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Trip to Georgia and Armenia - The World's Oldest Christian Countries
On the combined trip to Georgia and Armenia, you will get to know the two oldest Christian countries in the world. You will discover fascinating landscapes of the Great Caucasus, and immerse yourself in the ancient culture and turbulent history of both countries.
You will taste great Georgian wines and excellent Armenian cognacs, enjoy the regional cuisine of the Caucasus every day and meet many hospitable people.
The local English-speaking tour guide will give you a good insight into the life of the locals and thanks to the trip in a small group you will experience the countries authentically and up close.
Auf diesem kleinen geographischen Raum von Georgien und Armenien gibt es sehr viel zu erleben – nehmen Sie sich Zeit und begleiten Sie uns auf dieser atemberaubenden Reise in zwei noch weitgehend unentdeckte Länder!
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Georgia
Depending on your arrival time, you will be met by your guide at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the Old Town of Tbilisi.
Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi 4*
Day 2: Tbilisi City tour
After breakfast at around 10 a.m., the guided tour of the city begins, during which you will see both the old and the new city of Tbilisi. Since most of the monuments in the Old Town are located close to each other, they can be easily reached on foot during a walk.
The first point is the historic district of Isani, with the Metechi Church from the XIII century and the equestrian statue of the city's founder, Vakhtang Gorgasali. From here you have a great view of the old town and the surroundings of Tbilisi.
Now we walk through the sulphur baths district, past the synagogue to the Sioni Cathedral. Here is kept one of the most important relics, the grapevine cross of St. Nino, who brought the Christian faith to Georgia.
After the lunch break, we will take a tour of the Rustaveli boulevard and then transfer you to your hotel.
In the evening we meet again to celebrate the beginning of our journey through Georgia and Armenia.
Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi 4*
(B/-/D)
Day 3: UNESCO Site in Mtskheta, Georgian Wine and the Greater Caucasus
From Tbilisi we drive to the old capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, which is also the religious centre of the country. During a tour of this most venerable city, we will see the Jvari, monastery from 7th century and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral from the XI century. Both monuments are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
After visiting Mtskheta, we will get the opportunity to get to know Georgian wines and especially their traditional production method. You will visit a winery where you will taste different wines after a guided tour of the production facility.
After the wine tasting, we drive along the famous and feared Georgian military road, which winds about 200 kilometres across the Great Caucasus. We stop at the fortress of Ananuri (XV-XVII c.), visit this beautiful site and enjoy the views of the Jinvali reservoir.
In the evening we reach the ski resort of Gudauri, where we have dinner and spend the night.
Accommodation: Hotel in Gudauri 4*
(B/-/D)
Day 4: Stepantsminda and mount Kazbek
Today is one of the highlights of our Georgia and Armenia trip. We cross the Cross Pass at an altitude of 2,400 metres and after a 50-minute drive we reach the village of Stepantsminda, at the foot of the mighty Mount Kazbek with its 5,047 metres of altitude.
Here we get into local off-road vehicles and drive to the Trinity Church of Gergeti, the Zminda Sameba, situated at an altitude of 2,170 metres.
After visiting Gergeti, our journey continues through the wild Dariali Gorge, to the Russian border and in the evening, we return to Gudauri, where we have dinner and spend the night.
Accommodation: Hotel in Gudauri 4*
(B/-/D)
Day 5: Silk Road and cave town of Uplisziche
We travel along the old Silk Road to the town of Gori. In this town the Soviet dictator Stalin was born, his birthplace contains a small museum. Here we make a short stop to get an impression (outside visit only).
15 kilometres away, on the banks of the Mtkvari River, is the oldest cave town in the Caucasus, Uplistsikhe. This city was the commercial centre of Georgia and in its flourishing days up to 20,000 people lived here. The oldest surviving buildings date from the II and III centuries. Uplistsikhe has been abandoned since the 18th century, but the city's structure, with several streets, a theatre and various palaces, can be easily reconstructed on the basis of the remains that still exist.
Our destination for the day is the town of Akhaltsikhe in the southern part of the country, only 20 kilometres from the Turkish border. Here we visit the newly restored Rabati Castle and drive to our accommodation.
In Akhaltsikhe we are served a delicious typical dinner in our nice family hotel.
Accommodation: Family hotel in Akhaltsikhe
(B/-/D)
Day 6: Cave town of Wardzia and the second largest city in Armenia – Gyumri
Well strengthened after breakfast, we drive to Vardzia. This highly impressive rock city was built by the Georgian Queen Tamara and her father Giorgi III for the protection of the population from neighbouring Muslim tribes at the beginning of the XIIIth century and is still quite well preserved today.
In the afternoon we reach the Georgian-Armenian border in Bavra and after the border formalities, which take about 1 hour, we enter the first Christian country in the world - Armenia. Our first destination in Armenia is the second largest city in the country, Gyumri.
After checking in at the hotel, we taste various Armenian specialities at our welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Gyumri
(B/-/D)
Day 7: Capital of Armenia – Yerevan
After a 2-hour drive, we reach the capital of Armenia - Yerevan - and get to know this diverse city during a city tour and a guided walk. Among other things, we visit Republic Square, with its traditional Armenian architecture, the Central Post Office and the State Art Gallery.
Of course, a visit to the impressive Matenadaran Museum is not to be missed. In this central archive for Armenian manuscripts, which is part of the UNESCO World Documentary Heritage, about 13,000 manuscripts on paper and parchment are stored.
In the late afternoon we visit the cognac factory Ararat and taste the world-famous Armenian cognac after a detailed guided tour.
After checking in at the hotel and resting, we drive to an Armenian restaurant.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yerevan
(B/-/D)
Day 8: Sun Temple Garni and UNESCO Cultural Heritage Geghard
Our Georgia Armenia trip takes us today to the pagan temple Garni from the Hellenistic period. The temple was built in the first century AD by the Armenian king Tiridates and is dedicated to the pagan god Mithra, the god of the sun. After Christianity was declared the state religion in Armenia in 301, the temple was used as the summer residence of the Armenian kings for several centuries.
Around noon we visit a magnificent monument of Armenian architecture - the Geghard Cave Monastery from the 8th century. It is the most popular Armenian place of pilgrimage and during the guided tour you can see for yourself the importance of this place.
Back in Yerevan, we visit Zizernakaberd, memorial to the victims of the 1915 genocide. The attached museum displays historical documents and pictures taken by eyewitnesses.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yerevan
(B/-/-)
Day 9: Holy Mount Ararat and Spiritual Centre Etchmiadzin
Today we head to the legendary monastery of Khor Virap, which is located near the Armenian-Turkish border directly in front of the imposing biblical Mount Ararat (5,165 m). The monastery is inseparably linked to Armenia's Christian history. It was here that King Trdat was baptized and he decreed that the Armenians would be the first people in the history of Christianity to adopt the Christian faith as the state religion. From here, in good weather, there is an incomparable view of the snow-covered holy mountain of the Armenians, Mount Ararat.
Around noon we drive to Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of Armenia.
The main cathedral you will visit here is one of the oldest churches in the Christian world. It was built in 303 on the site of a pagan temple and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You will also see the Church of St. Hripsime. The church was built between the years 301 to 303 AD during the reign of the Armenian King Trdat the III and the first Armenian Catholicos, Saint Gregory the Illuminator.
Accommodation: Hotel in Yerevan
(B/-/-)
Day 10: Lake Sevan and Armenian Switzerland – Dilijan
Today we drive to Lake Sevan, which makes up 5% of Armenia's surface area. The lake is about 2,000 metres above sea level and is the second highest freshwater lake in the world.
After a walk along the shore, we visit the Sevanavank Monastery, beautifully located on a peninsula in Lake Sevan.
We then continue to the spa town of Dilijan and take a short walk in the old district with its preserved houses and visit an art studio for wood and ceramics.
After the lunch break, we drive towards Georgia and in the evening, we reach the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, where we can review our successful journey through Armenia and Georgia in a traditional restaurant with live music and good Georgian wine.
Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi
(B/-/D)
Day 11: Departure from Tbilisi
Depending on the flight time you will be transferred to the airport and with the return journey home your eventful, Georgia and Armenia trip comes to an end.
Included services:
Transfer: Airport/Hotel
Round trip with a comfortable bus
English-speaking tour guide
All entrance fees
Overnight stays:
9 x nights in 3-to-4-star hotels
1 x overnight stay in a family hotel (Bath in room)
Meals:
10 x breakfast
7 x dinners
1 x wine tasting with guided tour in Georgia
1 x cognac tasting with guided tour in Armenia
Not included:
Airline tickets
Travel insurance
Alcoholic beverages
Terms of payment:
After receiving of the invoice / booking confirmation, an advance payment amounting to at least 20% of the total price of the service shall be made.
The full price of the service shall be paid not later than 28 days before the date on which the service is to begin
Price List
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