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Cultural
Tours in Armenia
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Classical Tour & Trekking in Armenia
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Cultural &
Trekking Tour
(8 days) |
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15,000 monuments of history and
culture are spread all over the
territory of the Republic of
Armenia making this country a
unique open-air museum. The fact
that Armenia is the oldest
Christian state, the existence
of early Christian monuments and
strong traditions make Armenia a
fascinating country for tourists
interested in religious and
cultural tours. Armenians built
magnificent churches in the most
inaccessible places and carved
unique cross stones which have
become one of the symbols of the
nation.
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The presence of nearly all
climatic zones, variety in
relief, diversity in flora and
fauna attract the people who
prefer ecological tourism, bird
watching, geological and
adventure tours. The sights of
Armenian nature - the Armenian
Plateau containing an endless
chain of mountains, lakes hidden
in the heights, mountain
torrents and waterfalls, valleys
and forests leave deep
impressions in people who visit
Armenia. Being a country of
contrasts in this small piece of
land Armenia has sultry summer
and eternal winter existing
almost side by side. The valleys
can be as hot as tropics while
mountains are covered with snow
all year around. |
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One of the most ancient cities
of the world - Yerevan, is of
special interest for visitors.
Downtown Yerevan is full of
open-air cafes, restaurants,
parks and entertainment.
Original architecture bearing
the signs of various epochs, and
safe streets make the city
pleasant for walks. The view on
the Biblical Mt. Ararat, which
is 50 km from Yerevan, is very
beautiful.
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Day 1 |
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Arrival /
Yerevan city tour/
Echmiadzin / Zvartnotz / Genocide
museum / Yerevan
Arrival in Zvartnots airport. Meet
and greet transfer, accommodation at
the hotel. Breakfast at the hotel.
City tour around Yerevan. The
history of Yerevan dates back to the
8th century BC. A little part of the
capital city's 3,000-year history
has survived: Central Yerevan was
once dominated by huge Soviet-style
buildings, but now, due to the
nowadays active constructions, many
modern-style buildings appear and
are going to appear. While your tour
you will see the Republic Square
which is designed in the traditional
Armenian architectural style and
includes the Government House, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Central Post Office, the National
Art Gallery. Along with all major
sights of the capital you will also
see "Cat statue" by famous sculptor
Fernando Botero, will climb up the
Cascade to enjoy the panoramic view
of Yerevan as well as will see Opera
house, Victory Park with Mother
Armenia statue, Kievyan Bridge,
Baghramyan Avenue, the Presidential
Palace, Academy of Sciences,
National Parliament, Writers Union
and Fruit market. Lunch in a local
restaurant. In the second half of
the day your main attractions will
be Echmiadzin which is mere 20 km
from Yerevan. On the way visit to St
Hripsime church which is considered
to be one of the 7 wonders of
Armenia. Etchmiadzin Cathedral is
known as the center of the Armenian
- Gregorian Church and appears to be
one of the world's first Christian
churches. Legend has it that it was
here that Jesus Christ descended
from heaven to show were he wanted a
church built. So Echmiadzin means
"The only-begotten descended". The
Church was built between the years
301 - 303 AD under the Armenian king
Tiridates III and the first Armenian
Catholicos, St. Gregory the
Illuminator. Return to Yerevan with
stop at the ruins of Zvartnots
temple - the pearl of the 7th c.
architecture which is listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage. Lunch in a
national restaurant in Yerevan city.
Visit to the Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial park and museum of the
victims of Genocide.
Welcome dinner and overnight at the
hotel in Yerevan. |
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Day 2 |
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Yerevan /
Khor Virap / Areni / Noravank /
Artabuynk village
Sightseeing tour to Khor-Virap
monastery 4- 17th cc. 45 km. from
Yerevan the monastery of Khor-Virap
has a very rich history, both
religious and secular. Khor Virap
was built in Artashat during the
reign of the Arshakids dynasty. At
that time it was used as a pit-
dungeon for convicts. In the 60s of
the 4th century Artashat was ruined
by Persian invaders. 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. Here you will
also have an opportunity to take a
lit candle from the pit like His
holiness Paul II did while his visit
to Khor Virap. Continue tour to
Noravank monastery - a great
religious and cultural centre of
12th c. On the way visit Areni wine
factory to taste local wine made
from special sorts of vines.
Noravank ("New Monasterey") is 122
km away from Yerevan and is located
in an inaccessible location
throughout the stunning nature. The
oldest structure of the monastery is
the church of St. Karapet (9-10 c)
that has not survived. The principal
church is known as St. Karapet as
well, which was built in the 13th c.
The church has an atrium, which was
rebuilt by the famous architect and
sculptor Momik and is decorated with
bas-relives on religious themes.
Lunch in a local cave cafe. Drive to
the Artabuynk village and from here
we begin our hiking to the
Smbataberd Fortress of 10 cc. This
spectacular castle sits on the crest
of the ridge between Artabuynk and
Yeghegis villages and includes an
upper citadel. The castle received
water from a buried clay pipe
leading from the monastery.
According to legend, the Turks
compelled the fort’s surrender by
employing a thirsty horse to sniff
out the pipeline (Hiking/ 3-3,5
hours).
Dinner of fresh and organic hand
made food and overnight in private
houses with clean rooms, cozy beds. |
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Day 3 |
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Artabuynk
village - Mount Astkhonk (3400 m)
After breakfast we start our full
day hiking without luggage (main
luggage is being transferred by
special cars). Our way is through a
prime hiking area and tourists can
enjoy a relaxing day on foot
actively experiencing exceptional
nature typical only to this region
of the country. Lunch on the spot.
During this interesting hike we pass
through alpine meadows, fascinating
landscapes and animal- breeding
houses of the local shepherds.
(hiking in this area 6-6,5
hours/Amplitude 1750- 2500 m). Not
far from these houses, on the slopes
of the Mt. Astkhonk you will put up
a tent and have rest from the
strenuous day. In the evening there
is an opportunity to gather up with
the local people over a nice fire in
the hug of nature.
Overnight in tents.
Note: In case of intentions of
climbing up to the top of the
mountain you will need an extra day. |
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Day 4 |
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Mount Astkhonk / Selim Pass
Astkhonk – Selim pass (hiking inthis
area 5-6 hours/ Amplituda2500- 2300
m).
After breakfast from the slopes off
the Mt Astkhonk we start hiking to
the medieval amazingly intact Selim
Caravanserai, an important trading
post on the Great Silk Road.Selim
Pass, this carvansarai lies below
the road just before the summit on
the south side of the Pass (2410 m).
In medieval Armenia many buildings
were built along commercial routes
for the accommodation of travelers.
One of those, the Selim
caravanserai, according to an
inscription in Armenian and Arabic
was built in 1332 by Prince Chesar
Orbelian, This caravanserai offered
hospitality to travelers along the
highway crossing the Selim (Sulema)
mountains. This is an excellent
example of Armenian secular
architecture of the middle Ages. If
the weather is favorable we can see
a cozy waterfall on the way. The
mountain air is fresh and clean and
the local shepherds with their
lodgments seem to be the inseparable
part of the nature of this area. In
the vicinity of Selim caravanserai
you will put up a tent and have
rest.
Overnight in tents. |
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Day 5 |
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Selim Pass
/ Dilijan / Sevan / Yerevan
After breakfast drive to Dilijan
which is one of the famous resort
areas in Armenia. People say, "If
Paradise had mountains, woods, and
mineral springs, it would be just
like Dilijan". The natural beauty of
Dilijan is so, that it is also
called "Armenian Little Switzerland"
This is again a prime hiking area
and tourists can enjoy landscapes.
Short hiking in this area 3, 5-4
hours/Amplitude 1200-1550m). Lunch
on the way. After proceed back to
Lake Sevan. About 70 miles north of
Yerevan sits Lake Sevan the largest
alpine in the world. This huge
mountain lake which takes up to 5%
of Armenia's surface area is about
2,000 meters above sea level and is
the second highest freshwater lake
in the world. The monastery
peninsula is the most popular spot,
and is the closest place to visit as
well. Possibility to have dinner in
Sevan tasting local fish.
Overnight in Yerevan. |
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Day 6 |
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Yerevan /
Ashtarak / Saghmosavank / Amberd
Fortress / Yerevan
Start tour to the church of
Karmravour. It’s one of the smallest
pan-Armenian churches but in spite
of its size you can still feel
authentic Christianity. It’s also
one of those rare churches where
some traces of frescos are still
seen. Continue to Saghmossavank
medieval monastery, situated in the
breathtaking site, at the deep
canyon of Ashtarak. Sgmossamvank is
translated as "monastery of psalms".
According to the tradition when the
first church of the monastery was
built the priests kept reading
psalms 40 days long so the monastery
was called monastery of psalms.
Lunch in a local house tasting
homemade dishes. Tour to Fortress of
Amberd, 9th century, 6 km from the
village of Byurakan, stands halfway
up Mt. Aragats, at the height of
2300m. The fortress stands on a
rocky cape formed by the rivers
Amberd and Arkhashen. There are also
vestiges of a fortified
three-storied palace, a church built
in 1026, a palace bathhouse with two
domes, a central heating system,
water tanks, a water-supply system,
and a secret passage to a nearby
cleft, and other buildings. Drive
back to Yerevan.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in
Yerevan. |
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Day 7 |
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Yerevan / Geghard / Garni Temple /
Garni Canyon / Monastery Havuts Tar
/ Yerevan
Drive to Kotayk region. Higher up
the gorge of the Azat river the
magnificent monument of medieval
Armenian architecture— Gueghard
monastery (13th century). Geghard is
an incredible ancient Armenian
monastery, partly carved out of a
mountain and is also listed as a
World Cultural Heritage Site by
UNESCO. Outside the monastery
complex there are some caves which
have a bunch of little cave rooms
and are quite interesting for
exploring. Continue to Garni village
with visiting of the Hellenic –
Pagan temple of Garni (1 A.D.).
Lunch in Garni in a private house
where the tourists will have the
opportunity to participate in lavash
(Armenian bread) baking process,
this particular kind of bread is
baked in a special underground stove
called "tonir"; they will try also
Armenian barbeque made in this
stove. Garni - the citadel and pagan
temple of Garni is a picturesque
temple of the Hellenistic period and
an impressive piece of ancient
Armenian architecture. It was built
in the first century A.D. by the
Armenian King Tiridates and was
dedicated to a heathen god, probably
to Mithra, the god of the sun whose
figure stood in the depth of the
sanctuary. Possibility to have a
walking tour to the gorge of Garni
to see the Symphony of Stones and
arrive at another beautiful piece of
Armenian architecture Havuts Tar
monastery located in Khosrov
National Reserve.
Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan. |
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Day 8 |
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Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to
the airport |
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Other details available upon request
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Note:
Duration of the tour must be fit to your
arrival and departure Flights. |
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Airport - Hotel - Airport
Transfer |
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Inland transportation |
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Tour Guide |
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Hotel Accommodation (in the
cities) Double room |
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FB Meal: BLD |
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1
bottle of mineral water per
person per day |
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Museums Entrance fees |
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Meeting dinner at the restaurant |
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Leaving party at the National
restaurant |
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Wine tasting |
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Air
fare |
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Single room supplement
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Meals except described |
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Alcoholic beverages |
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Travel insurance
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