Jour 1: Yerevan
Yerevan
Arrival at Zvartnots international Airport and transfer to the hotel.
Jour 2: Yerevan
Yerevan (Breakfast/ Dinner)
Breakfast. We will start the tour with the capital of Armenia: Yerevan. For ages this city has been known as a “pink city” because of the color of the stone it has been built with. So we will visit Republic square, Mashtoc Avenue, the House of Opera and Ballet after Aram Khachatryan, the park “Cascad”. Visit to the monaLater our tour continues to the house-museum of Lusik Aguleci. She is an honored painter, writer, ethnologist. The woman, who has preserved more than thousand different elements of Armenian culture, spending almost her entire life on it. We will visit “Wine & Grape Spa” Center. This center is one and only in the world. We will try a procedure of grape massage. and will see the magic power of the sweet grapes of Ararat Valley. Grape seed oil massage tightens the skin by imparting elasticity, softness and delicacy, restoring the skin's natural color, whitening, refreshing and rejuvenating it. Grape seed oil massage removes muscular and nervous tension, improves blood circulation. Visit to food market “Gum” Dinner at the restaurant with folk music. Overnight in Yerevan.
Jour 3: Goris
Yereván - Khor Virap - Noravank - Areni - Areni Cave - Zoratc Qarer - Goris (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Breakfast. Take trip to Khor Virap Monastery (4-18th cc.). This monastery is very prominent because of its history; Gregory the Illuminator, who introduced Christianity to Armenia, has been imprisoned there about 13 years as at that time there was a prison in the place of the monastery. Here we can enjoy the spectacular view of the sacred Ararat Mountain - an immortal symbol of Armenia. Literally Khor Virap means deep gorge. Visit village Areni which is considered to be an important center of wine production industry and which has a history of more than 6000 years. And this is the place where the oldest example of a leather shoe was discovered by archaeologists. You are welcome to taste its excellent wine. Here you will also get the chance to participate in preparation of famous barbecue. Continue our tour to Noravank - a monastery of XII century situated among amazing sheer rocks on the bench of a twisty gorge. This is the only monastery where we may find a unique sculpture of Father God. Visit Karahunj or Zorats Karer which is 3500 years older than Stonehenge and 3000 years older than Egyptian pyramids. Some specialists even calculated the age of the stone circle itself, purely basing on the position of stars in the sky in earlier times - the result was 7.6 thousand years ago. This would make Karahunj the oldest astronomical observatory in the world. Overnight in Goris.
Jour 4: Dilijan
Goris - Tatev - Selim - Noratus Cemetry - Sevan - Dilijan (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)
Breakfast. City tour in Goris. Visit cave village Khndzoresk, where we will have a short walking tour crossing the moving bridge over a huge gorge and getting to old caves, which have been inhabited till the end of 19th century. Continue our trip to monastic complex Tatev (9-13th century): a famous center of studies of those times. To reach the monastic complex we should use a cable car which holds the record for world’s longest non stoppable double-track cable car. Today we are going to pass the pathways that have been used by the travelers of Great Silk Road. We will drive through the Selim Caravanserai, which served as an important center of exchange, trade and for overnight during the times of Great Silk Road. Here we can see the immortal tracks of world history. Lunch at the local restaurant. Visit to Noraduz. After here we will drive to Lake Sevan which is one of the largest lakes in the world. It stands out with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Here we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the beautiful lake. Then we will visit Sevanavank Monastery which is situated on Sevan Peninsula. There are 2 monasteries actually; one of them is destroyed but the other stands still. They have been built in the middle Ages, around 10th century. Then we will drive to Dilijan. Walking along the Sharambeyan Street, which is one of the oldest streets of the city, we may buy souvenirs and see the life of the small city. During the walk you will breathe the clean mountain air. Dinner and overnight in Dilijan.
Jour 5: Yerevan
Dilijan - Lake Parz - Goshavank - Yerevan (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Breakfast. We will have a hiking tour from Parz Lake to Goshavank monastery. Then we will continue the tour visiting the monastery of Goshavank. It has been named to the honor of its founder, Mkhitar Gosh, who has been very famous and outstanding scientist and writer in the 13th century. Goshavank Monastery was one of the largest religious, cultural and educational centers of medieval Armenia. Lunch at the local house, where we will meet Amalya Hakhverdyan who created and developed her own small business in Dilijan. She is an example of Armenian businesswoman. We will taste traditional dishes made by her. Get back to Yerevan. Visit Massoor center. It is an educational and cultural center where you can learn about Armenian culture, acquire new skills, eat and participate in embroidery master classes. Here you can get acquinted with the huge cultural heritage of the women of 19th century. Overnight.
Jour 6: Yerevan
Yerevan - Garni - Symphony of Stones - Geghard - Yerevan (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Breakfast. After visiting this spa center we will feel healthy and alert, strong and young. Then we will continue the tour to the laboratory of “NAIRIAN” cosmetics, which is located near the village of Aragyugh. Here we will see how natural cosmetics are prepared with essential oils and other ingredients from the beautiful highlands of Armenia are produced, so we will discover the entire elaboration process from the harvesting of the plant to its passage through the laboratory.
Take trip to Garni. This Pagan Temple was built in the 1st century AD. It is the only temple that has been preserves from the Pagan times in Armenia. It was devoted to the god Mihr, who was the god of cleanness. In 1679 it was destroyed by earthquake. In the 1975 the Temple was restored. We will do a jeep tour to Garni gorge to the natural rock which is called “Symphony of Stones”. Then we will continue our trip to Geghard Monastery. Its name came from the legendary lance that was used to pierce the body of Christ. It has been kept here for centuries. Though the exact foundation of the monastery is unknown, the present complex was built in the mid – 13th century. Afterwards we will a local house where you will have the chance to see and participate in the preparation of Armenian national bread: lavash. It is a very thin, usually sold in very large forms. It is usually cooked in a ground oven: “tonir''. In 2015 it has been inscribed in UNESCO intangible heritage list. Here we will enjoy the “Armenian fast food” with lavash and cheese. Get back to Yerevan and overnight at hotel.
Jour 7: Yerevan
Yerevan - Echmiadzin – Zvartnots - Yerevan (Breakfast/ Lunch)
Breakfast. Visit Matenadaran: manuscript museum which is also the world's largest repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts. Matenadaran is the one and only in the world as such. It holds not only Armenian but also Persian and Arabian manuscripts. We will start the excursion to centuries-old monuments Ejmiatsin and Zvartnots. These sites are listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. The Cathedral of Ejmiatsin, founded in 303, is the official residence of the Catholicos of Armenia. We’ll continue the trip to Zvartnots Temple, which was built on 7th century by Nerses Builder Catholicos. Drive to Parakar village and at a local house we will have lunch and will enjoy the cooking master class of Armenian desserts “gata” and “Sudzukh”. The show will be run by a famous Armenian TV star. The active participants will get gifts by the host. Return to Yerevan. Visit to Brandy factory. Then we will visit to souvenier market “Vernissage”. Overnight in Yerevan.
Jour 8:
Yerevan (Breakfast)
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
