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Armenian Wonders: Khor Virap to Geghard Monastery
4.9
68 Ratings
Yerevan
Explore Armenia’s rich history and stunning landscapes on a guided day trip from Yerevan to Khor Virap, Garni Temple, Geghard, and Azat Reservoir.
Explore Armenia’s rich history and stunning landscapes on a guided day trip from Yerevan to Khor Virap, Garni Temple, Geghard, and Azat Reservoir.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Khor Virap - Begin the journey with a visit to the Khor Virap Monastery, nestled at the base of the magnificent Mount Ararat. This is where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was held captive before introducing Christianity to Armenia, making it the first nation to embrace Christianity as its official religion.
- Azat Reservoir - Enjoy the tranquil…
- Khor Virap - Begin the journey with a visit to the Khor Virap Monastery, nestled at the base of the magnificent Mount Ararat. This is where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was held captive before introducing Christianity to Armenia, making it the first nation to embrace Christianity as its official religion.
- Azat Reservoir - Enjoy the tranquil and picturesque surroundings of Azat Reservoir, perfect for capturing stunning photographs.
- Garni Temple - The Garni Temple, dating back to 77 A.D., is the sole surviving pagan temple in the entire post-Soviet region. It stands elegantly on a high plateau overlooking the Azat River Gorge. The Greek-Roman bathhouse with its mosaic, composed of 30,000 pieces of natural stones, along with the remnants of the royal palace, transports visitors to the 3rd century A.D.
- Symphony of Stones - The Symphony of Stones is a remarkable natural marvel, featuring towering, column-like volcanic rock formations that create a breathtaking landscape.
- The Monastery of Geghard - The Geghard Monastery complex is another historical site included in this tour. St. Geghard represents the lance used by the Roman centurion to pierce Jesus after the crucifixion. This lance was later brought to Armenia and preserved in Geghard Monastery for five centuries. The complex showcases 13th-century Armenia, considered the Golden Age of the country’s architecture. The most remarkable aspect of this complex is its architectural design, with churches carved into solid rock, constructed according to Armenian architectural principles.
- Charent’s Arch - Charents Arch offers a spectacular view of Mt. Ararat and its valley.
What's Included
- On-board WiFi
- Bottled water
- Entrance fees
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Lavash baking and tasting
- Snacks
- Guide service
- On-board WiFi
- Bottled water
- Entrance fees
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Lavash baking and tasting
- Snacks
- Guide service
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Lunch
Additional Information
Embark on an unforgettable journey to discover Armenia’s most iconic landmarks.
Begin at Khor Virap Monastery, where stunning views of Mount Ararat offer the perfect photo opportunity. Proceed to the tranquil Azat Reservoir, encircled by the gentle Yeranos Mountains.
Visit the 1st-century Garni Temple, the sole remaining pagan temple in the Caucasus,…
Embark on an unforgettable journey to discover Armenia’s most iconic landmarks.
Begin at Khor Virap Monastery, where stunning views of Mount Ararat offer the perfect photo opportunity. Proceed to the tranquil Azat Reservoir, encircled by the gentle Yeranos Mountains.
Visit the 1st-century Garni Temple, the sole remaining pagan temple in the Caucasus, dedicated to the sun god Mihr. Be amazed by the nearby Symphony of Stones, a remarkable basalt formation sculpted by nature over thousands of years.
Explore the rock-hewn Geghard Monastery and enjoy the experience of traditional Lavash baking in a Tonir.
History, nature, and authentic culture — all in one inspiring day.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Alexander Tamanyan Statue
Moskovyan pokhoc
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(68 Ratings)
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Fiftystatesevenconts
Apr 28, 2026
Incredible sights/history/nature - One would have to be senseless to come to Armenia and miss these highlights:
1. Anastasia, my English speaking guide
2. the fabulous views of Mt. Ararat
3. the ancient monasteries
4. Garni Temple with Roman baths and the short video explaining in many different languages how the baths operated with such Roman ingenuity
5. the delicious lunch served at a restaurant with stunning views (extra fee but well worth it)
6. the UNESCO monastery, Geghard, carved partly out of the rocky hillside
7. The Symphony of stones, my absolute favorite part of the day. I have been to similar volcanic basalt columns in Iceland, Northern Ireland, El Salvador, and Mammoth, California, but they pale in comparison to these. The entire valley is surrounded with these unique and stunning naturally formed columns. I could have spent hours wandering among them. Truly a sight to see, even if you have been awed by basalt columns before. Even if this was the only sight today, the tour would have been worth it.
I was the only English speaker out of the full van of 18 tourists, and Anastasia clearly narrated to me separately.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vacation18926447717
Mar 21, 2026
Yerevan tour - It was a great time. Very thankful to have Anastasia as a guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martinai868
Mar 14, 2026
Great experience - Great experience, rich and well thought out itinerary, combining historical and natural sites. Knowledgeable and engaging guide Sam. Nice little touches such as traditional sweets and lavash tasting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V4106fdpaolag
Mar 8, 2026
Perfect day tour in Armenia - We loved this tour. Very comprehensive and well organized. Gaia is an amazing tour guide, she makes sure you get an interesting overview of the unique culture and history Armenia. We were some of the non-Russian speakers but she still make us feel included by making sure to translate everything. The stops were well timed and planned, car is comfortable with WiFi and Marat is a great driver. We felt very safe even though it was snowing heavily. Thank you for a great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Egb872
Mar 7, 2026
Amazing experience - Such a great experience! So well organized, they provided water, sweets and wifi on the bus. But the best part was our driver Marat and our guide Gaia. They were so sweet! Gaia told us so many things about Armenian history and culture, not only the stops on the trip, but everything. She was caring, patient and so kind and helpful. The restaurant where we stopped by was also very nice; with a spectacular view. It was such a good value for the price, would definelty recommend again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andries_12
Mar 6, 2026
Great trip - Our guide Anastasia was an absolute pro, she provided information in English and Russian fluently in such a way it kept us interested and there was no waiting time until one language concluded to begin the next, so neither of us missed seeing something with the explanation. You could also tell she loved her job, she had humour and she knew how to get us involved so it felt more comfortable in the group. Our driver Marat (sorry, I'm sure I got the name wrong), was a happy man who also looked as if he was enjoying the trip and he drove us safely in the snow.
We were lucky regardless of the snow, we still stopped at all the places mentioned in the booking and we were able to get good views of Ararat for photos.
The restaurant we had our lunch was very nice and the food was good. We tried the lavash bread and at the restaurant as it is customary, lavash bread with cheese and fresh herbs. I also chose from the lunch menu, tolma (stuffed vine leaves with beef) which were good.
It was an enjoyable day and we had a good crowd in our group.
Additional note we had WiFi on the bus which was great to upload photos between stops, lots of bottles of water and we were given a traditional sweet.
Note, you will see a lot of dogs, all friendly, so if you have any spare food they will appreciate it.
Thank you for an amazing day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charubahl
Feb 21, 2026
Highly recommend! - Special thanks to Nektar for making this a wonderful & memorable tour! She was very friendly, interactive and helpful - loved having all sorts of conversations with her. The tour is not hectic, allows for some private time at each sight to soak in the architecture, take pictures etc and it’s not fast paced. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Epingy
Jan 27, 2026
A Pleasant Winter Surprise in Armenia - It was a great winter day experience in Armenia — especially coming from a tropical island. While the cold takes some getting used to, it adds extra charm as it’s the off-peak season, allowing you to wander freely without crowds during the day trip.
The tour was very well organised, with smooth transitions from one stop to the next. As the only non-Russian speaker in the group, I truly appreciated Rubina, my day guide, who kindly multitasked between Russian and English, sharing insightful details about Armenian history, culture, people, and local life. We were also lucky with the weather — the sun came out, and we managed to see both mountains at the end of the tour at the Charents Arch. I was also wowed by the restaurant where we had lunch, offering a beautiful mountain view and a relaxing break before continuing the rest of the tour.
A practical tip: wear proper shoes, as it can be snowy and slippery, and wrap up well — it is cold.
Armenia feels like an underrated country with so much to offer and truly deserves more global attention. People may not seem overly friendly at first, but they are genuinely kind once you approach them with questions.
I came knowing very little about Armenia and left pleasantly surprised — especially by the delicious food and excellent wine.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Riccardo_c
Jan 4, 2026
Recommended - The tour does everything it promises, there is no downtime other than transfer from place to place. Competent guide.
Review provided by Viator
一郎
Jan 3, 2026
It was very well organised and the guide was particularly good. - The guide lady was much better. They talked about history and culture in an easy-to-understand manner while explaining each historical site. It was a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
