5-day Armenia Tour from Georgia5 Days | Yerevan, Dilijan, Lake Sevan, Haghartsin, Sevanavank, Noraduz, Garni, Geghard, Etchmiadzin, Khor Virap, Areni village

Cross Georgia-Armenia border point Sadakhlo-Bagratashen. Meet your guide and driver and start exploring Armenia on this Armenia Tour from Georgia. Drive through Dilijan, the most famous tourist spot where you will visit Haghartsin monastery. Constructed in 10-13 centuries, the name of religious complex can be translated from Armenian as games of eagles. Continue along Lake Sevan – “The Jewel of Armenia” and one of the largest high-mountain freshwater lakes in the world. The coastline of Lake Sevan is rich with thick woods, white bare steep rocks, mountain steppes and Alpine meadows. Stop at Sevanavank to visit the remnants of the monastery that include two temples – Surb Arakelots and Surb Karapet standing among numerous khachkars - carved cross-stones. The buildings were constructed from black tuff which probably gave the monastery its name Sevanavank – “the Black Monastery”. The view from there is simply magnificent: the mountains surround lake from all sides and snow tops are seen almost on the entire perimeter and disappear behind horizon. Continue to Noradus, a village famous for its big khachkar cemetery. There are about 900 khachkars of various styles and epochs there. Reach Yerevan. Check-in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

One of the oldest cities of the world, Yerevan is famous as a pink city and calls visitors with its humble and at the same time splendid landscapes. Start the city tour with a visit to the 572-step Cascade Monument, which serves as the main symbol of the city. The mega scale staircase is 500 meters high and 50 meters wide. A panoramic view from the monument opens up breathtaking city view with Opera House, Mount Ararat, Swan Lake, Republic Square, and Abovyan Avenue, which you will also walk by during the tour. If it is a weekend, visit Vernissage, the biggest souvenir market in Yerevan. Continue to the Armenian Genocide memorial complex on the hill of Tsitsernakaberd. An excellent round-up of the tour will be a visit to the Megeryan carpet factory where you can observe a process of creating famous Armenian rugs. You will see carpets from different regions of Armenia and find out about hidden meanings of elements used in their design. In the evening, enjoy dinner and traditional folklore show. Overnight at hotel.

Depart Yerevan and drive to Garni, one of the major villages in Armenia famous for its fortress. The fortress is the only pagan sacred place from the 1st century that survived aggressive introduction of Christianity in the 4th century. Next stop is at the monastery complex Geghard (means a spear in Armenian). The beautiful landscape of Geghard is framed with towering cliffs. Decorative art cut into rocks reflects and explains Medieval Ages development throughout the region. The complex was introduced to the history in the 4th century as a sacred spring inside a cave. Continue to the Holy See of Armenia, Etchmiadzin. Visit Etchmiadzin Cathedral*, which is the residence of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Catholicos of All Armenians. Drive back to Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel.
* The site is presently under renovation works.

In the morning, head to Khor-Virap Monastery (“deep pit”). According to the legend, St. Gregory the Illuminator, the patron saint of Armenia, was kept here in the basement for 13 years for the disseminating of Christianity until King Tiridates decided to adopt new religion. The monastery's location allows you to enjoy the best views of the Mt. Ararat. Continue to the famous Noravank Complex, situated on the ledge of a deep winding gorge of a tributary of the Arpa River near the village of Amaghu, Yeghegnadzor District. Noravank stands amidst the bizarre-shaped precipitous red cliffs. Built in place of an ancient cloister, it grew under the reign of Princes Orbelian of Syunik. In the 13th-14th centuries it became a residence of Syunik’s bishops and, consequently, a major religious and later cultural center of Armenia, closely connected with many educational institutes, primarily with Gladzor’s famed university and library. Drive back to Yerevan. Stop on the way at Areni, a city known for producing famous Armenian wine from pomegranate and apricot. Have a wine degustation in a local winery. Return to Yerevan.

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Visiting traditional Armenian market. Transfer to Yerevan International Airport. End of Armenia Tour from Georgia.