11-Day Georgia and Armenia Tour from Tbilisi

Itinerary

Day 1: Tbilisi City Tour

Stop At: Tsminda Sameba Cathedral, Tbilisi
The Holy Trinity Cathedral Church is the religious center of Georgia. Its construction took 7 years and was finished in 2003. Its height goes up to 101 meters with 137 meter diameter including vestibule gallery. 10 churches are disposed in the interior. Together with the main cathedral, the chief gate, Iveria Virgin Mary and Ilya Tetezbitel churches are also included. The dome and 2.5 tone cross of the cathedral are gilded.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Narikala Fortress, Tbilisi
Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Kura River. The fortress consists of two walled sections on a steep hill between the sulphur baths and the botanical gardens of Tbilisi.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Shardeni Street, Tbilisi
To the right of Bambis Rigi there is Char-din street. Chardin Street is very narrow and short, it is named after a French ex-plorer Jan Chardin, who visited Tbilisi in 1863. That time the street was called "Dark Row", because it was crowded with shops and workshops. Chardin St., Bam-bis Rigi and Erekle II St. are a great way to wander around the local art galleries and souvenir shops with a chance to refu-el in one of the area's many cafes.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Abanotubani, Tbilisi
Abanotubani is the ancient district of Tbilisi, Georgia, known for its sulphuric baths.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Tbilisi City Center

Day 2: Tbilisi – Mtskheta - Ananuri - Gudauri

Stop At: Jvari Church, Mtskheta, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region
Jvari monastery 6th c is the culmination by a number of artistic and architectural aspirations in early Georgian Christian architecture. Jvari has been inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage Site List
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Zhinvali Dam
The Zhinvali Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Aragvi River in the Caucasus Mountains in Zhinvali, Georgia. The Zhinvali Hydroelectric Power Plant has two turbines with a nominal capacity of 65 MW each having a total capacity of 130 MW.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Ananuri Fortified Castle Ensemble, Ananuri, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region
Ananuri was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. The castle was the scene of numerous battles.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Ski Gudauri, Gudauri, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region
Gudauri is a ski resort located on the south-facing plateau of The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range in Georgia. The resort is situated in the Stepantsminda District, along the Georgian Military Highway near the Jvari Pass, at an elevation of 2,200 meters (7,200 ft.) above sea level with skiable area enjoying maximum exposure to the sun.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Gudauri ski-resort

Day 3: Gudauri - Kazbegi - Tbilisi

Stop At: Gergeti Trinity Church, Stepantsminda, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region
Gergeti Trinity Church s a popular name for Holy Trinity Church near the village of Gergeti in Georgia. The church is situated on the right bank of the river Chkheri (the left tributary of the river Terek), at an elevation of 2170 meters (7120 feet), under Mount Kazbegi.
Duration: 40 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Tbilisi


Day 4: Tbilisi – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Akhaltsikhe

Stop At: Stalin Museum, Gori, Shida Kartli Region
The Joseph Stalin Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Uplistsikhe
Uplistsikhe is an ancient rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia, some 10 kilometers east of the town of Gori, Shida Kartli.
Built on a high rocky left bank of the Mtkvari River, it contains various structures dating from the Early Iron Age to the Late Middle Ages, and is notable for the unique combination of various styles of rock-cut cultures from Anatolia and Iran, as well as the co-existence of pagan and Christian architecture.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Borjomi Central Park, Borjomi, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Borjomi s a resort town in south-central Georgia with a population of 10,546. It is one of the districts of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and is situated in the northwestern part of the region in the picturesque Borjomi Gorge on the eastern edge of the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Akhaltsikhe


Day 5: Akhaltsikhe – Rabati Castle – Vardzia – Akhaltsikhe

Stop At: Rabati Castle, Akhaltsikhe, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Rabati Castle s a fortress in Akhaltsikhe, Georgia. Originally established in the 9th century as the Lomisa Castle, it was completely rebuilt by Ottomans. Most of the surviving buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Duration: 35 minutes

Stop At: Vardzia, Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Vardzia is a cave monastery site in southern Georgia, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the Kura River, thirty kilometres from Aspindza. The main period of construction was the second half of the twelfth century. The caves stretch along the cliff for some five hundred meters and in up to nineteen tiers.
Duration: 45 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Akhaltsikhe


Day 6: Akhaltsikhe – Gyumri

Stop At: Khertvisi Fortress, Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Khertvisi fortress is one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia and was functional throughout the Georgian feudal period. It is situated in Southern Georgia, in Meskheti region. The fortress was first built in the 2nd century BC. The church was built in 985, and the present walls were built in 1354. As the legend says, Khertvisi was destroyed by Alexander the Great.
Duration: 25 minutes

Stop At: Gyumri Main Square, Gyumri, Shirak Province
Gyumri is an urban municipal community and the second largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative centre of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight 3* Hotel in Gyumri

Day 7: Gyumri – Saint Hripsime – Zvartnots – Yerevan

Stop At: Saint Hripsime Church, Vagharshapat, Armavir Province
Saint Hripsime is a seventh century Armenian Apostolic church in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia. It is one of the oldest surviving churches in the country. The current structure was completed in 618 AD. It is known for its fine Armenian-style architecture of the classical period, which has influenced many other Armenian churches since. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Zvartnots Temple, Vagharshapat, Armavir Province
Zvartnots Cathedral is a 7th-century centrally planned aisled tetraconch type Armenian cathedral built by the order of Catholicos Nerses the Builder from 643-652. Now in ruins, it is located at the edge of the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) in Armavir Province of Armenia.
Duration: 35 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight 3* Hotel in Yerevan

Day 8: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Yerevan

Stop At: Garni Temple, Garni, Kotayk Province
Garni is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is known for the nearby classical temple. As of the 2011 census, the population of the village is 6,910.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: The Monastery of Geghard, Geghard, Kotayk Province
Geghard is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Yerevan City
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia as well as one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight 3* Hotel in Yerevan

Day 9: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Areni – Noravank – Yerevan

Stop At: Khor Virap, Lusarat, Ararat Province
The Khor Virap is an Armenian monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near the closed border with Turkey, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Artashat, Ararat Province, within the territory of ancient Artaxata.
Duration: 35 minutes

Stop At: Areni Wine Factory, Areni, Vayots Dzor Province
Areni is a village in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. It is best known for its wine production, although the majority of wine produced locally is from the nearby village of Getap.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Noravank Monastery, Areni, Vayots Dzor Province
Noravank is a 13th-century Armenian monastery, located 122 km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River, near the town of Yeghegnadzor, Armenia. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery.
Duration: 35 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3* hotel in Yerevan

Day 10: Yerevan – Sevan – Sanahin – Haghpat – Sadakhlo - Tbilisi

Stop At: Lake Sevan, Lake Sevan, Gegharkunik Province
Lake Sevan s the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude (alpine) lakes in Eurasia. The lake is situated in Gegharkunik Province, at an altitude of 1,900 m (6,234 ft) above sea level.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Sanahin Monastery, Alaverdi, Lori Province
Sanahin Monastery is an Armenian monastery founded in the 10th century in the Lori Province of Armenia.
Duration: 35 minutes

Stop At: Haghpatavank, Haghpat, Lori Province
Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank is a medieval monastery complex in Haghpat, Armenia.
The monastery was founded by Queen Khosrovanuysh, wife of the Bagratid king Ashot III, probably in 976. The nearby monastery at Sanahin was built around the same time.
Duration: 35 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight 3* hotel in Tbilisi

Day 11: Tbilisi - Departure

Stop At: Tbilisi International Airport
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out time untill 12:00 pm. End of service.
Duration: 25 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.