Armenia – Religious & Pilgrimage Tour

Arrival in Yerevan.
Transfer to the hotel for overnight.

The day starts with a visit to History Museum housed by Yerevan City Hall. Providing an excellent introduction to the history of the city, the museum is an ideal place to start your exploration of new and old Yerevan.

Continue with a walking tour of Yerevan exploring various layers of its history – medieval shrines hidden behind imposing Soviet-style façades, narrow streets of the old center with sunlight playing on its pink walls, Closed Market and Blue Mosque on Mashtots Avenue, Republic Square, Cascade and Mother Armenia, Opera House and ambitious projects of independent Armenia – North Avenue and spacious Grigor Lusavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) Cathedral consecrated by His Holiness the Patriarch of all Armenians in the presence of His Holiness Pope John Paul ll. A cultural showcase not to be missed is Matenadaran, one of the world’s oldest repositories of Greek, Persian and Arabic manuscripts. Our next stop is Genocide Memorial situated on the hills overlooking the city, a solemn reminder of the first genocide of the 20thc.

Overnight in Yerevan

Today we will visit Echmiadzin – the holy seat of the Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of all Armenians. The Cathedral was built in 303 on the site of a pagan temple after the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in 301. Visit Echmiadzin Treasury.

Visit St. Hripsime Church (7th century).

A few kilometers from Echmiadzin are the ruins of the 7th century AD Temple of Zvartnots (built in 641—661), which was to suppress Echmiadzin cathedral by its grandeur. The remnants of Zvartnots are a wonderful sight, even in ruins. Only the lower parts of the walls and individual fragments have been survived.

Back to Yerevan.

Overnight in Yerevan.

Drive to Garni via sightseeing of the picturesque Azat Canyon, skirting formidable cliffs and passing exotic-looking gorges until a green plateau by the Azat River comes into view. Here, in the harmony of the relief and the virgin nature you will see the pagan Garni architectural complex of the 1st century and feel the spirit of ancient ages. Garni Temple lies on the road to Geghard, and both can be comfortably seen on the same day. When you get to Garni, it will remind you of a somewhat plain Parthenon. It was built in the first century A.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates with the money he received after visiting Emperor Nero in Rome. The temple was destroyed in 1679 in an earthquake but was reconstructed in Soviet times.

Another ten minutes ride through the gorge will take you to the cave monastery of Geghard (12th –13th centuries). The monastery of Geghard is a unique architectural construction in the Kotayk

province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here we enjoy the harmonies of an acapella concert by five local women who form the quintet ‘Luys’ (Armenian for light).

Overnight in Yerevan.

Drive to Lake Sevan, one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world, The Pearl, The Emerald of Armenia. Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level. Explore romantic Sevanavank Monastery.

Continue to Dilijan.

Drive to Haghartsin Monastery. The Armenian paradise of Tavush region is rich in both natural and historical monuments. The monastery complex of Haghartsin, one of the wonders of Armenian medieval architecture, is located 18 km to the north of the resort town of Dilijan. The exact date of construction of the monastery is unknown. According to historians, the monastery was gradually built from the 10th to 13th centuries. Due to numerous enemy raids, as well as earthquakes, monastic structures and churches were repeatedly destroyed and restored. It is only known that Haghartsin Monastery had been flourishing from the 12th to the 13th centuries. It was at this time that the monastery in various historical sources was mentioned as one of the most important and leading scientific and cultural centers of Medieval Armenia.

Our next visit is to Goshavank Monastery was founded in 1188 in the Tavush region of Armenia by the famed scholar and priest Mkhitar Gosh, replacing an older monastery destroyed by an earthquake.

Overnight in Dilijan.

We continue our tour driving to Lori region for the sightseeing of the 10th-13th centuries Haghpat and Sanahin historical and architectural monuments set amidst forest-clad hills close to the town of Alaverdi (178 kilometers from Yerevan). The monuments are preserved by UNESCO and included in the World Heritage List.

Today we will also visit Akhtala church. Above Sanahin and Haghpat there lies less known but very worthwhile fortified monastery of Akhtala with breathtaking frescoes.

Drive to Sevan for overnight.
Overnight at the hotel in Sevan.

Visit Hayravank Monastery dating to the 9th century. The Monastery is located near the village of Hayravank along the southwest shore of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. Visit Noratus -medieval cemetery with a large number of early khachkars located in the village of Noratus. The cemetery has the largest cluster of khachkars in the republic of Armenia. It is currently the largest surviving cemetery with khachkars.

Drive to Goris via Selim pass. Stop at Halidzor Village to take the longest in the world tramway to the Tatev Monastery. According to historian Stepanos Orbelian, the first church of what later became the mighty walled complex of Tatev was actually built in the 4th century. In the 8th century, it was made the throne of the Syunik bishopric and in the 9th century, it expanded, becoming a major feudal power. Take the longest in the world tramway, newly build in October 2010.
Overnight in Goris.

Visit Zorats Karer. The site is located on a rocky promontory near Sisian. About 223 large stone tombs can be found in the area. It was explored by a team of archaeologists from the Institut für Vorderasiatische Archäologie, University of Munich who published their findings in 2000. The tour will on to the monastery complex of Noravank set in a canyon rich with rare flora. On our way to Yerevan, we will visit Areni wine factory where you can taste the local wine and get acquainted with the production process.

After it we will visit Khor-Virap (4th-17th cc), Khor Virap is one of the romantically sited monasteries in Armenia with views across a bast plain to Turkey and the twin peaks of Mount Ararat. Here, in the atmosphere of historical environment and vivid imagination you will notice the Noah’s Ark in the snows of Ararat.
Overnight in Yerevan.

Full day excursion to Ashtarak – one of the ancient cities of Armenia. The settlement is full of historical architectural monuments constructed in different periods of time (from II millennium BC to XVIII AD). Here we will visit Karmravor church (VII-XIX) that preserved its original appearance with red tile roofing. The 4th century Ohanavank monastery complex will also be visited. We will visit the 13th century Saghmosavank, (Monastery of Psalms) perched on the edge of picturesque Kasakh gorge.

Our next visit is to Mughni church. The church has a distinctive striped drum below the conical cupola. It was rebuilt in 1661-1669 by the architects Sahak Khizanetsi and his successor Murat.

Lunch at a local restaurant or a private house.

Farewell dinner at a local restaurant with folk music performance. Overnight in Yerevan.

Check out before 12:00. Transfer to airport. Departure.