5-Day Armenia Monasteries Tour: Etchmiadzin, Geghard, Haghpat & Noravank
Yerevan5 days
- Free cancellation
About this experience
Armenia is traditionally held to be the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, in 301, and its monasteries are its greatest treasure. Over five days your own car and English-speaking guide take you to the finest of them, from the mother church at Etchmiadzin to Noravank's red-rock gorge in the south and the cliff-top monasteries of the Debed Canyon in the north. You spend three nights in a 4-star hotel in central Yerevan and one in the forest town of Dilijan.
Highlights
Visit Etchmiadzin, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, founded in the early fourth century
See Mount Ararat behind Khor Virap, where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned
See the carvings of the master sculptor Momik at Areni and Noravank
Walk into the rock-cut chapels of Geghard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Find Haghartsin Monastery in the forests of Dilijan National Park
Explore Haghpat and Sanahin, the UNESCO-listed monasteries of the Debed Canyon
Your five days
Day 1, Etchmiadzin: arrive and go straight to Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the churches of Saint Hripsime and Saint Gayane and the ruins of Zvartnots, then check in in Yerevan.
Day 2, the Ararat Valley: Khor Virap in front of Mount Ararat, the church of Areni and Noravank Monastery in its red-rock gorge.
Day 3, Garni, Geghard, Lake Sevan and Dilijan: the Temple of Garni, Geghard Monastery, Sevanavank above Lake Sevan and an evening in Dilijan.
Day 4, Haghartsin, Haghpat and Sanahin: a forest monastery near Dilijan, then the two UNESCO monasteries of the Debed Canyon, and back to Yerevan.
Day 5, departure: a free morning, then your private transfer to the airport.
Private from start to finish
It is only ever you and your own group, with no strangers and no shared coach. Your guide sets the pace around you, stops wherever you want a photo, and can suggest good places for lunch along the way.
Next available dates
What’s included
- Parking fees
- Entry / admission fee
- 4 nights in 4-star hotels (3 in central Yerevan, 1 in Dilijan), with daily breakfast
- Private airport transfers on arrival and departure
- English-speaking guide on days 1 to 4
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for all touring, including fuel and parking
- Entry to the Temple of Garni
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Lunches and dinners
- Candles and donations at churches
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Personal expenses
Itinerary
- 1
Arrival and Etchmiadzin
Arrival: your driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Zvartnots International Airport with a sign bearing your name, and your guide joins you for the afternoon. Etchmiadzin Cathedral: visit Etchmiadzin, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest cathedrals in the world, founded in the early fourth century. Saint Hripsime and Saint Gayane: visit two seventh-century churches named after Christian women martyred here, masterpieces of early Armenian architecture. Zvartnots Cathedral: walk among the ruins of the seventh-century Zvartnots Cathedral, part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site as Etchmiadzin. Then on to your 4-star hotel in central Yerevan, about 30 minutes away. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 2
Khor Virap, Areni and Noravank
Khor Virap: drive south through the Ararat Valley to Khor Virap Monastery, where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was held in a pit for years before he converted Armenia's king to Christianity. On a clear day Mount Ararat fills the sky behind it. Areni church: stop at the 14th-century church of Surb Astvatsatsin in Areni village, whose carvings are the work of Momik. Noravank Monastery: end the day at 13th-century Noravank, known for its two-storey church and the carvings of the master sculptor Momik, at the head of a narrow gorge of red cliffs. Back in Yerevan in the late afternoon. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 3
Garni, Geghard, Lake Sevan and Dilijan
Temple of Garni: drive east to the first-century Temple of Garni, Armenia's only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded temple and a reminder of the country before Christianity. Geghard Monastery: continue up the valley to Geghard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose chapels are carved out of the mountain itself. Lake Sevan: cross the mountains to Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus, at about 1,900 metres, and climb to the ninth-century churches of Sevanavank on their peninsula. Dilijan: continue north through the mountains to Dilijan, a forest town known as Armenia's Switzerland, and walk its restored old street of craft workshops in the evening. Overnight in Dilijan.
- 4
Haghartsin, Haghpat and Sanahin
Haghartsin Monastery: in the morning, visit Haghartsin, a monastery of the 10th to 13th centuries hidden in the forest of Dilijan National Park. Haghpat Monastery: drive north to the Debed Canyon and climb to Haghpat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of the 10th to 13th centuries, with its bell tower and carved cross-stones. Sanahin Monastery: cross the canyon to Sanahin, Haghpat's neighbour on the same UNESCO listing, whose dark halls once housed a famous school and library. Then the long drive back to Yerevan, arriving in the evening. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 5
Free morning and departure
Breakfast and a free morning, then your driver takes you to Zvartnots International Airport in time for your flight.
Good to know
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Languages
- British English, German, Norwegian, Finnish, Russian, Swedish, Korean, Greek, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Hungarian, Spanish, Chinese, Czech, Arabic, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Indonesian, Polish, Danish, Dutch, Turkish
- Start times
- 12:00
Know before you go
- A passport valid for your whole trip, and a visa if your nationality needs one for Armenia
- Comfortable walking shoes: the monastery grounds and paths are steep, rocky or uneven
- A warm layer for Lake Sevan, Dilijan and the Debed Canyon, which are cooler than Yerevan
- A scarf, and clothing that covers shoulders and knees, for church visits
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Some Armenian dram in cash
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 336 hours before the experience starts.
- Cancel within 168h of the start time: 100% charge.
- Cancel within 336h of the start time: 50% charge.
Full refund 14+ days, 50% 7-13 days, none under 7 days
Meeting point
View on map
Yerevan Airport (EVN) arrivals hall
- Address
- Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), arrivals hall, Yerevan, 0042, AM
- How you meet
- Meet on location
- Coordinates
- 40.14730, 44.39590
Illustrative map. Open it in Maps for the exact spot and live directions.
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From AED 6,016 per person
