Caucasus - Armenia - 5 days trip to Yerevan, Kotayk, Ararat, Vayots Dzor, Syunik, Gegharkunik, Tavush

5 days in Armenia - North to south

DAY 1

Yerevan

20min/12km

Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex

The people who gather in Tsiternakaberd lay fresh flowers out of respect for all the people who died in the Armenian genocide. 

Karen Demirtchian Sport/Concert Complex

10min/4km

Republic Square

3 min/0.7km walk

Vernissage fleamarket

At Vernissage, you will find anything and everything, ranging from ceramics, carved wooden goods, stone and small khachkars, lace and needlework pieces, handmade dolls, paintings, jewellery, carpets, books, T-shirts, and hats. Most of the pieces are locally made, which adds to their uniqueness.

Circular park

Cascade Complex

Yerevan Cascade is a giant staircase located in the center of the city and it is one of the main tourist attractions in Yerevan. The massive structure connects the city center with the upper parts of Yerevan: Victory Park, Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun

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DAY 2

8am -5pm

45min/30km (08:45)

Pagan Temple of Garnu (Kotayk provence)

The Temple of Garni is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union.

timings 9-10pm

spend 30 min

18min/10.5 (09:50)

Geghard Monastery & Upper Azat Valley[UNESCO] (Ararat province)

Geghard is a medieval monastery 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 with enhanced protection status.

9-7pm

spend 40 min

39min/42km (10:40)

Khor Virab (Ararat province)

spend 1 hr

58min/54km (12:40)

Hells Canyon (Ararat province)

spend 20 min

18min/21km (1:20)

LUNCH

Areni wine (Vayots Dzor province)

9-9pm

spend 2 hrs

3min/1.7km (16:00)

Areni-1 Cave

spend 30 min

10min/7.7 (16:40)

opt - Noravank Monastery (Vayots Dzor province)

spend 30 min

2hr/235kms (19:10)

Goris

Goris is one of the most charming towns in Southern Armenia located on the way to Nagorno Karabagh. The town itself is set along a river and surrounded by lush green mountains. 

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DAY 3

9:30-5pm

27min/21km

Wings of Tatev (Syunik province)

10-7pm

- world’s longest non-stop double track cable car.

cable car capacity - 30 people / 17 minutes duration

Roundtrip 5500(oneway)7000 (roundtrip)(AMD) 

3500/5000 for dec to Feb(AMD)

       Halidzor Aerial Tramway Station, Tatev Aerial Tramvay Station

28min/15km (10:30)

Tatev Monastery (Syunik province)

spend 30min

3min/1.2km (11:00)

Tatev viewpoint (Syunik province)

spend 30 min

return to Halidzor Aerial Tramway Station - 30min

return hotel 30min

LUNCH 12:30-1:30

48min/44km (14:20)

Shaki waterfall (Syunik province)

spend 1hr

2:10hr/105kms

Smbataberd Fortress (Vayots Dzor province)

1hr

2.5hr/130km

stay near Lake Sevan

DAY 4

Sevanavank & Lake Sevan (Gegharkunik province)

Armenia might not have a sea, but it has a natural gem that is just as beautiful; namely Lake Sevan. Sevan is a beautiful destination located on the shores of the river. 

spend 1hr

49min/43km

Dilijan National Park (Tavush province)

Parz Lich - lake

spend 1 hr

via Sevan lake

1.20hr/73km

Tsaghkadzor Ski Resort

Ropeway of Tsaghkadzor (Kotayk Province)

https://www.ropeway.am/

longest non-stop double track cable car 

ropeway with 4 levels, ticket costs 2000 AMD (5$)
7000AMD halfday?

spend 1hr

1hr/45km

NAIRIAN Production Facilities & Lab, Aragyugh (Kotayk Province)

https://nairian.am/en/eco-farm

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory

Tours offered by observatory are:

Visit to the observatory territory

900amd (foreigners) minimum price for group 4500amd(9 persons)

V. Ambartsumian house museum

10-6pm

2.6m Telescope

10-5pm

Learn about telescope, see telescope through glass wall and learn about how it works.

1200amd (foreigners), minimum price 6000 (5 persons)

Planetarium

Sat  & Sun 10-11pm - duration 30 min

Inflatable mobile planetarium with dome shaped projection screen.

1800amd, minimum price 9000 (5 persons)

Night observations with pro small telescope

8pm to 12midnight

Depends on season & weather guide may pick best objects to observe such as:

• the Moon
• Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Mercury
• 4 Moons of Jupiter
• Rings of Saturn
• Star clusters
• Galaxies
• Nebulae
• Comets
• Artificial satellites

3000amd, minimum price15000 (5 persons)

For booking 

(+374-91) 195901 
observ@bao.sci.am 
https://bao.am

Aregi LLC - Dry fruits

This tour is a great choice for the ones who prefer healthy food of Armenian production and also wine lovers. First you will have a visit to ”Aregi” Dry Fruit and Eco-Snack Factory, where incredible combinations of fruits and vegetables await you.

"Aregi" will gladly host all supporters of healthy food.

+374 98 844484

info@aregi.am

* The reservations should be made in advance.

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Armenia: 

Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin, Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley, Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots.

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Wine tours

• Areni wine factory (grape, pomegranate, apricot, peach and other types of wine.)
• Hin areni wine (1000 per person)
• Voskevaz Winery
• Noy Factory
  Wine tour cost AMD 5000 & 3500 for wine drinker and non-drinker respectively.

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Nightlife

The nightlife of this country is one of the preferences of tourists. With various clubs, bars, booze, parties, and new people, this country is becoming extremely interesting.

Liberty PUB - If you want to just chill, listen to music, drink and chat, this is the place.

Kami Music Club is one of few clubs in Yerevan, where you can feel the relaxed atmosphere and listen to the top musicians of the city. Every day we have live performing artists and bands of various genres, and on Fridays and Saturdays performs our dance troupe. 

• Cabaret Charlotte entry 10,000 AMD
• Omega entry 10,000 AMD, 1200dram a glas of wine, lapdance 10000dram

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Cuisine

1 – Dolma/Tolma - Tolma consists of meat, rice, and onion rolled up in fresh young grape leaves. This Armenian food is often eaten with matzoon (fermented milk) mixed with some garlic.

Khorovats, or the Armenian barbecue

2 – Dabgadz Banir Boerag

3 – Topik

4 – Lavash - Lavash is a common type of bread in Armenia that both locals and foreigners are very fond of. It is a soft, thin, unleavened flatbread made in a tandoor. 

5 – Zhingyalov hats - Zhingyalov hats is a type of flatbread stuffed with herbs and green vegetables. Although you can find it in Yerevan too, this is the traditional dish of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Hash - The dish consists of boiled beef feet, and locals like to eat it with dried lavash and accompany it with some vodka.

6 – Basturma

7 – Harissa - Harissa is a thick porridge made from cracked wheat and fat-rich meat, usually chicken or lamb. The long cooking process, usually around 5 hours, is an essential part of the tradition.

Spas - is the all-time favorite soup for all Armenians. It is a yogurt soup filled with peeled wheat and greens.

Sweets:

Gata is an Armenian pastry consisting of sweet bread.

Sweet Sujukh - is a tasty dessert made of walnuts in thickened grape juice.

Pakhlava - is a dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and stuffed with lots of honey.

ref: https://nomadparadise.com/armenian-food, https://armenia.travel/en/blog/10-armenian-musttry-dishes

About Armenia

GMT+4

Sunrise/set

JUN 5:30-8:30 - 15hrs

DEC 8:15-5:30 - 9:20hrs

https://www.worlddata.info/asia/armenia/sunset.php

Exchange Rate

1 aed in amd 110.62 (Armenian Dram)

1 usd in amd 406.31

International Airport

Yerevan Airport (EVN)

Administrative areas

Mountains of Armenia

Armenia a land of rugged mountains and extinct volcanoes, its highest point is Mount Aragats, 13,435 ft (4,095 m)

Duduk is an Armenian national musical woodwind instrument, which is an apricot wood tube with nine playing holes and a double cane. In Armenia, the duduk is also known as “tsiranapogh”, which literally translates as “apricot pipe” or “the soul of an apricot tree”.

Kochari is a traditional dance that is widely performed throughout Armenia during holidays, festive celebrations, family ceremonies and other social events. It is open to all participants, irrespective of age, gender or social status. 

VISA

https://www.mfa.am/en/visa/

https://evisa.mfa.am/check-eligibility

TOUR OPERATORS

https://hyurservice.com/en/private-tours-armenia

ONE WAY TOUR

https://www.armgeo.am/en/winter-armenia/