| Trekking Armenia | |
| DURATION: |
10 days / 9 nights |
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1/2: Arrival/ Yerevan City Tour
Arrival in Zvartnots International airport. Meet and greet transfer, accommodation at the hotel. Rest. City tour around Yerevan. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial park and museum of the victims of Genocide. In the second half of the day your main attraction will be the depositary of ancient manuscripts the Matenadaran which contains historical documents from all over Europe and Asia throughout many centuries. Welcome dinner and overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.
Day 3: Yerevan - Garni - Geghard - Lastiver
After breakfast we will be transferred to Garni village. Here we will visit the temple of Garni of 1st century AD.The citadel and pagan temple of Garni is a picturesque monument of the Hellenistic period and an impressive piece of ancient Armenian architecture After this we will have a hike near the gorge of Garni.
Duration: 3-4 hours Distance: 8-10 km. Lunch in private house in Garni. Transfer to Geghard cave monastery (UNESCO site).Transfer to Tavush region. Dinner and overnight in stone-houses.
Day 4: Lastiver (Yenokavan village)
After breakfast we will have trekking near Lastiver. Lastiver Cave is hard to access on a cliff face, and the entrance has been partially protected with an ancient wall. There is a pond taking up most of the cave, whose water level is supposed never to change - even if you remove water it immediately returns to it's previous level. Distance:12-15km. Duration: 6-7 hrs. Lunch-picnic en route. Dinner and overnight in tents or in stone houses.
Day 5: Lastiver - Dilijan town
In the morning we will have a hike from Lastiver to Ijevan. Duration: 6-7 hrs. Distance: 12-14 km. Through deep gorges walk to Ijevan. During this interesting hike we pass through alpine meadows, fascinating landscapes natural monuments. Lunch en route. Transfer to Dilijan town in the Tavush region of Armenia. Dilijan is called by locals the "Little Switzerland" of Armenia, it is a worthwhile place to see, and spend the night. Dinner and overnight in private houses in the resort town of Dilijan.
Day 6: Dilijan - Lake Parz - Gosh village - Dilijan town
After breakfast we will have short drive from Dilijan to lake Parz. Dilijan is also famous for its Nature park where lake Parz is situated. Dilijan forest starts from the Sevan Pass and continues to the town of Ijevan. From the highway in about 6 miles you will see Parz lich (Parz Lake) on your right. Parz Lake is a high mountain, lake surrounded by the thick forest. From here we will hike to Gosh village. Duration: 4 hrs. Distance: 7-9 km. Dinner and overnight in private houses in Dilijan town.
Day 7: Dilijan - Nor Amberd
After breakfast transfer to Nor Amberd. Walking tour on the way mostly in Filoletov and Lermontov villages - "a small Russia" in Nortehrn Armenia
which is inhabited by molokans (ethnic Russians) since 19th centaury. The villages are situated on 2000 m above sea level and during your visit you will appreciate the efforts of the local people having the bed of main cultivations such as potato, carrot, cabbage. Overall distance of the tour is 10-12 km, duration 4,5-5 hours. Lunch picnic on the way. Dinner and overnight at Nor Amberd pansion.
Day 8: Nor Amberd- Mount Aragats
After breakfast transfer to Lake Kari (3250 m) on the slopes of Mount Aragats - the highest point in Armenia located in the province of Aragatsotn, northwest from Yerevan. It is a standalone extinct stratovolcano with four main peaks forming the rim of the crater, and is a popular destination for alpinists. Ascent on Southern slope of Aragats (3897m) Then on Western top (4008m) (Duration: 8-9 hours) Start from the left side of Kari Lake towards the animal - breeding summerhouses. Turning to the right you will reach the straight arch between the Southern and Western peaks. At the level of 300m to this arch you will start to achieve the Western peak by the slope. The same way will take you back to Kari Lake.
Dinner and overnight in base by Lake Kari (3250m).
Day 9: Mount Aragats - Yerevan
After breakfast ascent on Eastern (3975m) top of Mt Aragats. You will have the chance to enjoy the wonderful little canyon with its river originating in the crater, a few indescribable waterfalls and alpine flowers. (Duration: 7 - 9 hours). Descend and meet Amberd fortress complex with a church built on the slopes of Mt. Aragats at 2,300 meters above sea level in the XI-XIII centuries. The road leading up to it on Mt. Aragats is virtually uninhabited and has gently sloping hills with the occasional shepherd and beekeeper. Many wild flowers and great views. Amberd is a tall fortress built on a rise in between two streams. Farewell dinner and overnight in Yerevan.
Day 10: Departure
Notes: Day 3-6 the main sites will be mountains of course, varying landscapes, caves, forests as well as waterfalls.
