Day 1 View of Holy Mount Ararat and preliminary tour in Yerevan city. Visit to the History Museum and the National Art Gallery.
| Yerevan - Capital of Armenia History Museum National Art Gallery |
Day 2 Visit to Matenadaran, where more then 14 thousand ancient manuscripts are preserved. Excursion to museum and gallery of renowned Armenian painter Martiros Saryan. Visit to the Yerevan Brandy Factory. Tasting Armenian legendary brandy.
| Matenadaran - Museum of Ancient Manuscripts Martiros Saryan Museum Yerevan Brandy Factory |
Day 3 Drive to Garni, a former summer residence of Armenian kings. Visit the pagan temple of Mitre, the God of Sun (1st century A.D.) an architectural monument of the Hellenic period. Visit to Geghard Monastery (12th 13th century) renowned for its rocky architecture and its cave church. Return to Yerevan. Attend a cultural event.
| Garni Geghard |
Day 4 Drive to Echmiadzin the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Stopover and sightsee at the Musa Ler Meuseum on the way to Echmiadzin. Visit the Mother See of Echmiadzin (4th Century). Stopover at the ruins of the phenomenal Zvartnots cathedral on way back. Return to Yerevan.
| Musaler Echmiadzin Zvartnots |
Day 5 Drive to Dzoraget village near Alaverdi city - a miraculous world of mountainous woodlands and bottomless gorges. Visit medieval masterpieces of Armenian architecture: the monasteries of Sanahin (9th to 12th century) and Haghpat (11th to 13th century). These monasteries are under the protection of UNESCO and are included in the list of world heritage sites. Visit to the museum of Anastas Mikoyan. Stop at a hotel for the night.
| Sanahin Haghpat Mikoyan Brothers Museum |
Day 6 Drive to Tavush marz (province), a region of coniferous and mixed forests and to Dilijan city. Trip to Haghartsin Monastery (11-13th century). Visit to Ijevan Wine Factory. Tasting Ijevan wine. Drive to Ijevan city. Excursion in the Ijevan park of sculptures. Stop in B&B in Ijevan for the night.
| Dilijan Haghartsin Ijevan |
Day 7 Travel to high altitude Lake Sevan (1900 m), the "Queen of Armenia" which is one of the highest big lakes in the world. Visit the churches on the peninsula (9th century). Voyage to Noratus village where there are over 900 medieval cross-stones from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Noratus is one of the most impressive places in Armenia. Drive over the Selim Pass to Vayk marz (province). Check-in in a local hotel for the night.
| Lake Sevan Noratus |
Day 8 Ride to Jermuk, a health resort through a deep, narrow gorge. The name "Jermuk" originates from Armenian word "Jerm" which means warm. The Jermuk region is rich in unique springs of both fresh and mineral water. Excursion in Jermuk city. Sightseeing Jermuk waterfall. Ride back to Vayk for the night.
| Jermuk |
Day 9 Ride towards Sisian. Stopover for sightseeing Zorats Karer an ancient astronomical observatory (5-4th millennium B.C.) also known as Karahunge. The name Karahunge is similar to England's Stonehange and means "singing rocks" or "sounding rocks". Ride to Goris. Visit to Aksel Bakunts museum. Journey to Tatev Monastery. On the way to Tatev, in one of the deepest parts of the gorge is the amazing natural miracle of Vorotan Canyon: the famous "Devil's Bridge". Sightsee at Tatev Monastery which is perched atop a gigantic gorge. Ride back to Vayk.
| Sisian Karahunj - ancient astrological observatory Museum of Aksel Bakunts Devils Bridge Tatev Monastery |
Day 10 Drive to Khor Virap Monastery where the Biblical Mount Ararat reveals its breathtaking size and splendor. Sightsee at Khor Virap, where Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for preaching Christianity. Drive to the masterpiece of medieval Armenian architecture: Noravank Monastery (13th-14th century), which is in a deep canyon of red rocks. Stopover in the Areni village for wine tasting at the local wine factory. Return to Yerevan.
| Noravank Khor Virap |
Day 11 Visit the Children’s Art Museum of Armenia. Visit Vernisazh, an outdoor market of unique handmade souvenirs. Visit the Sergey Parajanov museum, the author of the world renowned "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" and "The Color of Pomegranate".
| Children Art Gallery Outdoor handcrafts market Parajanov Museum |
Day 12 Drive to Oshakan, where the body of Mesrob Mashtots, the creator of Armenian alphabet, is buried. Every year in September, after a solemn promise near his grave here in the church of St. Mashtots to love and learn the Armenian language, numerous 1st year pupils learn the first letter of the Armenian Alphabet. Journey to the Amberd Castle (10-12th century), located at an altitude of 2300m. Drive to the highest point in today's Armenia on mount Aragats (4090m). Free time near the beautiful mountainous Lake Kari, located at an altitude of 3250m. Return to Yerevan.
| Oshakan Amberd Mount Aragats |
Day 13 Excursion to the memorial of innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Ride to Ashtarak city. Sightsee at Saghmosavank Monastery north of Ashtarak on the cliffs of the Kazakh Gorge. Return to Yerevan.
| Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Saghmosavank |
Day 14 Free time. Farewell party at a restaurant.
| |