zvartnots Cathedral (9th century) (Temple of the Vigilant Forces, Temple of the Heavenly Angels).
• Excursion to the Echmiadzin Cathedral (4th century) — the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This is one of the oldest Christian Churches in the world, the residence of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
• Visit to the largest winery in the entire Transcaucasus, «Armenia Wine» – a symbol of modern Armenian winemaking.
• Lunch at the guest house and in the wine yard «Yeghanyans».
• Return to Yerevan. Transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Day 3: Yerevan – Khor Virap – «Bird Cave» – ​​wine tasting in the village of «Areni» – Noravank – Yeghegis

• Breakfast at the hotel.Check out from the hotel.
• Excursion to the Khor Virap Monastery (literally translated as “deep dungeon”) (7th-17th centuries). You will see the underground pit in which the future first patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Saint Grigor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator), languished in captivity for 13 years. The monastery is located 50 km from Yerevan on the Armenian-Turkish border. You will enjoy a beautiful view of the Biblical Mount Ararat.
• Trip to the Areni Karst Cave, also known as the «Bird Cave», where the oldest leather shoe in the world was discovered, which is 5.5 thousand years old. Lunch in the village of Areni, at a local winemaker’s, where they produce wine from local grape varieties (wine tasting).
• Trip to the monastery of Noravank (9th-13th centuries) – one of the most magnificent medieval monuments of Armenia, located on the ledge of a narrow winding gorge with rare red rocks. This is truly a masterpiece of Armenian architecture.
• Trip to the village of Yeghegis. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Yeghegis – Smbataberd – Selim – Mikaelyan Cheese Factory – Noratuz -«Tsaghkunk» Restaurant – Yerevan

• Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from the hotel.
• A walk through the village of Yeghegis, which was one of the richest cities in Armenia and the capital of the Orbelian (Proshyan) princely dynasty in the 13th-14th centuries. You will also come across a Jewish cemetery and old small churches.
• A hike to the Smbataberd fortress (10th century) – one of the oldest and largest fortresses in Vayots Dzor and Syunik (1930 m above sea level) (A walking tour or an exciting jeep tour at your discretion, for an additional date, and depending on weather conditions).
• A trip to the Selim Caravan – Sarai (inn) (2410 m above sea level), which was built along the Vardenyats mountain pass in 1332 to accommodate tired travelers and their animals following the Silk Road from East Asia to the Mediterranean and back.
• Visit to the Mikaelyan family farm, where exclusive types of cheese are obtained on the basis of their own dairy production – more than 10 different types. Among them are wine, cognac, nut and many other interesting combinations (Tasting of delicious cheeses with Armenian wine).
• Excursion to the ancient settlement of Noratus, which is famous for its large ancient cemetery, where more than 900 elegantly ornamented khachkars (cross-stones) have been preserved, where each khachkar differs from the others in processing technique, pattern shape and compositional features.
• Visit to the restaurant «Tsaghkunk» which won a place in the top ten best restaurants in the world in 2021 according to the famous Forbes magazine. A family restaurant with a special relaxing atmosphere where original home-made wines await you, and if you wish, the chef will give you a master class on preparing Armenian dishes using the freshest local ingredients: fish, vegetables and fruits, herbs and spices, as well as lavash and several types of cheese.
• Return to Yerevan. Transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Day 5: Yerevan – Amberd – Voskevaz Winery – Hovhannavank – Armenian Alphabet Monument – Yerevan

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Trip to the Amberd Fortress (literally translated as “cloud fortress”) (10th century), which is a striking example of medieval Armenian architecture and one of the few feudal castles in Armenia that have survived to this day. It is located in a beautiful and deep gorge halfway to the top of Aragats, between two rivers and harmoniously merges with the surrounding landscape (Mount Aragats is the highest mountain in Armenia – 4096 m above sea level).
• Visit to the «Voskevaz Winery», founded in 1932, where you will taste an amazing and truly inspiring assortment of wines. The peculiarity of this winery is that it produces wines both using modern winemaking technology and in ancient karases (traditional vessels for aging wine) made in the 19th century. During the excursion, you will visit the wine cellars, get acquainted with the history of the plant, and also learn about the features of winemaking. The products of the plant have repeatedly won prizes at reputable local and international competitions: “Decanter World Wine Awards”, “Mundus Vini”, “Sommelier Wine Awards”, etc.
• A trip to the majestic monastery, which is located in the village of  Ovanavan in the Aragatsotn region. According to legend, the monastery was founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator, who brought here the relics of St. John the Baptist (Forerunner), hence the name «Hovhannavank» (Monastery of Hovhannes, that is, John).
• A visit to the monument to the Armenian alphabet. The monument is located on the slope of Mount Aragats and is dedicated to the 1600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet. 39 giant carved Armenian letters from the famous red tuff were placed next to the resting place of Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the man who created the Armenian alphabet in 405.
• Lunch at a local resident’s house, where quality homemade vodka and a cozy atmosphere await you.
• Return to Yerevan. Transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Day 6: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Symphony of Stones – demonstration baking of “lavash” – Ararat Brandy Factory

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Trip to Garni — Symphony of Armenian architecture. It is the only surviving pagan temple in Armenia. Built in the Hellenistic style in the 1st century by the Armenian King Trdat I and dedicated to the God of the Sun Mithras.
• Visiting the monastery Geghard (12 – 13th centuries). It is a unique monastery complex, where the temple is completely carved in the rock. The name «Geghard» literally «the monastery of the spear» is due to the fact that in this place Christian relic — the spear, which, according to tradition, a Roman soldier had pierced the crucified Jesus with was kept (now kept in the Museum of Echmiadzin).
• Visit to the Symphony of Stones. The object is a gorge, the rocks of which consist of huge basalt pillars. Their vertical arrangement is very reminiscent of organ pipes, which is why the monument got its name.
• Lunch and demonstration baking «lavash» – traditional Armenian bread in a tandoor (an oven in the ground).
• Visit to the Yerevan Brandy Factory «Ararat» – excursion and cognac tasting.
• Return to Yerevan. Transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Day 7: Transfer to the airport. Departure.
[Tour duration: 25 hours / 40 km]

• Breakfast at the hotel. Check out from the hotel (12:00).
• Airport transfer. Departure.

Tour price from $ 1290

Single supplement from $ 157

The price is per person on basis of DBL/TWIN occupancy and includes all taxes and duties.

We can change the program and excursion objects and make a tour according to your desire, for any dates convenient for you and for any number of days. Just contact us by mail or phone.

Contact us for further details.

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