Travel Network News: Golden Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

Golden Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

Travel Network News inform you about Golden Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

Golden Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

 

Baku – Gobustan – Shemakha – Sheki – Sighnaghi – Telavi – Tsinandali – Napareuli – Tbilisi — Ananuri — Gudauri – Kazbegi – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Mtskheta – Tbilisi – Sevan Lake – Dilijan – Sanain – Yerevan – Geghard – Garni – Matenadaran – Khor Virap – Noravank – Echmiadzin – Yerevan (11 days, 10 nights)

 

Day 1: Baku

Arrival to Baku. Meeting with the representatives of the agency. Hotel accommodation.

Excursion in Baku: Arteshgyak - fire worshipers temple, quarter of old Baku "Icheri Shekher" historical and architectural reserve in the town center, in december 2000, included in the list of World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO, Maiden Tower (XII century), mosque Bibi-Heybat (XII century) built by Shirvanshah Abu al-Fath Farruhzad; Maiden's Tower Palace of the Shirvanshahs (XVI c.), where the perfectly preserved mosque, baths and an entrance gate. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

Day 2: Baku – Gobustan – Shemakha – Sheki

Breakfast. Arrival to the reserve "Gobustan". In 2007, the cultural landscape of the art of Gobustan rock was included in the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage. There are about 6000 images that were created since the Mesolithic period and the Middive Ages. Figures are found mainly in caves and at the ruins of the rocks. Among the pictures, you can find hunting scenes, ritual dances, farming, depict of various animals, boats and various symbolic signs. Visit Deery Baba mausoleum (1402) in Maraza.

Lunch. Next excursion in Shemakha - one of the oldest and most interesting cities. Founded approximately in V c. BC, in the IX c. BC was the capital of an extensive kingdom of Shirvan, in the XVIII c. - Shemakhan Khanate. The main attraction of the city is Giz-Galasi fortress (Gulistan, XI-XII centuries.) - the last refuge of Shirvanshahs, mausoleum of Eddie Gumbez "Seven Domes" with numerous tombs of rulers of Shemakha, Juma Cathedral Mosque (X c., rebuilt in the XIX century.), numerous ruins of buildings of X-XVII centuries. It is a recognized center of carpet weaving. Arrival to Sheki. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Day 3: Sheki – Sighnaghi

Breakfast. Sheki is located 380 km west of Baku, near the Georgian border. Archaeological evidence suggests that the city can be considered one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus, many findings in its territory are more than 2,500 years old. Excursion in Sheki - Summer Palace (1797) with luxurious murals and tracery windows "shebeke, stone fortress (XVIII c.), Numerous caravanserais (many of them are now restored and turned into hotels and restaurants), the house of Sheki Khans, Juma Mosque (XVIII c.), the minaret of the mosque Gileilin (XVIII c.), medieval baths, rich museum og Local History. Visit of the Palace of Sheki Khans (XVIII AD). Sheki— a recognized center of silk production and climatic resort. Souvenirs Lunch.

Arrival to the Azerbaijanian-Georgian border. Crossing over the border (documentary formalities, etc.).

Arrival to the "town of everlasting love" Sighnaghi, that is placed at the top of the ridge, overlooking Alazani valley. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

Day 4: Sighnaghi – Telavi – Tsinandali – Napareuli – Tbilisi

Breakfast. Visit Sighnaghi Historical-Ethnographic Museum with exhibits from the V century BC until the XIX century. The museum also houses paintings by famous Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani.

Visit the winery "Kindzmarauli Marani" - a modern plant with the latest European equipment and old Georgian winemaking secrets, which were planted in the territory of more than 400 varieties of grapes grown in Georgia. Here you can buy wine by the manufacturer, the winner of many international exhibitions.

Lunch on the lake Ilya.

Departure to Telavi. Excursion in the city. Telavi– main city and administrative center of Kakhetia, famous for its museum-fortress of tsar Erekle II (XVIII c.), that signed Treaty of Georgievsk with the Russian Empire. Visit of the house-museum Alexandre Chavchavadze in Tsinandali. Next visit to the wine yard in Napareuli, wine tasting. The old wine cellar restored by twin brothers, is located in the historic village Napareuli. Territory "Marani" includes a closed type wine cellar where the wine is aging, bottling wine room. Open type wine cellar "Zavodi" - for the production of vodka – chacha. Wine Museum. Tasting of 4 kinds of wine and chacha. Dinner in the village house. Transfer to Tbilisi. Overnight.

 

 

Day 5: Tbilisi

Breakfast. Sightseeing tour in Tbilisi. The capital of Georgia is unique.It stands on the several mountain hills, on which "creep" the old blocks. Tbilisi – is a beautiful river Kura with its picturesque rocky shores, that flows across the whole city. Tbilisi is one of the rare places in the world, where can peacefully exist in the Old Town orthodox church, catholic cathedra, synagogue and mosque.

"Old Town" - is the historic center of Tbilisi, that is located at the root of Mtatsminda (Holy Mount) mountain. Near sulfur baths, which are attended and enthusiastically described AS Pushkin and Alexander Dumas. Almost all of the buildings of the Old Town are historical and cultural sites, this part of the city is round-the-clock full of life, here walk alone or in groups tourists, meet lovers near the Clock Tower. This amuzing Tower appeared here recently, built by the Puppet Theatre director Rezo Gabriadze. Here artists exhibit their paintings, artisans offer numerous souvenirs. Walk on the Shardeni street – a cult place in Tbilisi, named after the French Catholic missionary, who now represents something that resembles the Champs-Elysées, with its many restaurants and boutiques.Using the newest lift we get to Narikala fortress ( IV c.), during the lifting we can observe the city from the bird's eye view.

During the excursion, visit of Mechetian Church ( V c.), Sioni Cathedral (VI-VII c.), Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary, the oldest surviving church, Synaxis of Saint Truinity of the temple complex of Tsminda Sameba — the main Cathedral of Georgian Orthodox Church. Walking tour at the Shota Rustaveli avenue. Visit the National Museum of Art. Buying souvenirs on the Dry Bridge.

Dinner with national dances and songs. Overnight.

 

Day 6: Tbilisi — Ananuri — Gudauri – Kazbegi — Tbilisi

Breakfast. Departure to modern ski resort – Gudauri. On the way to it, we overlook the picturesque Ananuri fortress (XVI c.), located above Aragvi river, and also the amazing beauty of Zhinvali reservoir. When the weather is fine: a trip through Cross Pass (2400 m), in the direction of Stepantsminda (Kazbegi). Lunch in the mountains. Excursion in Kazbegi: church of the Most Holy Gergeti Triunity (2170 m above the sea level). When the weather is fair, the stunning view on the mountain Kazbeg (5147 m), one of the highest tops of Georgia, opens. Dinner. Return to Tbilisi. Overnight.

 

 

Day 7: Tbilisi – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Mtskheta – Tbilisi

Breakfast. Departure to Tbilisi. On the way excursion to Gori - Stalin's homeland. Excursion in the Stalin museum. Museum consists of three blocks - museum, house and railway carriage.

Excursion in Uplistsikhe (I centuries BC), ancient cave town, that was finishing the building for centuries, and included more than 700 caves and buildings, including wineries, bakeries, antique theater, hall of receptions of Queen Tamara, preserved to this day.

Arrival to Mtskheta. Lunch. Excursion in the ancient capital of Georgia Mtskheta – the town-museum, included to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List. Visit of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (1010-1029), at the bottom of which is buried one of the major Christian relics Lords chiton, as well as the burial place of many of the Georgian kings. Here is also the part of life-giving pillar. Visit of Samtavro monastery, where year round grow, flower and fruit blackberry bush, near of which in the IV century lived and preached St. Nino- enlightener, the first preacher of Christianity in Georgia. Woderworking icon of Iberian Mother of God, woderworking icon of St. Nino, grave of St. Tsar Merian and Tsarina Nani, hallows of St. Abibos Nekresky, St. Shio Mhvimskoho are placed inside. Visit of the ancient temple - monastery Jvari (VI c.). Arrival to Tbilisi. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

Day 8: Tbilisi – Sevan Lake – Dilijan – Sanain – Yerevan

Breakfast. Arrival to the Armenia-Georgian border. Crossing the border (documentary formalities, etc.).

A trip to the blue pearl of Armenia and the Caucasus, the largest of the lakes – Lake Sevan (1900m). Climb up the stairs to the observation platform of the monastery of Sevanank, with a magnificent view of the lake. Visit of the Monastery. Drive to Dilijan. In the city recently was opened Museum of Art, with the broad participation of Russian and Armenian (I.Aivazovskiy, Minas Avestyan, etc.) paintings of the XIX-XX centuries., Western European paintings of the XVII-XIX centuries. (Jean-Baptiste Greuze, master of the Correggio range, the Flemish masters of the XVII century. Etc.) and the artifacts of the archaeological cultures, studied in Tavush, ethnographic collection. Excursion around the monastery Sanain. Sanain monastery occupies a small, about 2 ha territory in central part of which, around the main temple Sanain - charges of Blessed Virgin – built Amenaprkich church and chapel of St. Gregory (X c.)the building of the Academy (XI c.), the book depository (1063g.) gallery building (end of X century.), vestibule (1181g.) and bell tower (XIII c.). - the monastery is included in the UNESCO list. Arrival to Yerevan. Dinner, overnight.

 

 

Day 9: Yerevan – Geghard – Garni – Matenadaran – Yerevan

Breakfast. Visit the unique cave (carved in the rock) monastery Geghard (XII-XIII century). The name of Geghard monastery is related with a lance, by which was pierced Christ by one of the Roman legionaries guarding him. Rhomboid plate-tip of this lance is preserved in the museum at Echmiadzin. Gegard Monastery is included in the UNESCO list. Excursion to the summer residence of Armenian kings – the Garni fortress (III century BC - XIII century of our era), and the pagan temple of the sun (I century), built by King Trdat to 77. Visit of the Research Institute of ancient manuscripts - Matenadaran, which is a unique museum-library of ancient manuscripts (V-XV centuries.). In 1997, the Collection of Ancient Manuscripts of Matenadaran has been included in the UNESCO international register "Memory of the World". Visit and tasting in Yerevan Brandy Factory "Ararat". Dinner, overnight in Yerevan.

 

 

Day 10: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Noravank – Erevan

Breakfast. Excursion to the fortress-monastery of the XVII century Khor Virap. Here, from the chapel, awaits us an unforgettable view of Mount Ararat – an immortal symbol of Armenia. According to the church legend, St. Gregory the Illuminator – founder of Christianity in Armenia, caught in the professes of "another religion", was imprisoned in a deep dungeon by the order of King Tiridates III for the whole 13 years. Today, this dungeon is open to visitors. Launch in the cave. Then, excursion in Noravank, a XII century monastery, situated among the quaint steep cliffs on the ledge of a tortuous gorge. Near the Noravank, in the Bird cave you will get acquainted with the latest archaeological discoveries in Armenia. In this cave, archaeologists have unearthed winery. Grape seeds, grape vines, combined with arrangements for the production and storage of wine located in Areni can attest to the fact that in this region was located an ancient complex of the industrial production of wine. In the same cave group of foreign archaeologists also found the most ancient in the world (age 5500 years) leather shoes. Return to Erevan. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

Day 11: Yerevan – Echmiadzin – Yerevan

Breakfast. Sightseeing tour in Yerevan. The capital of Armenia Yerevan – is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is of the same age as Babylon and Rome. Year of the foundation of the city is 782 BC - then king Argishti founded the fortress of Erebuni. On a hill of the Tsitsernakaberd park is located the monument to the victims of the 1915 Genocide. The monument consists of 12 arranged in a circle and bowed slightly to the center pylons. Near is located the 40 m obelisk in the form of a pointed forked pyramid. In 2001, in Yerevan to the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia was built a magnificent temple of Gregory the Illuminator. Visit to Armenian Genocide Museum and to the memorial.

Lunch.

Next visit to the museum of St. Echmiadzin, which houses Spearhead. Here are located the Cathedral of Saint Echmiadzin (XVI c), the residence of the Catholicos of all Armenians, a seminary, and more. Cathedral was founded at the beginning of the IV., immediately after the adoption of Christianity by Armenians. According to legend, a place to build a temple was indicated to Gregory the Illuminator by Christ. Visit of the unique ruins of Zvartnots temple. Holy Etchmiadzin and the Temple of Heaven Vigil Forces Zvartnots is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Airport transfer. Farewell.

 

 

Tour price in USD p/p:
10+1	14+1	Surcharge for single occupancy
1475	1260	370

 

Price includes:

• Accommodation in 4* hotels, standard double rooms: 1 night in Baku (Azerbaijan), 1 night in Sheki (Azerbaijan), 1 night in Sighnaghi (Georgia), 4 nights in Tbilisi (Georgia), 3 nights in Erevan (Armenia);
• FB: 10 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 10 dinners with a glass of wine each;
• Excursions according to the program with guide (3 guides: one guide in Georgia, another in Armenia, another in Azerbaijan);
• Transport service according to the program (3 buses: one in Georgia, another in Armenia, another in Azerbaijan);
• Bottle of 0.5 liters of water per day per person on the bus.
• Entrance tickets;
• Cognac tasting in Yerevan;
• Wine tasting in Georgia;
• One gratis for TL.

Price does not include:

• Flight;
• Visa service;
• Services not mentioned above;
• Insurance.

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