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1 – Everyone can;
10 – Everest climber.
In the afternoon, all the participants and the guide will meet at a hotel in Yerevan. After checking in, we’ll have our first acquaintance with Armenia: we’ll go for a walk around the city center. We’ll explore all the main attractions of the capital: Republic Square, the Opera House, the modern architectural complex “Big Cascade”, which looks especially impressive in the evening illumination, and other buildings.
We will have dinner at a restaurant, then return to the hotel.
In the morning we’ll enjoy a stunning view of Mount Ararat, have breakfast and hit the road. Soon we’ll reach Khor Virap Monastery. In Armenian language this name means “deep dungeon”. The history of Khor Virap is very impressive: at first, there was a prison here, where Gregory the Illuminator was held, and much later a chapel and church were built.
The next stop on our route is the ancient pagan temple of Garni. We will hear it’s complicated history, and then we’ll go down to the Azat river gorge to see the place with the poetic name “Symphony of Stones”. This is a huge natural monument, reminiscent of a musical instrument — an organ.
Next, we’ll go to the Geghard cave monastery, whose temples are dug right inside the basalt rock. There are unique bas-reliefs on the walls of the monastery. This amazing structure is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We’ll stop for lunch at a cozy restaurant that serves freshly caught fish (for an additional charge). And in the evening we’ll go to the picturesque gorge, where the Tsaghkadzor ski resort is located. This is where we will spend the night.
In the morning we’ll go skiing. All necessary equipment can be rented (for an additional charge). The Tsaghkadzor resort is suitable for skiers and snowboarders of any level: there are slopes for both beginners and professionals.
We’ll take a ride on a modern cable car and admire the mountain landscapes from a bird’s eye view. After skiing, we will walk along the cozy streets of the city, and in the evening we’ll return to the hotel.
For the tour starting from 29.12: Today we celebrate the New Year! We will have a gala dinner accompanied by live music.
We’ll spend most of the day skiing and snowboarding on the picturesque slopes of Tsaghkadzor. For an additional fee you can take lessons with an instructor.
In the evening we’ll go for a walk around the city center and visit the ancient Kecharis monastery complex. It consists of several medieval churches and chapels, as well as a cemetery. Nearby we will find a wooden house where the famous poet of the 20th century Osip Mandelstam stayed in 1930. A few of his poems were written here.
We will spend the day in Tsaghkadzor, enjoying the magnificent views and the facilities of the resort. In the evening we will go to the neighboring village of Hankavan, famous for its natural mineral springs. We will bask in the healing waters and properly relax after three days of skiing.
It's time to get on the road: a new immersion into the history and culture of Armenia awaits us. Less than an hour’s journey — and we are on the shore of an alpine lake Sevan! It is so huge that locals call it “the sea”. In winter, Sevan is almost never covered with ice, which means it will appear to us at its best. Those who wish will be able to taste the famous Sevan crayfish. We will also visit the Sevanavank monastery, which is located on the top of a hill with a magnificent view of the turquoise waters of Sevan.
Then we will move to the village of Noratus to explore the “forest of khachkars” — cross stones from different centuries. They are located on the territory of a medieval cemetery and now represent artistic value.
In the evening we will arrive in Yerevan and check into a hotel.
The final touch to our eventful journey will be a visit to the legendary Ararat factory, where we will taste different varieties of brandy and appreciate the flavor bouquet.
Our journey has come to an end. Before leaving, you can shop for souvenirs at Vernissage or buy delicious gifts for loved ones at the central market.
Independent transfer to the airport, departure home.
We’ll meet at 16:00 on the first day in a hotel in Yerevan (the exact address will be announced later).
You can arrive in Yerevan by any convenient flight. The most convenient way to get to the hotel is by taxi.
The end of the program is in Yerevan on the 7th day of the tour at 14:00. Transfer to the airport is not included, you’ll have to get there by taxi. Travel time to the airport is about 30 minutes, traffic jams are possible. We recommend buying return tickets for the flights departing from Yerevan after 16:00.
The meeting of the group will take place at 16:00 in a hotel in Yerevan (the exact address will be announced later).
You can arrive in Yerevan no later than 15:00 on the first day. The most convenient way to get to the hotel is by taxi.
The end of the program is in Yerevan on the 7th day of the tour at 14:00. Transfer to the airport is not included, you’ll have to get there by taxi. Travel time to the airport is about 30 minutes, traffic jams are possible. We recommend buying return tickets for the flights departing from Yerevan after 16:00.
Note: We kindly ask you not to purchase the tickets until the manager sends you a confirmation and guarantees that the tour will take place.
During the trip we will travel by rented minibus. There are good paved roads along our route.
Each hotel has a common living room for evening gatherings.
Note: The price of the trip is based on double accommodation. If you are traveling alone, we will try to find a roommate for you from the tourists of our group, but we cannot guarantee this. Usually there is a roommate, but if there is not, you will need to pay extra for single accommodation.
If you need a single room and don't want to stay with anybody, specify this in the comments to your application.
Tsaghkadzor
Yerevan
In Yerevan the temperature is −3…+5 °C in the daytime, at night it might be a few degrees lower.
In Tsaghkadzor the weather can be windy and snowy. The average temperature in winter is −5…+5 °C, on the top of the mountain it can be lower by 5–10 degrees, and at night it can drop to −10…−15 °C.
This tour doesn’t require any special skills, but the participants should be in good physical condition.
Children are allowed to participate from the age of 7 and only if accompanied by their parents.
Participants under the age of 18 are not allowed to brandy tastings.
The checklist #41 will help you prepare for this trip.
If necessary, the equipment for skiing and snowboarding can be rented on the spot:
You can also take an individual lesson with an instructor — from 10,000–15,000 drams per hour.
A single ticket for the chairlift costs 2,000 drams. It is more convenient to purchase a ski pass in the form of a personalized plastic card which costs 2,000 drams and top it up with a certain amount of money: 10,000 drams for 1 day of skiing or 29,000 drams for 3 days.
For children under 10 years old the ski pass costs 9,000 drams for 1 day and 24,000 drams for 3 days.
The national currency of Armenia is dram. You can bring any currency with you and exchange it on arrival.
In Yerevan, bank cards are accepted for payment almost everywhere. In Tsaghkadzor you will need cash to pay for the ski pass and meals.
The tour includes all breakfasts in the hotels (6 times) and 4 dinners. Dinners on the 1st and 6th days and all lunches are at additional cost.
Note: Since this is a group tour, the food is the same for all participants. Unfortunately, we cannot prepare an individual meal for you. If you have an intolerance or allergy to any of the products, please notify the manager in advance. We will pass this information on to the guide or accommodations. However, we kindly ask you to follow up on this matter during the trip. If you have strict dietary restrictions, we recommend bringing suitable food with you or buy it on the spot.
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Winter in Armenia is truly magical. We will spend three days in the snow-capped mountains discovering ski slopes of modern Tsaghkadzor resort, dive into the history of ancient monasteries, walk around the capital and, of course, enjoy local cuisine.
We will stay in cozy hotels, where all guests are greeted as if they were dear friends. The hospitality of Armenia is truly amazing!
In 7 days we will: