“And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.”Genesis 8:4
Look up in Armenia and on clear days you see it almost everywhere: Ararat, upon whose mountains, according to Genesis, the ark came to rest. For Armenians the mountain is a national symbol; for Bible readers it is the bridge to Noah and to the covenant God made with all life after the Flood.
Armenia is regarded as the first country to adopt Christianity, and its monasteries tell of it in stone: Khor Virap against the backdrop of Ararat, Geghard, partly hewn from the rock, Noravank in its red gorge, Sevanavank above Lake Sevan, and Haghpat and Sanahin, once centres of medieval learning. In the Matenadaran in Yerevan you encounter one of the world's great treasuries of manuscripts.
In addition there are the pre-Christian temple of Garni, the wine village of Areni and the green mountain forests around Dilijan. Two bases – Yerevan and Dilijan – ensure a relaxed rhythm. So the journey links the primeval history of the Bible with a Church that has prayed, sung and preserved the Scriptures beneath Ararat for centuries.
Jeremiah names the “kingdom of Ararat” – the Bible also knows the landscape beneath the mountain as a land and a realm.
The name Geghard means “spear” and recalls the tradition that the spear which pierced the side of Jesus was kept here.
God remembers Noah, the waters abate, and the ark rests upon the mountains of Ararat – read with the mountain before your eyes.
The rainbow as the token of the covenant God makes after the Flood with Noah and every living creature.
After the Flood Noah becomes a husbandman and plants a vineyard – a verse that comes alive in the ancient wine country beneath Ararat.
Tip: bring your own Bible – at each place we open the relevant passage together.
Bible quotations: King James Version.
Yerevan Airport → Yerevan
At Yerevan's international airport your guide welcomes you and accompanies you to the hotel. If your arrival time allows, a first orientation drive through the Armenian capital follows. In clear weather Ararat shows itself on the very first day – the mountain the Bible associates with the end of the Flood, which will accompany you as a silent companion throughout the journey.
Republic Square → Cascade → Matenadaran
The day belongs to the capital: Republic Square, the Opera House and the Cascade, from whose steps there is a wide view over Yerevan to Ararat. The highlight is the Matenadaran, one of the most important manuscript museums in the world. Here you see with what devotion Armenian scribes over the centuries copied biblical texts and theological works, illuminated them artistically and preserved them through times of hardship.
Yerevan → Garni → Geghard → Yerevan
An excursion leads to the Temple of Garni, the only surviving sanctuary from Armenia's pre-Christian era. Quite different in feel is the cave monastery of Geghard, partly hewn directly out of the rock and part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Its name means “spear” and recalls the tradition that the spear of Golgotha was kept here. In the dim rock chambers you can quietly read John's account of the Passion. In the evening you return to Yerevan.
Yerevan → Khor Virap → Areni → Noravank → Yerevan
Through the Ararat Valley you reach Khor Virap, from whose walls one of the finest views of Ararat opens up – the right place to read of the ark and the covenant with Noah. In the wine village of Areni you encounter a centuries-old wine tradition that brings Noah's vineyard to mind. Then you go on to the monastery of Noravank, spectacularly situated in a gorge of red rock. At around 250 kilometres, this is the longest day's stage.
Yerevan → Lake Sevan → Sevanavank → Dilijan
Lake Sevan is one of the largest high-mountain lakes on earth. On a peninsula above the water stands the historic monastery of Sevanavank, whose churches stand out simply and clearly against the wide blue. Then the drive leads into the wooded mountain region around Dilijan, often called “Armenian Switzerland”. Here you check in at your hotel for two nights and enjoy the fresh mountain air.
Dilijan → Haghpat → Sanahin → Dilijan
Two monastery complexes, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, shape this day: Haghpat and Sanahin. In the Middle Ages they were among the most important centres of Armenian architecture and learning, where monks taught, wrote and prayed. Walking through the churches and their wide narthexes, you see how closely spiritual life and education were bound together in the Armenian Church. Then return to Dilijan.
Dilijan → Yerevan
Through the charming mountain landscapes of the Caucasus you return to Yerevan. On the way you stop in small villages and at markets, where Armenian everyday life can be experienced up close. The evening is at your leisure in the capital – time for a last stroll, a conversation together about what you have experienced, or a quiet look across to Ararat.
Yerevan → Airport
The transfer takes you to Yerevan's international airport, from where you fly home independently. Perhaps you will take the image of Ararat with you – and the promise God gave after the Flood: while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
The tour price depends on dates, group size and room allocation. You will receive your personal offer – free of charge and without obligation.
Enquire →⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.
The price is on request: you will receive a personal offer tailored to date and group size – free and without obligation.
No. You travel to and from Yerevan independently; the local airport transfers are included. On request we will enquire about suitable connections for you.
In clear weather Ararat can be seen from Yerevan and especially impressively from Khor Virap. The weather, of course, cannot be planned.
Your state-licensed tour guide leads the tour in English; guided tours in a total of 25 languages are available on request. Please let us know your preference in your enquiry.
Breakfast is included daily. You take lunch and dinner as you choose.
The most pleasant months are April to June and September and October.
Armenia – to the Ancient Monasteries beneath Ararat
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