Winter Armenia - A Hidden Gem
Winter Armenia - A Hidden Gem
8 days|
Overview
Travel to the Routes of Civilization to get in touch with great heritage and the array of culture that Armenia offers as a travel destination, experience genuine interaction with people and create amazing memories, encounter with authentic, diverse and delicious cuisine and spoil your taste buds with legendary Armenian cognac and wine.
During this tour you will pass through millennia long history, culture and culinary traditions up to nowadays modern Armenia and its “Pink City” capital Yerevan: including wine making traditions, history before and after the Christ on the Holy Land, where Christianity was officially adopted as a first state religion in the world and where Noah arrived once upon a time and finally, discover Jermuk, a leading Armenian SPA City with its unique mineral waters, where you can detox and connect your body, mind and soul.
Start Yerevan, Armenia Physical rating (1 out of 5)
Finish Yerevan, Armenia Group size Min 4
Tour Theme Cultural Historical Adventure Ages Min 18 or Family
Days 8 Days/7Nights Trip Availability November - February
Itinerary
Welcome to Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. Our tour leader will greet you at the airport and help you with all the ground haandling services.
After a welcome briefing meeting with the tour leader, you will check in to your hotel. You must be hungry from all that travels – dinner will be organized in one of the cozy restaurants in Yerevan for your first encounter with Armenian cuisine. Have a rest and get ready for tomorrow's adventure.
Accommodation
- Overnight in Yerevan at 3* or 4* հotel on BB/DBL basis. Single room supplement can be provided at additional cost. Request in advance.
Meals Included
- Dinner
Important Notes
It’s important that you attend the welcome meeting, as we will be distributing details and next of kin information such as brochures with useful info about Yerevan and Armenia, maps, places to eat and things and activities to do around.
08:00 – Breakfast in the hotel
09:00 – Starting the tour
The day starts with departure to the villages of Goght and Garni. Our first stop is at Geghard Monastery - an incredible medieval monastery, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status. Here you may have a chance to enjoy the performance of a fantastic choir in one of the chambers of the monastery with one of the greatest acoustics you ever saw. The choir will leave you with goose bumps and unforgettable emotions.
Barely recovered from the musical and cultural strong impressions, we take you to Symphony of Stones (half of the road to the Symphony of Stones is hiking) where you can listen to the silent music of stones, that the virtuoso nature has created himself.
Garni gorge is one of the most exceptional places for tourists to visit and to see amazing natural rocks known as the “Symphony of Stones” or “Basalt organ”. The rocks have a shape of long hexagonal vertical columns, which are associated with the church organ. Huge stone pillars are located at an altitude of about 50 meters above the ground. It’s hard to believe that neatly and symmetrically sculpted stones are created by nature itself and not by human.
We continue towards Garni Temple - the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded Pagan temple in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. An Ionic pagan temple located in the village of Garni is the best-known structure and symbol of Pre-Christian Armenia. The structure was built in the 1st century AD as a temple to the God of Sun Mihr.
Lunch will be in a cozy Armenian restaurant with a panoramic view to Temple Garni.
We return back to Yerevan where we have a guided tour to NOY Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory - one of the best corners of Yerevan city to enjoy your time.
The administrative building of the factory built in Shustov’s times, has turned into a museum where the information about Armenian brandy making and about the people who had a contribution to the development of the factory is kept.
Here you may take a tour and get acquainted with the glorious past and present of Armenian brandy and wine making and spoil your taste buds by tasting Portwein1944-year reserve, Cognac 5 and 10years reserve.
Welcome Dinner will be organized at Megerian Carpet cultural center, including a visit to Armenian handmade rugs factory and museum where you will see traditional carpet making process, participate in an interactive Armenian food preparation master class with one of the most demanded and famous chefs of todays Armenia - Mr. Sedrak Mamoulian, taste the diversity of Armenian cuisine (including homemade Armenian fruit vodka and wine) and enjoy Armenian music.
Accommodation
- Overnight in Yerevan at 3* or 4* հotel on BB/DBL basis. Single room supplement can be provided at additional cost. Request in advance.
Included Activities
- Geghard Monastery
- Symphony of Stones
- Garni Pagan Temple
- NOY Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory
- Megerian Carpet
Meals Included
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Lunch in Garni
- Complimentary Welcome Dinner
09:00 - Breakfast in the hotel
10:00 - Starting the tour
Today’s program starts with a visit to Matenadaran – research institute, a museum and repository of Ancient Manuscripts. Matenadaran contains a total of some 23,000 Armenian and foreign manuscripts and scrolls, including fragments.
Next stop is the spiritual and religious center of Armenia Ejmiatsin. The city is best known as the location of Ejmiatsin Holy Mother Cathedral, the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is unofficially known in Western sources as a “Holy City” and in Armenia as the country's "Spiritual Capital". Along with several important early medieval churches located nearby (St. Gayane, St. Hripsime), Ejmiatsin Cathedral was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The Holy Lance that pierced Jesus’s side (also known as the Spear of Destiny and Lance of Longinus) is kept in Ejmiatsin.
Lunch will be in Agape - This building is a restored monks’ refectory from 1655. It is now an elegant restaurant with classic and modern Armenian food where you will feel yourself back in 17th century.
Another amazing monument worth visiting is Zvartnots Cathedral (literally “celestial angels cathedral”) is a 7th-century centrally planned aisled tetra conch type Armenian cathedral. Now in ruins, it is located at the edge of the city of Ejmiatsin, on the background of mesmerizing view to Byblical Mount Ararat. Zvartnots was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2000.
We had back to the modern and busy Yerevan full of spiritual emotions, where we will have a nice stroll and guided walking tour in the heart of the city.
Time to explore the Armenian capital Yerevan – a 2800 year old and modern city, located in the shadow of the biblical Mount Ararat. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. You will explore The Republic Square with its dancing and singing fountains, Cascade, Opera House, North Avenue, parks devoted to 2700th and 2800th anniversaries of the city. From the impressive Cascade you have a panoramic view of the whole capital.
Accommodation
Overnight in Yerevan at 3* or 4* հotel on BB/DBL basis. Single room supplement can be provided at additional cost. Request in advance.
Included Activities
- Matenadaran repository and museum of manuscripts
- Holy City Ejmiatsin
- Agape Refectory
- Zvartnots Cathedral
- Yerevan City Tour
Meals Included
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Lunch in Ejmiatsin
- Dinner in Yerevan
09:00 - Breakfast in the hotel
10:00 – Check out from the hotel and move towards Tsaghkadzor
Tsaghkadzor, translated, means ‘’Gorge of flowers’’ and it truly deserves the name because during spring, Tsaghkadzor is covered with lush, green forests and flowers and the views are just mesmerizing.
The most popular season to visit Tsaghkadzor is winter because of the famous ski resort which is the biggest in Armenia and attracts tourists and professional athletes from all around the world for skiing and snowboarding. In addition, it is possible to rent all the necessary equipment right on the spot if you are a beginner or traveling light.
It is also possible to zipline from the central park, drive four-wheelers, hike in parks, and enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds the spa town.
Here you can visit Kecharis Monastery - located in the northern part of town, the unique church was erected at the beginning of the 11th-century and is considered one of the historical gems of Tsaghkadzor. It is a well-kept facility surrounded by beautiful mountains and ancient cross-stones (khachkars). Kecharis Monastery is a great place to get in touch with the history of Tsaghkadzor.
Accommodation
- Overnight Tsaghkadzor on BB/DBL basis. Single supplement is available at extra cost.
Included Activities
- Kecharis Monastery
- Tsaghkadzor City Tour
Optional Activity
- On piste snowboarding or skiing on Mount Teghenis
Meals Included
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Lunch at the hotel
- Dinner at the hotel
08:00 - Breakfast at the hotel
09:00 - Check out from the hotel and starting the tour
Early in the morning we depart from Tsaghkadzor towards Lake Sevan. Not a single visit to Armenia is complete without visiting her majesty Lake Sevan - the highest freshwater mountain lake in Europe, and surrounded by the Lesser Caucasus mountain range. Set 1900m above sea level, Sevan is the largest lake in the Caucasus, it's also one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world. Its colors and shades change with the weather and by its own mysterious processes, from a dazzling azure to dark blue and a thousand shades in between.
On the Sevan Peninsula, we visit Sevanavank Monastic complex, which dates back to the 9th century. Almost no visit to Armenia is complete without visiting one of the highest mountainous lakes in the world. Get ready to tick off another bucket list location in Armenia.
For the lovers of high sky we offer in Sevan an amazing Paragliding adventure as an optional activity at extra cost. A must do when visiting Armenia, with Armenia`s leading experts in tandem paragliding flights. The team of highly qualified and professional pilots will make sure to give you the experience of a lifetime.
***Paragliding is offered as an optional activity at extra cost. Full details and pricelist will be provided separately.
After lunch in Sevan our day continues to beautiful city of Dilijan that is sometimes referred to as the forest kingdom of Armenia. In this cozy town, you can find vivid examples of traditional wooden house architecture. The mountains and gorges are covered with rich forests changing to alpine meadows and dotted with small farms, hiking tracks, lakes and rivers. The mountainous landscape is highly diverse, with different terrains, climates, soils and water resources. Many natural and man-made features enrich the national park: monasteries, lakes, archeological sites, forests, rivers and farmland create an endlessly-changing environment.
The day wouldn’t be complete without visiting Haghartsin Monastery that rises among the majestic mountains where eagles fly. The name of monastery is associated with them: Haghartsin in Armenian means “game of eagles”. The most ancient building of Haghartsin is the Church of St. Grigor built in the 11th century by monks who fled from Western Armenia fleeing persecution. Haghartsin used to be a major center of culture and spirituality in Armenia since the 13th century.
Honey House - visit Bio Honey House located in a cozy corner right in the heart of nature, where you can taste different types of delicious homemade honey,jams, and the most unique and authentic wine — a kind you probably have never tasted before — Honey Wine.
Couldn’t resist the taste? Buy from these delicious treats and take with you.
After a day full of impressions, we reach Gyumri for overnight.
Accommodation
- Overnight in Gyumri on BB/DBL basis. Single supplement is available at extra cost.
Included Activities
- Lake Sevan
- Sevanavank Monastic Complex
- Dilijan
- Haghartsin Monastery
- Honey House
Optional Activity at extra cost
- Tandem Paragliding
- Tandem Flight 10 min
- Tandem Flight 20 min
*Included. The pilot will make photos and videos during the flight with GoPro camera.
Meals Included
- Breakfast at the Hotel
- Lunch in Sevan
- Dinner in Gyumri
Important Notes
Please wear warm clothes for paragliding.
Depending on weather conditions, Paragliding may be cancelled if the weather is not suitable for flying on that specific day of the tour.
08:00 - Breakfast in the hotel
09:00 - PCR Test
10:00 - Starting the tour
***You are required to do the mandatory PCR test before your departure from Armenia. Test will be organized early in the morning before you can continue your day. We will bring the Lab specialist to the hotel for the PCR test, just to take special care of you and save you the hustle of travels and give you more time to enjoy the last day in Armenia.
We start our day from the Gyumri city tour – the 2nd major city of Armenia. Being one of the most ancient settlements in Armenia with the history of 3000 years, Gyumri is a significant location to visit and admire. Its name has been changed several times. It was originally founded as Kumayri, later re-founded as Alexandropol, then as Gyumri. Each name brought a new era of history to the City. Have a nice stroll in the heart of the city with its authentic food, traditions, old and new buildings, feel the special spirit of the city and enjoy genuine interaction with locals. During the city tour you will also have a chance to visit the Beer Factory of Gyumri, where you will see the process of making delicious Armenian Beer and taste it yourself.
After lunch, we continue towards Voskevaz Winery where we will taste delicious Armenian wine. Voskevaz Winery is located in the village by the same name, “Voskevaz,” which in Armenian means "golden bunch." The wines are produced only from local grape varieties growing on the amazingly beautiful and diverse foothills of the highest mountain in Armenia-Aragats, and for wine aging rare high-quality Armenian oak barrels are used. In the production of sweet wines in Armenia "Voskevaz Winery" has pioneered the use of wine withering technology.
Dinner will be in Byurakan accompanied by Armenian national folkloric performances after which we head back to busy Yerevan.
Accommodation
- Overnight in Yerevan at 3* or 4* հotel on BB/DBL basis. Single room supplement can be provided at additional cost. Request in advance.
Included Activities
- Gyumri City Tour
- Voskevaz Winery and wine tasting
- Byurakan Tonacuyc
Meals Included
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Lunch in Byurakan
- Dinner in Byurakan
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure.
Let us know and our flexible system and professional team will help you put together an itinerary that suits you the best and will customize your travel experience.
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