The hidden treasures of Arménie

Upon arrival at Zvartnots Airport, you collect your luggage before meeting your driver. You are then transferred to your charming hotel in Erevan, where you settle in for three nights.

Dinner on your own and overnight in Erevan.

Optional and at additional cost: if you arrive early in the morning, an Erevan discovery tour can be arranged.

You join the Geghard Monastery, at the entrance to the upper Azat valley. Largely troglodytic, this ensemble of churches and stone crosses bears witness to Armenian medieval architecture. A former cultural and ecclesiastical center, it preserves relics of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Optional, with additional charge: a concert of spiritual music in the monastery, to appreciate the acoustics of the place.

You then discover the Azat canyon during a short walk. There you admire the rock formations of the Basalt Organ, also called the Symphony of Stones.

In Garni, you visit the pagan temple dedicated to the god of the Sun, a witness to the Hellenistic period in Arménie. This stop is also an opportunity to meet the locals: you have lunch with a local family and discover the traditional craftsmanship of lavash, the traditional Armenian bread.

Back in Yerevan, you discover the Gum market, renowned for its dried fruits, spices and local products. You then enjoy some free time to do some shopping and explore the city at your own pace.

After breakfast at the hotel, you cross the Ararat Plain, dominated by the silhouette of Mount Ararat.

You visit the Khor Virap Monastery, dating from the 17th century, amid orchards and vineyards irrigated by the Araxes River. Behind its ramparts lies the "deep pit" where, according to tradition, Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for thirteen years, from 288 to 301, before founding the Armenian Church.

You continue to Areni, a village renowned for its wine production. You discover the Areni-1 cave, also called the Bird's Cave. Excavations carried out in 2007 revealed a wine production facility dating back approximately 6,000 years, including a wine press, a fermentation system, grape seeds, jars and cups. A leather shoe dating back 5,500 years was also found there.

Optional, with additional charge: a tasting of Areni wine.

Lunch on your own near Areni.

In the afternoon, you join the Noravank monastery, in the Vayots Dzor region. Its main church, Saint John the Baptist, was built between 1216 and 1223 by Prince Liparit Orbelian and Bishop Srikis. A narthex adorned with sculptures was added in 1261 under the direction of Prince Smbat Orbelian. You can notably observe a representation of the prince on horseback, engraved in stone.

Late in the afternoon, you head towards Goris, where you settle into a guesthouse for two nights.

After breakfast at the hotel, you meet your hiking guide in Goris and head towards the troglodyte town of Khndzoresk, known for its dwellings carved into the rock.

A one and a half hour hike in the canyon takes you to the suspension bridge that connects its two banks. The route includes more than 200 steps to descend and climb back up.

Distance: 1.5 km

Duration: 1 h 30

Elevation gain: 500 m

Difficulty level: easy

You join Tatev, perched above the Vorotan river valley. To access the monastery, you take the Tatev Wings Aerial Tramway, which opened in 2010. It connects Halidzor to the monastery over 5,752 meters in 12 minutes, with views of the canyon.

You then discover the Tatev Monastery, which was an important religious center in the Syunik province.

Lunch is free near Tatev.

You continue towards Zorats Karer, also called Karahoundj. This megalithic complex, often compared to Stonehenge, consists of large pierced stones whose arrangement is associated with star observation. A short walk on the site allows you to observe its layout.

You arrive in Goris at the end of the day.

Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you head towards the Selim Pass. You visit the caravanserai, a stone shelter built in the 14th century to welcome travelers and merchants from the Silk Road. This place bears witness to the importance of commercial exchanges in medieval Arménie.

Near the shores of Lake Sevan, you reach Noradouz, an ancient village in the Gegharkunik region. It has an old church and a medieval cemetery bringing together several hundred khachkars, these stone steles decorated with sculpted crosses.

You continue your discovery at Lake Sevan, located at 1,900 meters altitude, whose area is approximately two and a half times that of Lake Geneva. You visit the churches of the Holy Apostles and the Holy Mother of God.

Free lunch on the shores of Lake Sevan.

Optional, with supplement: a boat trip on the lake.

In the afternoon, you visit the Sevanavank Monastery, built in the 9th century on a rocky peninsula. It houses the Churches of the Holy Apostles and the Holy Mother of God and offers views over the lake.

You then enjoy free time by the Lake Sevan to appreciate the natural setting.

In the late afternoon, you head to Gosh, a village surrounded by nature. You settle into a charming small hotel for two nights.

Dinner is at your leisure and overnight in Gosh.

After breakfast at the hotel, you head to Dilidjan for a day dedicated to heritage, craftsmanship and nature.

You discover the Old Dilijan complex, on the historic Sharambérian street, whose restored buildings evoke 19th-century architecture. You then visit the Buduart workshop, where local women continue the traditional Armenian carpet weaving.

You are transferred to Lake Parz, the starting point of your hike in the Dilijan National Park. After meeting up with your guide, you take a forest trail that crosses the Areguni Pass, with viewpoints over the region.

Parz Lake to Goshavank Hiking Trail

The route takes you to the Goshavank Monastery, in the village of Gosh, where the 13th-century scholar Mkhitar Gosh is buried. Along the way, you'll enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of nature and may observe birds, which are particularly active in the morning.

Distance: 14 km

Estimated duration: 2 hours

Parz Lake altitude: 1,344 m

Goshavank altitude: 1,232 m

Technical difficulty: moderate

Late afternoon, you return to Dilidjan for a free evening. After your free dinner, you return to Gosh for the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, you head to Vanadzor for a day of cultural and historical discoveries.

Optional, with additional fee: a meeting with Bogdan Hovhannisyan, master craftsman specializing in khachkar sculpture. In his workshop, you discover his work around these traditional Armenian stone crosses.

You continue towards Alaverdi, a mining town located in the Debed canyon, known for its copper mines exploited since the 19th century.

You discover the Sanahin monastery, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This former cultural and spiritual center belonged to the Kiurikian lords, then to the Zakarides princes, who made it their family pantheon.

In Sanahin, you visit the Mikoyan site, dedicated to Artem Mikoyan, co-founder of the Soviet aircraft manufacturer MiG, which produced notably the MiG-29.

Lunch on your own in Haghpat.

You continue with the Haghpat Monastery, which is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You discover the churches of Saint-Néchan, Saint-Gregory the Illuminator and Holy Mother of God, as well as the khachkars on the site, including the Holy Savior depicting the crucified Christ.

Like Sanahin, Haghpat was an intellectual center where numerous manuscripts were written, copied and illuminated.

You join Erevan late in the day, with a late arrival, and you settle into a charming hotel for two nights.

Dinner on your own and night in Erevan.

You head towards Etchmiadzin, seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church, west of Yerevan. Before arriving, you discover the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, dating from the 7th century and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site along with the churches of Etchmiadzin.

You then explore the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, which brings together several buildings and holy sites. You discover in particular the Church of Saint Hripsimé, from the 7th century, and the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, whose origins date back to the 4th century. The Catholicos of all Armenians resides in Etchmiadzin.

On Sundays, those who wish can attend the Eucharist celebration in the cathedral. No seating is available.

Optional, with additional fee: a traditional Armenian cooking class dedicated to dolma, a specialty made with stuffed vine leaves.

Lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, you return to Erevan to visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial at Tsitzernakaberd, facing the Mount Ararat. The memorial pays tribute to the victims of the 1915 genocide, while the museum traces the history and memory of this event.

You continue to the Vernissage, a market where traditional crafts, secondhand goods and antiques meet. You then have free time for shopping.

Optional, with additional fee:

• A concert and show of folk dances and songs in Erevan.

• Dinner in a traditional restaurant with the "Armenian Folk Music and Costume Show" performance.

Dinner on your own and overnight in Erevan.