Proposal
Number: 744
Client Name: Trips Your Way Group Name: Only Arm_13days_USA_2023 Period: 13 days, 12 nights (26/05/2023 – 07/06/2023)
Prepared By: Gayane Perikhanyan Issue Date: 23/11/2022
Day (1): 26/05/2023 Friday
Yerevan Airport Arrival - Transfer to the Hotel - Yerevan O/N Arrival at Zvartnots International Airport.
Transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan.
Day (2): 27/05/2023 Saturday
Depart for the Yerevan half day city tour that includes all the major sights of the capital. Yerevan is on the list as one of the world’s “Oldest continuously inhabited cities”, dating back to 8th century BC. It's very lively with open cafes, eateries and local markets. Enjoy a panoramic view of the City with the magnificent scenery of the two ice-capped biblical Mount Ararat from statue of Mother Armenia, see the Cascade (Gafesjian Center for the Arts), the Opera House, Swan Lake, Northern Avenue and Republic Square which is considered one of the most amazing and famous places of the capital.
Evening at leisure. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a cup of Armenian coffee or a glass of local wine or draft beer in one of the lovely terraces in the city center.
Optional Visit: Matenadaran research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran is a home to the world's largest repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts. In the funds of Matenadaran you will have a chance to see the biggest book weighing 28 kilograms, and the smallest one weighing only 19 grams. Every nation can find something interesting in this research institute as it's a unique place and has more than 18000 manuscripts from all over the world.
Yerevan HTL - Yerevan Half Day City Tour - Free evening Yerevan - Yerevan O/NDay (3): 28/05/2023 Sunday
Visit Khor Virap Monastery (“deep pit”), (4th c. A.D) at the base of Mount Ararat. Enjoy also the beautiful view to the biblical Ararat Mountain, were Noah’s arch cast an anchor. *Please note that the visibility may be difficult depending on weather conditions.
Visit the Bird Cave (Areni-1) which is a 6100-year-old winery located at Areni village․ Here you will have an interesting excursion inside an old cave with an exciting and mysterious past. The world's oldest leather shoe (5500 years old) which is now preserved in the History Museum of Armenia was uncovered here during the archaeological excavations.
Visit Noravank Monastery, an architectural gemstone nestled among brick-red cliffs, just above a deep gorge. Built in the 13th century, the monastery is a lovely example of the ornate architecture of the period.
Visit Trinity Winery where you will have the chance to enjoy degustation of local wines produced from endemic variety of grapes.
Visit Garni village, famous for its Hellenistic pagan temple of the 1st c. It’s the only pagan temple that survived after the Christianization of Armenia. The place is particularly famous for its nice landscapes and the extraordinary view opening to the gorge and surrounding mountains.
Visit the Geghard Monastery (4th c. A.D and an UNESCO World Heritage site with enhanced protection.) It contains a number of churches and tombs, most of them cut into the rock, which illustrate the very peak of Armenian medieval architecture. The complex of medieval buildings is set into a landscape of great natural beauty, surrounded by towering cliffs at the entrance to the Azat Valley. The spot is the most famous among the locals for the baptism ceremonies and weddings so very often you will be an ad hoc participant of the traditional events when visiting the site.
Enjoy Armenian vocal performance of medieval church songs in Geghard Monastery.
Head to master Levon's cave who dig on his own a labyrinth under his house using simple tools for 20 years. The length
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan. Yerevan HTL - Khor Virap Monastery - Bird Cave (Areni 1) - Noravank Monastery - Wine degustation in Yeghegnadzor - Yerevan O/N ✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch Breakfast. Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan. Day (4): 29/05/2023 Mondayof the labyrinth is approximately 21 meters․
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan.
Breakfast
Head to the Genocide museum which displays unprecedented international documents on Armenian Genocide, the first Genocide of the 20th c. After the museum tour, we will explore the memorial complex of Tsitsernakaberd dedicated to 1.5 million victims (museum closed on Mondays).
See Robin the Robot in action at Nork Old Age Home and visit elders at the Healthy Aging Memory Club at Mission Armenia
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan.
Optional Visit: Etchmiadzin Mother Cathedral and the museum
Etchmiadzin is the first state Christian church in the world and you can enjoy visiting also the treasury museum in the territory of the cathedral
Day (6): 31/05/2023 Wednesday
✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch Breakfast.
Visit a master who makes Armenian "duduk" and hear the melodic sounds of the national musical instrument. (an ancient double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood - UNESCOs Intangible Values.)
Experience lavash baking (Armenian traditional bread; UNESCO Cultural Heritage) demonstration. Get familiar with the technique of the preparation. After that enjoy “brduj” (stuffed bread roll) and taste the freshly baked bread stuffed with young cheese and local herbs
Participate in Gata baking process. Gata is one of the most popular and traditional Armenian sweets. There are numerous recipes of gata, and each region has its traditional and most-loved variant.
Armenians have been weaving carpets from times immemorial. When weaving carpets, Armenian craftsmen have been traditionally using the double knot, which allows Armenian carpets to “live” longer. You will have chance to see and also participate in the weaving process.
Day (5): 30/05/2023 Tuesday Yerevan HTL - Genocide Memorial & Museum - Nork Old Age Home - Healthy Aging Memory Club at Mission Armenia - Yerevan O/N ✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch ✅ Dinner Yerevan HTL - Duduk making presentation - Lavash Baking & brduj Master-Class - Carpet Weaving Demonstration - Yerevan O/NEvening at leisure.
Optional Visit:
Ararat Brandy factory (tour and degustation)
Visit Ararat Brandy Factory, where you can experience true craftsmanship and discover the history of Armenian brandy. Follow its production phases and enjoy the Armenian cognac. The Armenian cognac is the only alcoholic beverage in the world that has the unique privilege of being marked as cognac thanks to its sustaining high quality (3 types cognac degustation).
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan.
Day (7): 01/06/2023 Thursday
✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch ✅ Dinner Breakfast.
Depart to Noratous village near Lake Sevan famous for an ancient cemetery, which is the 2nd biggest area (1st used to be in historical Nakhijevan) housing khachkars translated as cross-stones. This unique cross-stone field is spread over a 7-hectare containing almost a thousand khachkars, each of them depicting unique ornamentation.
Visit a local family farm and their cheese ripening cellar, get acquainted with the cheese making process and participate in tasting of cheese aged in wine and cognac.
Scenic drive along the pearl of Armenia, Lake Sevan, which covers over 10% of the country's territory. Peninsula is the regular stop with its spectacular view opening to the Lake. Some small buildings from Soviet style architecture will be worth seeing by quick stops as they represent the architectural solutions of the early 20th c.
Head to Dilijan to enjoy its natural and architectural monuments of antiquity, the mountains and the forests that surround you at any point in the city. In the "Old Town" you will see unique balconies and terraces typical of 19th century Dilijan that display the region’s historical love for fine woodwork.
Overnight at Apaga Resort, Yenokavan.
Day (8): 02/06/2023 Friday
✅ Breakfast ✅ Dinner Breakfast.
Optional: Early morning Yoga class (to be arranged 2 months prior)
Optional Activities (to be arranged on the spot)
*Option 1: Hike to Lastiver
Yerevan HTL - Noratus Village - Cheese making presentation - Sevan Lake - Dilijan Visit - Yenokavan (Apaga Resort) O/N Yenokavan (Apaga Resort) HTL - Free Day with Optional Activities - Yenokavan (Apaga Resort) O/N✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch ✅ Dinner Breakfast.
Off road to Shaghot Waterfall and Dimats Mountain (duration: ~3-4h) Thevisitmightbecancelledduetounpredictedweatherconditions;alternateexcursionwillbeofferedintheeventof poorweatherconditions.
Depart for Vanadzor, visit a cross-stone carver. He has specialized in the local traditional art of cross-stone making for almost 30 years. We will have a brief cross-stone khachkar introductions: conversations about the origin, meaning and history of khachkars. We will have chance to see the process of carving as well.
Visit Orran Center and Healthy Aging Memory Club in Vanadzor.
Day (10): 04/06/2023 Sunday
✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch Breakfast.
Gyumri is the second largest city of Armenia. Gyumri is the cultural center of Armenia, known for its traditions and local unique humor. During the City Tour you will discover the 18th-19th century unique architecture and the most hospitable people.
Visit Museum of Urban Life and National Architecture (Dzitoghtsyants Museum). This was a rich house of a Gyumretsi trader, and nowadays one of the most attractive and a must visit museums in Gyumri. The museum is an old mansion, housing collections related to both history and the everyday-life of Gyumri as well as the local cultural and architectural characteristics of the city. Here you will see also photographs of old Gyumri and 19th century maps of old Alexandropol, as well as a very well-done diorama of the old city. Drive to Aznavour Square that was restored in 2000 and the statue of the renowned French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour was erected.
See the building of TUMO center for creative technologies that holds vast cultural significance. It was the city’s first-ever movie theatre, and the original architecture dates back to the 1850s. First national opera Anush by Armen Tigranyan was first staged here.
*Option 2: Activities at Yell park (e.g. zipline, rope park, off road, horseback riding…) Overnight at Apaga Resort, Yenokavan Day (9): 03/06/2023 Saturday Yenokavan (Apaga Resort) HTL – Off Road Activity - Cross-stone carvers Studio - Orran Center in VanadzorGyumri O/N Overnight at Grand Hotel Gyumri by Apricot Gyumri HTL - Gyumri Full Day City Tour - Gyumri O/NVisit Lusine Movsisyan who got her education at the Fine Art Academy of Gyumri, and established AMEL in 2015. AMEL’s wooden rings, ornaments, and candle holders on which she depicts the old doors and buildings of Gyumri, are made with the help of Lusine’s whole family.
Visit the Gallery of ‘’Mariam and Eranuhi Aslamazyan Sisters’’ is one of the unique galleries in the Republic of Armenia, as it is the only art museum in Armenia dedicated to female artists. In the gallery is preserved nearly 620 original works (paintings, graphic, ceramic works) presented by the sisters. The Aslamazyan’s sisters traveled the world, from Madagascar to Japan, and painted images of women of different nationalities and ethnicities, in an effort to showcase their role in society and their unique beauty.
Overnight at Grand Hotel Gyumri by Apricot
Day (11): 05/06/2023 Monday
Breakfast.
Visit Dashtadem Fortress which was on the Silk Road was built in the 11th-13th centuries, and in the Middle Ages it bores great defensive significance.
Visit Tree Nursery of Armenia Tree Project in Karin village in Aragatsotn province. The nursery has two greenhouses equipped with modern agricultural technologies and an outdoor area protected with shading and hail netting for plants in containers. You will be given an up-close introduction to the different species of trees and shrubs which they propagate and prepare for planting. You'll get to see exotic flowers and even learn how to give trees proper care. You will also have change to plant your tree in Armenia.
You will participate in a culinary master class in Ashtarak town
Overnight at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan.
Breakfast.
Visit “Gumi Shuka”, an Armenian indoor market, where you can have especially handpicked selection of local homemade products: dried fruit, pickles, spices. Experience the extreme hospitality of the vendors who will be simply offended if you don't try a piece of their home-made product.
You will visit Photo Atelier Marashlyan. Photo studio that specialized in photographing people in traditional Armenian
Gyumri HTL - Dashtadem Fortress - Armenia Tree Projects Nursery in Karin - Culinary Master Class in AshtarakYerevan O/N ✅ Breakfast ✅ Lunch Day (12): 06/06/2023 Tuesday Yerevan HTL - Gumi Shuka (Local market) - Photoshoot at Marashlyan Photo Atelier - Farewell Dinner with Folk Dance Show - Yerevan O/N ✅ Breakfast ✅ Dinner
• Magic Roads is not responsible for delayed or lost luggage. Luggage is the sole responsibility of the airline. Should luggage reach the destination after the client due to delayed/lost luggage by the airline, Magic Roads will certainly deliver the luggage to the clients even when they are on tour already. However, in case the airline is not covering the delivery costs, the clients have to pay Magic Roads cash on spot for the costs of luggage delivery.
• In all Magic Roads programmes, all included services are clearly specified. All the information that is mentioned in our programs are subject to modification when needed, and Magic Roads should inform the clients in due time. Magic Roads shall reserve its right to change the programs while on ground in case of any unforeseen technical circumstances or security issues.