ARTSAKH TOUR
(3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS)
DAY 1. YEREVAN – KHOR VIRAP – NORAVANK –TATEV MONASTRY- STEPANAKERT
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to South Armenia. Khor Virap Monastery.
KHOR VIRAP is a place of pilgrimage for Armenians all over the world. According to the history, Armenian pagan king Trdat imprisoned Saint Gregory the Illuminator in a cave which became known as Khor Virap. He was the first Patriarch of all Armenians. From here one can enjoy the majestic view of Mount Ararat (where Noah’s ark landed according to the Bible), not too far from the Araks river. Khor Virap is the closest point to Mount Ararat from the territory of Armenia, the most convenient place for observing and taking pictures of the biblical mountain.
Proceed to Noravank Monastery Complex:
NORAVANK monastery is considered to be the pulpit of Syunik bishops. The main church of St. Karapet was built in 1227. The reliefs on the entrance tympanum and the windows on the western facade are very interesting from an architectural point of view. To the south of the complex one can see a two-storied sepulchre church built in 1339. This tomb monument can be traced back to the 4th or 5th centuries. To the right of the entrance of the tympanum, one can find recently discovered stalactite caves. The monastery had been completely reconstructed and reopened in 1999. The magnificent landscape of mountains, surrounding the monastery, display a beautiful array of colours from the sun's reflection.
Arrival in Stepanakert (capital of NagornoKarabakh). Hotel accommodation. Overnight in Stepanakert.
DAY 2. STEPANAKERT – GANDZASAR – NIKOL DOUMAN – STEPANAKERT
Breakfast at the hotel. Stepanakert city tour.
STEPANAKERT, nestled in a bowl of mountains, is the capital of Karabakh. Karabakh has the population of 200,000 people, which means the capital of Stepanakert, with an estimated 40,000 residents is more a large town than a city. The main tourist site in Stepanakert is in the outskirts near the approach to town from Shushi. It is the monument called popularly "Tatik and Papik" (Grandmother and Grandfather), an old Armenian man and woman hewn from rock. They represent the mountain people of Karabakh.
GANDZASAR (1216-1238 AD) is the most exquisite monastery of Karabakh. Located in the north, atop the green hill which climbs above the village Vank, it has been restored and nowadays is a fully functioning monastery. "Gandzasar" means treasure mountain or hilltop treasure in Armenian. The monastery holds relics believed to belong to St. John the Baptist. Gandzasar is now the seat of the Archbishop of Artsakh appointed by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
NIKOL DUMAN ethnographic Village-Museum.
Overnight in Stepanakert.
STEPANAKERT–SHOUHSI-TATEV–YEREVAN
Breakfast at the hotel. City tour in Shoushi medieval city-fortress.
SHUSHI is a town in Nagorno-Karabakh. This fortified town has long been a cultural center in Artsakh. The town was mostly destroyed as a result of the Karabakh war, but more and more buildings are being rehabilitated, and comfortable western hotels have opened. Recently reconstructed st. Khazanchechots church symbolizes the rebirth of the city.
TATEV is a 9th century monastery located on a large basalt plateau on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan river. Tatev has played a significant role in the history of the region as a center of economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity. In the 14thcentuaryTatevMonastry hosted one of the most important Armenian medieval universities, the University of Tatev, which contributed to the advancement of science, religion and philosophy, reproduction of books and development of miniature painting.
Wings of Tatev, a cableway from Tatev to Halidzor village was opened in October of 2010. It was included in the Guinness World Records Book as the world’s longest non-stop double track cable car.
Arrival to Yerevan.
SUBJECT TO CHANGES.
OUR PRICE COVERS (PER PERSON):
1. Hotel accommodation;
2. Breakfast, lunch and dinner;
3. Land transportation with AC and WC buses;
4. Tours and transfers (meet and greet at airports);
5. Guide-interpreter;
6. Entrance fee to all sightseeing destinations.
OUR PRICE DOES NOT COVER:
1. Visa for entry;
2. Insurance premiums (optional);
3. Expenses of personal nature;
4. Alcoholic drinks.
DEPOSITS AND REFUNDS
1. A deposit is required upon reservation.
2. Balance due 60 days prior to departure.
3. Penalty applicable for cancellations prior to departure.
4. No refund after departure date.
5. Insurance available upon request
DAY 1. YEREVAN – KHOR VIRAP – NORAVANK –TATEV MONASTRY- STEPANAKERT
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to South Armenia. Khor Virap Monastery.
KHOR VIRAP is a place of pilgrimage for Armenians all over the world. According to the history, Armenian pagan king Trdat imprisoned Saint Gregory the Illuminator in a cave which became known as Khor Virap. He was the first Patriarch of all Armenians. From here one can enjoy the majestic view of Mount Ararat (where Noah’s ark landed according to the Bible), not too far from the Araks river. Khor Virap is the closest point to Mount Ararat from the territory of Armenia, the most convenient place for observing and taking pictures of the biblical mountain.
Proceed to Noravank Monastery Complex:
NORAVANK monastery is considered to be the pulpit of Syunik bishops. The main church of St. Karapet was built in 1227. The reliefs on the entrance tympanum and the windows on the western facade are very interesting from an architectural point of view. To the south of the complex one can see a two-storied sepulchre church built in 1339. This tomb monument can be traced back to the 4th or 5th centuries. To the right of the entrance of the tympanum, one can find recently discovered stalactite caves. The monastery had been completely reconstructed and reopened in 1999. The magnificent landscape of mountains, surrounding the monastery, display a beautiful array of colours from the sun's reflection.
Arrival in Stepanakert (capital of NagornoKarabakh). Hotel accommodation. Overnight in Stepanakert.
DAY 2. STEPANAKERT – GANDZASAR – NIKOL DOUMAN – STEPANAKERT
Breakfast at the hotel. Stepanakert city tour.
STEPANAKERT, nestled in a bowl of mountains, is the capital of Karabakh. Karabakh has the population of 200,000 people, which means the capital of Stepanakert, with an estimated 40,000 residents is more a large town than a city. The main tourist site in Stepanakert is in the outskirts near the approach to town from Shushi. It is the monument called popularly "Tatik and Papik" (Grandmother and Grandfather), an old Armenian man and woman hewn from rock. They represent the mountain people of Karabakh.
GANDZASAR (1216-1238 AD) is the most exquisite monastery of Karabakh. Located in the north, atop the green hill which climbs above the village Vank, it has been restored and nowadays is a fully functioning monastery. "Gandzasar" means treasure mountain or hilltop treasure in Armenian. The monastery holds relics believed to belong to St. John the Baptist. Gandzasar is now the seat of the Archbishop of Artsakh appointed by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
NIKOL DUMAN ethnographic Village-Museum.
Overnight in Stepanakert.
STEPANAKERT–SHOUHSI-TATEV–YEREVAN
Breakfast at the hotel. City tour in Shoushi medieval city-fortress.
SHUSHI is a town in Nagorno-Karabakh. This fortified town has long been a cultural center in Artsakh. The town was mostly destroyed as a result of the Karabakh war, but more and more buildings are being rehabilitated, and comfortable western hotels have opened. Recently reconstructed st. Khazanchechots church symbolizes the rebirth of the city.
TATEV is a 9th century monastery located on a large basalt plateau on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan river. Tatev has played a significant role in the history of the region as a center of economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity. In the 14thcentuaryTatevMonastry hosted one of the most important Armenian medieval universities, the University of Tatev, which contributed to the advancement of science, religion and philosophy, reproduction of books and development of miniature painting.
Wings of Tatev, a cableway from Tatev to Halidzor village was opened in October of 2010. It was included in the Guinness World Records Book as the world’s longest non-stop double track cable car.
Arrival to Yerevan.
SUBJECT TO CHANGES.
OUR PRICE COVERS (PER PERSON):
1. Hotel accommodation;
2. Breakfast, lunch and dinner;
3. Land transportation with AC and WC buses;
4. Tours and transfers (meet and greet at airports);
5. Guide-interpreter;
6. Entrance fee to all sightseeing destinations.
OUR PRICE DOES NOT COVER:
1. Visa for entry;
2. Insurance premiums (optional);
3. Expenses of personal nature;
4. Alcoholic drinks.
DEPOSITS AND REFUNDS
1. A deposit is required upon reservation.
2. Balance due 60 days prior to departure.
3. Penalty applicable for cancellations prior to departure.
4. No refund after departure date.
5. Insurance available upon request