Arrival at Tbilisi airport and welcome by your guide. Transfer to hotel and overnight.

Breakfast and guided tour of the Georgian capital. You will discover the Samba Tbilisi Cathedral, the largest cathedral in the Caucasus, the Metekhi Church, built on a cliff overlooking the river, and the Abanotubani district with its sulfur baths. Take a cable car ride to visit the Narikala Fortress, followed by a tour of the Shardeni district (cafés and art galleries), the Peace Bridge, and Leselidze Street. Finally, stroll along the city’s main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue.

Overnight in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, visit Mtskheta, ancient religious center of the Iberian kingdom. Continuation to Kazbegi, from where you can see Mount Mkinvartsveri (5,047 m). Lunch en route. On the way, stop at the Trinity Church of Gergeti, 2,170 m above sea level, with a breathtaking view of Kazbegi and the Darial Gorge. Drive to Gudauri and visit Anauri Castle (on request).

Dinner and overnight in Gudauri.

Breakfast and departure for the town of Gori, the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Visit his birthplace and personal collections. Lunch en route. Drive to the troglodyte town of Uplistsikhe, a town carved out of a rock. Return to Tbilisi and visit to the National Museum of Georgia.

Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast and drive to Telavi, famous for its picturesque views of the Caucasus range and the Batoni fortress. Lunch en route. Visit to the wine cellar and tasting of Qvevri wine. Afterwards, visit Sighnaghi, a small town famous for its eclectic architecture and handicrafts.

Return to Tbilisi and overnight in hotel.

Breakfast and departure towards the Armenian border at Sadakhlo. After crossing the border, we will visit the fortified monastery of Akhtala, situated on a promontory surrounded by canyons. Inside the 10th-century fortress, the Church of the Holy Mother of God impresses with its beautiful frescoes dating back to the 13th century. Continuing on to the Haghpat monastery,a masterpiece of Armenian medieval religious architecture. Founded in the 10th century by the wife of King Ashot III, Queen Khosrovanuysh, for the salvation of the souls of her sons Smbat and Gourgen, the monastery was an important spiritual, educational, and cultural center of medieval Armenia. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Departure for Dilijan. Stroll through the old town.

Dinner and overnight in Dilijan.

After breakfast, departure for the province of Gegharkunik, towards Lake Sevan, also known as the “Emerald of Armenia,” one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world at nearly 2000 meters. Visit the Sevanavank monastery (9th century), offering splendid views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Continue to the Selim Pass and visit the Orbelian Caravanserai, located at 2400 meters. Built by Prince Cesar Orbelyan in 1332 along the Silk Road, the caravanserai offers extraordinary views of the valley. The road then leads to the Tatev Monastery, one of the famous religious, educational, and cultural centers in the Middle Ages. The monastery housed one of the most advanced universities of the Middle Ages and welcomed numerous intellectuals. To reach it, we will take the world’s longest cable car, the “Wings of Tatev,” which connects the village of Halidzor to the monastery. Built in 2010 by a Swiss company, the cable car is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Arrival in Goris.

Dinner and overnight stay in Goris.

Departure for Qarahunj (Zorats Karer), the Armenian “Stonehenge”, a megalithic site dating from the 5th millennium BC. Perched at an altitude of 1,770 metres, this ancient observatory features a variety of megalithic structures: menhirs, cromlechs, dolmens and kurgans. Next, we head to the wine region of Vayots Dzor to visit the Noravank Monastery, nicknamed the “New Monastery,” surrounded by red rocks. In the 13th-14th centuries, this prestigious monastery served as the seat of the Archbishopric of Syunik. The famous miniaturist, sculptor, and architect Momik worked here. The landscape is characterized by rugged gorges and wild peaks, making Noravank one of the most beautiful sites in the country. After lunch with wine tasting, we continue towards the Khor Virap Monastery, which offers a view of the snow-capped Mount Ararat (5165 meters). Khor Virap translates to “deep pit,” where in the 4th century, Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned.

Arrive in Yerevan for dinner and overnight in hotel.

After breakfast, we visit the city of Yerevan. We tour the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum (Tsitsernakaberd), commemorating the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks in 1915. Departure for Etchmiadzin, often referred to as the “Armenian Vatican,” the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where the residence of the Catholicos (Patriarch) and the Mother Cathedral of all Armenians worldwide are located. We visit the Cathedral, founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator, and the ruins of the Zvartnots Cathedral (7th century). These sites are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Return to Yerevan. Our visit to the Ararat distillery museum ends with a tasting of the famous brandy.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in Yerevan

In the morning, visit the Matenadaran, a museum-library housing over 17,000 ancient illuminated manuscripts in Armenian and other languages (closed on Mondays and Sundays).Departure for the Kotayk region. Visit the Temple of Garni, a Hellenistic temple in Armenia dating back to the 1st century AD, dedicated to the god Mithra. Built by King Tiridates I, the site became a summer residence for royal families. Lunch at Garni where we will witness the preparation and tasting of Lavash, the traditional Armenian bread inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Continuing to the Geghard Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site), located in a spectacular gorge. The name of the monastery, Geghard, means “spear,” referring to the spear that pierced the body of the crucified Christ. Founded in the 4th century, the monastery was reconstructed in the 13th century. The monastic complex, rich in splendid bas-reliefs, contains numerous chapels and rock mausoleums representing the apogee of Armenian medieval architecture. Back to Yerevan. Visit the Vernissage, the craft market.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in Yerevan

Transfer to the airport for your return flight. End of our services.