Georgia/Armenia Combination, in the Heart of the Caucasus

Before leaving the city, our last urban visits are to the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Georgian National Museum (closed on Mondays).

We then head to Mtskheta, capital of the former Kingdom of Iberia which ruled over part of present-day Georgia two millennia ago. We visit 2 major sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the magnificent Jvari Monastery, built in the 6th century on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city, and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, constructed in the 11th century.

We continue heading north and stop at Ananouri to admire its fortress from the 16th-17th centuries, overlooking Lake Jinvali. The site offers stunning views of the region.

We continue along the mythical and magnificent Georgian Military Road. Gorges, valleys and mountain passes follow one another until we arrive at Kazbegui where we settle in for the night.

This morning we fully enjoy the idyllic mountain setting during a hiking excursion to the Church of the Trinity of Guergueti (2170m alt.).

We head towards the center of the country and the city of Gori. About ten kilometers from the city, we discover the remains of the extraordinary Troglodytic City of Uplistsikhe (Georgia), built in the 1st millennium BC on the Silk Road, a complex of caves, wine cellars, Georgian stoves, basilica and theatre.

But Gori is also famous in more recent history as the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. We make a photo stop in front of the museum dedicated to his life and in front of his birthplace (museum visit possible as an extra).

Return to Tbilisi for the night.

Early departure from Tbilissi and drive towards the east of the country, heading to the Kakheti region, one of the cradles of wine, where the tradition of Qvevri (large earthenware amphorae in which delicious unfiltered wines are produced) is very much alive.

Discovery of the town of Sighnaghi with its lovely cobbled streets. At 800m altitude, this city known for its wine, carpets and history overlooks the superb Alazani valley with the Caucasus mountain range as a backdrop.

We then head to a family-run wine cellar where we discover traditional winemaking techniques and taste wine directly from the kvevri.

Continuation to the village of Tsinandali, lands of a historic vineyard belonging to the famous producer Aleksandre Chavchavadze. Museum visit and wine tasting.

Return to Tbilissi for the night.

We head south and reach Sadakhlo, at the Armenian-Georgian border.

After passport control and a change of guide and transport, we continue to Arménie towards the town of Alaverdi, in a region that despite Soviet industrialization has retained striking natural beauty and many historical monuments.

A few kilometers east of Alaverdi, we admire the Haghpat Monastery, built between the 10th and 13th centuries and listed as a World Heritage site.

After lunch at Haghpat, we visit the second monastery in the region listed as a World Heritage site: the Sanahin Monastery, which passed successively through the course of its history from the hands of the Kiurikian to those of the Zakarides and then the Arghoutian. Like the Haghpat Monastery, it is an exceptional representative of Armenian religious architecture from the 10th-13th centuries.

We resume our journey to our final destination of the day: Dilidjan.

The old town of Dilidjan deserves a visit, for its two major assets: its many historical monuments on one hand, and its status as a climate resort due to its pure air, its forests and its thermal springs on the other hand. An ideal place for rejuvenation!

About fifteen kilometers north of Lake Sevan, the Gochavank Monastery, built in the 12th and 13th centuries under the Zakaride dynasty, is a magnificent architectural complex composed of several churches, chapels and a library.

The Lake Sevan is an immense body of water two and a half times the size of Lake Geneva. At 1900 meters above sea level, it is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world. In this exceptional geographical setting, we visit in particular the churches of the Holy Apostles and the Holy Mother of God, as well as the Sevanavank Monastery.

East of Yerevan and a short distance from the shores of Lake Sevan, the village of Norodouz is one of the oldest in the Gegharkunik region. It boasts a very beautiful and ancient church, but its main attraction is undoubtedly its exceptional cemetery of medieval tombs containing several hundred khachkars (stone stelae with sculpted crosses).

We finally resume our journey towards the Armenian capital where we settle into our hotel.

Geghard, about forty kilometers east of Yerevan, marks the entrance to the Upper Azat Valley. It is a monastery composed of several churches and stone crosses, known worldwide because it is largely carved into the rock, and marking the golden age of medieval Armenian architecture. The Geghard monastery was a major cultural and ecclesiastical center and many relics of the Armenian Apostolic Church are preserved there.

Optional (for an additional fee): spiritual music concert in the monastery, with exceptional acoustics.

Not far from there, Garni houses, in a remarkable geographical setting, the only remaining vestige of the Hellenistic period surviving in Armenia: the temple of Garni, a pagan temple dedicated to the Sun god. Our visit to Garni is also marked by a wonderful experience with the local population: we have lunch at a local home and discover the artisanal process of making Armenian bread, Lavash.

Back in the capital, we conclude the day with a moment of emotion and reflection at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and its adjoining museum, located at the top of Tzitzèrnakabèrd.

Finally, a must-see stop on any visit to Yerevan, we head to the Mother Armenia statue, which from its dominant position at the top of a hill seems to watch over the city.

We set out today on the great plain of Ararat, under the ever-present gaze of the region's imposing peaks. Our first stop is the magnificent Khor Virap monastery. Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, its privileged position on a hilltop dominated by the majesty of Mount Ararat delights photographers and all lovers of beautiful stone and wide open spaces.

Continuation eastward and to the region of Vayots Dzor. Along the way we pass through the village of Areni, known to be one of the cradles of wine. Here, everyone lives from this noble beverage, which is said to have been produced for over 6000 years. We discover local production methods, some very artisanal, others more modern. We have lunch in Vayots Dzor and then explore the region, one of whose main sources of pride is undoubtedly the magnificent Noravank monastery, located in a gorge of the upper Amaghou valley. One of Arménie's greatest masterpieces.

Finally, we head to Goris where we settle in for the night.

Early morning visit of the old town of Goris. Goris is located in an enclosed site at medium altitude scattered with rocky columns which earned it the name of Little Cappadocia.

35 kilometers of a winding road lead from Goris to Tatev, which houses the most important historical monument of Arménie, the Tatev Monastery. A journey that is both historical and geographical since to reach the monastery we take the longest cable car in the world, the Wings of Tatev, or more than 5 kilometers above the Vorotan canyon, in breathtaking scenery. The Tatev complex was a major cultural and university center.

After our visit we get back in the car to Karahunj, a small village located a few kilometers south of Goris. This place is home to one of the oldest astronomical observatories in the world, with some scientists dating its construction back to 7500 BC. A walk through this timeless site.

Return to Yerevan.