Lake Sevan, Noratus and Tsaghkadzor group tour with lunch
The trip will start along the shore to reach Noratous, a village which is home to the largest collection of the Armenian Khachkars – stone steles engraved with a cross, designed to show the way to salvation. According to the legend, Hayk – the ancestor of all Armenians – ordered his people to decorate every single stone in Armenia, which is why you will see some 3000 of these decorated stones, depicting various stories from different ages.
Speaking of landmarks, it is only a 30 minutes drive from Noratus to reach Lake Sevan – the blue gem of the Armenian mountainscape. You will also visit the monastery of Sevanavank, built by the princess Mariam to honor the life of her deceased husband in the 9th century. Sevanavank is also home to one of the most beautiful Amenaprkich (all savior) Khachkars of Armenia. This is one of the 13 rarest cross stones depicting Jesus.
This special experience promises you a trip to the gorge of flowers, the city of Tsaghkadzor – a small Olympic town not far from Yerevan, approximately an hour’s drive away. This destination is referred to as “the gorge of flowers” since it is blooming with an array of gorgeous plants. As the legend holds, these flowers were torn from the princess’ garden and scattered over the land by the wind. It is also home to the 11th century monastic complex of Kecharis, specially built by the royals to honor the 1000th anniversary of Jesus Christ.
Many people visit Tsaghkadzor for its fresh air, which is known to have a countless number of health benefits. This is the main reason why the Olympic training grounds have been built in this location since the Soviet period, providing training opportunities for athletes from all over the globe after renovation. Additionally, it has become Armenia’s ski center during the winter months.
Lunch will be served at one of the local restaurants, where you can taste delicious fresh fish caught from Lake Sevan. Here you will understand why Armenians are willing to drive for an hour just to have a taste of Sevan fish for dinner.
