Handicrafts Tour in Armenia - 5nights/6days

On arrival at Zvartnots International Airport our representative will be waiting to welcome you at meeting point.

Transfer to your hotel, check in and relax in comfortable rooms with full facilities.
OVERNIGHT IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN CITY TOUR
Let’s start our acquaintance with the city of Yerevan by stepping through its ancient history at the Erebouni museum and Fortress, which was founded in 782 B.C. 
While we are driving we see many of the other remarkable landmarks in Yerevan as: Sports and Concert Complex, Kievian Bridge, Bagramyan Avenue, President’s Palace, Academy of Sciences, National Parliament, Opera Theater.
Visit to Tsitsernakaberd memorial and museum to the 1915 Genocide, which is one of the most impressive monuments in Yerevan. 

Next stop is Cascade, which is a huge white staircase built on the Yerevan hillside in the 1970s, with water fountains running down the sides, all reminiscent of a natural river or stream cascading. It connects the central district to Haghtanak Park -“Victory” Park to the center of the city. The structure has escalators so that it is unnecessary to manually ascend the stairs all the way to the top.
 “MEGERIAN RUGS'' Factory & Showroom which brings together time-honored traditions and a range of exquisite aesthetics to create objects of art for modern living and you will become acquainted with the ancient technology of Armenian carpet making. Today the lunch will be provided in a special restaurant part of Megerian Carpet Factory which is one of the opportunities to taste the Armenian traditional meals with old recipes by "Araratyan Khohanots'', chief Artavazd Sarukhanyan.
MASTER CLASS: traditional Armenian meal Ghapama.
Preparing Ghapama is a special ceremony. First we put rice in water in a separate pan, and put it on a slow fire. After we cut round the upper part of the pumpkin and put it aside, and  
then start the main part of the work. It is necessary to remove all the entrails and then washes the pumpkin.
Step one after we spread melted honey on the inner walls of the pumpkin.
After we put a piece of butter on the bottom, then we add a spoon of honey, then fill in some part of the rice, cooked beforehand and mixed with raisin, then we add the dried plums and apricot to the rest of the rice. At the end, of course we’ll not forget to  put the ‘hat’ on the pumpkin.”
And then the stuffed pumpkin with rice and dried fruit is cooked for about 30 minutes.
While preparing the dish, we can sing a song dedicated to ghapama: “Hey jan, ghapama, hamov, hotov ghapama (hey dear ghapama, with flavor and aroma ghapama)…”
“It is not accidental at all that people have created this song, we will taste Ghapama and you can test and see how tasty it is” tasting Ghapama
OVERNIGHT IN YEREVAN
MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch
 

Today we will travel to Garni, the location of the rare pre-Christian pagan temple maintained in Armenia. We we’ll walk down to the Garni Canyon, it’s also very known as “Symphony of stones” – some of the most dramatic scenery in Armenia.  Later on, we will reach the Geghard cave monastery (UNESCO) an architectural complex (12-13th c.), carved out of one monolithic rock. A visit to Geghard is truly a spiritual experience.
Lunch and traditional table/lavash making in Geghard.  Lavash is loved and famous all over the country as a traditional Armenian bread. Armenian cuisine without lavash simply does not exist. Until today this thin bread is baked using the traditional Armenian way – in tonirs with dry grapevines - a traditional Armenian hearth. Now it's the time to feel the real taste of fresh lavash.  "Eat thy bread with joy".
Afterwards we will visit Lake Sevan – the emerald of Armenia, a blue eyed beauty under the sky. Lake Sevan is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, situated at an altitude of 1,897 meters above sea level. The most picturesque view of Lake Sevan is seen from the peninsula atop which Sevan Monastery (9th c.) towers over the lake. 
Trip to Dilijan: “A piece of Switzerland in Armenia” - Earth and sky, woods and fields, rivers, the mountains become excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn otherwise… The old approach in the new century ... “Old Town Dilijan” complete with craftsmen workshops, small shops with traditional Armenian products and crafts, museums, and ultimately showing typical 19th century living with all its local customs and handmade wood furnishings..... We will also visit the 10-13th centuries Haghartsin Monastery, nestled in the forest. 
Back to Yerevan and free evening.
OVERNIGHT IN YEREVAN
 Meals: breakfast/lunch

Visit to Matenadaran - depository and museum of ancient manuscripts. The Matenadaran’s museum complex which we’ll visit today is located in the institute’s old, original building. What was formerly a single exhibition hall now consists of fifteen halls in which thousands of temporary, changeable and exclusive exhibits are on display. Manuscript, fragments of manuscript, documents, old printed books, precious bindings, individual miniatures, and more are shown from the Matenadaran’s database of roughly 23,000 manuscripts. 
Visit Aragatsotn Region - this part of Armenia, especially Mt. Aragats, has always attracted the attention of travelers, tourists and geologists due to a tremendous number of historical monuments and beautiful landscapes. Also in Armenia, Mount Aragats looms overhead as a permanent fixture in the sky, a four-peaked volcano massif that rises from rivers and plains around its base. 
Next stop is Saghmosavank Monastery (Monastery of the Psalms) – is 13th century Armenian monastic complex, situated atop the precipitous gorge carved by the Kasagh river. Their silhouettes dominate the adjacent villages and rise sharp against the background of the mountains crowned by Mount Aragats.
Armenian Alphabet Monument: in 2005, the Armenian alphabet celebrated its 160th birthday. In commemoration, it was given a gift of 39 giant, carved Armenian letters, strategically placed near the final resting place of the man who created the alphabet, Mesrop Mashtots. Visiting the village of Oshakan, you will see the church which is built over the grave of Mesrop Mashtots, who is the founder of the Armenian alphabet, and one of Armenia’s greatest benefactors. 
One of another interesting visits of the day is Golden Grape ArmAs. Here the owners continue to develop ArmAs Estate with a vision to partake in upholding and revitalizing Armenia’s winemaking legacy, in the oldest known area for viticulture and enology. 
Next is visit to Chir’s house which offers a masterclass on making Armenian dried fruits, which is a really interesting and unique process. 
CULTURAL PERFORMANCE IN BYURAKAN: 
which represents the inimitable characteristics of various events, traditions and customs of different regions, traditional handicrafts, as well as national and traditional dance of both Historical Armenia and present day Armenia.
Overnight in Byurakan at the Guest House, where you will
feel the real Armenian Hospitality and life.  
OVERNIGHT IN BYURAKAN
 Meals: breakfast /lunch

We embark on our journey to the land of ancient treasures of Christian history (UNESCO). At the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin, the "religious capital" and the seat of the Supreme Patriarch-Catholics of all Armenians. Then, admire the Monasteries of Sts. Hripsime and Gayane Churches (7th c) dedicated to these faithful nuns, 3rd century followers of Christ who were martyred. 
Next is the ruins of the Zvartnots Cathedral… It's special for its rare construction technique that was not common during the 7th century and the methods used were considered extremely advanced.  
The final visit of the day is “Karas Wines'' Winery - seated in the shadows of sacred Mount Ararat. Today’s wine tour will include a drive through the vineyards, a stop at the panoramic viewpoint for breathtaking views of the Ararat Valley and a tour of the wine-making facilities. The highlight of the tour is of course the wine tasting of white and red wines.  
Return Yerevan
 EVENING:  Farewell Dinner Party with Armenian traditional cuisine, along with Armenian folklore live music.

 
 OVERNIGHT IN YEREVAN
 Meals: breakfast /lunch/dinner

Transfer to Yerevan Zvartnots International Airport

Have a nice and safe flight!!!