Green Escapes

6- Stops

➊ The Western and central parts of the country are perhaps the most stunning and elegant in terms of their landscape and agricultural traditions. 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.

➌ The wine-tasting will transition into an authentic lunch that allow you to savor the delicious and rich Armenian cuisine. 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.

➍ 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.

➎ The journey will then take you to the beautiful Gegharkunik Region- to "the land of beautiful courts". On the way, you will marvel at the beautiful landscape of Armenia's south as it emerges beautifully as you go up the Selim Mountain Passway on Geghama Mountains. The medieval Orbelian Caravanserai will simply leave you in awe.

➏ Your well-deserved rest will be in a hotel by the beautiful Lake Sevan.

3- Stops

➊ The Eastern and the North-Eastern parts of Armenia are beautiful, just like any other part of the country. They boast different, yet equally stunning landscapes and offer fresh air and velvet-green woodlands. Followed by a ride through the captivating mountain ranges of alpine pastures, the first site of the trip- the Sevan Peninsula, has much to offer. The peninsula, which was once an island, is located in 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.

➋ The next gem, Lake Parz, is located in the depths of the emerald-green forests of Tavush, surrounded by a thick forest of ash trees "protecting" the lake as a mighty stronghold. The serenity in the area is unprecedented.

➌ Next is the beautiful Lermontovo, a small village located under the slopes of the Pambak mountain range. It is one of the few villages in Armenia inhabited by one of the largest ethnic minorities in Armenia- the Russian Molokans. The Molokan people were exiled to Armenia in the early 1800s by Catherine the Great for their faith. You will learn about their life in the beautiful mountains in the north. The trip will conclude at the cozy and welcoming Tufenkian Avan Dzoraget Hotel by the Debed River. there is enough time and energy left, you can visit the Monastery as well.

3- Stops

➊ The north of Armenia is indeed breathtakingly beautiful. It boasts different, yet equally stunning landscapes and offers fresh air and velvet-green woodlands. Following a comfy overnight stay at the Avan Dzoraget Hotel, the journey will take you to the Beautiful Dsegh village located in the mountains of Armenia's north. In Dsegh, you will visit the house of Armenia's most celebrated and venerated writer, Hovhannes Tumanyan. There, you will learn about what rural life looked like in the past. You will witness the intricacies of everyday life, household, and work.

➋ The trip continues to the stunning Haghpat Monastery- one of the gems of Armenian medieval Christian Architecture. The surrounding mountains piercing solemnly into the sky will render you speechless. Enjoy the architecture inspired by its immediate environment.

➌ They ride back to the capital city Yerevan is simply mesmerizing. Look out for beautiful deep gorges as you ride along the fun road through the mountains.

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 5th 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. The road taking there demonstrates jaw-dropping magnetic anomalies. Due to the very strong magnetic forces at certain parts of the road, the well-known laws of physics seem to get out of control.

➍ On the way down, the mystical walls of the Amberd fortress will open their doors for you. As a unique example of the 11th-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.