Gastronomic – Gourmet Tour to Armenia and Georgia

5 Reviews

10 days/9 nights

Small Group (2-13)

Any Date

Half Board

Age: 0+

Price:

1,282EUR

Book now

The Highlights of the Tour

Food & Wine Tasting

Enjoy aromatic and exotic Caucasian dishes Taste the most famous Armenian wines Visit Echmiadzin Cathedral - the mother church of Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest cathedrals in the world See the oldest winery in the world in Areni Taste unique kinds of Armenian cheese Learn the traditions and secrets of Georgian winemaking in Kakheti region Bake delicious national Georgian bread by your own hands

Itinerary What's included Reviews Accommodation Trip maps Packing checklist Essential information Why book Availability

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ITINERARY

Introduction

Gastronomic Tour to Armenia and Georgia will undoubtedly come to taste to real gourmets. The feasts in these two bright countries are considered to be an integral part of the culture, and the dishes beckon with their variety and aroma of local herbs and spices. During our tour you will taste the most popular dishes, try to cook them yourself, taste famous Georgian and Armenian wines, go down to the wine cellars and look at the oldest winery in the world. Moreover, you will have excursions to the most famous and ancient sights. Become our guests, enjoy the palette of new tastes and take vivid memories with you!

Day 1 - Arrival - Yerevan City Tour

The sights of Yerevan

After your arrival in Zvartnots Airport, we will organize a transfer to the hotel. The excursion will start with a city tour around the ancient 2800-year-old capital of Armenia, Yerevan. Some decades ago Alexander Tamanyan, the general architect of Yerevan drew the contemporary plan of the city which we can see today. The warm smiles of its inhabitants give the unique charm to this eternal city ancient and so young at the same time. The day will end with an excursion to the winery where you can taste different types of wine.

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Echmiadzin - Van Ardi - Yerevan

Van Ardi - Zvartnots - Echmiadzin

This day begins with a visit to the Holy See of Echmiadzin, the religious center of all Armenians around the world. The tour will continue to Van Ardi wine factory where you can try the exquisite types of Armenian local wine. The winery belongs to the winemaker Varuzhan Muradyan who is a financier by education but has recently returned to his homeland from the USA with the intention to devote himself to winemaking. He admits that first, the winemaking was just a hobby for him: he attended some wine courses at the University of California and then went to France to learn more about the technology of French wine production. After a while, he got a burning desire to make Armenia famous not only for its cognac but also for elite wines that could take a worthy place among foreign competitors. Van Ardi wine was awarded the medals during the wine festival in Areni, as well as the brand got five gold and two silver medals in the course of the most important international venues – Mundus Vini. On the way back to Yerevan you will visit the ruins of Zvartnots Temple.

Overnight: Hotel in Yerevan

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 - Khor Virap - Areni - Noravank - Yeghegnadzor

Khor Virap - Hin Areni

After breakfast, you will head to the south of Armenia to Khor Virap Monastery – the historic site located amidst the Ararat Valley. The monastery was built on the place of the royal prison in Artashat. Here in the royal prison Grigor Lusavorich was sentenced to death by Kind Trdat for preaching Christianity in Armenia in the 3rd century. Thre trip will continue to the winemaking region of Armenia where you will visit “Hin Areni” winery. After the degustation of chilled white wine, you will go up to the plateau, from the top of which opens a beautiful view of the city. In the valley of red rock where you will further travel, you will have an excursion around Noravank Monastery. But the most impressive sight of the third day is the cave Areni-1, where during archaeological excavations hold several years ago the most ancient traces of winemaking on the planet were found. The age of the grapes found on the bottom of local amphorae is about 6100 years!In the evening you will head to Yeghegnadzor town where you will meet Armen Khalatyan who founded “Old Bridge” winery.

Overnight: Hotel in Yeghegnadzor

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - Sevan - Selim Pass - Gavar - Dilijan

Gata - Sevanavank - khorovats

After breakfast, you will travel with a few stops to the azure Lake Sevan – the pearl of Armenian nature. The first stop will be at the Selim Pass near the caravanserai built in the XIV century. Then you will go down to the lake and visit cheese maker Arman who soaks his cheeses in wine, mixes them with herbs and experiments with varieties of mold. This day you will also try Armenian sweet baklava – the famous sweet of Gavar town. And of course, for lunch, you will have the famous Sevan fish. The tour will continue to the resort town of Dilijan known for its amazing nature. After walking around the resort, you will have a free evening.

Overnight: Hotel in Dilijan

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 - Haghartsin - Sanahin - Haghpat - Tbilisi

Sanahin - Haghpat - Ijevan Wine

After breakfast at the hotel, you will have a trip to the monastery of Haghartsin located among mountains covered with dense forests. The tour will continue to the winery in Ijevan town. After the excursion and wine degustation, you will also visit the Sanahin and Haghpat monasteries, which were the centers of the scientific and educational life of medieval Armenia. Today these complexes are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Both monasteries were important centers for scientists, and many famous manuscripts were written here in the Middle Ages. After the transfer to the Armenian-Georgian border you will head to Tbilisi.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 - Tbilisi - Metekhi - Narikala - Shardeni - Mtatsminda

On the sixth day you will have a sightseeing tour around Tbilisi, which will begin with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. This day you will see the Metekhi Church, the Bridge of Peace, have a trip by the cable car to the Narikala fortress, and visit the famous complex of royal sulfur baths of the 17th-19th centuries. You can rest and drink coffee on Shardeni Street, which is famous for its cozy cafes and souvenir shops. The tour will end with a pleasant journey by cable car to Mount Mtatsminda.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 - Mtskheta - Svetitskhoveli - Mukhrani - Tbilisi

In the morning you will go to the ancient city of Mtskheta and go up the hill to the monastery of Jvari, from where opens a splendid view of the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The tour will continue to the Svetitskhoveli Temple – the XI century cathedral, the main cathedral of Georgia. This day you will also visit the Mukhrani Castle and get a full overview of the traditions and secrets of Georgian winemaking. Moreover, you will go down to the cellars, stroll in the beautiful gardens and see the famous Georgian vineyards. In the evening you will return to Tbilisi.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 - Kakheti - Alaverdi - Nekresi - Khareba - Telavi

In the morning you will travel to Kakheti – a picturesque region, which is famous for the production of magnificent Georgian wines which are produced by special ancient technologies. Here you will visit the monastery of Alaverdi founded in the VI century by the Assyrian monk Joseph Alaverdeli. The monastery is famous for its unique wine cellars and millennial traditions of winemaking. The monastery keeps ancient huge jugs kvevri in which Georgians infuse wine. Further, you will visit the monastery complex of Nekresi located in the valley of the Alazani River. After that, you will have an excursion to the Khareba wine factory, wine tasting and a master class on making the famous Georgian bread shoti and the Georgian churchkhela. You will stay in Telavi town for an overnight.

Overnight: Hotel in Telavi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 - Telavi - Batonis-Tsikhe - Sighnaghi - Tbilisi

Тhis day you will have an excursion around Telavi – the center of the Kakheti region and the center of the country’s winemaking. Here you will visit the fortress of Batonis-Tsikhe – the house-museum of King Irakli II, beloved Georgian king and the estate Tsinandali which belonged to the famous dynasty of Chavchavadze. The estate is known for its beautiful labyrinthine garden planted with exotic trees. Here is stored a magnificent collection of Georgian and European wines and you can taste four kinds of wine and, of course, the famous white dry wine Tsinandali. Then you will walk along the small cozy town of Sighnaghi, which is called the “town of love”. In the evening you will return to Tbilisi.

Overnight: Hotel in Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 - Departure

Transfer to the airport, departure

INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS

The tour price includes

Airport transfers
Accommodation for 9 nights (3* hotels/double rooms)
Breakfast, lunch
English speaking guide services
Comfortable vehicle during the tour
All entrance fees
1 bottle (0,5 litre) of water per day per person
Wine tasting

The tour price doesn't include

Flights
Medical insurance
Visa Fee

TRIP REVIEWS

Harry Fellows 06.09.2018

The tour was enjoyed immensely by all our members, please convey our thanks to all your staff for the excellent service you provided. We have been experiencing comments such as, “the best ever”, “the itinerary was splendid and covered everything we could wish to see”, “ the scenery was spell-binding and the attention paid to detail was excellent”, “the hotels and their service was first class”, “when you go again please reserve a place for us”, etc, etc.

The only comment that had any criticism was that the long tables were too crowded with hardly sufficient room to handle a knife and fork, a particularly valid comment as the dishes were so good and what a selection, the “soup and bread” lunches in Georgia were particularly enjoyed!

Thank you for arranged such a good tour that highlighted the scenery and history of both countries and thank you personally for your kind invitation to the Jazz Club which Kate and I enjoyed immensely. To crown all this the 15 year old Brandy that you so generously gave us is something very special and will only be shared with our closest friends (if they twist my arm very hard).

Thank you Nune,

With very best wishes until we return

Harry & Kate.

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Allan Li 02.04.2018

Armenia is truly an amazing country for tourists, if only more people are aware of it! When we planned our Caucasus vacation, I had to allocate 16 days to three countries, and somehow, we ended up with 7 days in Armenia, 6 days in Georgia and only 3 days in Azerbaijan where we focused on Baku. I cannot tell whether I missed much in Georgia and Azerbaijan, which I probably did, but I can definitely say that the 8 days in Armenia was worth it! The days were filled with eye-opening sights, and the hospitality we experienced were warm and genuine. Armenia is the smallest of the three countries, and yet the history, culture, the food and even the wines are bewitching. All of these were presented beautifully by our guide Vahe Kosakyan, and organized exquisitely by Lusine, who spent endless hours planning, explaining, booking, amending, and amending again to get us the exact specifications right. The trip was as perfect as can be possible, and what we missed (a national dance performance in Yerevan) was not within her control, as it was not in season. Armenia is also a bargain for a tour destination, and it is safe. Your wallet will thank you, your stomach will thank you, and your family will thank you for the wonderful trip that you booked with Arara Tours and its sister company MyGeo (in Georgia).

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Piotr Szewczyk 11.04.2018

Guide: I was looking for a private tour while in Tbilisi and Araratour was simply the best choice. Luisine not only they had great recommendations but also from the moment I contacted her I felt special. Luisine addressed all my questions are needs to make my stay in Georgia and Armenia unforgettable experience. The communication was quick and easy, I was provided with all necessary information so that I didn’t need to worry about my tour arrangements making the whole trip seamless. From the moment I left the arrival hall I felt like everything has been taken care for me and I could enjoy my tour has started. Our guide Vasca was very knowledgeable, always helpful and ready to assist. He showed us great spots in Georgia and also recommended bars and restaurants for dinner, frankly he was more like a friend that a tour guide. I had an emergency situation looking for a dentist help and he step in immediately recommending best place to visit and get help. He adjusted our tour so I could get my dentist appointment without any disturbance to our scheduled itinerary. Many thanks for all your help and making my trip to Georgia an unforgettable experience.

Driver: Vasca was punctual, well mannered and helpful

Car:

Hotels:

What did you like best in your trip? Tbilisi, wine tour, Kazbeki, Armenia

What didn't you like in trip? it was so short

What would you add to your trip?

Would you recommend our company to your friends? definitely, actually I am planning to come back to Georgia in fall and will definitely use your agency assistance again

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TRIP ACCOMMODATION

Cascade

Astoria

Old Bridge B&B

Silachi

B&B Armenia

Alazani Valley

TRIP MAP

PACKING CHECKLIST

Documents:

Passport, flight ticket (printed or electronic), insurance, visa (if required)

First aid kit:

bandaids / plasters, special medicine or drugs in permanent use, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, lip balm

Essentials:

Credit/debit cards, cash (cards can be used in city, cash in regions), moneybelt, laptop/tablet/phone, chargers, camera with extra memory cards and batteries, outlet adapter

Dressing:

There are no restrictions regarding clothes; scarf or shawl is advisable for churches (obligatory in Georgia for women)

Spring / Autumn:

long pants/jeans, long sleeve blouses, light raincoat, jacket, comfortable waterproof shoes, umbrella

Summer:

T-shirts, shorts, long sleeve blouses for evening, sandals, umbrella, sun protection, sun glasses, sunhat

Winter:

Warm coat, warm wool sweater, long warm trousers, long boots (waterproof), scarf, gloves

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

WHY BOOK WITH ARARA

OWN AGENCY IN ARMENIA AND GEORGIA

With an agency operating in Georgia, we are able to provide clients with the best price and quality services.

CENTRAL LOCATED HOTELS

We choose only the best hotels located in the city center close to the main sights

GUIDES WITH 5+ YEAR EXPERIENCE

We work only with professional guides and guides who have experience in tourism for more than 5 years

THE BEST PRICE IN THE MARKET FOR HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE

With Arara you book at first hand from a qualified local Armenian agency. Avoid surcharges applied by intermediaries and save money!

LICENSED AIR CONDITIONED TRANSPORT

We provide our tourists with comfortable air-conditioned transport

3000+ SATISFIED CLIENTS PER YEAR

Every year we get a great number of positive feedback from our clients

Reviews More about Arara

GUARANTEED TOUR DATES

Start		End	Price	Space left
Any Day Any date from Yerevan/Tbilisi	10 days	Individual Oct 17, 2019 to Tbilisi/Yerevan	1,410 EUR	2+ Spaces left	Book now
Saturday May 11, 2019 from Yerevan/Tbilisi	10 days	Monday May 20, 2019 to Tbilisi/Yerevan	1,282 EUR	13 Spaces left	Book now
Friday Jul 12, 2019 from Yerevan/Tbilisi	10 days	Sunday Jul 21, 2019 to Tbilisi/Yerevan	1,282 EUR	13 Spaces left	Book now
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019 from Yerevan/Tbilisi	10 days	Thursday Sep 19, 2019 to Tbilisi/Yerevan	1,282 EUR	13 Spaces left	Book now
Tuesday Oct 8, 2019 from Yerevan/Tbilisi	10 days	Thursday Oct 17, 2019 to Tbilisi/Yerevan	1,282 EUR	13 Spaces left	Book now

Any Day

Any date

from Yerevan/Tbilisi

10
days

Individual

Oct 17, 2019

to Tbilisi/Yerevan

Space left

2+

1,410 EUR

Book now

Saturday

May 11, 2019

from Yerevan/Tbilisi

10
days

Monday

May 20, 2019

to Tbilisi/Yerevan

Space left

13 1,282 EUR

Book now

Friday

Jul 12, 2019

from Yerevan/Tbilisi

10
days

Sunday

Jul 21, 2019

to Tbilisi/Yerevan

Space left

13 1,282 EUR

Book now

Tuesday

Sep 10, 2019

from Yerevan/Tbilisi

10
days

Thursday

Sep 19, 2019

to Tbilisi/Yerevan

Space left

13 1,282 EUR

Book now

Tuesday

Oct 8, 2019

from Yerevan/Tbilisi

10
days

Thursday

Oct 17, 2019

to Tbilisi/Yerevan

Space left

13 1,282 EUR

Book now

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