3 Day tour
In Armenia, you can taste fruits ripened in the sun and grown in an ecological and clean surrounding. Enjoy the traditional food served during excursions, stroll over local markets and taste spices you have never dreamed of. You are invited to stay overnight in small guest houses and feel the real Armenian hospitality while getting to know the locals.
3 Day Tour
This private guided tour of Armenia is right for you if you are in Yerevan for a few days and want to get a first impression of the rich cultural background and the beauty of the country.
Tour description
This 3-day tour gives you an impression of the beauty and diversity of Armenian culture and history. You will visit the most spectacular places within a day’s journey from Yerevan, ranging from the stone age caves at Areni with their evidence of a rich wine producing culture, to Garni, the best preserved Hellenistic monument in Armenia and a number of outstanding examples of Armenian ecclesiastic architecture, namely Geghard and Noravank, and to modern life in the capital. All these places are set in spectacular and very diverse landscapes and together they grant you a comprehensive experience of Armenia in just three days.
Day 1 Yerevan City Tour
- Arrival at the airport. Transfer to the hotel.
- In the morning we will visit Yerevan-Cascade, a monumental stairway, and the Victory Park, which offers an incredible panoramic view over the city. We will see the Cafesjian Center for Modern Arts, the Opera House and visit the Matenadaran. This museum is named after St. Mesrop Mashtots who invented the Armenian alphabet. It hosts an unrivalled collection of ancient manuscripts of which some date back to the 5th century AD and are associated with Mesrop Mashtots.
- Lunch
- The afternoon we spend at the Vernissage, a souvenir market. A big variety of souvenirs and local products are on offer which are in high demand among our guests – wines, brandies, dried fruits, sweets, herbs, jewelry, etc.
- Dinner
- In the evening we walk to the Republic Square through the Northern Avenue and enjoy the Dancing Fountains Show.
Day 2 Arch of Charents - Geghard Monastery - Garni - Stone Symphony
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Photo stop at the Arch of Charents along the road to Geghard and Garni. The Arch of Charents was built in 1957 by Raphael Israyelian and on a clear day it provides a simply stunning view of Mount Ararat. The words carved on the arch belong to one of Armenia’s most famous poets, Yeghisheh Charents: “Pass the whole world with its mountains white, to the beauty of Masis equals none!”
- Next we visit Geghard Monastery. The name Geghard or more fully Geghardavank, meaning “the Monastery of the Spear”, originates from the spear, which had wounded Jesus, was brought to Armenia and now is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury. The monastery is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most revered places in Armenia. Though the monastery was founded in the 4th century, the main cathedral was built in 1215. Several sepulchers and chapels are cut into the rock and one chamber features a sacred spring.
- Situated on an outcrop over the river Azat the pagan temple Garni is the only hellenistic colonnaded temple in Armenia. It was built by King Tiridates I in 76 AD as a temple to the sun god Mithra (known as Mihr in Armenian). Later on it was converted into a royal summer house of the Armenian kings. In the vicinity of the temple there lie the ruins of the fortress, a royal summer palace and a bath complex, which was built in the 3rd century AD. The site of the temple offers a magnificent view into Garni Canyon.
- Lunch
- Below Garni Temple basalt steles form sheer rock walls down into Garni Canyon. A hike into the canyon reveals the wonderful natural rocks, formed of regular hexagonal cylinders. The composition is called “Symphony of Stones” or “Basalt Organ”.
- Return to Yerevan and dinner.
Day 3 Khor Virap - Areni - Bird´s cave - Noravank
- Breakfast at the hotel
- At our first stop we enjoy a beautiful view of the biblical Ararat Mountain, were Noah’s ark cast anchor. Khor Virap Monastery (which means «deep dungeon») rests atop a small hill facing the Ararat. Here Saint Grigor Luisavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) was imprisoned for 13 years before he convinced the Armenian king to adapt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD.
- Our journey southeastwards brings us to Areni, which is one of the actively developing wine regions in Armenia. Here the famous indigenous red wine Areni is produced. We will not miss the chance to taste it at one of the local wine factories.
- Winery has an unparalleled tradition in Areni: in the mystical Bird’s Cave, where archeologists recently found the oldest one-piece leather shoe (about 5500 years old), wine vats date back to the Late Calcolithic Period.
- Lunch at the Cave Restaurant
- Noravank Monastery lies hidden in a beautiful gorge surrounded by red cliffs – one of the most stunning landscapes in Armenia. Here the famous architect, sculptor and miniaturist Momik built the beautiful two story Surp Astvatsatsin church with elaborate relief sculptures over the entrance.
- Return to Yerevan and dinner
- Transfer to the airport or hotel
Regardless of the tours presented, we are happy to work with you to plan your own individual tour through Armenia to include exactly the places you would like to visit.
Contact us at any time and we will give you free consultation. We will do everything to make your stay unforgettable.
