Apart from the smooth experience of our border crossing from Tbilisi to Yerevan by overnight train, the public transportation outside Yerevan seems challenging, at least for me.
As much as I wanted to see more of Armenia, our short Caucasus backpacking trip (not only in Armenia but including our trip to Georgia & Azerbaijan) is not enough for us to figure out how to combat the challenge of public transportation outside Yerevan. So, to maximize our time in Armenia, my friend and I just booked a day tour from Yerevan. Better to see at least a few of Armenia's hidden gems than nothing!
Recommended Travel Agency: Yerani Travel
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post and we paid with our own money.
Before our travel, I checked Yerani Travel's website packaged tours and while it looks really good, I did not book one yet because it is over our budget.
Upon our arrival in Yerevan, we walked around the Cascade Complex and Republic Square in search of tour companies but we were a little hesitant to book from any of them, trust issues I guess. As we walked around on our way back to the hotel, a signboard of a tour company caught our attention and to our surprise, it was Yerani Travel! A good sign, so we went in and booked our tour for the next day.
Day Tour from Yerevan
After getting mixed in with a group of Russian speakers, we shifted into a different vehicle and the tour started right away. Our lovely tour guide (unfortunately, I didn't get her name), was very informative to the point that it was a little overwhelming to digest. She knows everything from religion, politics, geography, and even the trend of cost of living in Yerevan. She's one of the best tour guides I've ever met up to this day (August 2024).
Khor Virap Monastery
Our first stop was Khor Virap Monastery which you have probably seen in every 'Armenian Itinerary'. True enough, Khor Virap Monastery is stunning with Mount Ararat in the background. While Mount Ararat is technically located in Turkey, it is a national symbol of Armenia. Armenians also consider and believe that Mount Ararat is the holy land where Noah landed his ark.
During our visit, our lovely tour guide shared a lot about the history of the monastery but I was not listening (sorry!). Right after, she gave us time to roam around by ourselves and take photos up to our heart's content before heading back to the shuttle bus.
After taking lots of photos, up to this day, this is still my favorite one. A famous photo spot in a nearby vineyard where you can see Khor Virap Monastery in the view with Mount Ararat in the background. How photogenic, right?
Areni-1 Bird Cave
Moving to our next stop is the Areni-1 Bird Cave also known as Noravank Birds Cave. Areni-1 Bird Cave is an excavation site where they found different cultural artifacts dating back to the Copper Age/Bronze Age. If I am not mistaken, the site is still being excavated even up to this day.
There were a few sets of stairs before reaching the actual entrance of the cave.
Upon entering the cave, we make our way through the passageways that led us to the 'halls' where the artifacts are well preserved.
While I am not the best person to discuss cultural stuff since I pretty much don't understand everything inside the cave, I am pretty amazed by the fact that this cave stores stuff that people from the past have used. There might be a chance that ancient people could have stayed here as well. What a history glimpse for me!
Noravank Monastery
Nestled between a gorge in Vayots Dzor province is yet another monastery. The gorge itself was already a scenic sight with its reddish cliffs and semi-arid terrain.
During our visit back in the summer of 2019, it was the peak season and the monastery was crowded to the brim. I have no decent photos of the monastery and I don't want to post the other photos where everyone's faces are visible.
Despite our experience, we still enjoyed the place but I believed I needed to come back so that I could fully appreciate the place and its importance in history.
Wine Tasting at Hin Areni Winery
The last stop of our day tour was a visit to a famous local winery plus a wine-tasting experience. Our tour started by walking inside the distillery with a briefing on the wine-making process. Afterward, they gave us a generous amount of wine (red, white, and rose) to try it.
Not really a wine lover, I couldn't tell how good the wine was. But as a traveler, it's my first time to join a wine-tasting experience and I liked it.
Day Tour Cost
We paid 13,000 AMD per person for the tour which includes the following:
- Transportation & Guide Services
- Pick-up from the hotel and Drop-off at the Cascade Complex
- Armenian set lunch*
- All entry tickets
- Wine Tasting
- Wi-Fi inside the bus
*The Armenian set lunch was in a local restaurant and we were served salad, sides (fries and white rice, a main dish with meat (chicken and pork), bottled water, and coffee/tea. The lunch was after we visited Noravank Monastery.
Personal Thoughts:
For its price, it's almost the same price I saw online. I thought it was expensive but it was worth it. The tour was organized and well-planned and the guide was amazing. I couldn't be more happier that we booked our tour with Yerani Travel.
