Are you fond of walking and hiking? Do you accept the challenge to overcome difficult paths? Would you like to conquer new heights and blend with the wonders of nature? In that case our Hiking Tour will be the perfect tour in Armenia for you.
During this tour you will also visit many sights with cultural and historic value and taste the delicious cuisine, which will fill you with the necessary energy for your hiking trips. And as a magnificent conclusion we will conquer one of the highest peaks of Armenia; the Southern peak of Mt. Aragats at a height of 3888m.
Day 1: Arrival - City Tour
- Meet and greet, transfer airport/hotel
- In the afternoon Yerevan city tour by foot
- Visits to Republic Square, the Opera House, Abovyan Str. and the Cascade (Cafesjian Open Air Museum with contemporary art)
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Yerevan
Day 2: Yerevan - Garni - Geghard - Yerevan
- Arch of Charents with a bird eye view on Mt. Ararat
- Garni temple - only pagan temple in Armenia from 1st century AD
- Geghard Monastery - cave monastery from the 13th century hidden in the mountains
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Yerevan
Hiking to Garni Gorge “Symphony of Stones"
Duration: 1.5 hours overall
Distance: 4 km
Difficulty level: 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
In company of hiking guide
Nearby the temple of Garni we will start our hiking tour. During our walk we will descent into the Azat River canyon and follow the stream of the river.
On the way you will get the opportunity to see the extraordinary basalt stone formations which look like an organ.
Day 3: Yerevan - Khor Virap - Areni - Noravanq - Sisian - Goris
- Khor Virap Monastery - the place where Gregory the Illuminator, the spiritual leader from the 4th century, was imprisoned
- Areni village - wine tasting in winery
- Noravanq Monastery - one of the jewels of Armenia from the 13-14th centuries
- Zorats Karer/Carahunge - prehistoric site that is believed to have been an astral observatory
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Goris
Short walk to Carahunge (600m)
Short walk on the way to Noravanq Monastery (optional)
Today our hiking will be low key, as we will drive to the southeast of Armenia stopping underway at important sightseeings, such as Noravanq and Zorats Karer. In order to stretch our legs and see the special features of the local nature, we will have a short walk on the way to the sights. At Noravanq you will admire the meters high volcanic rocks and at Zorats Karer the surrounding rough hills of the region.
Day 4: Goris - Khndzoresk - Tatev - Sisian
- Khndzoresk cave town, swinging bridge - extraordinary place with partly man-made cave dwellings that used to be inhabited until 1950’s
- Tatev Monastery - the world’s longest ropeway will lead us to Tatev, the 10th century bishopric of the Syunik Region
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Sisian
Short hike in Khdzoresk cave village
Duration: 1.5 hours overall
Distance: 2km
Difficulty level: 3 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
In company of hiking guide
In order to reach the abandoned cave village of Old Khndzoresk, we will pass a swinging bridge which hangs over the river. Walking further you will have the
chance to see how people used to live here in the man-made caves for centuries. The village used to have 7 schools and 3 churches.
Hiking: Tatev Monastery- Anapat Monastery - Devil’s Bridge
Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 6 km
Difficulty level: 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
In company of hiking guide
After visiting Tatev Monastery by the longest ropeway in the world, we will start the hiking tour nearby the monastery. We will descend into the Vorotan River canyon and have a stop at the abandoned dessert monastery Anapat. We continue our road to the Devil’s Bridge, known for its warm springs and stalactites.
Day 5 Sisian - Selim Pass - Noratus - Sevan - Dilijan
- Selim Caravanseray - the best preserved caravanserai (14th century) in the region testifying the huge role of Armenia during the times of the Silk Route
- Noratus - near the shores of Sevan stands this unique cemetery with a huge amount of khachkars (stone crosses)
- Lake Sevan - one of the largest and highest fresh water lakes in the world (1900m)
- Sevanavanq Monastery - beautiful monastery from the 9th century standing on a peninsula from where you can have a breathtaking view over Lake Sevan
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Dilijan
Today we will again pass a considerable distance to reach the north of Armenia. On the way you will have the opportunity to visit several special sights such as the well-preserved caravanserai and the “forest of stone crosses” at Noratus. Both are one of a kind in the world. The real ‘walking’ begins at the Sevan
Peninsula, where we have to climb more than 200 stairs to reach the top for a splendid view on the Lake and a visit to the 9th century churches.
Day 6: Dilijan - Lake Parz - Goshavanq - Dilijan
- Matosavanq Church - ruined 13th century small church hidden in a forested area of Dilijan National Park
- Parz Lake - situated in the mountains of Dilijan National Park. "Parz" in Armenian means pure.
- Goshavanq Monastery - beautifully located housing one of the remarkable cross-stones of Armenia (13th century)
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Dilijan
Short hike to Matosavanq Church
Duration: 1.5 hours
Distance: 2.5 km back & forth
Difficulty level: 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
Start the morning with a relative short hike to Matosavanq through the forested area. There is a slight elevation walking to the ruins of the church. You will have a good chance to study all the flora growing in the Dilijan National Park.
Hiking from Parz Lake to Gosh Village
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Distance: 7-8 km
Difficulty level: 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
In company of hiking guide
After lunch and some rest, we will start with the second hike of the day. We start from Parz Lake, which we will reach by car. From there on we will walk
through the mountainous area and head towards the village of Gosh, where the beautiful Goshavanq Monastery is situated. The car will pick us up from there and we will return to our hotel.
Day 7: Dilijan - Yenoqavan (Apaga Resort)
- Lastiver Resort - situated near Khachaghbyur River in the forest
- MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch boxes, Dinner
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Apaga Resort
Hiking from Apaga Resort to Lastiver
Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 6.5 km back & forth
Difficulty level: 4 (on 1-10 scale)
In company of local guide
From Apaga Resort we will head down for a long hike to Khachaghbyur River. On the way you will have the chance to admire the local beauty with caves, rivers
and small waterfalls. We will have a break near Lastiver Resort where we will have lunch (lunch boxes) at the river.
Day 8: Yenoqavan - Vanadzor - Alaverdi - Sanahin - Haghpat
- Sanahin Monastery - the 10th century monastery stands on the edge of the Debed River valley
- Haghpat Monastery - this UNESCO World Heritage Site gives you the opportunity to understand the monastic life of the 10th - 13th centuries
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Haghpat
Hiking from Haghpat Monastery to Sanahin Monastery
Duration: 3-4 hours
Distance: 9 km
Difficulty level: 4 (on 1-10 scale)
In company of hiking guide
From one plateau to the other; the monasteries stand high above the canyon and we will have to overcome some interesting paths in order to hike from one
monastery to the other. In the distance, on high cliffs, settlements, villages, outlines of foggy forested mountains, canyons, waterfalls, and deep gorges can be seen.
Day 9: Haghpat - Aparan - Yerevan
- Gntunik bakery in Aparan
- MEALS: Breakfast
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Yerevan
We are heading back to Yerevan and have no other plans for today. The intention is to get you back to Yerevan in the afternoon, so you can enjoy a half day in the city at your own pace.
Day 10: Yerevan - Aragats - Amberd - Yerevan
- Armenian Alphabet Monument made from volcanic stone tufa
- Lake Kari - small lake on Mt. Aragats mostly formed by ice and snow
- Amberd Fortress - 7th century fortress located on the slopes of Mt. Aragats at a height of 2,300 meters
- MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch Boxes
- OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Yerevan
Hiking to Mount Aragats (southern peak)
Start point: Kari Lake
Duration: 6-7 hours
Distance: 10 km back and forth
Elevetion gain: 760m
Altitude southern peak: 3,888m
Type: volcanic with a crater in between
Difficulty level: 6 (on 1-10 scale)
In company of hiking guide
Desirable hiking period: July 15-September 15
This will be the hardest hike of the whole tour. By car we will go to Kari Lake at a height of 3200 meters from where we will start our climb. We are going to climb the southern peak of Mt. Aragats, the highest mountain of Armenia. Although the southern peak is not the highest of the mountain, it is one of the best and accessible trails for non-professional climbers. You will explore the volcanic grounds and have a splendid view over Yerevan with good weather.
Day 11: Departure
- Transfer to airport
Price includes:
- Hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Excursions that are part of the program
- English speaking driver/guide service
- Professional (local) hiking guides that are mentioned in program
- Entrance fees to all sightseeing destinations
- Transportation in comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
- Meals that are mentioned in the program
Price excludes:
- Air ticket
- Single room surcharge
- Meals that are not mentioned in the program
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
- Optional cancellation insurance
- Tips for driver and guide
- Personal expenses