Wings of Tatev

Arrival at Zvartnots International airport. Meet and greet transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Start our exploration of the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. We start our walking tour from the Republic Square, the masterpiece of the architect Alexander Tamanian. Continue to Cascade, an open-air museum of modern art with massive stairways leading up to the Victory Park with a fantastic overlook to the entire downtown from above. We are in the Opera House, a beautiful building, and hub of Yerevan. Freedom Square is behind it, surrounded by parks which have been taken over by outdoor cafes, and finally Swan Lake. Continue to Memorial park and museum to the victims of Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th Century. Welcome dinner in a local restaurant in Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan. (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Sightseeing tour to Khor-Virap monastery 4- 17th cc. 45 km. from Yerevan. It is situated in the Ararat valley against the biblical Ararat Mountain, were Noah’s arch cast anchor. The importance of it is connected with Gregory the Illuminator, who introduced Christianity to Armenia and is considered to be the first Armenian catholicos. Continue tour to Noravank monastery – a great religious and cultural centre of 12th c. Continue to Goris for overnight. (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Start the exploration of Goris. Sightseeing and photo stop in Khndzoresk on swinging bridge. Khndzoresk is a cave village, there are many signs of past settlement throughout the valley. Continue to explore a monastic complex of Tatev which is an architectural masterpiece dating from the 10th century. Opportunity to reach Monastery via the World’s longest aerial tramway called “Wings of Tatev”. Drive to our hotel in Goris for overnight. (B/-/-)

After breakfast Visit Karahunge, ancient observatory and the so called Armenian Stonehenge. Depart to Lake Sevan visiting the interesting points of the region. Visit the medieval Selim Caravanserai, an important trading post on the Great Silk Road. This caravanserai has welcomed travelers along the highway through the mountains of Selim (Sulema).Continue to Noradouz for a short photo stop, a small village at the lake. The village cemetery has one of the largest collections of khatchkars dating centuries 7-10 (de-cross-stone). Drive to Lake Sevan which is about 70 miles north of Yerevan and the second largest alpine lake in the world. Free time. Overnight at the hotel in Sevan. (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Sevanavank, a beautiful Monastery on the Peninsula, once and a strategic shelter for Armenian Kings. Drive to Geghard monastery a magnificent monument of medieval Armenian architecture inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage list. Geghard is partly carved out of a mountain. Departure to Garni Temple. It was built in the first century A.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates and it is dedicated to a heathen god, probably to Mithra, the god of the sun. Lunch at a local house in Garni where you will have opportunity to watch Armenian national bread “lavash” baking and barbeque making process in the underground stove called “tonir”. Return to Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan (B/L/-)

Breakfast at the hotel. Start tour to Zvartnots Temple (7th century) which is listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Continue to Echmiadzin, the center of the Armenian Church and the spiritual center of Armenian people. Here is the location of Echmiadzin Cathedral, which is the most ancient Christian temple of Armenia. The cathedral was built in 301-303 by Grigor the Enlightener, the first bishop of Armenians. Take part in Liturgy. Visit Brandy factory for the tour and degustation of the finalist samples of celebrated Armenian brandy. Overnight at the hotel. (B/-/-)

Transfer to the airport and departure home.