A journey in Armenia through the history and the culture of the people of Ararat!
- I tell you that in this Great Armenia it is Noah's ark on a big mountain, in the confines of midday inverse to the east, near a realm called Mosul.
Marco Polo
The philosophy of this trip is living unforgettable moments and encounters, the discovery of Armenia, its history, its culture, its spiritual centers, its inhabitants, and the landscapes. Armenia has a rich history, a rich language, and a millennial culture.
During your stay, you will experience the legendary hospitality of the Armenians and take part in their daily life.
The accent will be on the local gastronomy: you will taste different national and regional specialties accompanied by the famous Areni wine. Combining spirituality and architecture, alternating tradition and modernity, this is a complete journey for discovering the history and the culture of this country.
INCLUSION
• Transportation as scheduled • Transfer to and from airport • English speaking Driver’s services (2-6 pax), English Speaking Guide’s Services (7-12 pax) • Meals: 7x breakfasts, 6 x lunches, 2 x dinners • Accommodation: 6x nights in Yerevan in a hotel 3* and in a hotel 4*, 1 x night in Tsaghkadzor in a hotel 4* • Soft drinks (carbonated and natural water, tea, coffee) during meals • Wine during the last dinner • Water in the car or in the bus (1 ½ liter bottle per person a day) • Boat excursion on Lake Sevan • Ascent with the chairlift to Mount Teghenis • Entrance fees to the museums and sites indicated in the program • Tips to restaurant waiters and hotel porters
EXCLUSION
• Travel insurance • Meals not listed in the program • Alcoholic beverages • Tips for guides and drivers • Airplane tickets • What is not indicated in the "Price includes"
DAY 1: Beginning of the program
• Departure for Yerevan (Please Note: Air tickets are not included in the prices)
DAY 2: Arrival in Yerevan. Yerevan – Etchmiadzin – Yerevan
• The Vatican of the Armenians with the first Armenian Christian church• In Etchmiadzin we will visit the 4th-century Etchmiadzin Cathedral where there is also the residence of the Catholicos of all Armenians, the 7th century Arch of Tiridates, the 7th-century churches, those of Santa Hripsime and Santa Gayane, the ruins of 7th-century Zvartnots Cathedral. • We will also attend Sunday mass in the Etchmiadzin cathedral which is enchanting with its Gregorian-style spiritual songs. • There are also souvenir shops at the church of Santa Hripsime and the cathedral of Etchmiadzin. • Lunch will be in a house where travelers will attend the preparation of different Armenian dishes with local home products. • After lunch visits the Historical Museum of Armenia which includes the treasures of more than 3000 years of history. • The day ends with a walk in the Vernissage, the arts and crafts market where you can not only admire the works of different craftsmen, including stone and wooden crosses, handmade cloth dolls, ceramic plates and glasses, and other local handicrafts but also attend the display of silver and gold jewels, Armenian rugs, embroidery, books, paintings of Armenian painters. • Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
DAY 3: Yerevan - Garni – The Canyon of Garni - Gheghard – Yerevan
• In the world of Hellenistic culture in Armenia and the rock monastery of the holy spear. • After breakfast, departure towards the Kotayk region to discover one of the wonders of the Hellenistic era, the fortress and the temple of Garni which is situated on the top of a well-protected triangular promontory, erected in 77 AD. • After the visit to Garni temple, we will start a 40-minute walk in the Garni gorge which is a place particularly known for its formations of basalt columns called the "Symphony of the stones". • After the walk, we will visit the the13th century Ghegardavank the only rock-carved monastery in Armenia. The name derives from the relic, for a long time preserved in the place and now at the Etchmiadzin museum, of a fragment of the spear with which the side of Christ was pierced on the cross. • Lunch by the inhabitants of the village of Garni where you will also participate in the ritual of preparing lavash, the most popular bread in Armenia. • Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
DAY 4: Yerevan – Hovhannavank - Sagmossavank – Park of letters - Amberd – Yerevan
• A Journey for the discovery of the Armenian culinary culture on the slope of Mount Aragats, the highest mountain in Armenia and Transcaucasia. • After breakfast, we will begin the discovery of the medieval wonders of Armenia. We will visit the 13th-century monasteries Hovhannavank and Sagmossavank on the Khassakh canyon and the 7th-13th century Amberd fortress built on the confluence of the Arkashen and Amberd rivers. • We will also visit the Park of the Letters of the Armenian alphabet. It is a group of tuff monuments depicting the letters of the Armenian alphabet. • Lunch on the way.• Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
N.B: For the reason of the presence of snow until April 30, with great probability, the fortress of Amberd will not be visited but there will certainly be a visit to another monument of the same historical and landscape importance.
DAY 5: Yerevan – KhorVirap – Noravank –Birds Cave - Selim – Noraduz – Tsaghkadzor
• The art of the khachkars, stone crosses disseminated on the shore of Lake Sevan, Mount Ararat, where Noah's Ark came to rest. • After breakfast, we departed towards the south of Armenia where we can discover the monastery of KhorVirap, Noravank, the caravanserai of Selim on the Silk Road, and the medieval cemetery of Noraduz. • The first stop is at the monastery of Khor Virap, a place particularly dear to Armenians, due to the Christianization of Armenia. Beyond its historical importance, this place is an indispensable destination because from the top of its walls you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Ararat, the mountain where biblical tradition tells Noah's Ark stopped after the Great Flood. • We will continue towards the monastic complex of Noravank (13th-14th century), a UNESCO heritage site, mainly built by the famous architect and monk Momik, embellished with superb bas-reliefs. • Before lunch, we will visit the Birds Cave where the oldest shoe and the oldest cellar in the world (6000 years BC) were found. • Lunch nearNoravank monastery. • After lunch, we will cross Selim Pass, the highest pass in Armenia (2440 m) and we will visit the caravanserai of Selim, that of the Silk Road mentioned by the Italian traveler Marco Polo in his memoirs "Armenìa". • The day ends with the discovery of the Noraduz medieval cemetery full of khatchkars disseminated all over the shore of Lake Sevan (more than a thousand can be counted). • Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Tsaghkadzor or Dilijan.
DAY 6: Tsakhadzor – Sevan – Hagartsin – Diligian –Yerevan
• Armenian Medieval monasteries• After breakfast, we will visit the 13th-century Ketcharis monastery in the ski resort town Tsakhadzor. • Afterward, we will continue towards the ski resort and, in case of desire, go up the theTeghenis mountain with a chair lift from where a beautiful panorama opens up over the whole region. • After Teghenis we will begin the discovery of the wonders of Lake Sevan. • There will be a stop on Lake Sevan "a piece of sky fallen on the mountains", located 1900 m above sea level, one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world and we will visit the 9th-century monastery of Sevan which stands at the top of the peninsula from which opens a splendid view of the lake. • We will continue our journey towards the town of Diligian and will visit Sharabeyan street, the street of the craftsmen of the city. The area of Diligian is characterized by air loaded with ozone and healing mineral sources. Among the monasteries in various styles that stand out here, built between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, we will visit the Haghartsin monastery. It is hidden in an enchanting valley cloaked in forests.• Lunch in a restaurant on Lake Sevan with the tasting of a local fish. • Before returning to Yerevan, a boat trip on the shimmering waters of Lake Sevan. • Return to Yerevan. • Overnight in Yerevan.
DAY 7: Full day in Yerevan
• A contemporary metropolis with an ancient history. • After breakfast, you will meet the guide and will start the discovery of Yerevan city. • You will visit the main places and monuments of the city: Republic Square, Opera Square, Northern Avenue, The Cascade Monument, Yerevan State University, Victory Park with the statue of "Mother Armenia", the Cathedral of Saint Gregoire the Illuminator, the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial and others. • After lunch, visit the Matenadaran Museum, where one of the largest collections of manuscripts in the world is kept. • After visiting the Matenadaran, free time to make personal purchases. • Dinner in a traditional Armenian restaurant with an evening accompanied by songs and dances. • Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
DAY 8: Departure
• After breakfast, transfer to the airport with the guide or his/her assistant. • Check-in and departure.
If you are traveling to Armenia, you might need a visa for your trip.
Some of the Countries Eligible for E-Visa:
Bahrain, Mexico, China, Kuwait, Colombia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Lebanon
China, Oman, India, South Africa, Maldives, Philippines, Jordan, Thailand
Please contact us at 04 447 3839 / +971 50 247 7593 or email info@southtravels.com if your nationality is not listed above so that our Visa Consultants can advise you accordingly on how to apply your visa to Armenia.
Service Fee: AED 150.00 per person (Including the visa fee processing)
• Processing of the visa will take 3-4 working days.• Approval of the visa is the sole discretion of the Armenia Embassy.• Visa fee is non-refundable, either visa got approved but not used or in case of visa refusal.
Note
• All procedures including requirements and processing may change without prior notice and are always subject to Embassy’s discretion.• Georgia Embassy/Ministry of Foreign Affairs has all the right to get further supporting documents in regards to your travel to the country.• The conditions regarding the issuance of electronic visas can be altered at any time without prior notice.
2022 GUARANTEED DEPARTURES TOUR
3 STAR HOTEL
1 PERSON IN 1 ROOM, price starts at AED 5150 per person
2 PERSONS IN 1 ROOM, price starts at AED 4380 per person
4 STAR HOTEL
1 PERSON IN 1 ROOM, price starts at AED 5690 per person
2 PERSONS IN 1 ROOM, price starts at AED 4799 per person
+971 4 447 3839
+971 50 247 7593
info@southtravels.com