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Watching over revered Mt Ararat, Armenia spans rocky highlands while also boasting lush forests and serene, turquoise Lake Sevan. There are remote regions and monasteries to explore, but highlights are as likely to be Yerevan’s buzzing arts scene, the Mediterranean mind-set and café culture, or a spontaneous shared meal – and tipple – with locals.
Much of the current tourist traffic comprises diaspora Armenians seeking a slice of their homeland. Their high standards enticed some international hotel chains and caused overdevelopment in places like Sevan. Yet it’s still easy to escape to hidden gems, including stalactite-filled caves and summer villages inhabited by Yezidi Kurds and Armenian shepherds. The Debed Canyon is rich with history and culture, and Goris is a fascinating time-warp town that warrants a few days' exploration. As most travellers whiz through on a brief side trip between other places, serious explorers will have the best sights to themselves.
While the country's ancient monasteries, candle-lit churches and high-walled forts are obvious highlights, your fondest memories of Armenia will most likely lie with the locals themselves. You’ll easily find friends among these gracious, humble and easygoing people, even without a common language. Ties are best forged around a dinner table, where endless rounds of toasting accompany a meal bursting with fresh vegetables and grilled meats.
Although Armenians carry a lot of psychological baggage from a traumatic 20th century, you’ll hardly notice it. The rapidly modernizing capital, the boutique tourism industry and the warm welcome you’ll receive everywhere seems to belie the country’s reputation for tragedy. Rather than letting past woes weigh it down, Armenia has built its memorials, dusted itself off and moved on. Politicians have set their sights on EU membership, while businessmen are enjoying a booming economy dubbed the ‘Caucasian Tiger’.
  
 
The Trip to
My Armenia
April 21 till April 27
Download the itinerary
Day 1 - YEREVAN
Arrival in Yerevan (the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of Armenia.)
Transfer to the hotel
Armenia history museum: One of the largest repositories of manuscripts in the world Matenadaran (It holds one of the world's richest depositories of medieval manuscripts and books which span a broad range of subjects, including history, philosophy, medicine, literature, art history and cosmography in Armenian and many other languages.)
Walking tour in the evening - (Cascade • Opera House • North Avenue •The Republic Square • Singing fountains)
 
Day 2 - YEREVAN - ETCHMIADZIN - ZVARTNOTS
Etchmiadzin Cathedral (fourth-largest city in Armenia and the spiritual centre of the Armenians, as it is the seat of the Catholicos of All Armenians, the head of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church. Located about 18 km west of Yerevan.)
Temples Hripsimeh and Gayane
The church dedicated to Rhipsime may still be seen in Echmiadzin; the current structure was consecrated in 618, and contains her tomb in the catacombs beneath the building.
The Church of Saint Gayane is a 7th century Armenian church of Etchmiadzin
Archeological monument Zvartnots (UNESCO's World Heritage) (are the ruins of a seventh century centrally-planned aisled tetraconch type Armenian cathedral built by order of the Catholicos Nerses the Builder from 641-653. It is located at the edge of the city of Etchmiadzin.)
The site of Metsamor castle (Populated from the 5th millennium BC until the 18th century AD
 
Day 3 - YEREVAN - SEVAN - SEVANANAVANK
Yerevan Brandy Factory (founded in 1887, is the leading enterprise of Armenia for the production of alcoholic beverages. Its main brand name is Ararat. Currently the company boasts a large following, particularly in Russia, as well as in Ukraine and Belarus. The Russian market accounts for about 85% of exports.YBC is owned and operated by the French giant Pernod Ricard.)
Lake Sevan (the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world; situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level.)
Sevanavank monastery (is a monastic complex located on a peninsula at the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan in the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, not far from the town of Sevan. Initially the monastery was built at the southern shore of a small island. After the artificial draining of Lake Sevan, which started in the Stalin era, the water level fell about 20 metres, and the island transformed into a peninsula. At the southern shore of this newly created peninsula, a guesthouse of the Armenian Writers' Union was built. The eastern shore is occupied by the Armenian president's summer residence, while the monastery's still active seminary moved to newly constructed buildings at the northern shore of the peninsula.)
 
Day 4 - TSITSERNAKABERD - GARNI - GEGHARD
In the morning, join the procession to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial (is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide; it is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire carried out by the Turkish government.)
Garni pagan temple (is a temple complex located in the Kotayk Province of Armenia, situated approximately 32 km southeast from Yerevan.)
“Lavash" baking ritual in a local house in Garni (is a soft, thin flatbread popular in several countries of the northern parts of the Middle-East and the southern parts of the Caucasus.)
Geghard monastic complex (UNESCO's World Heritage)
 
Day 5 - KHOR VIRAP - NORAVANK - ARENI
Khor Virap (deep dungeon) Monastery is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near the border with Turkey. Khor Virap's notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact that Grigor Lusavorich, who later became Saint Gregory the Illuminator, was initially imprisoned here for 13 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. Saint Gregory subsequently became the king's religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing activity in the country. It is probably the most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia.
Noravank (is a 13th century Armenian Apostolic Church monastery, located 122 km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River, nearby the city of Yeghegnadzor, Armenia. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery.)
Winery in Areni
 
Day 6 - LORI - HAGHPAT - AKHTALA - SANAHIN
Lori province (it is in the north of the country, bordering Georgia, It is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Haghpat and Sanahin and the well-preserved Akhtala monastery, where Armenians, Georgians, and Greeks make an annual pilgrimage on September 20-21)
Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank (UNESCO's World Heritage)
Akhtala (is a 10th-century fortified Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the town of Akhtala in the marz of Lori, 185 kilometers north of Yerevan. The monastery is currently inactive. The fortress played a major role in protecting the north-western regions of Armenia (Gugark) and is among the most well preserved of all in modern Armenia. 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. The modern name of Akhtala was first recorded in a royal decree of 1438. The etymology of the name is believed to be of Turkic origin, meaning white glade.)
Sanahin Monastery (UNESCO's World Heritage)
Sanahin Monastery is an Armenian monastery founded in the 10th century. The name Sanahin literally translates from Armenian as "this one is older than that one", presumably representing a claim to having an older monastery than the neighboring Haghpat Monastery. The two villages and their monasteries are similar in many ways, and lie in plain view of each other on a dissected plateau formation, separated by a deep "crack" formed by a small river flowing into the Debed river.
 
Day 7:
Transfer from the hotel to the airport – Departure
 
HAVE A NICE AND SAFE FLIGHT HOME!
Price: 1550$ per person in single room or 1350$ per person in a double room
$200 nonrefundable deposit is required to guarantee the booking.  remaining balance collected 40 days prior to departure. The following amounts should be wired either via Western union, money Gram or a Bank transfer.
fill the Registration form and send it to us to be able to handle your booking.
Bryan Batt
Visa can instantly be obtained at Zvartnots airport upon arrival. It’s given for 21 days and costs about 30 USD. In case of necessity the visa can be prolonged at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Armenia.
Please double check first, with the Armenian embassy in your country.
 
Travel insurance is mandatory for those interested in taking part in our Tour to Armenia. make sure to purchase a valid insurance that would cover Armenia.
Flight
Zvartnots is the main airport of Armenia and is located in Yerevan. There is also another airport in Gyumri. The local and international airlines, like Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air France, Armavia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Lufthansa connect Yerevan with any major city of the world. The timetable of the regular flights can be found at the official site of Zvartnots airport (www.zvartnots.am)
Armenian Food
The Armenian cuisine richly expresses the national colors and flavors. Fresh vegetables and meat are usually the main dishes on the table. No festive table can boast with variety of dishes if there is no barbeque made of national traditions on the table. There is even a song praising barbeque at the moment when it is served. Khash, which is also rooted in the traditions, is a soup made from cow’s feet and is served early in the morning. Due to its fatty peculiarities khash is always eaten during cold season. The next famous typical dish is called harisa, which is wheat cooked with chicken. National dolma, ghapama, spas and a range of soups are also very delicious and worth tasting.
Currency and banking
The banking system of Armenia is regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia. There are local and international banks, the numerous branch-offices of which can be found everywhere in Yerevan and in the main cities of the country. Check the exchange rate at: http://www.cba.am
Religion
Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301. The religion here is deeply rooted and about 95% of people are Christians belonging to Armenian Apostolic Church. There are also Catholic Armenians. The Armenian Apostolic church is headed by the Catholicos who is elected for whole life. Currently the Catholicos of All Armenians is Garegin the 2nd who resides at the Holy See of St. Echmiadzin.
The national minorities pursue their own religious convictions. There is also a group of enthusiasts who are trying to retrieve the old traditions of sun-worshipers. They are calling themselves as “Arordis” – “children of god Ar” with an intention to trace the Arian roots of the nation.

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