Best of Georgia & Armenia
Overview
Itinerary
Arrive at any time. There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting.
- Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Drive to Echmiadzin to visit its famous cathedral. Later, enjoy a city tour of Yerevan, followed by a visit to the Genocide Memorial. Take some free time to explore the city of Yerevan.
- Echmiadzin Visit: Visit Armenia's ancient capital city. Stop at the famous cathedral, one of the world's first Christian churches (built in 301 AD). Learn about the cathedral’s history and change in architectural style after it was damaged in the late 400s.
- Yerevan City Tour: Take a guided wander around the lively and colourful city of Yerevan. Visit sites including the City Park, Abovyan street and Republic Square. Pay a visit to the Genocide Memorial and Museum dedicated to the Great Genocide of 1915 for a sobering look at a pivotal stretch of Armenian history. Enjoy a contemporary art-walk through the Gafeschian Centre of Art, before taking in ancient Armenian treasures and manuscripts at The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran).
- Free Time: Enjoy exploring this capital city.
- Yerevan Brandy Factory: Visit the Yerevan Brandy Factory for an intimate look at the legendary ARARAT brandy-making process. Learn more about the spirit that has been an attribute of Armenian social and culinary life since 1887. Take a guided tour and sample various types of Armenian brandy. Genatzt!
- Megerian Carpet Museum Visit: Take a guided visit of the Megerian Carpet factory to learn about the ancient tradition of Armenian carpet making. Observe traditional carpet weavers at their craft, and marvel at the colourful and diverse rugs on a wander through the gallery of Armenian carpets and even try your hand at weaving on the loom.
Explore Khor Virap and visit its monastery with fantastic views of Mt Ararat. Continue to the Roman temple of Garni. Enjoy lunch in a local home and watch how traditional lavash bread is made. Return to Yerevan with time to visit the main market or stroll the cafe-lined streets of the city. During your free time in Yerevan opt to visit the Yerevan Brandy Factory or Megerian Carpet factory for some insight into staples of Armenian culture.
- Khor Virap Visit: Continue on to Khor Virap through villages and vineyards. Visit the pilgrimage site and monastery built in 1662 that’s still used for services today. The structure is built around a pit, used to imprison Saint Gregory the Illuminator who was confined for 14 years by his pagan King for preaching Christianity. Explore the grounds and enjoy the fantastic views of Mt Ararat.
- Garni Temple and Gorge Visit: Enjoy an excursion to the Roman temple of Garni, dedicated to the God of the sun, Mithra. The temple is one of the last standing pagan structures left in Armenia. The Temple grounds have other standing ruins such as a bathhouse, a church, and a cemetery. An earthquake destroyed the temple in 1679, but under the guidance of the architectural historian Alexander Sahinian, the temple was rebuilt by 1974. Visit Garni Gorge to admire the formations of basalt columns known as the ‘Symphony of the Stones.’
- Local Lunch and Traditional Cooking Demonstration: Sit down to a traditional Armenian lunch with the company of a local family. Watch as your hosts demonstrate "Lavash" bread baking and traditional barbecuing using an underground oven. Get your hands messy during a lesson on how to prepare an Armenian sweet before sitting down to a delicious lunch. End the experience with a sip of local apricot vodka or grappa in the cozy garden of this rural home.
- Free Time: Continue exploring this charming city.
- Yerevan Brandy Factory: Visit the Yerevan Brandy Factory for an intimate look at the legendary ARARAT brandy-making process. Learn more about the spirit that has been an attribute of Armenian social and culinary life since 1887. Take a guided tour and sample various types of Armenian brandy. Genatzt!
- Megerian Carpet Museum Visit: Take a guided visit of the Megerian Carpet factory to learn about the ancient tradition of Armenian carpet making. Observe traditional carpet weavers at their craft, and marvel at the colourful and diverse rugs on a wander through the gallery of Armenian carpets and even try your hand at weaving on the loom.
Drive to the largest lake in the Caucasus region, Lake Sevan, and stop into charming monasteries along the way. Continue to Haghpat via Molokan-minority villages, stopping to enjoy traditional afternoon tea in a Molokan village. Overnight in Haghpat surrounded by breathtaking views of the Debet canyon. The Molokan are a minority population in Armenia derived from settlers exiled from Russia for their religious beliefs. Their name derives from "Milk" due to the great amount of milk they would consume, especially during the fasting period determined by the Orthodox Clergy. Stop in a Molokan village en route to Haghpat to get a glimpse into daily life, and enjoy afternoon tea.
- Lake Sevan Visit: Visit the shores of beautiful Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus Region. Stop into beautiful monasteries along the way to learn more about the region's history.
- Sevanavank and Haghartsin Monastery Visits: Visit two iconic monasteries en route to Haghpat. The first is Sevanavank Monestary founded in 874 by King Ashot I, picturesquely standing on a peninsula, this site was used both for the purposes of pilgrimage, and as a place of exile for disgraced Armenian noblemen. Continue your drive and stop in forested town of Dilijan where you can take in the fresh air on a short walk around this quaint town. Last, travel to the heart of the forest to discover the impressive, fairytale-like Haghartsin Monastery, or "Monastery of the Playing Eagle".
Visit Haghpat Monestary and UNESCO-listed monastic complex of Sanahin. Cross into Georgia to be welcomed and greeted by your Georgian CEO before transferring to Telavi, located on the foothills of the Tsiv-Gombori Range. This afternoon, sample traditional Georgian wines.
- Sanahin Monastery Visit: Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sanahin Monastery that dates back to the Byzantine era. The monastery is made up of several buildings including the main church the Cathedral of the Redeemer. Admire this beautiful example of medieval Armenian architecture and the view of the surrounding hills.
- Border Crossing (Armenia - Georgia): Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
- Georgian Wine Tasting: Visit a winery in the city of Telavi, part of Georgia's Kakheti wine region. With an incredibly rich history of viticulture (going back thousands of years), enjoy a sampling of the region's famous wines, produced within Telavi's micro-climate.
Travel through Kakheti Province, dotted with churches and vineyards. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Kizikhi area and Sighnaghi. Stop for lunch at a local village house. Head to Tbilisi and enjoy a guided tour of the city.
- Lunch With A Local Family: Join a local family for a cooking demonstration, just in time for lunch. Look on as your hosts demonstrate how to prepare famous dishes from the area including Georgian bread, "mtsvadi" or pork barbecue and "churchkhela", a traditional Georgian sweet.
- City Tour Tbilisi: Enjoy a city tour with included visits to the Old Town, Metekhi Temple, the Abanotubani 'bath district' and the Narikala, the main fortress in Tbilisi.
Drive the famous Georgian Military Road to Mtskheta, ancient capital of Georgia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Continue to Uplistsikhe cave town and on through the dramatic Aragvi River Valley. Return to Tbilisi in the evening.
- Mtskheta Visit: Stop at this group of historical churches in an ancient city of Georgia, together these churches are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and showcase examples of medieval architecture on ancient trade routes. Visit the Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
- Uplistsikhe Visit: Visit this ancient cave town dating back to the 7th century BC. The name translates into ‘the lord’s fortress’ and the town continued to be a religious and political stronghold until the 14th century before being attacked by the Mongols. While many travellers have never heard of this ancient city before visiting, after a few hours climbing around the rocks and caves Uplistsikhe quickly becomes a highlight of any trip to Georgia.
Depart at any time.
Trip Inclusions
- Set eyes on the stunning Caucasus Mountains.
- Tour ancient monasteries.
- Stroll narrow streets in Tbilisi.
- Savour under-the-radar delicious food and wine in Georgia.
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
- Your Foodie Moment: Local Lunch and Traditional Cooking Demonstration, Geghard
- Your Foodie Moment: Georgian Wine Tasting, Telavi
- Your Foodie Moment: Lunch With A Local Family, Kakheti
- Echmiadzin visit
- Khor Virap visit
- Garni Roman temple and gorge visit
- Lake Sevan stop with visit to monasteries
- Sanahin Monastery Complex visit
- City tour of Tbilisi
- Georgian Military Road drive
- Mtskheta's UNESCO-listed churches visit
- Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral visit
- Hike to Uplistsikhe Cave
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
- Private van, walking
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides
- Standard Hotels (7 Nights)
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included.
Operator
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Get the best of both worlds with G's Classic trips as your knowledgeable CEO (Chief Experience Officer) leads you to iconic highlights and hidden gems, while ample free time lets you discover what excites you most. Enjoy included meals showcasing local flavours, plus opportunities to dive deeper into the food scene independently. Stay in comfortable hotels, authentic homestays, and unique accommodations that capture the spirit of each destination.
Dates & Pricing
AUD
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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