Places to Visit in Armenia & Best Things to Do in Georgia
Tbilisi – Sanahin Monastery – Mikoyan Brothers Museum – Odzun Monastery
Start your journey from Tbilisi to Yerevan, Armenia.The first stops of the tour will be the medieval Monasteries of Sanahin and Odzun. Sanahin is listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites, It is one of the magnificent masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture. 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.
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: None
Duration: 8-9 hours
KM: 235 km
Saghmosavank – Alphabet Alley – Amberd
On the 2nd day we will travel to the West. We will visit Saghmosavank monastery on the edge of the Kasagh River gorge. The steep cliffs and rock create a unique landscape view. The main structure of the monastery was built by Prince Vache Vachutyan in the 13th century. Our next destination leads us to the slopes of Aragats Mountain, an isolated massif with four peaks. Among these, the northern summit stands tall as the highest point in the Lesser Caucasus and Armenia, soaring to an impressive 4,090 meters above sea level. Our journey will bring us to the Alphabet Alley, a tribute commemorating the Armenian alphabet. This monument symbolizes the profound significance of the Armenian script in preserving and fortifying the Armenian identity across centuries, contributing significantly to the nation’s resilience and survival. With the help of our guide, find the letter corresponding to your first name and take a photo for the memory. The final stop of our trip is the 10th century fortress Amberd, located 2,300 meters above sea level. This fortress had a very important military purpose as an outpost in defense of capital city Ani during the kingdom of Bagratuni.
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 7-8 hours
KM: 160 km
Khor Virap, Noravank, Areni 1 Cave
On the 3rd day the road will take you to Khor Virap, located in Armenia, which is a monastery with a very close concern with the adoption of christianity in Armenia in 301 CE. We will learn the history, the legend about the place and the christianity in Armenia. This is one of the primary visiting sites in Armenia with the panorama view of the Ararat Mountain. The legend of this monastery is associated with St. Gregory the Illuminator, who was imprisoned here for 13 years. For lunch you will stop in one of the best places in Areni village. After driving to the Noravank Monastery, known for its brick-red cliffs, located in a narrow gorge of Amaghu River. This monastery is an example of the ornate architecture of the 13th century. The sculptor of the biggest portion of Noravank is Momik, who also carved a number of religious Armenian monuments known as “khachkars”. On the way back to Yerevan, you’ll stop in Areni 1 cave, also known as a “Birds’ cave”, where the oldest human shoe dating back to 3,900 BC and oldest winery were excavated.
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 7-8 hours
KM: 260 km
Free Day
Take a break and walk around the city, visit a museum or shopping mall, have dinner or a drink in one of the best local bars and restaurants. Ask your tour guide for recommendations.
Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan
Meals: Breakfast
Noratus – Sevanavank – Red Deer Breeding Center – Parz Lake
The last day in Armenia you will start with visiting the Noratus Khachkar cemetery near Sevan Lake. It is the biggest cluster of khachkars, or in English crosstones in Armenia. The khachkars are a unique type of christian monuments, we will learn more about the architecture, history and spiritual meaning during the tour. After the Noraus we will drive closer to the 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. Driving farther into the forest we will appear near Parz Lake. A small cozy lake, hidden in the heart of the forest. We will have a short walk around the lake, take some photos and drink some herbal tea or coffee. This will be our final stop in Armenia.
Drive back to Tbilisi.
Overnight: None
Meals: Breakfast
Duration: 8-9 hours
KM: 270 km
