Tour Overview
| Duration | 8 Days / 7 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Armenia — The Undiscovered North |
| Price From | $1,595 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Off-the-Beaten-Path / Cultural Adventure |
| Data Source | Advantour — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Yerevan
Welcome to Yerevan! Transfer to your boutique hotel. Evening stroll through the Cascade and a welcome dinner featuring khorovats (Armenian BBQ) with lavash. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 2: Yerevan Highlights & Brandy
Morning: Republic Square, Matenadaran ancient manuscripts museum, and the Blue Mosque (Yerevan’s only functioning mosque). Afternoon: Ararat Brandy Factory tour and tasting. Evening at the Vernissage market. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 3: Debed Canyon — UNESCO Twins
Drive north to the Debed Canyon, one of Armenia’s most dramatic landscapes. Visit Haghpat Monastery (UNESCO) — a 10th-century masterpiece anchored into the mountainside with its unique bell tower, library-khachkar, and refectory. Continue to Sanahin Monastery (UNESCO) — once a major academy with its famous scriptorium and medieval astronomical observatory. Walk between the monasteries through forest trails. Overnight in Alaverdi.
Day 4: Odzun & Gyumri
Morning visit to Odzun Church (5th century) with its extraordinary dome and the unique Odzun funerary monument — twin stelae from the 5th century. Drive to Gyumri, Armenia’s second city and cultural capital. Gyumri was devastated by the 1988 earthquake but has preserved its 19th-century Russian-Armenian architecture. Walk the Rijkov Street, the old Kumayri district, and visit the Dzitoghtsyan Museum. Lunch: try Gyumri’s famous ponchik (cream-filled donuts). Overnight in Gyumri.
Day 5: Akhtala & Lori Fortress
Visit Akhtala Monastery (10th century), a fortress-monastery with Armenia’s best-preserved medieval frescoes — Byzantine-influenced paintings covering every wall and ceiling. Continue to Lori Fortress (11th century), the ruined capital of King David Anhoghin, dramatically situated between two gorges. Afternoon drive back to Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 6: Garni, Geghard & Symphony of Stones
Classic Armenia day: Garni Temple (1st century, Hellenistic), the Garni Gorge basalt columns, and Geghard Monastery (UNESCO, cave-carved). Lavash baking class in a village home. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 7: Ashtarak & Amberd Fortress
Drive to Mount Aragats, Armenia’s highest peak (4,090m). Visit the Amberd Fortress (7th century) at 2,300 meters — one of the few feudal castles preserved in Armenia, with the adjacent Vahramashen Church (11th century). Descend to Ashtarak visiting Karmravor (7th century) — a tiny red tuff church with its original tile roof intact. Lunch in Ashtarak at a riverside restaurant. Farewell dinner in Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan.
Day 8: Depart Yerevan
Morning at the Gum market for last-minute purchases — dried fruits, Armenian cognac, and handwoven carpets. Transfer to the airport. Goodbye, Armenia!
Inclusions
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast, 3 dinners
- English-speaking guide
- Brandy tasting
- Lavash masterclass
- All entrance fees
Why Northern Armenia
- Debed Canyon — two UNESCO monasteries in one spectacular gorge
- Akhtala frescoes — the Sistine Chapel of the Caucasus with 10th-century Byzantine-style paintings
- Gyumri — Armenia’s authentic second city with tragic history and irrepressible spirit
- Amberd — a 7th-century fortress on the slopes of Armenia’s highest mountain
- Off the tourist trail — Northern Armenia sees a fraction of the visitors of the Yerevan-Echmiadzin route
