Armenia Between Nature and Religion (9 nights 10 days )

Day 1.Arrival
Arrival at the Zvartnoc airport and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2.Yerevan City Tour
Breakfast. We will visit Matenadaran which is both a museum of ancient manuscripts and a scientific research institute. Here all ancient Armenian Manuscripts are kept. Hardly a visitor leaves Yerevan without visiting the institute; it is one of the most interesting things to see in the republic. Then we should visit the memorial of Armenian Genocide: the official memorial dedicated to the victims of the
Armenian Genocide, built in 1967 on the hill of Tsitsernakaberd. Visit Genocide museum. Visit Ararat Cognac Factory. (B/-/D)
Day 3. Yerevan – Ejmiatsin – Zvartnoc – Yerevan
Start tour by visiting to centuries-old monuments Ejmiatsin and Zvartnots. These sites are listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. The Cathedral of Ejmiatsin, founded in 303, is the official residence of the Catholicos of Armenia. We’ll continue the trip to Zvartnots Temple, which was built on 7th century by Nerses Builder. Get back to Yerevan, visit ‘‘Megeryan’’ Carpets Factory. Overnight at the hotel.
(B/L/-)
Day 4. Yerevan – Stepanavan – Lori berd – Haghpat
Breakfast. Departure towards Lori. Visit “Dendropark” which is based on the natural forest, a few kilometers away from the center of Stepanavan where, due to a beautiful various plants from different countries of the world, we will find a pleasant relax path away from the traditional routes of tourism. Visit Lori fortress. Drive towards Haghpat monastery. Visit Haghpat Monastery (The UNESCO World
Heritage Site). Haghpat Monastery is a statue of the Magnificent, Medieval, Cultural and Educational Culture of Armenia. Dinner and overnight stay in Haghpat. (B/-/D)
Day 5: Haghpat – Akhtala –Lake Parz –Dilijan
Breakfast. Visit monastery Akhtala, was built at the end of the 10th century. The main church at the compound is famous for its highly artistic frescoes, which cover the inside walls, the partitions, and the bearings of the building. Visit Lake Parz where you’ll enjoy the splendid panorama of the lake. Passage through the city. Fresh air is a huge advantage of this place. Dinner and overnight in Dilijan. (B/-/D)
Day 6: Dilijan – Sevan – Noratus – Selim – Hermon
Breakfast. Departure towards lake Sevan, which is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in Eurasia. Here you can enjoy the beautiful view of the island. Visit two monasteries of the X century. Visit Noratus which is most famous for its cemetery, the oldest part of which includes over 800 khachkars (stone crosses), carved between the 9th-17th centuries. Selim carvansarai was an important center of commerce on the Great Silk Road. Here you can see the world’s most powerful traces. Dinner and overnight in Hermon. (B/-/D)
Day 7. Hermon – Jermuk – Karahunj (Stonehenge) – Tatev – Goris
Breakfast. Departure to the famous SPA city of Armenia: Jermuk is a spa town in Southern Armenia, where much of the country’s mineral water comes from. The countryside at this very high elevation resort is worth visiting as well, with canyons, forest and wildlife to explore. Visit Karahunj or Zorakarer which is 3, 500 years older than Stonehenge and 3,000 years older than the Pyramids. According to
many archaeologists, Karahunj was a “temple with a very large-scale observatory”. Then we will continue to travel to the complex monastery of Tatev (9-13 s), which was the center of study of those times, to reach the monastery of the world’s longest non stoppable cable car. Drive to Goris. Check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Goris. (B/-/D)
Day 8 .Goris – Khndzoresk -Noravank – Areni – KhorVirap– Yerevan
Breakfast. Visit Khndzoresk. Which is a village and rural community (municipality) in the South-East of Armenia, in the province (marz) of Syunik. Departure to Vayots dzor region Noravank Monastery (12th / 13th century) placed in an unprepared position at the edge of a precipice. Lunch in a local home. Here you can attend and see the preparation of the “Barbeque”. Continue for Areni winery which is a 6100-year-old winery that was discovered in 2007. Departure to Ararat region to visit the Monastery of KhorVirap, the famous pilgrimage site, visited by Pope John Paul II. The Monastery used to be the prison of St. Gregory the Illuminator. KhorVirap means “deep gorge’’. From here a breathtaking panoramic view opens up to biblical Mount Ararat. After all drive to Yerevan and overnight there. (B/L/-)
Day 9. Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Yerevan
Breakfast. Departure to Garni (about 30 km from Yerevan) which is the only Pagan Temple preserved in Armenia from pagan times. It was dedicated to son God Mihr. By taking the 4×4 cars we visit Garni’s gorge to see “Symphony of stones”. Visit local house where you can have the opportunity to see and participate in the preparation of Armenian bread Lavash, (which is baked in underground called “tonir”). Lavash has a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Status. Continue the tour by visiting Geghard Monastery (UNESCO Heritage Site) named after the spear that pierced Christ’s body located in a very spectacular deep canyon: which is carved out of the gorge. Overnight in Yerevan. (B/L/-)
Day 10. Departure
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.

Note:
Vernissage / Armenian handicraft market / is open only on Saturdays and Sundays
On Monday all museums are closed/ Matenadaran is also closed on Sundays /
Tatev ropeway is closed on Mondays
Zvartnots monument is closed on Mondays
Ejmiatsin Cathedral is under restoration and the visit to Ejmiatsin will be comprised of the other churches and monasteries there