Legends of the Caucasus

Day 1: Getting Started

Group will arrive to Zvartnots International Airport. The next step should be passage through customs formalities, passport control and baggage claim. Transfer of the group to the hotel located in the center of Yerevan (15 km, 20 minutes drive). Check-in at a hotel and leisure.

Day 2: Well, Hello, Yerevan!

After breakfast at the hotel, Yerevan sightseeing tour will be organized (Republic Square, Victory Park, Matenadaran - Museum and Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, which holds more than 20,000 exemplars. The Cascade).

Lunch will be in one of the classic restourant in Yerevan, where visitors can enjoy the exquisite, traditional dishes of the local cuisine.

After lunch, the tourists will enjoy the tour to the Ararat Brandy Factory, which was founded in 1887.

Return to the hotel, rest and free time. Overnight in Yerevan.

Welcome dinner will be served in one of the traditional restaurants of Yerevan and accompanied by a toastmaster, fun games and live music.

Day 3: Southern Evening

After breakfast a fascinating journey to the south of Armenia will begin. Visit to the monastery complex of Khor Virap. Khor. Virap is situated near the border between Armenia and Turkey. The trip continues to Noravank Monastery Complex, which means a new monastery. Noravank is famous for the brilliant architecture and unique location in the valley, where the red cliffs tower.

Lunch is scheduled in a restaurant in Noravank and then - transfer to the hotel in Goris. Check-in at the hotel in Goris, rest time, dinner and overnight in Goris.

Day 4: Unforgettable Landscapes

After breakfast at the hotel we will visit Khndzoresk Cave City, which means the Apple City. There is a unique hanging bridge in Khndzoresk village that connects the two banks of the gorge. Next? we will visit the Tatev Monastery Complex. The cable way "Wings of Tatev" (the world's longest cable way of 5.7 km length that is recorded in the Guinness World Records) enables us to reach the Tatev Monastery from Halidzor village.

Lunch is scheduled in Tatev village where anybody will have a unique opportunity to enjoy the panoramic landscape of the valley of the river Vorotan.

After lunch, our journey will continue to the historic region of the Great Armenia - Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic - NKR). Visit to the Armenian Cathedral of St. Kazanchetsots Savior in Shushi. Shushi is located on a hill, where gfom we can overlook the entire Stepanakert (the NKR’s capital). Coffee break in Shushi, rest time.

After rest we will go to the city of Stepanakert, check in to hotel and rest time. Then you will have a dinner at the hotel in Stepanakert ahead you, where tourists will be offered Nagorno-Karabakh traditional dishes. Overnight in Stepanakert.

Day 5: Friendly Stepanakert

Breakfast at the hotel in Stepanakert and a short tour in Stepanakert, in particular, with visiting: the Alley of Fallen Soldiers, Central Square, Stepanakert market and a trip to the Gandzasar Monastery Complex (Treasure Mountain), located 50 km away from Stepanakert.

Lunch at a restaurant in the village of Vank and return back to Stepanakert. Dinner and overnight in Stepanakert.

Day 6: On the Great Silk Road

Breakfast at the hotel in Stepanakert. Visit a prehistoric structure - Karahun – located in the southern part of Armenia in Syunik province. It is assumed that this structure is the oldest observatory in the world; its history begins 6,000 years ago.

Our journey continues on the Great Silk Road to Lake Sevan through Selim Pass where we will visit the Orbelian's Caravanserai(formerly knowns as the Selim Caravanserai). Orbelian’s Caravanserai is a construction, where any person travelling along the Great Silk Road in the Middle Ages was provided with accommodation and meals.

Check-in at the hotel on the shore of Lake Sevan, rest time, dinner and overnight in Sevan.

Day 7: On the Shore of Lake Sevan

After breakfast - a tour to the lake Sevan and Sevan Monastery. Sevanavank Monastery Complex is situated on the highest hill of the Sevan peninsula.

Our journey continues – we are going to Yerevan, where we will have a lunch in one of the restaurants. After lunch, the group will visit the History Museum of Armenia. Check in at the hotel in Yerevan and the rest.

The evening will be free for guests. They will be able to dine in the many restaurants of Yerevan, visiting souvenir shops, take a walk in the evening Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 8: At the Origins of Christianity

After breakfast, we will drive to the tour to Echmiadzin - the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians. Echmiadzin is the world's first Christian church.

Lunch will be organized in authentic atmosphere in Echmiadzin. In addition to eco-friendly dinner, guests can go down to the master’s cellar and taste the wine and vodka made by him.

The early medieval Zvartnots Temple - the temple of Vigil Forces and the Angels of Heaven (The UNESCO World Heritage Site) - is situated close to Echmiadzin that is a unique structure of early medieval Armenia.

Dinner is scheduled to be in a classic restaurant in Yerevan and culinary master class on preparation of national Armenian dish managed by Mr. S. Mamulyan, Master Chef of Armenia. After dinner, we will return to the hotel. Rest and overnight in Yerevan.

Day 9: To the Strains of the Duduk

Breakfast is scheduled in the hotel restaurant. Today we will enjoy a fascinating tour to the Geghard Monastery Complex, a part of which is dug into the rock.

We will visit the Garni Ancient Pagan Temple, which is located above the gorge of the Azat River near the territory of Khosrov Reserve and is the only surviving pagan construction in the territory of Armenia. In Garni the duduk (Armenian national musical instrument made from apricot wood) performance (a mini-concert) will be arranged.

Dinner is scheduled to be prepared in traditional Armenian village house, where the baking process for the national cracker bread ‘lavash’ in an underground clay oven ‘tandoor’, and also a master class for cooking Armenian shish Kebab/shashlik in barbecue grill will be held.

Return to Yerevan and the rest in the hotel and preparation for a farewell dinner.

A farewell dinner will be held at a restaurant in Yerevan. Return to the hotel and rest.

Day 10. See You Soon, Armenia!

After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and transfer to the airport 2 hours before the flight departure. Depending on the time of the flight departure, it is possible to organize an optional excursion.