Private Tour to Khor Virap, ancient Areni cave or Areni winery, Noravank
Description
Spend a day exploring some of Armenia’s most spectacular landmarks. This private tour from Yerevan is exclusively for you and includes visits to the monastery of Khor Virap (built-in 642, translated from Armenian means “deep hole” ), Noravank (founded in the XII century on the site of ancient buildings), Areni Cave, Bird’s Cave or the birthplace of winemaking – Areni. Khor Virap – Armenian monastery, built in 642, translated from Armenian means “deep hole”. Khor Virap is one of the shrines of the Armenian Apostolic Church, a place of pilgrimage. Areni is the birthplace of winemaking. Viticulture on the territory of Armenia originated many years before our era. In Armenia, grows a lot of wild vineyards, and a large number of local varieties of grapes. Noravank Monastery is among the wonderful steep red rocks on the ledge of a meandering gorge. It was founded in the XII century on the site of ancient buildings.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Khor Virap – Armenian monastery, built in 642, translated from Armenian means “deep hole”. Khor Virap is one of the shrines of the Armenian Apostolic Church, a place of pilgrimage. The most interesting fact of this monastery is the fact that it was built on the site of the royal prison, where Gregory the Illuminator was previously imprisoned – the patron saint and the first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church by the Armenian king for 13 years. From the territory of the monastery there is an unusual view of the biblical mountain Ararat.
Areni is the birthplace of winemaking. Viticulture on the territory of Armenia originated many years before our era. In Armenia, grows a lot of wild vineyard, and a large number of local varieties of grapes. And here there is the oldest winery of Armenia, where you can taste the most delicious wine from the best varieties of grapes.
Areni Cave or Bird Cave is located near the tributary of the Arpa River Gnishik: at 30 m height. It is situated in the rock and comprises a range of spaces, hewn in the rock, linked with narrow aisles. The location of the cave allows everybody to visit it even during the holidays in Armenia. Since 2007 archaeological researches have been held there. As a result, materials dating back to 4200-3500 BC were found: crockery, plant residues, apricot and grape kernels, knitted of reed, pieces of cloth, women jewelry and so on.
Monastery Noravank is among the wonderful steep red rocks on the ledge of a meandering gorge. It was founded in the XII century on the site of ancient buildings. Complex Noravank, thanks to the magnificent creations of medieval architects and its location on the background of a beautiful landscape, leaves an indelible impression. It is one of the majestic monuments of the Armenian medieval architecture.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will organize the pickup from your hotel, hostel, apartment.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(23)
Was peefectly organized and on time. Our guide / driver Gargik Martirosyan was excellent and supportive through out the journey.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! Providing a smooth, comfortable, and memorable experience is always our top priority. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you again for another great trip in the future!
My sister and I enjoyed a lovely private tour to Areni region with Kristine as our guide and Davit as our driver. The car was comfortable and both accommodated our request to stop for a snack on the way into the region (so that our stomachs wouldn't be empty for the tasting!). We visited Khor Virap first, followed by the Noravank Monastery (We visited five monasteries in our time in Armenia and this one was by far the most ornate. It is also in a very beautiful location surrounded by mountainous terrain. Kristine's knowledge of the monasteries was top notch. After the monasteries we visited the Bird Cave, also known as Areni 1 Cave--now known as the oldest known winery having been discovered only in 2007. Excavations are yet in progress. Then we moved on to the wine tasting. Our AirBnB host in Yerevan had recommended we visit Old Bridge Winery as it is in the area. We asked and were happy that Jan Armenia Tours accommodated our request. We paid for the tasting itself at the Winery (as it was not part of the itinerary)--very affordable and EVERY wine we tasted was delicious!! I brought home one bottle. Kristine and Davit left us alone at the winery to enjoy for about an hour or so, but then were ready to depart when we were. We stopped at the original scheduled Areni Wine factory for a tour and tasting--which was fine, but Old Bridge was amazing! We arrived back into Yerevan around 17.30 and had the evening for ourselves. Davit and Kristine were both friendly and kind. They answered all of our questions and we enjoyed Davit "dj-ing" for the ride back to Yerevan, sharing some lovely Armenian music with us. It was a delightful day.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're thrilled to hear you had such an enjoyable tour of the Areni region, from the beautiful monasteries to the fascinating Bird Cave and memorable wine tastings. It's great that you had the chance to explore the local wineries and experience the unique flavors of the area. We hope to welcome you back soon for more adventures in Armenia!
Our private driver Davit made our trip unforgettable. Clean car, willing to give us information about Armenian history and very good English
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience was memorable. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon!
It was an amazing tour with our awesome, lovely and professional guide, Jasmine and the professional nice driver Davit. We really enjoyed every bit of it all day long with no exception. It is highly recommended. Thank you so much. Humanity is still there, thanks God.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such an enjoyable experience from start to finish. It’s great to know you felt well taken care of throughout the day. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again!
I chose the excursion in individual and in French to the monasteries of Khor Virap and Norevank with a stop at the wine cellar of Areni and I really do not regret it. It was a success: the places visited are really interesting. The driver and guide, very available and attentive, gave me complete satisfaction.
Monasteries was amazing!! Great service from driver and nice lunch! Tour was super, my family and I was surprised with views and pleased!
An amazing time visiting the monastery and the Areni Caves. The scheduling was perfect and we were able to spend ample time in each location. Got to see rural Armenia up close. Was able to visit some of the most historically significant locations in Armenia.
Karen went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, provided fascinating insights about the area, and even gave us great local recommendations. The vehicle was clean and comfortable, making the journey even more enjoyable.
We truly appreciate your positive feedback! It was a pleasure having you on our tour, and we’re delighted that you enjoyed every moment. If you ever plan to visit again, we’d love to create more unforgettable memories for you!
Our first surprise was: it's a private tour, not a bus tour. We will enjoy our private driver for the whole day 😍. And when I say "enjoy" ... I mean it. Karen was a prefect driver of a brand new BYD electric car: comfortable & silent. Cherry on the cake: there is free Wi-Fi in the car (in case you can't disconnect). But more than that, Karen is perfect tour guide. He knows his Armenia up - down, left - right. We got all the historical, political, geographical information you can dream of. The tour talks about 2 monastery and a winery ... we got way more. Khor Virap is nice monastery atop a hill. Like many places ... destroyed, rebuild, etc.. If you are not scared, you can climb a ladder down to a prison cell. Don't forget to climb on top of the hill for a breathtaking view of the surroundings. Areni cave, hosts artifacts dating 6000 years back and proving it was the oldest winery on earh. We went to Hin Areni winery. No point to visit the factory in winter, but the tasting is a must. You pay a small fee, and ... travel from white to red, from young to old wines. If you have space on your luggage you can get a few bottles at a top price. Since it was lunch time, Karen took us to a very nice restaurant: Lchak. You eat in small cabin and the food is ... delicious. We had a grilled sterlet, some local cheese & herbs and ... the local wine. Karen shared our lunch (not mandatory) and we enjoyed a lot more stories. And last but not least: heaven also known as Noravank. After a magnificent road in the mountain, Noravank appears on the right ... high in the sky. It's a beautiful monastery, in an extremely peaceful place. And suddenly you ask yourself: how did they bring the stones there in the 11th century... If you are lucky you might see some wild life in the mountains. This was a fantastic day 10AM to 7PM, I higly recommend it!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you had an amazing experience. We hope to welcome you again soon!
Khor Virap, a site of extraordinary historical and political significance. The guide told us the traditional story of St. Gregory the Armenian, revealing the Armenian destiny and culture. Then we explored the wine tradition of Areni, tasted many types of wine and brandy. We saw bottles of 30-year-old red wine. Finally we visited the Noravank monastery. The real luck was to have Mr. Vegan as a guide who in perfect English explained everything to us, answering questions in an extraordinarily informative way. ENGLISH: Khor Virap, a site of extraordinary historical and political significance. The guide told us the traditional story of St. Gregory the Armenian, revealing the Armenian culture. Then we explored the wine tradition of Areni, tasted many types of wine and brandy. We saw bottles of red wine aged 30 years. Finally we visited the monastery of Noravank. The real luck was to have as a guide Mr. Vegan who in perfect English explained everything by answering questions in an extraordinarily informative way.
We’re delighted you had such a great experience! Thank you for letting us be a part of your journey.
