8-Days Armenia Cultural Tour

6- Stops

➊ The first day of the trip begins with the departure to the legendary Mother Armenia statue. The 55-meter-tall statue, which used to be Stalin's statue back in the olden days, is located at a serendipitous location with an amazing view of the city. It symbolizes peace through strength.

➋ The trip will then bring you to the beautiful Cascade Complex, which is a beloved place for evening walks and leisure. The park of modern and creative sculptures will freely captivate your attention and make you fall in love with the place.

➌ The trip will then take you to Matenadaran, a favorite place for all who like to be left amazed. The museum, which is part of the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, will astonish you with the complexity and elegance of medieval Armenian manuscript making and calligraphy.

➍ You will be given time in the afternoon to have a nice lunch at a lovely restaurant.

➎ The Opera House will you leave you amazed with its unique look and astonishing capaciousness. There, you will be told the astonishing history of the building and interesting facts about it. This musical story will be the continuation of the soul-enriching spectacle of beautiful paintings at the Saryan Park. The enlightening walk will then take you to the Abovyan Street, which is the oldest street of the city. Along the way, you will the see the beautiful Moscow Cinema and some of the oldest surviving city of the old town center. Just a few more minutes and you are at the Republic Square- the heart of the city. It has always been the main square of the city (in different sizes, of course) and will take you to the imaginative world of Soviet architecture. The beautiful fountains and unique buildings will give you a full idea of the perception of time and space in the Soviet. You will then be given free time to enjoy the rest of your time shopping or having something to eat or drink on the Northern Avenue.

➏ The second part of the trip will invite you for a long and insightful rumination at the Yerevan History Museum or the Erebuni Museum Archaeological Preserve. In both museums, the collection on display is as comprehensive as it possibly could be. Both take you through the entire history of Yerevan, beginning from the very history of the area and ending with the developments of the modern history of the settlement. Enjoy!

4- Stops

➊ The second day of the tour covers the flat region of Armavir, which is undoubtedly the country's religious inspiration. Located in the Ararat valley, it opens an uninterrupted view the stunning Mount Ararat.The full account of the Christian history of Armenia as the first country to adopt Christianity as state religion will be presented to you during the paced journey throughout the Mother See of Holy Ejmiatsin. In site, the full account of the adoption of Christianity as a state religion will be delivered to you and will get the chance to see the oldest cathedral in the world- the Mother Cathedral of Ejmiatsin.

➋ After a session of fine dining at a homey local restaurant, the journey will continue to the ruins of the one-of-a-kind Zvartnots Temple. The unique architecture and residential courtyard of the temple will leave you amazed.

➌ The second part of the trip which will be following a lovely lunch in Ejmiatsin, will continue at a sad, but very insightful, awakening and educating place- the Armenian Genocide Museum. The museum will present you the full account of one of the greatest tragedies of the 20^th century. The digestible division of the chronology of the event will ensure every detail, every minor aspect, every emotion and, what is most important, the compassion and humanism it strives to bring forth.

➍ The didactic and emotional experience of the Genocide Museum will be smoothened by a nice gastronomic experience at the Ararat Brandy Factory. The spirity air of the museum will prepare you for the heart-warming brandy tasting, preceded by the educational tour through the factory's museum. Learn and drink!
The day will be concluded by an amusing evening featuring Armenian national dances. The power of Berd and the solemness of Uzundara will inspire you and fill you with an immense love towards artistry.

3- Stops

➊ Only about 45 mins away from Yerevan, Geghardavank Monastery, our first site of the day, is truly unprecedented. Carved out of the cliff it is located on, the multi-chambered complex is a unique example of the medieval Armenian Christian architecture. The lunch with a stunning view of the Geghama mountain range will complete the first half of the day.

➋ Then, your walk in the courtyard of the Garni Temple will take you back almost 2000 years to the times when the locals worshipped multiple gods. The architectural style of the pagan past and the laid-back location will leave you recharged and well-traveled. And go figure! Those beautiful vertical column-like rock formations can be seen from very close!

➌ The journey becomes adventurous with a nice hike to the canyon of the Azat River. The famous Symphony of Stones will surely strike as something you have never seen before. The amazing volcanic-origin rock formations are a brilliant testimony to the tectonically active history of the vicinity.

4- Stops

➊ The Region of Aragatsotn located towards the North-West of the country is also worthwhile to visit. The journey will take you to the slopes of Mount Aragats, currently the highest peak in Armenia with its 4090 meters of height. Saghmosavank Monastery, one of the architectural gems of the Armenian Christian history, is almost about to "fall into" the Kasakh river gorge. The south-eastern side of the monastery's courtyard opens up an awesome view to the canyon of the Kasakh river- a freakishly deep gorge with amazing multi-layered rock formations.

➋ The next stop will take you to the fun Armenian Alphabet Park where you will be told about the amazing story of the creation of the Armenian Alphabet in the 5^th century and other linguistic facts about the Armenian language.

➌ After lunch, the journey will continue upwards and take you to the high-altitude Stone Lake on top of Mount Aragats. The site is made gorgeous by the rubble of volcanic granite stones and the spectacular view of the mountain's 4 peaks.

➍ On the way down, the mystical walls of the Amberd fortress will open their doors for you. As a unique example of the 11^th-century Armenian municipal architecture and royal living, the fortress will disclose much related to life lived centuries ago in the area. The beautiful hike following the sightseeing will complete the didactic value of the visit and present to you more of the area's history. It will take you through the gorgeous river stream below the hill and take you to the remains of the ancient local cemetery.

4- Stops

➊ The Western and central parts of the country would perhaps be the most stunning and elegant in terms of their landscape and agricultural traditions. All of this will be savored on the fifth day of the journey.
They offer mouth-watering sweetness of fruits and wine.
The day begins with the departure to the ancient Khor Virap Monastery located right beside the Turkish-Armenian border. The serendipitous location of the site allows the visitor to enjoy an unprecedented view of the Biblical Mountain Ararat.

➋ The trip continues further south-east to the beautiful Vayots Dzor region that stands out with its jaw-dropping nature. The intriguing wine-tasting organized in the village of Areni will ensure the elegant start of the gastronomic experience in the region. Areni is famous for its millennia-old wine culture and its astonishing landscape. The wine-tasting will transition into an authentic lunch that allow you to savor the delicious and rich Armenian cuisine.

➌ The calm and fulfillment of the preceding gastronomic experience will be complemented by the educational trip to the ancient Areni-1 cave where the history of the rich wine-making culture of the region will be presented to you. The road will then take you to the beautiful 13-th century Noravank Monastery through the astonishing 8-km-long canyon of the Amaghu river.

➍ The day trip will end with the relaxing journey to the beautiful town of Jermuk, where you will stay overnight. area's history. It will take you through the gorgeous river stream below the hill and take you to the remains of the ancient local cemetery.

5- Stops

➊ The sixth day will allow you to savor the scenic beauty of the south of Armenia. Exceptional landscapes and an inspiring history are waiting for you on this trip. The journey begins with a quick visit to the Spring Water Gallery in the heart the beautiful mountainous town, which should be very close to your hotel. The gallery offers mineral water of different temperatures and concentration of salts, demonstrating the amazing potential of the town in wellness and healthcare.

➋ Then begins the exciting ride to the southernmost region of Armenia- Syunik. After a number of stops at mesmerizing viewpoints for taking photographs, the scenic journey will lead to the first destination of the trip- the Zorats Karer (aka Karahunj) Ancient Astronomical Observatory. With its yet undeciphered story, the mystical site will take you to the depths of the ancient past and bring you back in awe.

➌ The road will then take you to the historical Tatev Monastery, which boasts a stunning location deep in the skyscraping mountains of Zangezur. The monastery, which was a university back in the 13^th century and used to be one of the most influential religious centers of the country, will be reached on the Wings of Tatev aerial tramway. The latter is the longest in the world and was even the recorded in the Guinness book of records. With a highest point of 320 meters, the soaring cable car promises a fun ride and spectacular views.

➍ Following the authentic regional lunch, the mysterious ancient cave-village of Khndzoresk will entertain you with its adrenaline-boosting hanging metal bridge and the gorgeous setting of the settlement. A fun fact about the cave village: the last family to live in the village left their cave in 1958.

➎ The journey will then take you for a small walk in the calm atmosphere of Goris and leave you there for a relaxing overnight stay.

4- Stops

➊ The Eastern part of Armenia is beautiful, just like any other part of the country. It will be covered on this prefinal day of the trip. The beautiful Region of Gegharkunik, which is the biggest region of the country, boast a different, yet an equally stunning landscape and offers fresh air and velvet-green alpine pastural lands.
Following the fun 2.5-hour ride through stunning mountain ranges, the first site of the day is the Orbelian Caravanserai located in the Selim mountain pass way. The stunning medieval structure will take you back in history and allow you to visualize how traders and travelers would spend their time relaxing from their tiresome journey hardened by the scorching sun and the mighty winds.

➋ The second stop, the Sevan Peninsula, has much to offer as well. The peninsula, which was once an island, is located near Lake Sevan, the second biggest high-altitude freshwater lake in the world. The peninsula also holds once of the oldest monasteries in the country, the Sevanavank Monastery. Dating back to the 9^th century, the monastery is one of the oldest in the country, also offering a stunning view to the entirety of the lake.

➌ Towards the end of the trip, you will be given the chance to leave your long-lasting mark in Armenia by planting a tree that will contribute to the life of the fauna of Sevan National Park.

➍ It is our strong conviction that in order to savor the true rhythm and taste of life in any country, one has to spend the night and welcome the sunrise in a rural community. The overnight stay in a local Sevan guesthouse will allow this experience.

2- Stops

➊ The final part of the trip features an insightful visitation at the National History Museum of Armenia. The collection on display is as comprehensive as it possibly could. It takes you through the entire history of Armenia, beginning from the very history of the area and ending with the developments of the modern history of the country. Enjoy!The final part of the trip features an insightful visitation at the National History Museum of Armenia. The collection on display is as comprehensive as it possibly could. It takes you through the entire history of Armenia, beginning from the very history of the area and ending with the developments of the modern history of the country. Enjoy!

➋ Free Time