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Winter classic tour in Armenia
9 days/ 8 nights Day 1: Arrival in Yerevan – transfer to the selected hotel Early morning arrival in Yerevan – transfer to the selected hotel. Day 2: Yerevan City tour Yerevan sightseeing including City center, Republic square, State University, City panorama, Matenadaran (depository for ancient manuscripts ); visit to the Genocide Memorial, dedicated to the Victims of 1915 and the Genocide Museum. Visit to the ruins of Erebuni fortress, founded during the Urartian Kingdom by King Argishti in 782 BC and the Erebuni museum (1968) with Urartian period exhibits. Erebuni has been renamed into Yerevan since the 7th century A.D., when it was the capital of Armenia. Program includes lunch in a local restaurant. Day 3-7: Khor Virap- Tsakhkadzor Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to Khor Virap Church – the place of imprisonment of St. Gregory the Illuminator, who stayed here in the small dungeon for 13 years without any food, accused by the Armenian King of preaching Christianity. Khor Virap Church is one of the holy places for the Christian world. It was built on the dungeon and now people have a chance to go down into the dark pit themselves. Here is also the closest and most spectacular view of the gorgeous biblical mountain Ararat shining with its two white peaks. The hills adjoining Khor Virap were the site of the early Armenian capital - ancient Artashat built by King Artashes I, founder of the Artashesid dynasty, around 180 B.C. It is one of the few ancient towns, built by the special design of the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal. After the defeat in a war against Rome, he found shelter in Armenia … Drive to Tsakhkadzor, check-in the hotel. Free days to enjoy skiing, going up to the mountain peaks by rope way, where you will catch unforgettable gorgeous panoramic view of this part of the world. Day 8: Tsakhkadzor - Garni – Geghard Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the only remaining pagan temple in Armenia devoted to the God of Sun - Myrth in Garni, built in 77 AD by King Trdat (Arshakid Dynasty). The temple is Greco-Roman style with characteristic pillars. It parts from a rocky ridge with a deep canyon presenting a beautiful view. The temple was a summer residence for Arshakid dynasty. Visit to the ruins of Royal Palace and Royal bath-house nearby. Drive to unique caved temple St. Geghard (12th -13th cc.), the name of which means “holy spear” in the fame of long time preserved spear, the same spear that pierced the body of crucified Christ. It is now exhibited in the museum of Etchmiadzin Cathedral. Geghard Monastery is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list (2000). The program includes family hosted lunch in village and watching of “Lavash” (Armenian traditional flat bread baked in stone-make oven) making process. Day 9: Transfer to the airport for early morning flight |
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