7-Day Grand Armenia Tour: Yerevan, Dilijan, Jermuk & Tatev
Yerevan7 days
- Free cancellation
About this experience
Cross Armenia from its northern forests to its southern canyons in a week. Your driver meets you at Yerevan's Zvartnots airport, and your own car and English-speaking guide stay with you all the way round: past Lake Sevan to the forest town of Dilijan, over the old Silk Road pass to the spa town of Jermuk, down to the Wings of Tatev and the cave villages of Goris, and back through the red-rock gorge of Noravank. You sleep in 4-star hotels along the route: one night in Yerevan, one each in Dilijan, Jermuk and Goris, and two more in Yerevan at the end.
Highlights
Ride the Wings of Tatev, a record-breaking 5.7 km cable car, over the Vorotan Gorge to Tatev Monastery
Walk the forest paths of Dilijan National Park to Parz Lake
See the Silk Road caravanserai on the Selim Pass and the field of carved cross-stones at Noratus
Taste the mineral water of Jermuk at its spring and see its waterfall
Cross the swinging bridge to the cave village of Old Khndzoresk
Stand in the colonnade of the Temple of Garni and the rock-cut chapels of Geghard
Your seven days
Day 1, Yerevan: arrive, check in, then an afternoon city tour: the Cascade, Republic Square, Mother Armenia and the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.
Day 2, Garni, Geghard, Lake Sevan and Dilijan: the Temple of Garni, a lavash demonstration, Geghard Monastery and Sevanavank, then on to Dilijan for the night.
Day 3, Dilijan to Jermuk: a walk to Parz Lake, Haghartsin Monastery, the cross-stones of Noratus and the Selim Caravanserai on the way to Jermuk.
Day 4, Jermuk to Goris: the Jermuk waterfall and mineral springs, then the Wings of Tatev to Tatev Monastery.
Day 5, Goris to Yerevan: Old Khndzoresk, Noravank, the wine village of Areni and Khor Virap on the way back to the capital.
Day 6, Etchmiadzin: Etchmiadzin Cathedral and the ruins of Zvartnots in the morning, and a free afternoon in Yerevan.
Day 7, 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
- 6 nights in 4-star hotels (3 in Yerevan, 1 each in Dilijan, Jermuk and Goris), with daily breakfast
- Private airport transfers on arrival and departure
- English-speaking guide on days 1 to 6
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for the whole route, including fuel and parking
- Return tickets on the Wings of Tatev cable car
- Entry to the Temple of Garni and the Old Khndzoresk swinging bridge
- Lavash-baking demonstration with tasting
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Lunches and dinners
- Wine tasting in Areni (optional, paid locally)
- Spa treatments in Jermuk
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Personal expenses
Itinerary
- 1
Arrival and Yerevan city tour
Arrival: your driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Zvartnots International Airport with a sign bearing your name, and drives you to your 4-star hotel in central Yerevan, about 20 minutes away. The Cascade: in the afternoon, climb the Cascade, a giant limestone stairway lined with modern sculpture (escalators run inside it), for the view across the city to Mount Ararat. Republic Square and Victory Park: see the pink-stone buildings of Republic Square, then drive up to the Mother Armenia statue in Victory Park. Tsitsernakaberd: finish at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and its eternal flame, on a hill above the city. The evening is free. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 2
Garni, Geghard, Lake Sevan and Dilijan
Temple of Garni: drive east into the hills to the Temple of Garni, built in the first century and the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded temple in Armenia, above the gorge of the Azat River. Lavash: watch a local family bake lavash, Armenia's paper-thin flatbread, in an underground tonir oven, and taste it warm. 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.
- 3
Dilijan National Park, Noratus and the Selim Pass
Parz Lake: start with an easy walk through the beech and oak forest of Dilijan National Park to Parz Lake. Haghartsin Monastery: visit Haghartsin, a monastery of the 10th to 13th centuries hidden in the forest. Noratus: drive south along Lake Sevan to Noratus, the largest surviving field of khachkars, the carved cross-stones unique to Armenia. Selim Caravanserai: climb to the Selim Pass and the stone caravanserai built for Silk Road travellers in 1332. Jermuk: descend to Jermuk, a spa town in a wooded gorge, famous across the region for its mineral water. Overnight in Jermuk.
- 4
Jermuk, the Wings of Tatev and Goris
Jermuk: see the Jermuk waterfall and taste the warm mineral water in the town's colonnaded gallery. Wings of Tatev: drive south to Syunik and ride the Wings of Tatev, a 5.7 km cable car across the Vorotan Gorge. Tatev Monastery: explore the ninth-century monastery of Tatev, once one of Armenia's great centres of learning, on its cliff above the gorge. Goris: continue to Goris, a stone-built town surrounded by cliffs riddled with old cave dwellings. Overnight in Goris.
- 5
Old Khndzoresk, Noravank and Khor Virap
Old Khndzoresk: cross the swinging bridge over the gorge to the cave village of Old Khndzoresk, lived in until the 1950s. Noravank Monastery: visit 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. Areni village: stop in Armenia's best-known wine village, where a tasting at a family winery is optional. Khor Virap: end the day at 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. Back in Yerevan in the evening. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 6
Etchmiadzin and a free 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. Zvartnots Cathedral: walk among the ruins of the seventh-century Zvartnots Cathedral, part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site as Etchmiadzin. Back in Yerevan by lunchtime, with the afternoon free. Overnight in Yerevan.
- 7
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
- Guide
- Guided tour in English
- 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 for the forest path to Parz Lake and the steps down to Old Khndzoresk
- A warm layer and a windproof jacket: Sevan, the Selim Pass, Jermuk and Tatev are all high and much 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 14 days before the experience starts.
- 14 days or more before: full refund
- 7–13 days before: 50% refund
- Less than 7 days before: no refund
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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Frequently asked questions
How long does this experience last?
It lasts 7 days.
Can I cancel this booking?
Free cancellation up to 14 days before the experience starts. 14 days or more before: full refund · 7–13 days before: 50% refund · Less than 7 days before: no refund
Is this experience guided, and in what language?
Guided tour in English
Is hotel pickup included?
No — you make your own way to the meeting point.
Where does this experience start?
It starts at Yerevan Airport (EVN) arrivals hall, Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), arrivals hall, Yerevan, 0042, AM.
From AED 9,440 per person
