Caucasus Tour: Azerbaijan - Georgia - Armenia / 8 days

Itinerary

Day 1: Baku City tour

Stop At: Baku Old City, Neftchilar Ave, Baku 1000 Azerbaijan
Arrival in Azerbaijan. Transfer to hotel. Check in at the hotel.

Start the city tour in Baku. Visit panoramic park. There we will see Flame Towers and picturesque view of the Baku bay and the city.

Lunch in national restaurant “Shah”.

Tour continues with visit the medieval fortress of Baku the old city (“Icherisheher”) of the 15th - 17th centuries (in UNESCO World Heritage list).

Next, Visit Shirvan Shakhs palace complex (15th century), visit Maiden tower (12th century). Visit medieval market square. Visit handmade carpets workshop-art studio. Drive to Nobel museum. Transfer to the city. Free time in the Torgovaya street. Walk along Baku boulevard which second largest promenade in the world.

Duration: 5 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 2: Absheron peninsula

Stop At: Absheron National Park, Baku Azerbaijan
After breakfast drive to Gobustan which is the one the first cradles of life. In 2007 Gobustan was declared a UNESCO world heritage site considered to be of "outstanding universal value" for the quality and density of its rock art engravings, for the substantial evidence the collection of rock art images presents for hunting, fauna, flora and lifestyles in pre-historic times and for the cultural continuity between prehistoric and medieval times that the site reflects.

Drive to Mud Volcanos.

Lunch in the fish restaurant “Shafa.

Drive to the fire temple Ateshgah, it is located on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Surakhany on Absheron peninsula. The temple of Zoroastrians - Ateshgah (literally “the house of fire”, “the place of fire”). Next Visit Yanar dag (fire mountain) and transfer to city.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 3: Baku - Shaki

Stop At: Baku Old City, Neftchilar Ave, Baku 1000 Azerbaijan
Breakfast in hotel. Drive to Shemakha, one of the ancient cities of Azerbaijan. For so long the capital and trade center for western Azerbaijan, is now a small town.

Visit Diri Baba mausoleum (15th century) on the way to Shemakha.

Visit Juma Mosque in Shemakha.

Lunch in local restaurant “Dostluq” on the way to Shaki.

Drive to Shaki, probably the most authentic city of Azerbaijan.

Sightseeing tour in Shaki, visiting Shaki Khan Palace and Mediaval Karvansaray.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 4: Shaki - Georgia

Stop At: Old Town (Altstadt) Tbilisi, Tbilisi Georgia
Transfer to Aze-Geo border after breakfast in the hotel.

Cross the border in Lagodekhi

Drive to eastern part of Georgia- Kakheti region, known almost exclusively for its vineyards and wineries.

Places to visit:

Sighnaghi – one of the beautiful towns of Kakheti region. Sighnaghi and its environs are home to several historical and cultural monuments. The town is walled with the remnants of 18th century fortifications. At the elevation of about 790 m above sea level, the town overlooks the Alazani valley and faces the Greater Caucasus Mountains.

Bodbe Monastery - is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex. Originally built in the

9th century.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 5: Tbilisi City tour

Stop At: Old Town (Altstadt) Tbilisi, Tbilisi Georgia
Tbilisi - (literally "Warm Spring") is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mtkvari River. Founded in the 5th century by Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Georgian King of Iberia. Located strategically at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and lying along the historic Silk Road routes, Tbilisi has often been a point of contention between various rival powers and empires. The history of the city can be seen by its architecture. Places to visit:

Old town: Metechi church and the statue of king Vakhtang Gorgasali (founder of Tbilisi -5th century); Abanotubani – is the ancient district of Tbilisi, known for its sulfuric baths;

Narikala fortress is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi.

Sharden street- modern street in Tbilisi with coffee-shops

Bridge of Peace -is a bow-shaped pedestrian bridge. The bridge was designed by the Italian architect (2010)

Flea Market

Sameba-Holly Trinity cathedral, main Cathedral of Georgia

By bus/car Shota Rustaveli Avenue- main avenue of Tbilisi and Liberty square.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 6: Sadakhlo – Haghpat – Sevan – Yerevan

Stop At: Haghpat Monastery, next to Saint Nshan Church, Haghpat Armenia
After that drive to the Armenian border Sadakhlo. Border formalities, transport and guide change. Continue the tour in Armenia. We will visit Haghpat monastery which is UNESCO world heritage site. It is located on an uneven plateau, separated by a deep crack formed by a small river that flows into the river Debed. Haghpat Monastery was one of the largest religious, cultural and educational centers of medieval Armenia. After here we will drive to Yerevan. En route will visit to Lake Sevan which is one of the largest lakes in the world. It stands out with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Here we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the beautiful lake. Then we will visit Sevanavank Monastery which is situated on Sevan Peninsula. There are 2 monasteries actually; one of them is destroyed but the other stands still. They have been built in the Middle Ages, around 10th century. Overnight at a hotel in Yerevan.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 7: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard –Yerevan

Stop At: Cafesjian Center for the Arts, Tamanyan str. 10, Yerevan 0009 Armenia
We will start the tour in the capital of Armenia: Yerevan. For ages this city has been known as a pink city because of the color of the stone it has been built with. So we will visit Republic square, Mashtoc Avenue, the House of Opera and Ballet after Aram Khachatryan, the park Cascad. Then we will visit the Manuscript Museum of Armenia, which is called Matenadaran; here all ancient Armenian Manuscripts are kept. Then we should visit Genocide Memorial known as Tsitsernakaberd. Take trip to Garni. This Pagan Temple built in the 1st century AD. It is the only temple that has been preserves from the Pagan times in Armenia. It was devoted to the god Mihr, who was the god of cleanness. In 1679 it was destroyed by earthquake. In the 1975 the Temple was restored. Then we will continue our trip to Geghard Monastery. Its name came from the legendary lance that was used to pierce the body of Christ. It has been kept here for centuries. Though the exact foundation of the monastery is unknown, the present complex was built in the mid – 13th century. Overnight in Yerevan.
Duration: 5 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at 3* Hotel

Day 8: Departure

Stop At: Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia
Transfer to airport
Duration: 2 hours

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