Arrival in Land of NOAH. At Zvartnots International airport you will be welcomed and assisted through immigration and customs by Santa Maria Tours representative, then escorted to your hotel.
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan.

After the breakfast your guide will meet you at the lobby of the hotel and you’ll start your trip with the city tour in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, which is the largest city of Armenia. The city was founded in 8^th century BC and was known as Erebuni. You will pass by the ancient streets of Yerevan such as Baghramyan street, Mashtots Avenue, one of the oldest street Abovyan. You’ll visit the Victory Park, from where you can admire the whole city. The walk will continue by Cascade Complex of massive staircase with fountains to the Opera and Ballet theater. Here in Cascade complex is located Cafesjian Center of Art, which offers a wide variety of exhibitions raised from the collection of contemporary art of the founder Gerard Cafesjian.

Visit the History Museum of Armenia, located on Republic Square of the city of Yerevan, founded on 1919 by National Assembly of Armenia. The museum has national collection of 400.000 objects with 5 departments as Archaeology, Numismatics, Ethnography, Modern History and Restoration. Visit Erebuni Fortress, which was established in 1968 and was opened in time of 2750th anniversary of the city of Yerevan. The museum is located at the foot of the hill on top of which has stood the Urartian Fortress Erebuni since 782 BCE. After the restoration of some part of structure the Fortress was turned into an outdoor Museum. Here there is a massive collection of artifacts, sups, jars, glass, agate beads, bronze bracelets and many other things that will tell you about the life and habits of inhabitants.

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast

Start this day by the visit of Khor Virap, located in Armenia, which was the first established monastery in Armenia in 642 CE. This is one of primary visiting sites in Armenia with the panorama view of the Ararat Mountain and the Turkish border nowadays. The legend of this monastery is associated with St. Gregory the Illuminator, who was imprisoned here for 13 years. Continue the road to the 4^th largest city in Armenia, Etchmiadzin. Before 1945 officially it was admitted as Vagharshapat. Nowadays the city is best known as the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church “Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin” and as the location of its Cathedral. The Cathedral of Etchmiadzin was built in Ancient Armenia, in the early 4th century and was following the adoption of Christianity as a state religion by King Tiridates.

Next stop is the fortress-city of Metsamor, which is famous for its archaeological finds. During the excavations different cultural layers were found, which date to different ages and periods. There is a Historical and Archaeological Museum that will help us to complete the idea of that place. After that we will visit ruins of mysterious Zvartnoc Cathedral with remains of the winery and other ancillary facilities. Next stop is the fortress-city of Metsamor, which is famous for its archaeological finds. During the excavations different cultural layers were found, which date to different ages and periods. There is a Historical and Archaeological Museum that will help us to complete the idea of that place. Return to Yerevan and have a rest.

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. In the beginning we will visit high mountain lake Sevan and a monastery complex that was founded in 874. There is a peninsula that used to be an island and you will know the secrets of that place. Our next destination is Ltchashen. There are royal tombs, which had been excavated in the 1950s. We also will visit Bronze Age fortress and cuneiform on stone of Urartu king Argishti the First. After that we will be heading to Berdkunk – 3000 years old cyclopean fortress and megalithic tombs. Afterwards we will visit Noratus cemetery that has the largest cluster of old and amazing khachkars. Then the turn is coming for Odzaberd or Snake Fortress. It was a fortified city of the Urartian Kingdom and is considered the best preserved fortification in the Sevan basin. Return to Yerevan
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. The fifth day has new miracles for you. Firstly, we head to the church of Saint Gevork in the village of Mughni. It has two unusual colors of stone: a darker grey tuff and an apricot colored tuff. In Alphabet Alley we will see stone carvings of every single letter of Armenian unique alphabet and other curious things. Once you finish the trip you’ll drive to the Armenian-Georgian border Sadakhlo. Arrive and have a rest in Tbilisi
Overnight: Hotel in Dilijan
Meals: Breakfast

City tour of Tbilisi: Metekhi Church, delight with unforgettable panoramic views over the river Mtkvari and the main attractions of Tbilisi old district, Narikala Fortress – the ancient symbol of the city, Sioni built in 6-7th CC, synagogue, the only remaining mosque in Tbilisi, etc. Visit Abanotubani sulfur baths. Visitors will walk to the pedestrian street Sharden. Visit national museum with Golden Treasure including the collection of archeological monuments

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi
Meals: Breakfast

Visit an Orthodox Church Bolnisis Sioni, where was founded the first Georgian inscription. Visit Dmanisi – an archaeological site which states that Georgia is one of the first European countries.

The main archaeological event of the last years is a discovery of remnants of the oldest humans on the territory of Europe (dated as 1.8 million years) by 1996 German-Georgian expedition in Dmanisi. Homo Georgicus is a species of hominine that was suggested in 2002 to describe fossil skulls and jaws found in Dmanisi. The hominid site itself was likely located near a lake or a pond, rich in lacustrine resources. This biome, together with the adjacent forest-steppe formations, created a highly productive ecotone rich in animal and plant resources. The nearby river gravels provided hominids with extensive lithic resources (pebbles and cobbles) used for tool production. At first, scientists thought they had found thirty or so skulls belonging to Homo ergaster, but size differences led them to consider erecting a new species, Homo georgicus, which would be a descendant of Homo habilis and an ancestor of Asian Homo erectus. A partial skeleton was discovered in 2001. The fossils are about 1.8 million years old. Implements and animal bones were found alongside the ancient hominine remains.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi
Meals: Breakfast

Armaziskhevi – the residence and burial sites of the Pitiakhshes of the Iberian kings are situated on the right bank of the river Mtkvari, near the estuary of the Armazistskali, two miles west of Mtskheta.

Archeological excavations, which took place at Armaziskhevi in 1937-1946, revealed the remains of the 2nd –3rd cc. The Palace and an enfilade bath represent 2nd-4th cc burials of Pitiakhshes and cist-burials date from 6-9th cc. At the same place, two sand stone stelae were unearthed with lapidary text, one of them the so-called Armazi bilingual, dating from the second half of the 2nd c AD. It represents the epitaph of the Zevakh Pitiakhsh daughter – Sarapite. The texts are inscribed in both Greek and the so-called Armazi writing. A type of Aramaic script is wide spread in old Georgia. The text on the other stela is inscribed in Armazi characters and dates from the 1st c AD. It tells about a successful campaign of Georgians led by king Mithridates Pitiakhsh Sharagas into Armenia.

Continue to Dzalisi – an archaeological site consists of several layers from the Bronze Age (3rd -2nd Millennium BC). It was the second capital of Kartli Kingdom up to the period of its decline from 5th to 8th c. AD. Archaeological digs have revealed the remains of four palaces and hypo-caustic baths, acropolis, swimming pool, administrative part, barracks for soldiers, water supply system and burial grounds. One of the villas is notable for its floor mosaics, which, together with the mosaics of Pityus, are, by far, the oldest ones found in the Caucasus. The style of the mosaic dates around AD 300. Its central part depicts Ariadne and Dionysus in a banquet scene. Continue to the west part of Georgia. Visit Gelati Monsatery.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi
Meals: Breakfast

Visit Nokalakevi – an archaeological site in Georgia; Roman and Byzantine historians knew the city as Archaeopolis, but in the later Georgian chronicles it is mentioned as Tsikhegoji, ‘the fortress of Kuji’, for its eponymous and semi-legendary third-century BC founder.

Archaeological studies have demonstrated that the site was inhabited in the early 1st millennium BC. The settlement grew larger in the 5th-4th centuries BC. The majority of the visible structures were built between the 4th and 8th centuries AD when Archaeopolis functioned as the capital of Lazica. Remains of the original walls of a royal palace, acropolis, rich burials, bathes, and the early Christian churches can be seen running up the mountain and along the cliffs that border the River Tekhura. Rich collections of local and foreign coins found at the site indicate a high level of commercial ties with the neighboring countries, especially with the Byzantine Empire.

The route goes to Uplistsikhe Cave Complex – Here was founding grape stones dated back to 5000 years ago, statement that Georgia is the oldest wine producing region.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi
Meals: Breakfast

After Breakfast, time to bid farewell to your Tour director and new found friends as you transferred to Tbilisi International airport for your return flight.
Meals: Breakfast