Khustup (3206 M Asl), Azhdahak (3597 M Asl) and the Highest Peak of the Country – Aragac (4090 M Asl)

MOUNTAIN FREAKS MOUNTAIN TRAVEL & ADVENTURE AGENCY www.mountainfreaks.ge Our office: Georgia, Stepancminda (Kazbegi), 44 A. Kazbegi Street Phone: +995 593583596, Email and Skype: [email protected] Facebook: Mountain Freaks - Mountain Travel & Adventure Agency ------

Expedition to the three peaks of Armenia: Khustup (3206 m asl), Azhdahak (3597 m asl) and the highest peak of the country – Aragac (4090 m asl)

Dates of open groups in 2019:

20/06/2019 - 27/06/2019 This trip is an ideal opportunity to get to know the mountains of Armenia well, because we will reach three peaks, including the highest peak of the country. But not only - during our stay in Armenia, we will also learn about its culture and traditions and visit its most beautiful and well-known places: Lake Sevan, Garni temple, Geghard and Sevanavank monasteries and the capital of Armenia - Yerevan. The plan of our trips was prepared by us so that each of you will be able to get all three summits to the maximum, but also to give you time to relax and get to know the country. The most important thing is that during the whole trip our team will be with you – the leader of the expedition and certified high-mountain guides (also trained in the field of emergency medical services in the mountains), who will be responsible for your safety. Our team consists of a Polish leader and Armenian guides. This guarantees maximum safety during trekking as well as maximum chances of reaching peaks. It is also important that we will assist you in preparing for the expedition at each stage – you will get access to a closed group on Facebook for participants of the expedition, where we will talk, motivate, exchange advice, etc., and also take part in the training before the expedition (through an online platform), which will help you to prepare for the meeting with Armenia even better. Of course you can ask us anything via e-mail and our Facebook page.

DAY ONE – we meet at the place where the expedition begins, in Yerevan in Armenia. You can get there by plane from your country. Of course, we can help you to organize a good air connection, or transfer from other places in Armenia or Georgia, if you arrive earlier. Our pilot (English speaking) will be waiting for you at the airport in the morning (about 4:00-5:00 am) or later in our guesthouse. By 11:00 am we eat breakfast and rest after the flight/arriving to Yerevan. Then we take a trip to the most beautiful and most popular places in the vicinity of Yerevan. At the beginning we visit the largest lake of the whole Caucasus, that is Lake Sevan and Sevanavank monastery lying next to it. Then we visit the Garni temple and the Geghard monastery. In the evening, we return to Yerevan and have dinner. We spend the night in a guesthouse in Yerevan.

DAY TWO – Breakfast in the morning. After breakfast we leave Yerevan in the direction of Navchay. The transfer should last about 5 – 6 hours, but during this ride we are surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. When we reach the village of Baghaburj, we start our journey to the foot of the Khustup mountain. After almost 5 hours of walking, we reach the mountain village of Navchay, which is hidden in one of the mountain gorges. This is where we organize our camp in which we spend the next night (accommodation in tents, surrounded by wild nature, under a spectacular, starry sky). We prepare meals in the base on our own (from products that we have bought earlier in Yerevan in a supermarket). The base is equipped with gas and a water cooker.

DAY THREE – After breakfast we start the hike to the top of Khustup (3206 m). After three hours of walking we reach an amazing natural place, which is called “the Gate”, because each side of it represents different nature look and you have an impression that it is really a transition to a completely different dimension. Closer to the top we find a cold and very tasty source of water, at which we will make a short stop and a monument, which was erected in memory of the Armenian national hero, whose nickname was “Eagle Khostup” – Garegin Nzhdeh. From the top we can see a wonderful panorama of the area. After reaching the top we return to our base for rest and accommodation. The whole trekking takes today about 8 – 9 hours.

DAY FOUR – After breakfast we treck back to the Baghaburj village (2 – 3 hours of walking), and then return to Yerevan (about 5 – 6 hours of travel). After returning to Yerevan – free time to relax and explore the city, as well as a shared dinner. We spend the night in a guesthouse in Yerevan.

DAY FIVE – After breakfast we travel to the place where we start our trekking to Azhdahak peak (3597 m). Along the way we see breathtaking views of the Azat Gorge and Arrarat in Turkey and have a break at the Vishapalich Lake. The whole trekking of today takes about 7 – 8 hours. After returning to Yerevan – free time to relax and explore the city, as well as a shared dinner. We spend the night in a guesthouse in Yerevan.

DAY SIX – After an early breakfast we depart from Yerevan towards Aragac (4090 m). On the way we visit a monument of the Armenian alphabet, which consists of 39 letters made of local stone - tuff and statues of outstanding Armenians. We reach Lake Kari by off-road vehicles (3200 m), and from there we set off for trekking towards one of the summits of the Aragac volcano. The whole trekking of today takes about 7 – 8 hours. After returning to Yerevan – free time to relax and explore the city, as well as a shared dinner. We spend the night in a guesthouse in Yerevan.

DAY SEVEN – Today we spend the whole day in Yerevan. We visit all the most important places in the capital of Armenia – Museum and Monument of Genocide, Matenadaran – Museum of Armenian Manuscripts, Republic Square, Cascade and Museum of Cognac. We also go shopping at the local bazaar. In the evening – a shared dinner. We spend the night in a guesthouse in Yerevan.

DAY EIGHT – At 1:00 am we depart towards the airport, from where you will fly to Poland (around 4:00 am).

PRICE PER PERSON: 990.00 EURO

Payments: 1st installment: 290 € – payable upon registration, 2nd installment: 700 € – payable 14 days before the start of the expedition to our bank account.

PRICE INCLUDES: – care of the English speaking leader of the expedition and Armenian high-mountain guides during the whole trip, – help in preparing for the trip: consultations via e-mail and our Facebook profile regarding physical preparation, equipment purchase, organization of flights to Armenia and every other matters related to the trip, – access to a closed group on Facebook for participants of the expedition, where we will talk, motivate ourselves, exchange advice etc., – training before the expedition (via an online platform), which will help you to prepare for meeting with Armenia and Armenian peaks even better, – five nights in a guesthouse in Yerevan - a double or triple room, – all breakfasts and dinners listed in the program (only during stay at the Khustup base meals are to be prepared independently from products previously purchased in Yerevan), – all transports listed in the program, – admission tickets to all places listed in the program, – tents needed during the expedition, – mountain insurance for the duration of the expedition, which includes a rescue and search action involving a helicopter, – company gadgets as souvenirs of the trip: t-shirt, mug and magnet.

ENROLLMENT, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, CONTACT: tel.: +995 593583596 e-mail: [email protected] Facebook: Mountain Freaks - Mountain Travel & Adventure Agency