1 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.
1 Day Tour
Close to Yerevan are three outstanding sites: Garni, the only remaining Roman temple in Armenia, Geghard Monastery, one of the most holy sites in the country (besides Ejmiazin) and a gorge with sheer cliffs formed by basalt steles. This guided tour lets you enjoy all three sites in one day.
guided tour to Geghard and Garni
Geghard – Garni – Symphony of Stones
- Pickup at the hotel
- Photo stop at the Arch of Charents. The Arch of Charents (architect: Raphael Israyelian) was built in 1957 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. Built on the site of a sacred spring the monastery was founded in the 4th century. The main cathedral and several chapels and sepulchers cut into the rock date back to the 13th century.
- Situated on an outcrop over the river Azat the pagan temple Garni is the only hellenistic colonnaded temple in Armenia. King Tiridates I built it in 76 AD as a temple to the sun god Mithra (known as Mihr in Armenian). Later on it served as 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 Gorge.
- Lunch
- Deep in Garni Canyon the Goght River meets the Azat River. The canyon is famous for its wonderful hexagonal basalt steles. These pillars form sheer cliffs and overhanging structures from the bottom of the canyon to its rim. Hence the name “Symphony of Stones” or “Basalt Organ”.
- Return to Yerevan.
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.
