The Taste And Smell Of Armenia / 10 Days

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 1. Arrival

Stop At: Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia
Arrival at Zvartnots International Airport. Transfer to the hotel.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 2: Day 2. Yerevan City Tour

Stop At: Matenadaran - The Museum of Ancient Manuscripts, 53 Mesrop Mashots Avenue Kentron District, Yerevan 0009 Armenia
Brandy Factory

Breakfast. We will start the tour with the capital of Armenia: Yerevan. For ages this city has been known as a “pink city” because of the color of the stone it has been built with. So we will visit Republic square, Mashtoc Avenue, the House of Opera and Ballet after Aram Khachatryan, the park “Cascad”. Visit Matenadaran: an manuscript museum which is also the world's largest repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts. Matenadaran is the one and only in the world as such. It holds not only Armenian but also Persian and Arabian manuscripts. Lunch at a restaurant during the visits. After this we will visit History museum. An impressing fact of the museum is probably that it has a national collection of 400,000 objects. Afterwards visit Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex: Tsitsernakaberd dedicated to the victims of Armenian Genocide. Visit most famous Armenian Brandy Factory. If you want to make sure Armenian brandy has a unique taste it is way too important to mention here that as a known fact one of the most famous admirers of Armenian cognac was Winston Churchill. Dinner at a local restaurant with folk music, where most delicious and natural masterpieces of Armenian cuisine are waiting for you to taste. Overnight at the hotel (B/L/D)

Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 3: Day 3. Yerevan – Ejmiatsin – Zvartnoc – Yerevan

Stop At: The Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots, Manushyan St, Vagharshapat Armenia
Wine Factory and Brandy

Breakfast. We will start the excursion to centuries-old monuments Ejmiatsin and Zvartnots. These sites are listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. The Cathedral of Ejmiatsin, founded in 303, is the official residence of the Catholics of Armenia. Echmiadzin is a sacred place for Armenian people and a spiritual heart of Armenian Apostolic Church. We’ll continue the trip to Zvartnots Temple, which was built on 7th century by Nerses Builder. Currently there are only ruins of Zvartnots, but which has not lost its mystery over the years. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit Wine factory and Brandy factory. Return to Yerevan. Visit “Megeryan” carpet factory. Dinner at the factory restaurant. (B/L/D)

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 4: Day 4. Yerevan - Khor Virap – Areni village – Noravank – Karahunj - Goris

Stop At: Noravank Monastery, NoravankMonastery Road Amaghu Valley, Areni 3604 Armenia
Local wine and Armenian “barbeque”

Breakfast. Take trip to Khor Virap Monastery (4-18th cc.). This monastery is very prominent because of its history; Gregory the Illuminator, who introduced Christianity to Armenia, has been imprisoned there about 13 years as at that time there was a prison in the place of the monastery. Here we can enjoy the spectacular view of the sacred Ararat Mountain - an immortal symbol of Armenia. Literally Khor Virap means deep gorge. Visit village Areni which is considered to be an important center of wine production industry and which has a history of more than 6000 years. And this is the place where the oldest example of a leather shoe was discovered by archaeologists. You are welcome to taste its excellent wine. Here you will also get the chance to participate in preparation of famous barbecue. Continue our tour to Noravank - a monastery of XII century situated among amazing sheer rocks on the bench of a twisty gorge. This is the only monastery where we may find a unique sculpture of Father God. Lunch at a local house in Areni.

Visit Karahunj or Zorats Karer which is 3500 years older than Stonehenge and 3000 years older than Egyptian pyramids. Some specialists even calculated the age of the stone circle itself, purely basing on the position of stars in the sky in earlier times - the result was 7.6 thousand years ago. This would make Karahunj the oldest astronomical observatory in the world. Dinner and overnight in Goris . (B/L/D)

Duration: 11 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 5: Day 5. – Goris – Tatev – Khndzoresk – Jermuk

Stop At: Tatev Monastery, Highway 45, Tatev 3218 Armenia
Local dishes and fruits vodka

Breakfast. Visit cave village Khndzoresk. Continue our trip to monastic complex Tatev (9-13th century): a famous center of studies of those times. To reach the monastic complex we should use a cable car which holds the record for world’s longest non stoppable double-track cable car. Lunch at a house where you can taste the local dishes and admire a master class of preparation of vodka from different fruits. After all these activities departure to famous spa town Jermuk. Here you will have the opportunity to enjoy fresh mountain air, visit one of the most beautiful Armenian cascades. Dinner and overnight in Jermuk. (B/L/D)

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 6: Day 6. Jermuk –Selim – Noraduz - Sevan – Dilijan

Stop At: Jermuk Waterfall, Jermuk Armenia
Cultural tour

Breakfast. Today we are going to pass the pathways that have been used by the travelers of Great Silk Road. We will drive through the Selim Caravanserai, which served as an important center of exchange, trade and for overnight during the times of Great Silk Road. Here we can see the immortal tracks of world history. Lunch at the local restaurant. Visit to Noraduz. After here we will drive to Lake Sevan which is one of the largest lakes in the world. It stands out with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Here we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the beautiful lake. Then we will visit Sevanavank Monastery which is situated on Sevan Peninsula. There are 2 monasteries actually; one of them is destroyed but the other stands still. They have been built in the middle Ages, around 10th century. Then we will drive to Dilijan. Walking along the Sharambeyan Street, which is one of the oldest streets of the city, we may buy souvenirs and see the life of the small city. During the walk you will breathe the clean mountain air. Visit brewery, where you will get acquainted with the process of making Armenian beer. Dinner and overnight in Dilijan. (B/L/D)

Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 7: Day 7. Dilijan – Ijevan – Haghpat – Gyumri

Stop At: Haghartsin Monastery, Dilijan Armenia
Brandy, White wine and sea food

Departure to Alaverdi. On the way we will have a stop at the wine and brandy factory which is famous for its white wine products. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit a unique masterpiece of Armenian architecture of X-XIV centuries: the monastery of Haghpat which is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Haghpat Monastery was one of the largest religious, cultural and educational centers of medieval Armenia. Departure to Gyumri. Dinner at a local restaurant most famous for its appetizing a and tasty fish dishes. (B/L/D)

Duration: 9 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 8: Day 8. Gyumri – Amberd – Saghmosavank – Yerevan

Stop At: Amberd Fortress, Byurakan Armenia
Armenian desserts and local beer

Breakfast. Walking down the beautiful streets of Gyumri: a city which has changed its name several times. Initially it was called Kumayri, later Alexandrapol. After that it used to call Leninakan and finally Gyumri. This city is the second largest city of Armenia. It is located on a distance of about 120 km away from Yerevan and is located on the bank of Akhurian River. While exploring Gyumri we will visit Dzitoghtsyan house-museum ; an Architecture and Ethnography museum. Mostly the museum is impressive because it gives a chance to look closer through the grimpses of history and know more about traditions and habits of Armenians during nineteenth century. Visit Alexandrapol brewery. Departure to Aragatsotn region. Lunch at the local house including an amazing master class of Armenian sweets '' Sujukh '' and '' Gata ''. Visit Armenian Alphabet monument. Head towards medieval and mysterious Amberd fortress (7th-13th centuries AD), which is amazingly built on the slope of Mount Aragats (4091 meters above sea level). Visit Saghmosavank monastery. After all this we will get back to Yerevan and have dinner at the traditional restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan. (B/L/D)

Duration: 7 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 9: Day 9. Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Yerevan

Stop At: Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery Road H3, Garni Armenia
Traditional dishes

Breakfast. Take trip to Garni. This Pagan Temple built in the 1st century AD. It is the only temple that has been preserved from the Pagan times in Armenia. It was devoted to the god Mihr, who was the god of cleanness. In 1679 it was destroyed by earthquake. In the 1975 the Temple was restored. Then we will continue our trip to Geghard Monastery. Its name came from the legendary lance that was used to pierce the body of Christ. It has been kept here for centuries. Though the exact foundation of the monastery is unknown, the present complex was built in the mid – 13th century. Afterwards we will visit a local house where you will have the chance to see and participate in the preparation of Armenian national bread: lavash. It is very thin, usually sold in very large forms. It is usually cooked in a ground oven: “tonir''. In 2015 it has been inscribed in UNESCO intangible heritage list. Here we will enjoy the “Armenian fast food” with lavash and cheese. Return to Yerevan. Visit fruit market. Last dinner will be the most impressing and unforgettable as you will meet a famous “show woman - Zara” and try to make most famous “Khapama” and taste traditional dishes. Overnight in Yerevan. (B/L/D)

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 10: Day 10. Departure

Stop At: Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.