Armenia and Georgia Tours (8 Days)

Tour Description

This tour in Armenia and Georgia offers the best and most exciting in each country – historical landmarks and gastronomic specialties. Both Yerevan and Tbilisi will compete in which one of them is more hospitable and attractive for you, but it is their friendship that will win in the end.
The tour is filled with numerous and various experiences in two Sub-Caucasian neighboring countries in a relatively short period of time. Within this combined tour we will get acquainted with the capitals of the two countries, as well as small regional towns and villages with their special national style.
It is exactly in this area that all the roads from North to South and from East to West crossed , creating a unique historical and cultural microclimate, different from Europe and Asia, but at the same time including the shades of these two geopolitical and cultural poles. Discover the unique culture, rich cuisine, and hospitality traditions of the ancient countries, came to be in the crossroads of civilizations.

Day 1

Airport — Yerevan city tour
Before 14:00 Pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel in Yerevan, accommodation and rest. Departure for the tour – currency exchange, tour in Yerevan with stops near statue of David of Sassoun and Mother Armenia statue at Victory park with an incredible panoramic view of a city. The Cascade complex, Cafesjian Center for the Arts, Opera house, Memorial of Tsitsernakaberd. 19:00 Welcome dinner at “Yerevan Tavern” restaurant with folk program (Armenian national songs and dances). 21:00 Evening walk from the Northern Avenue to Republic Square. Participation in Dancing fountains show. 23:00 Return to the hotel.

Day 2

Yerevan — Khor Virap — Areni — Bird’s Cave – Noravank — Yerevan
Breakfast at hotel. 9:00 Heading for the South of Armenia. 9:40 First stop – Khor Virap Monastery which offers magnificent view on biblical Mount Ararat- the lead symbol of Armenia. 12:00 We arrive in the wine making regions of Areni where red wine from the indigenous grape sort under the same name is produced. 12:30 Visiting Trchuneri (Bird’s) cave, where we also can find 6000 years old winery. Few years ago the oldest shoe in history had been found also in this region. Despite the fact, that the archaeological excavations are still ongoing, we have a chance to peak into a mystical cave. 13:00 Visiting of Noravank Monastery of XIII century, hidden in mystic red cliffs. 14:30 Lunch at the house of a local wine maker; we will taste barbecue made in tonir and have a master class of making the famous local dessert called Pahklava (groups over 10 pax). Return to Yerevan. Free evening.

Day 3

Yerevan — Shopping — Echmiatsin — Zvartnots — Yerevan Cognac Factory
Breakfast at hotel. 10:00 Time for shopping. You can choose from a big variety of souvenirs and local products, which are in high demand among our guests – wines, brandies, dried fruits, sweets, herbs, jewelry, etc. For this purpose we will visit the souvenir market Vernissage and Tashir – the market of local sweets and dried fruits. 11:30 Tour to Saint Echmiadzin – the spiritual center of Armenia, where Pontifical Residence of Catholicos of All Armenians – the head of Armenian Apostolic church is located. The city is just about 20 km from Yerevan. Here we’ll visit 4th century Echmiadzin Cathedral, Echmiadzin Treasury Museum, where the lance that pierced the side of Christ by the Roman soldier is also exposed. 14:00 Lunch with national dishes at tavern “Tteni”(Mulberry). 15:00 We will visit Zvartnots Cathedral, which is considered as a masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture, and listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. 17:00 Return to Yerevan and a visit to the Ararat Cognac Factory for a tour, followed by tasting of several sorts of cognac. Free evening in Yerevan.

Day 4

Yerevan — Garni and Geghard — Sevan — Dilijan — Haghpat
Breakfast at the hotel. 9:00 Check out of the hotel and departure for a tour in the Northern Regions of Armenia. Photo stop at Charents Arch for the wonderful view of Mount Ararat. Tour to rocky Monastery Geghard, fantastic example of Armenian medieval architecture (12-13 cc), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tour to Garni temple, the only reconstructed monument in the territory of Armenia, dating back to the period of paganism and Hellenism. Lunch in an authentic guest house Tsaghkunq where the chef will conduct a master class on cooking Armenian national dishes(10+ pax). Tour to Lake Sevan, the largest lake in Caucasus. We will visit Sevanavank monastery on North-Eastern coast. Arrival in Dilijan city, considered to be the symbol of Armenian-Georgian friendship. Old Dilijan Complex. Stop at the monument, dedicated to the heroes of famous movie Mimino. Departure for Haghpat village and check-in at the the hotel Qefilian with a breathtaking view of the Lori Gorge. Dinner and overnight in Haghpat.

Day 5

Haghpat — Akhtala — Bagratashen — Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 A tour to the Haghpat Monastery, a significant urban planning monument of medieval Armenia; it was included in UNESCO World Heritage list together with Sanahin Monastery in the year of 1996. 10:30 Akhtala monastery and fortress of the 10th century, harmoniously combining specific elements of Armenian, Georgian and Byzantine architecture. 12:00 Crossing of Armenian-Georgian border at Bagratashen checkpoint. 13:30 Arrival in Tbilisi, capital city of Georgia; check-in at the hotel. 14:30 Lunch at the restaurant “ Khinkali House”. Ciy Tour: Rustaveli Avenue, Sioni Cathedral; Metekhi Monastery, built on rocky coast of the Kura River in 12th century. A marvelous view of Old Tbilisi is opening from the monastery. Narikala Fortress, Old Tbilisi and sulfur baths, which, according to the legend, were found by Iberian king Vakhtang Gorgasali during hunting. 20:00 Welcome dinner with national music and dances at the restaurant “Mravaljamieri”. Return to the hotel.

Day 6

Tbilsis — Jvari — Uplistsikhe — Gori — Mtskheta — Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 Departure for the tour. 10:00 First destination is Jvari temple, which is fascinating for the fact that, after adoption of Christianity in Georgia st. Nino erected the first cross on this exact spot. A wonderful landscape is opening from the temple: Mtskheta city, The Kura River gorge as well as Aragvi Valley are very well seen. 11:20 Arrival to Uplistsikhe Cave town, which was founded in 1000 BC and was a sacred temple spot during Pre-Christian period. 13:20 Tour to the city of Gori which is known primarily as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Here we will visit a museum dedicated to the Soviet leader. 14:30 Lunch at local restaurant in Gori. 17:00 Visiting the city of Mtskheta, the very first capital of Georgia, where the main monument of Orthodox Georgia is located – the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, built in the 9th century. 19:00 Return to Tbilisi. Free evening.

Day 7

Tbilisi — Bodbe — Signakhi — Tsinandali — Gvirabi — Tbilisi
Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 Departure for the tour to Kakhetia, which is Georgian main wine-making region. 11:00 On three kilometers from Sighnaghi, in the grove of cypress trees, is located the Bodbe Monastery of St. Nino – Ninotsminda, where Saint Nino, the baptizer of Georgia, is buried. 12:00 Walk through the ancient streets of the beautiful city of Sighnaghi, which is known as the City of Love. 12:30 Visit to the Georgian National Museum, where the original works of the famous Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani are also exhibited. 14:00 Lunch at the local restaurant. 16:45 Tour in Tsinandali, the house museum of Alexander Chavchavadze with a beautiful court garden and with his winery, where we will have an opportunity to taste the wine. 18:20 Tour and tasting in one of the most famous wineries of Georgia – Khareba, tasting will be held in the long wine tunnel of Gvirabi, which was hollowed out during the Soviet times for military purposes. 21:30 Return to Tbilisi.

Day 8

Tbilisi — City tour — Transfer to the airport
Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 Check out of the hotel and shopping for Georgian products upon request: souvenirs, wine, chacha, churchkhela and so on. 10:00 Tour to the ethnographic museum under the open sky, a Georgian village unique of its kind, where every house and estate is the reflection of Georgian history of different periods. 11:00 Transfer to the airport of Tbilisi.