Private Tour from Yerevan: Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery, Lake Sevan, Dilijan

If you are planning on travelling to Armenia, don’t forget to include this unforgettable destination in your plans.
Our fantastic tour will introduce you to the exotic Pagan history of Armenia, and show the later development and spread of Christianity in the country. Garni Temple (77 A.D.) – our first stop – is the only standing heathen temple in the whole post-Soviet area. The temple gracefully stands on a high plateau overlooking the Azat river gorge. The plateau itself is incredibly beautiful and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the surrounding area. It is also home to the roman bath house with the mysterious mosaic, made out of 30,000 pieces of natural stones, as well as the ruins of the royal palace, dating back to 3rd century A.D.
The monastic complex of Geghard is another historical site included in this daily tour. Approximately translated into English as “Monastery of the Holy Lance”, it refers to the lance with which Longinus pierced Jesus still hanging on the cross, later brought to Armenia and kept in the Geghard monastery for 5 centuries. The complex is a representation of 13 th Century Armenia, which is considered to be the Golden Age of the country’s architecture. However, the most astonishing part is the virtue of the architect, who cut the church right into the solid rock whilst considering all the rules of Armenian architecture.
Whilst staying in Armenia, you simply cannot miss the opportunity of visiting one of the country’s most renowned landmarks – the beautiful lake Sevan. Merely an hour’s drive from the capital city of Yerevan, Sevan is situated at the height of 1900m above sea level and surrounded by a vast chain of mountains. The tour begins by climbing a flight of stairs to the Sevan peninsula – a pleasant morning work-out that will compensate itself with an unforgettable panoramic view of the lake from the top. We will also visit the monastery of Sevanavank, built by the princess Mariam to honor the
life of her deceased husband in the 9th century.
The tour will then take you to the North of Armenia, where you will be surrounded by beautiful nature. Through the city of Dilijan, we will make a stop at the monastery of Gosh-Goshavank. This historical church is located in the heart of nature and beautiful village which has the same name. Mkhitar Gosh was one of the great intellectual powers of his day, “a humble man of wisdom”, authoring numerous works, including the first code of civil and Canon law that was used in both Greater Armenia and Cilicia. He is buried near the church which he himself built in 1188.
The last destination during this trip will be the monastery of Haghartsin, dating back to the 10th -14th centuries. The name is translated as “the play of the eagle”.