Photo tour “Armenia in a camera”

7 days/ 6 nights

Route of the tour: Yerevan - Botanical garden - khachkar workshop - Khor Virap monastery - Noravank  monastery complex - Shaki waterfall - Karahunj - Goris town - Khndzoresk village - Tatev monastery - cable car - Selim caravanserai - Lake Sevan - Dilijan town - Haghartsin monastery complex - Lake Parz Dzoraget gorge Stepanavan arboretum "Sochut" - City tour of Gyumri

 

Day 1

    Arrival at Zvartnots International airport

    Welcome and transfer to the hotel

    Just after accommodating in a hotel  we will start our excursion in the old and modern city Yerevan and       will do shooting

Botanical Garden, Mother Armenia Monument, Cascade, French Square, Opera House, Swan Lake, Northern Avenue, Khachkar master class, Republic Square, Abovyan Street.

Yerevan Botanical Garden is beautiful at any time of the year, here you can walk in silence and admire nature.

Cascade is a pompous staircase, beautifully connecting the downtown center and a residential complex located in the mountains. From the observation platforms of the Cascade an unforgettable panoramic view of the city opens. At each level there are a lot of halls, with a certain theme. Ideal playground for amazing photos!

On the way to the Opera House we will pass through the square of France, where the sculpture Jules Basten Lepage works of the great sculptor Auguste Rodin is installed. This sculpture was dedicated to Armenia from France.

Opera and ballet theatre is one of the main attractions in the city. In the southern part of the building the square of liberty is located, as one of the most beautiful squares in Yerevan. Near the square there are many open air cafes. Next to the opera theatre Swan Lake is situated which is formed n the shape of Lake Sevan.

  Northern Avenue – a cozy alley connecting the Opera House with the Republic Square.

During the tour, we'll participate the workshop of Varazdat Ambartsumyan, where khachkars (cross-stones) are created and we will see the whole process of creating a masterpiece.

Republic Square  – the central square of Yerevan. The square is famous for its monumental architecture in a deeply national style. In the evenings on the square you can see the laser show of beautiful "Singing Fountains".

We will pass along one of the oldest streets of Yerevan Abovyan Street, partially preserved look of the old city.

Rest in a hotel.

Day 2

Breakfast in a hotel.

Yerevan - Khor Virap - Noravank - Shaki Waterfall - Zorats Karer - Goris

Khor Virap - Ancient monastery with rich history, from which opens a beautiful view of Mount Ararat . Instead of the present fortress-monastery, there was a royal prison here. "Virap" in Armenian is a dungeon. It is filled with poisonous snakes and insects, where convicted prisoners were thrown. According to the annals of the famous Armenian historian Agatangeghos, Grigor Lusavorich, the founder of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia, was carrying his torment here.

Monastery complex Noravank - Monastery of the 11th century, located among the delightful steep cliffs of bright red color on the ledge of a meandering gorge. The Church of the Holy Mother of God was built by the famous architect Momik. This is a rare two-story church, uniqueness of which is attached by a staircase without railings, through which the bravest can rise to the second floor of the church - the chapel.

The Shaki waterfall is an amazingly beautiful waterfall, 18 meters high. It is located on the Vorotan River in the southern part of Armenia. According to the legend, the waterfall got its name in honor of the beautiful Shake, who, not wanting to submit to violence from one of the conquerors, rushed from the high cliff. During the fall, the girl's long dress opened from the wind and turned into a waterfall, which was later called the Shaki waterfall.

Arrival to Goris. Check in. Rest

Karaunj or Zorats Karer (Mighty Stones) is a prehistoric monument consisting of hundreds of vertically placed large stones with holes in the upper part. Scientists have not been able to determine the history of this place, only that the stones were put in their place in the III-II millennium BC.

The photographer will tell you how to set up the camera for shooting the starry sky and how to set the focus in darkness, due to which you will certainly get spectacular photos of the Karahunj monument.

      Overnight in Goris

Day 3

Breakfast in a hotel

Goris - Old Khndzoresk - " Wings of Tatev" cable car - Tatev Monastery - Goris

Khndzoresk is a village in the south, the main attraction of which is the "cave city", in which people lived in ancient times. Through the mountain gorge, the Khndzoresk suspension bridge is thrown, which is no less a tourist attraction than the cave city itself.

Here you will be amazed by the lush green landscape and majestic mountains combined with traditional architecture and culture.

Wings of Tatev - is the longest cable car in the world, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the southern lands of Armenia.

Tatev Monastery - this pearl of the Armenian architecture of the Middle Ages. At the monastery Tatev University was founded, which was the largest center of philosophical and scientific thought of the Middle Ages.

After having rest we will have a look at the results and discussion.

Day 4

Breakfast in a hotel.

Goris - Selim caravansary - Sevanavank - Lake Sevan

The Selim caravansary is one of the many preserved caravansaries of Armenia, which provided overnights for the caravans with laden goods keeping the way along the Great Silk Road. From the pass you can see the most beautiful views of the surroundings: a wide and spacious valley, covered with grass intersected by murmuring streams and a winding ribbon roads.

Afterwards we will go to the "pearl" of Armenia, Lake Sevan.

Sevan is the second largest fresh mountain lake in the world. The lake as if merges with the sky, as it is located in a mountain bowl at a height of almost two kilometers above sea level.

Visit to the ancient monastery of Sevanavank, founded in 874 on the initiative of the daughter Mariam  of King Ashot I. It is located at a height of just over 1900 meters from the sea level, in a pleasant high-altitude atmosphere, from where the picturesque view to the entire lake and its surroundings opens.

Lake Sevan and its environs are one of the most photographed places in the entire Caucasus.

Day 5

Sevan - Dilijan town - Haghartsin monastery complex - Parz lake - Dzoraget gorge - Stepanavan arboretum "Sochut" - Gyumri

Dilijan is an old and beautiful city, where everything is for an excellent frame: picturesque streets, beautiful nature, surrounded by mountains, forests and lakes and historical sights that it is impossible not to admire.

Visit to the Haghartsin monastery - XI-XIII century. It is the pearl of the canyon, one of the most mysterious places in Armenia, drowning in the greenery of mountain forests.

Lake Parz is located in a shallow valley between the woods and has an oblong outline. The water in the lake is transparent, greenish in color; The forest is close to the coastline, and powerful trees, inclined to the lake, are reflected in its mirror-like surface.

Stepanavan arboretum "Sochut" - a unique place. The Botanical Garden is located 12 km from the city of Stepanavan. A huge area of 35 hectares is covered by a forest that covers a wide variety of plants. With their beauty, most of them resemble sophisticated works of art.

Dzoraget is the most beautiful canyon in the north of the country. The upper part of the canyon is a sheer impregnable rock, while closer to the water it is slightly smoothed out.

Arrival to Gyumri. Overnight in a hotel

 

Day 6

Breakfast at the hotel.

City tour in Gyumri

Today we will devote an architectural survey and a city landscape.City tour in Gyumri

Ensemble of the central square, Mother Armenia, Black Fortress, Central Park, Russian chapel.

Shirak Marz is located in the north-west of Armenia at an altitude of 1800-2200 m and borders with Georgia and Turkey.

Gyumri is the second largest city in Armenia and the cultural capital of Armenia, the center of poetry and music. The Russian military base is located here. In 1988, near the city there was a strong earthquake that destroyed half of the city. The consequences of the earthquake have not been eliminated so far. It has become one of the most visited places in the city.

Freedom Square - is the heart of the city and the entrance of the old historic city. The square is surrounded by ancient temples - Yot Verk (Seven Wounds) and Surb Amenaprkich (Saint Savior).

Mother Armenia - is the most beautiful monument from which the Black Fortress is clearly visible.

The Black Fortress - (Sev Ghul - Black Clock) is one of the architectural reminders of the Russo-Turkish War. Considering the threat of war with Turkey, the Russian authorities began paying special attention to strengthening Alexandropol (now Gyumri) and built this fortress, which was used as a military prison.

From the top of the hill offers an excellent view of the city.

Return to Yerevan.

 

Day 7

Breakfast in the hotel.

View the entire footage.

Airport transfer.

 

Included in cost:

• Transfer from the airport to the hotel and back
• Accommodation in hotels of the selected category in Yerevan, Tsakhkadzor, Jermuk, Goris
• Breakfast in hotels
• Moving on comfortable transport
• Guide service
• Excursions specified in the program
• Entrance tickets to historical and cultural attractions
• The cost of tasting at the Areni winery
• Tatever ropeway tickets

 

The price does not include:

• Flight
• Dinner and supper
• Medical insurance

 

What should I bring with me?

• The camera and lenses.

• Lightweight tripod.

• Required memory card stock.

• It is advisable to bring a laptop or a storage device to store the footage.

• Bag or backpack for phototechnics.

• Comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes.

• Flash - optional (do not have to carry with you in the course of training).

***Note! The tour will take place at the request of at least 4 tourists.

*** The company reserves the right to change the sequence of the program without changing the volume of services provided.