Armenia / Georgia / Eastern Turkey Tour

Georgia-Armenia-Eastern Turkey

Day 1: Arrival in Tbilisi

Meet at the airport and transfer to a hotel to relax.

Day 2: Tbilisi

After breakfast, we have a Tbilisi Walking Sightseeing tour. During the tour, we take you to the places that will show you the old city. You can take a glance at the history of the city from the early centuries to nowadays by walking in narrow streets of the city and exploring the religious and secular architecture. Here you find different religious buildings – churches, synagogues, mosques, as well as famous 19th-century houses with wooden multi-colored balconies. Overnight at the hotel in Tbilisi.

Day 3: Tbilisi / Gori / Gudauri

In the morning we will visit the town of Gori – the heart of the Kartli region and its historical places: Uplistsikhe Cave Town (1st millennium BC) and Stalin museum. Uplistsikhe is the place where the Great Silk Road used to pass. This is an old and interesting complex with dwelling quarters, wine-cellars, bakeries, a three-nave basilica church hewn out in the rock, and even an antic theatre. Lunch at a local restaurant (with soup).

Afterward, drive up the famous Georgian Military Highway (leading to the Georgian-Russian border). On the way visit Ananuri architectural complex (17thcentury), the two churches and the fortress overlook the Zhinvali water reservoir. The drive is very scenic through the high Caucasus Mountains. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Gudauri.

Day 4: Gudauri / Kazbegi / Mtskheta / Tbilisi

A stunning drive from Gudauri along the Tergi River will bring us to Kazbegi – the main town in the region. From Kazbegi by 4WD cars, we drive up through beautiful valleys and woodland to Gergeti Trinity Church located at 2170m. Weather permitting you may catch a glimpse of one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi (5047m). We return back to the town and enjoy lunch.

Transfer to Mtskheta – the ancient capital of Georgia (3000 years old) and see its historical places: Jvari church (6thcentury) and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) where the Robe of Christ is buried. Both Jvari and Svetitskhoveli are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Transfer to Tbilisi. Dinner at a local restaurant with a folk dance show. Overnight at a hotel in Tbilisi.

Day 5: Tbilisi / Sadakhlo border / Akhtala / Haghpat / Sevan / Yerevan

After breakfast drive to the Armenian/Georgian border. Change the guide and transportation. Start your acquaintance with Armenia with the Fortress of Akhtala. Visit the Monastic Complex of Haghpat which is among the outstanding works of medieval Armenian architecture and is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Drive to the capital of Armenian - Yerevan with a stop at Lake Sevan. Sightseeing on the peninsula. Visit Sevanavank Monastery. Accommodation at the hotel in Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

Day 6: Yerevan City Tour / Khor Virap / Etchmiatsin / Zvartnots / Yerevan

After breakfast starts a city tour around Yerevan visiting Memorial park and Tsitsernakaberd Memorial and the museum of victims of Genocide. Departure to the cradle of civilization Khor Virap Monastery (4-13th c.). Drive to Etchmiatsin Cathedral which is a mere 20 km from Yerevan. Opportunity to have lunch in a local community tasting homemade dishes. Drive back to Yerevan with a stop at the ruins of Zvartnots Temple. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

Day 7: Yerevan / Garni / Geghard / Yerevan

After breakfast departure to Geghard temple. The monastery of Geghard is a unique architectural construction in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. Drive to Garni Temple. Garni became the last refuge of King

Mithridates of Armenia, where he and his family were assassinated by his son-in-law and nephew Rhadamistus. Several constructions and buildings have been identified within the enclosed area, including a two-story royal summer palace, a bath complex, a church built in AD 897, a cemetery, and the site's most famous and best-preserved edifice, a peristyle Greco-roman temple built in the Ionic order. Opportunity to have lunch in a local house and watch the Armenia national bread "lavash" making process. Drive back to Yerevan. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

Day 8: Matenadaran / Ashtarak / Talin / Aruch / Gyumri

Visit the depositary of ancient manuscripts the Matenadaran which contains historical documents from all over Europe and Asia throughout many centuries. There is also the first copy of the Bible in Armenian and the Gospels that fascinate with their beautiful miniatures. Drive to Ashtarak to enjoy the Folk Theatre. The main goal of the theatre is the presentation and registration of ancient Armenian songs, dances, games, puppets, legends, and instrumental music.

Extension to Gyumri on the way visiting Talin church famous for its architectural solution coming from the 7th c. Tour in Gyumri – the second largest city of Armenia. Lunch is on the way. The village Aruch is one of the oldest settlements of Armenia. Aruch and its environs are rich with historical- architectural monuments; burial vaults from Bronze Age, temples, palaces, fortresses, khachkars, etc The temple of Arutch (7 c A.D) is one of the most important medieval Armenian architectural constructions. The walls of the temple are plastered and decorated with frescos (now seriously damaged).

The half-destroyed caravansary is preserved on the northern side of the village, on the Ashtarak-Talin highway. It belongs to the three-nave caravansaries type with one hall, that was built in Armenia in XIII-XIV cc. These architectural highlights are unique as they are works of the same century but they have quite different architectural conceptions. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Gyumri.

Day 9: Armenia-Georgia (Bavra/Ninotsminda)–Akhaltsikhe –Georgia-Turkey border (Vale/Posof) - Kars

Breakfast at the hotel in Gyumri. Drive to Bavra border. Meet at the border with Georgian representatives again and transfer to the nice town of Akhaltsikhe. Visit the beautiful complex of Rabat, enjoy local lunch (with soup), and transfer to the Turkish border. Meet with Turkish guide and driver and after border formalities continue the tour to Eastern part of Turkey and former Western Armenia. Dinner and overnight in Kars.

Day 10: Kars / Ani / Kars / Dogubeyazit

We journey to the site of Ani, the former capital of the Armenian kingdom. In the mid 10th century, nothing in Europe could rival this capital of the Armenian kingdom in terms of either size or magnificence. The remains of the ruined city include several churches as well as the shell of the Cathedral of Ani, the citadel, and a mosque. There are also some exciting remains of frescoes in the Church of St Gregory (Tigran Honentz) despite having been exposed to the elements for centuries.

After having lunch en route we spend the afternoon touring Kars including a visit to the Twelve Apostles Church and Kars Castle. Leave for Dogubeyazit via Igdir. Arrive to Dogubeyazit .Dinner and Overnight Dogubeyazit.

Day 11: Ishak Pasha Palace – Muradiye Waterfalls-Van

After breakfast visit Ishak Pasha Palace. After taking photos of Ararat leave for Tatvan; via Tatvan stop in Muradiye to see Muradiye waterfall. Then go to Van along the shore of Lake Van. Dinner and overnight Van. (B/L/D)

Day 12: Lake Van

We sail on Lake Van, the largest soda lake in the world, and visit the island of Akdamar where we visit the well-preserved and exquisite 10th C Armenian Church of the Holy Cross. Drive to Van, city tour including Van castle (Citadel) Sunset Van castle. Dinner and overnight in Van.

Day 13: Van Airport.

Transfer to Van airport. Departure

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