Breathtaking Armenia

Victory Park – Cascade Complex – Armenian National Opera & Ballet Theatre –
Northern Avenue – Republic Square – Vernissage

Arrival at Zvartnots International Airport. Transfer to the hotel by our representative
and check in at the hotel.
Our Yerevan City tour starts with a visit to Haghtanak Zbosaygi (Victory Park). The
Park is named Victory Park in commemoration of Soviet Armenia’s participation in
World War II. You will see the famous Mother Armenia Statue – the female
personification of Armenia. Moreover, we can visit the Military Museum underneath
the huge statue of Mother Armenia. From here you can enjoy the panoramic view of
Yerevan and the biblical Mount Ararat.
During the tour we will visit the Cascade Complex, famous for being one of the tourist attraction sites and holding many modern art pieces. The complex has a giant
stairway made of limestone. It links the downtown area of Yerevan with the
Monument neighborhood. We will continue our journey to Northern Avenue with a
stop at the Armenian National Opera & Ballet Theatre. The Northern Avenue is well
known for its luxurious residential buildings, high-end branded shops & restaurants.
Our next stop will be the Republic Square. It is the central town square in Yerevan.
Tourists are advised to visit it at nights to enjoy the dancing fountains. Our last stop
will be Vernissage, the famous flea-market in Yerevan. Visiting this market is a great
chance to learn about the Armenian traditional handicrafts and to buy souvenirs.

Overnight in Yerevan

After breakfast at the hotel, we are heading to Tsaghkadzor, (flower canyon in
Armenian) a small town located north of the capital Yerevan, well known for its Ski
Resort, ropeway, and beautiful Kecharis Monastery. After a short visit to the
Monastery, you will enjoy the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains from
the ropeway and feel yourself in a unity with the nature.
Our journey will go on by visiting one of the greenest parts of Armenia, Dilijan resort
town. Here you will see one of the most famous alleys in Dilijan, Old Dilijan, known
as Tufenkian Complex.

Overnight in Dilijan

Breakfast at the hotel, leaving Dilijan to visit the second largest city in Armenia,
Gyumri, located in the northwestern part of Armenia, just a few kilometers far from
the Turkish border.
Gyumri is a cozy and friendly city. It was known as Alexandropol, later it was called Leninakan, and now it is renamed Gyumri. It suffered a devastating earthquake in
1988. During our tour in Gyumri, we will visit Dzitoghtsyan House-Museum of Social
Life and National Architecture, Vardanants Square, Yot Verk (Seven Wounds) Church,
Abovyan Street, and the Central Park of Gyumri.
After lunch we will continue our tour to visit Sev Berd (Black Fortress in Armenian). It
used to be a Russian imperial fortress, built during the first half of the 19th century.
Now it is a cultural heritage monument in Armenia where many important meetings
and celebrations take place

Overnight in Gyumri

Breakfast at the hotel, departure to Aragatsotn Province. Our first visit will be a 13thcentury Saghmosavank (monastery of the Psalms) located in the village of
Saghmosavan. The monastery is situated atop of a magnificent gorge carved by the
Kasakh river. From here, we might have a unique view of both Ararat & Aragats
mountains.

We will continue to the Armenian alphabet monument where we can have
memorable pictures with the first letters of our names. These Armenian letters are
made of Armenian national stone – tufa. The monument was opened in 2005 to
celebrate the 1600th anniversary of inventing the Armenian alphabet in 405 AD.

Our next stop will be Amberd Fortress, a 10th-century fortress located at an altitude
of 2,300 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Mountain Aragats. The name in
Armenian is translated “fortress in the clouds”. The trip continues to Lake Kari, this
little mountainous lake is located 3,200 m above sea level and looks like a small hole
adjacent to the four tops of Mountain Aragats. The area is visited by many locals
during summertime, due to its fresh air. It is worthy to try khash – one of the
Armenian traditional foods.

Return and overnight in Yerevan

Breakfast at the hotel, A short drive will take us to Etchmiadzin religious city.
Historically, Etchmiadzin was called Vagharshapat, it was one of the ancient
Armenian capitals.

We will visit Etchmiadzin Cathedral (world heritage site since 2000), the mother
church of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It was the first cathedral built in ancient
Armenia between 303-307 AD.
Significant relics and remains of different saints are kept in a special museum in the
Cathedral.

On our way back to Yerevan we will visit the ruins of the 7th century Zvartnots
Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Later, we will visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum. This was the first
genocide of the 20th century and aimed to leave one Armenian man to put him in a
museum. Here you will discover how Armenians resurrected again and have beaten
death.

Our last stop is the famous Ararat Brandy Factory where we will taste Winston
Churchill’s favorite Armenian brandy.

Overnight in Yerevan

Breakfast at the hotel, a short drive will take us to Garni Pagan Temple – the only
standing Hellenistic style pagan temple in the whole Caucasus and the Armenian
historic highland. Here we will feel the depth of the history and culture. This temple
was a genuine witness of the birth of one of the ancient Armenian kingdoms –
Arshakuni kingdom of Armenia, during the 1st century AD. Additionally, the temple
had witnessed the adoption of Christianity in Armenia, 301 AD.

Continue to Geghard Monastery which means the monastery of the spear. The story
of this holy place is related to the spear that Jesus Christ was stabbed by. The other
uniqueness of the abbey lies in the fact that part of it is engraved in the rock. It is
worthy to mention that Geghard Monastery is a UNESCO heritage site.

Back to Yerevan to visit Megeryan Carpet Company. Here, you will learn about the
authentic Armenian rug and carpet handmade industry.

Overnight in Yerevan

Breakfast at the hotel. A morning drive will take us to Khor Virap Monastery in Ararat
province, south to Yerevan.

Khor Virap’s notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact
that Gregory the Illuminator, the main saint and the first Catholicos of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, was initially imprisoned here for about 13 years by the Armenian
King, Tiridates III. The word Khor Virap means deep pit, as a reference to the pit
where Saint Grigor was imprisoned in.

We can also have an impressive view to Mountain Ararat, the resting place of Noah’s
Ark according to the Holy Bible.

Additionally, the site of Khor Virap was part of one of the oldest Armenian capitals,
Artashat city, almost 2000 years ago. We will continue our trip to Areni village where
we will have a break for tasting the Armenian wine. After that, we will head to the
13th century Armenian Monastery Noravank which is built in a hidden place
surrounded by red cliffs and mountains. The last destination will be Jermuk resort
town, famous or its waterfall, stunning nature, mineral water and professional health
and spa centers.

Overnight in Jermuk

Breakfast at the hotel in Jermuk. Today we will discover one of the southern parts of
Armenia. We will visit Wings of Tatev in Syunik Province, the longest non-stop double
track aerial cable car. The maximum height of the cabin is 320 meters, and the length
is 5750 meters. The ropeway takes us to the 9th century historical Tatev Monastery.
During medieval times the monastery was a cultural and spiritual center.Next, we
will visit Devil’s Bridge (Satani Kamurj), located below Tatev Monastery in the gorge
of the Vorotan River. This natural wonder is created by wind and water through the
ages.

On our way back to Jermuk, we will have a stop at Karahunj, a prehistoric
archaeological site near Sisian.

Return and overnight in Jermuk

Today we will visit Orbelyan’s Caravanserai in the Vayots Dzor Province. It was built
in 1332 by prince Chesar Orbelian to accommodate travelers and their animals. It is
located at the southern side of Vardenyats Mountain Pass at a height of 2410 meters
above sea level.

Afterwards, we will head to Noratus village famous for its open-air medieval
cemetery, full of almost 1000 khachkars which are Armenian carved cross-stones.
Next, we will proceed to Lake Sevan, jewel of Armenia. It is the largest lake in the
Caucasus and one of the highest ones in the world with fresh water, 1900 meters
above sea level. There we can visit Sevanavank (monastery of Sevan) which is
situated at the top of a small hill. Here you can buy some souvenirs from the local
market, have a short boat trip according to the weather conditions.

Return and overnight in Yerevan

Breakfast. Check out of the hotel. Transfer to Zvartnots International Airport.