Travel to the south with stops: Khor Virap, Areni Winery, Areni-1 cave, Noravank, Jermuk, Shaki waterfall, Zorats Karer

Khor Virap - The Khor Virap monastery is less than an hour’s drive from Yerevan and offers a stunning view of Mount Ararat, the oldest and most famous mountain in the Armenian Highlands. “Khor Virap” means “deep dungeon” or “deep pit” and was once a prison and fortress near the historic town of Artashat. According to legend, Gregory the Illuminator, the first Armenian Catholicos, was imprisoned here for 14 years, making it a sacred site for Armenians and Christian pilgrims worldwide.

Areni Wine Factory - Areni village, known as the village of wine, is situated on the banks of the Arpa River. The wine-making tradition here dates back over six thousand years. Wine tasting and sales points for wine and oghi (homemade fruit vodka) are available on every corner. Locals joke that they drink wine like water. You will have the opportunity to taste wine at one of the oldest wine factories in Areni.

T’rchuneri (Bird) Cave - The Areni-1 or Birds’ Cave complex is a multi-component site and a late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement near Areni village along the Arpa River. In 2010, the earliest known shoe was discovered here. In January 2011, the world’s oldest known winery was found at the site. Also in 2011, a straw skirt dating back to 3,900 BCE was discovered. In 2009, the oldest known brain was found here.

Noravank Monastery - Noravank, meaning “new monastery,” is a 13th-century Armenian monastery located 122 km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge carved by the Amaghu River, near Yeghegnadzor. The gorge is famous for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs opposite the monastery. The monastery is best known for its two-story Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) church, which has a narrow stone staircase leading to the second floor.

Jermuk Waterfall - Jermuk is a mountain spa town and the center of the urban community of Jermuk in Vayots Dzor Province, southern Armenia, 53 km east of the provincial capital Yeghegnadzor. It was a popular destination for medical tourism during the Soviet era. The Jermuk waterfall on the Arpa River is 70 meters high.

Shaki Waterfall - Shaki Waterfall, located in Syunik Province, Armenia, has a height of 18 meters. It is situated 6 km from the town of Sisian. On the left side of the Vorotan River gorge, basalt lava flows have solidified to form an 18-meter-high ledge from which the waterfall cascades. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Armenia.

Karahundj (Armenia’s Stonehenge) - Among the many unsolved mysteries surrounding Armenia’s remarkable prehistoric structures is the megalithic site of Karahunge (“Karahundj”), which is covered with hundreds of vertical megaliths ranging from 1 to 2.8 meters in height and varying greatly in form.

Aregak B&B - Settle in Goris city for the night.

Travel back to Yerevan with stops: Khndzoresk Swinging Bridge, Khndzoresk cave settlement, Tatev ropeway, and monastery.

Khndzoresk Swinging Bridge - The bridge was inspired by a local entrepreneur’s passion for showcasing a unique Armenian village. His goal was to preserve the village’s past and allow future generations to discover their roots. The suspension bridge is a labor of love by the villagers, built with their own hands and horses, without modern machinery. It spans 160 meters across a rugged yet scenic gorge. It’s worth stopping to catch your breath and take amazing pictures of the cliffside dwellings.

Old Khndzoresk - The historic cave village, located on the steep slope of a gorge, consists of both natural and manmade caves. At its peak, the community’s population may have reached up to 15,000 people. Many dwellings were carved out over and around each other, requiring a complex system of ropes and ladders to access various parts of the community. The village even had two churches and three schools.

Wings of Tatev - Wings of Tatev is a 5.7 km (3.5 mi) cableway between Halidzor and the Tatev monastery in Armenia. It is the longest reversible aerial tramway built in a single section and holds the record for the longest non-stop double-track cable car. Construction was completed on October 16, 2010.

Tatev Monastery - The Tatev Monastery is a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic monastery located on a large basalt plateau near Tatev village in Syunik Province, southeastern Armenia. The term “Tatev” usually refers to the monastery. The monastic ensemble stands on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River. Tatev is known as the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the region’s history as a center of economic, political, spiritual, and cultural activity.

• Private transportation
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• All fees and taxes included