CULTURE & NATURE

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 will head to Lake Sevan, 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 and enjoy a boat tour in the lake, depending on the weather condition.

Next, we will visit 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 visit to the Monastery, we will enjoy the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains from the rope way and feel ourselves in a unity with the nature.

Our journey will go on by visiting one of the greenest parts of Armenia, Dilijan resort town. In this region we will visit Haghartsin Monastery complex in the heart of the nature in addition to old Dilijan, known as Tufenkian Complex.

Overnight in Dilijan

After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Dilijan to visit Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia, 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 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, Seven Wounds (Yot Verk) 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 13th-century 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, 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 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 itself means deep pit, as a reference to the pit where Saint Gregory 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 tour 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.

Return and 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.
We will proceed 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. We will return to Yerevan to visit Megeryan Carpet Company. Here you will learn about the authentic Armenian rug and carpet handmade industry.

Overnight in Yerevan

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