EXPLORING ARMENIA 5 - 13 APRIL 2022 FROM £2,195 PER PERSON Tour Leader: Gillian Craig A LAND OF RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE & MAJESTIC SCENERY The Republic of Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as its religion in the 4th century, has a rich cultural heritage as witnessed in the museums of its capital, Yerevan, and in the remarkable early churches, monasteries, and cave dwellings set in the majestic mountain scenery of the south Caucasus. We begin in Yerevan with a city tour including the State Museum of Armenian History, with collections documenting ancient history through to modern times, and the Armenia Genocide Museum and Memorial. We also visit the historic churches at Etchmiadzin, including the ruined church of Zvartnots and Etchmiadzin Cathedral, and the Sergei Parajanov Museum with its eclectic works by the artist. Leaving the city, we travel south to the monastery of Khor Virap, with its splendid views of Mount Ararat and the evocative Noravank Monastery complex. We continue south to the picturesque town of Goris and we visit the impressive walled monastery at Tatev and the home and museum of Armenian prose writer Axel Bakounts. Crossing the Selim Pass, we visit Orbelian’s caravanserai, before continuing to Lake Sevan, one of the largest mountain lakes in the world, and onwards to Dilijan, surrounded by the forests of the Dilijan National Park. Here we visit the remote Goshavank Monastery and the Makaravank and Haghartsin Monasteries before our journey back to Yerevan. The tour ends with the remarkable rock-carved churches at Geghard, the Hellenistic Temple at Garni and the magnificent Matenadaran, a depository of over 12,000 ancient manuscripts. Makaravank Monastery Lake Sevan Noratus Cemetery 9-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 5 APRIL 2022 5 April London / Paris / Yerevan victims of the Armenian Genocide. views of Mount Ararat, before Visit and dinner at the Megeryan continuing South to visit the Suggested flight (not included in Carpet Factory. evocative 13th-century Noravank the cost of the tour) Air France AF Monastery, set against a rugged 1681 departing London Heathrow cliff face. Visit the Areni Caves at 09.00 hrs arriving Paris at 11.25 7 April Etchmiadzin & Yerevan where, in 2010, the world’s oldest hrs connecting with AF 1060 Morning drive to the city of known winery (4th millennium departing at 13.00 hrs arriving Etchmiadzin. Here see the BC) was discovered. Yerevan at 20.40 hrs. Transfer to UNESCO World Heritage sites of Lunch and wine tasting in the the 5-star Armenia Marriott Hotel, the ruins of the Palace Church Vayots-Dzor region, known for situated next to Council Square, at Zvarnots and Etchmiadzin its wine making. Continue to where three nights are spent. Cathedral, the Mother Church of the mysterious standing stones Light dinner on arrival at the hotel. the Armenian Apostolic Church of Karahunj or Carahunge, near and considered the oldest the city of Goris. Check into the cathedral in the world. Also visit 6 April Yerevan Mirhav Boutique Hotel in Goris the fine 7th-century churches Morning tour of the capital where two nights are spent. of St. Hripsime and St. Gayane including a visit to the National Dinner at the hotel. and the Treasury Museum of History Museum in Republic Etchmiadzin. Square. See the Government and National Assembly Buildings and Lunch at the Cross of Armenian 9 April Goris & Tatev the Opera House in Opera Square. Unity NGO restaurant. Return Morning tour of Goris considered From here see the Cascade, a to Yerevan and visit museum Armenia’s most beautiful town, vast flight of steps and flower of the artist and film director, with its fine stone houses, arched beds leading up to a monument Sergei Paradjanov, known for windows and balconies along commemorating the 50th The Colour of Pomegranates. its tree lined streets. Take the anniversary of Soviet Armenia. His controversial lifestyle and cable car to the impressive walled Continue to the 23-metre high behaviour led Soviet authorities monastery of Tatev, which stands statue of Mother of Armenia that to repeatedly persecute and in splendid isolation above the watches over the city from Victory imprison him and suppress his Vorotan Gorge. Park. films. Dinner at a local restaurant. Lunch at a local restaurant at Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit Tatev. Return to Goris and visit the the Genocide Memorial and 8 April Yerevan / Goris 19th-century home and museum of the Armenian prose writer, Axel Museum which was opened Leave for the historic Khor Virap Bakounts (1899–1937). Take tea at in 1995 and is dedicated to the Monastery, with its splendid the museum. Dinner at the hotel. 020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK Dilijan Cascade, Yeveran 10 April Selim Pass / Lake Sevan 11 April Dilijan / Yerevan Hellenistic temple of Garni. / Dilijan In Dilijan, walk along Lunch at a local house, with a Depart for the Selim Pass and Sharambeyan Street in the demonstration of the typical visit the Caravanserai which Old Town with its artisans’ bread (lavash) baking. Return was built along the Vardenyats workshops and craft shops and to Yerevan and visit the Mountain Pass in 1332, by prince visit the Esayan Museum with Matenadaran Library, the pride Chesar Orbelian to accommodate its reconstruction of typical 19th of Armenian culture with one of weary travellers and their animals century homes. Visit Makaravank the world’s largest collections of as they crossed from, or into, the Monastery on the slopes of Mount ancient manuscripts. Dinner at a Vayots Dzor Mountains. Located Paitata, built of dark-pink, red and traditional Armenian restaurant. at the southern side of the pass at greenish stone, and dating from a height of 2410 metres above sea the 10th-13th centuries. Continue 13 April Yerevan / Paris / London level, Orbelian’s Caravanserai is to the remote 12th-century Transfer to the airport. Suggested the best-preserved caravanserai monastery of Goshavank, founded flight (not included) Air France AF in the entire country. Continue by Mkhitar Gosh, a medieval 1061 departing Yerevan at 09.30 to Noraduz to see the field of Armenian ruler who was both a hrs arriving Paris at 12.10 hrs khatchkars (or carved memorial scholar and a politician. connecting to AF 1780 departing stone crosses). Lunch at a local restaurant in at 13.15 arriving London Heathrow Lunch at the Miqayelyan Cheese Dilijan. Visit the 11th-13th century at 13.45 hrs. Factory. Drive on to Lake Sevan, Haghartsin Monastery, hidden one of the largest mountain lakes in a verdant valley with three in the world and the inspiration for churches. Return to Yerevan and poets, artists and composers. Visit check in at the Marriott Hotel There will be an option to attend a the 9th-12th century monastery where two nights are spent. performance at the Opera House of Hayravank on the shores of Dinner at the hotel. in Yerevan subject to performance the lake. Drive on to the village of schedule. Dilijan, situated in Dilijan National Park. The forested and reclusive 12 April Yerevan, Geghard & city is home to numerous Garni Armenian artists, composers, and Leave for the early monastery filmmakers and features some of Geghard, a UNESCO World traditional Armenian architecture. Heritage Site, with its rock-hewn Check into the Best Western Plus chapels and monks’ cells. Take Paradise Hotel where one night is the winding road through the spent. Dinner at the hotel. Aransk Gorge to the restored 020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK TOUR PRICES PER PERSON Tour Price £2,195 Single Supplement £350 PRICE INCLUDES • Accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary • Breakfast daily; 7 lunches; 8 dinners • All entrance fees, visits and excursions • Transportation as per the itinerary • Gratuities in restaurants for included meals • Gratuities to guide/s; gratuities to driver/s • Porterage • Local English-speaking guide/s • The services of your tour leader throughout PRICE EXCLUDES • International flights • Travel insurance • Items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.) • Government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 28/04/21. Please note we have not included the cost of the flights in the tour price. Please contact us for prices should you wish to book them through us. Temple of Garni Chinese Fishing Nets, Cochin Noravank Monastery Church of Zvarnots YOUR TOUR LEADER GILLIAN CRAIG Gillian’s family life and professional life have led to worldwide travel. Born in Rome and educated in Italy, Switzerland and England, Gillian is fluent in Italian and French and speaks some Spanish. After stepping down as Founder and Director of the BADA Antiques & Fine Art Fair London, Gillian now lives between London and Italy. She is particularly fascinated with Eastern Europe and has organised and led tours to Macedonia, St. Petersburg, Dresden, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Morocco, and Italy. As well as studying the history, art and architecture, she enjoys exploring the culture, traditions and local life and getting to know the character of a country. 020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK 25–27 VANSTON PLACE LONDON SW6 1AZ.