Tbilisi – Sanahin – Haghbat – Mikoyan Brothers Museum

Start your journey from Tbilisi to Yerevan, Armenia. You will have a tour  to the medieval monasteries of Sanahin and Hagbat. Sanahin. Both are listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites, It is one of the magnificent masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture engaged in the spiritual ambiance of Sanahin, contemplating its role as a cultural and educational hub in medieval Armenia. Learn about the intricate carvings that tell stories of faith and devotion, and gain insights into the architectural techniques that define this architectural gem. Next stop is the modern history. We will visit the Mikoyan brothers house museum. The Anastat and Artem Mikoyan brothers had their role in the times of the USSR. Artem was an aviator, the author of famous MIG fighters. We can see the service car of Anastas and the famous MIG-21 fighter jet. We will arrive in Yerevan in the evening, where you will check-in in your hotel and have some rest after a busy and bright day. You will also visit 19th century Aramyants’ castle, one of the few survived castle mansions in Armenia. Mikael Aramyants was an oil producer, who was from Akhtala. He lived and ran his business in Baku and Tbilisi. He built his mansion in Swiss style from 1903 to 1906 years and planted cypress trees in front of the castle. Many famous and remarkable persons stayed there, such as Catholicos of All Armenians from 1893 to 1907 Mkrtich Khrimyan or more known as Khrimyan Hayrik (Khrimyan father) or writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. Both of these persons played a huge role in saving the orphans and refugees of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. The castle had a very tangled and dramatic history after and was in danger of collapse as was in an emergency situation. Currently it is under restoration, so we will be able to look at it only from the outside.  Today we will have an overnight stay in one of the cozy guesthouses in Lori province – Sanahin or Odzun. You will have possibility to have a homemade dinner, surrounded with mighty mountains and dark forests. 

Overnight: Odzun
Meals: None
Duration: 8-9 hours
KM: 225 km

Odzun Basilica – Stepanavan Dendropark – Lori fortress 

Today we keep our way to Yerevan. But before that we will visit the Odzun Basilica – One of the most beautiful and impressive basilicas in Armenia.  After that we will drive to visit the Lori castle․ The fortress built by the King of Lori Davit Anhoghi dated to 1005 – 1020 years A.D.The castle was an important trading hub and had a population of 10,000 people during XI – XIII centuries. Southern from the fortress, near the Village Gyulagarak we will visit the Stepanavan dendropark.or Sochut Dendropark officially. Established by Polish forest engineer Edmund Leonowicz in 1931, the park consists partly of natural forest and partly by planted trees and flower alleys. The most remarkable trees there are the pines,  spruces and of course the giant sequoias. Returning to Yerevan

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 5-6 hours
KM: 88 km

Walking City Tour – History Museum of Armenia

As one of the oldest capitals in the world, Yerevan was founded in the 8th century BC and was known as Erebuni. Visit some of the main streets of Yerevan such as Baghramyan and Mashtots Avenues, as well as Abovyan Street which still showcases century-old houses and historical buildings. Visit the History Museum of Armenia, where you will learn about the ancient history and the origins of Armenia. After that continue your walk through the Cascade, an architectural complex of massive staircase with fountain terraces with breathtaking views to the Opera and Ballet Theater. The Cascade also houses the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, which offers a rich collection of Armenian and international contemporary art, including a selection of artwork from the personal collection of its founder Gerard L. Cafesjian.

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 3-4 hours
KM: 5 km

Sevan – Dilijan – Red Deer Center – Haghartsin Monastery – Tbilisi

After breakfast at the hotel, take the road to the Blue Pearl of Armenia – Sevan, at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. We will visit the Monastery complex of Sevanavank on the top of a hill in the Sevan peninsula. After admiring the scenery of Sevan lake, we will continue our road to Dilijan. Dilijan is a small and cozy town, surrounded by the forests of “Dilijan National Park”. The area of the park is about 200,000 square km. There are many species of plants and animals under protection there. You can see trees like beech, juniper, oak, different kinds of predator birds and not only. We will have a short walk in Dilijan and continue our way to the Red Deer Breeding Center. The center was opened in 2017 with the help of WWF and CNF to restore the population of these magnificent animals in Armenia. At the end of our tour we will visit the 13th century Haghartsin Monastery. In 2011, the monastery underwent a major renovation by Armenia Fund with a donation from HH Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.

Drive back to Tbilisi.

Overnight: None
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 9-10 hours
KM: 285 km