Off-road tour to the south Armenia with hiking opportunities

In the morning you will continue your way to Noravank monastery, in the gorge of which stand awesome rocks that were formed due to volcanic emissions. Noravank monastery complex is one of the greatest spiritual centres in the medieval  Armenia. The monastery is situated at the foothill of the rock and looks at the gorge.

Then you will have a chance to choose a hiking above the gorge to the mountain village or get there with another, but no less impressive road. The group will meet there and continue their way to the mineral spring, where you will probably get through Mozrov village, where is located one of the most mysterious and deepest caves of Armenia.  Various natural formations of stalactites, helictites, stalagmites “shake” your imagination with their forms and colors.
Near the mineral springs, the tents for night stay will be put.

On the third day of off-roud tour in Armenia, along the off road you will get to Spitakavor monastery, located on the mountain slope. This little monastery amazes with its richness of  spiritual and peaceful bas-reliefs.
Here you can choose either stay and admire the surrounding nature or go deeper into the monastery's architecture or go hiking to the fortress of Proshaberd, which is located on the top of the impregnable mountain. From here opens a view to the whole mountains that seem to have no ending...
The second hiking will be to the monastery of  Shatinvank, one of the greatest monasteries on the mountain slope, which has an important historical and cultural meaning.
The overnight stay will be not far from Spitakavor monastery.

The fourth day of the tour starts with a visit to the VII century monastery of Tanahat, situated on the mountain slope, on the first bank of the river. According to some sources exactly here was the most popular medieval armenian university- Gladzor Univesity, where they studied mathematics, geometry, natural sciences, theology, astrology, etc.
From here you will move to another impregnable forrtess- to the fortress of Smbataberd. The fortress is situated at an altitude of 2000 m. Smbataberd was built so that it would be protected оn 3 sides with mountain twist. It was possible to enter the forrtess only from the north.
Then you can choose a hiking or  jeep drive to the monastery of Tsaxac Qar. The monastery was founded in the X century. In was an important learning centre of the Middle Ages. The architecture and the bas-reliefs of the curch are worthy of special attention.
Exactly here, not so far from the monastery will be our night stay.

In the morning  you  will  cross through Gerger range to its highest peak- to Vayoc  Sar  volcanoe. You can also get there hiking or on jeeps. This extinct volcano has a height of 2581 m. The volcano has a shape of crossed cone with a crater of 125 m depth. According to some historical data, the last eruption of the volcano was in 735, geologists claim that the last eruption was 40,000 years ago. You can choose who is more worth trusting...

The overnight stay will be not far from the volcano.

On the sixth day of your trip you will go to one of the most mysterious monasteries of  Armenia. The monastery is completely in the mountain.  And despite this, it was built according to the rules of Armenian churches construction. Most of the monastery  hasn't been founded yet. If you wish, you can participate in a hiking and perhaps find the other part of the church.
Or you can just rest and enjoy the beauty of a surrounding nature.
The night stay will be here.

The day starts with a visit to the beautiful Shaqi waterfall. The waterfall's look and sound of the water make this place perfect for relaxation. After some rest you will go to an amazing place- megalithic complex of Zorats Qarer. This ancient observatory is the seat of many secrets, exploring which we can learn  loads of things about ancestors of Armenians and other nations, who were living there many millennials ago. On that day, another place with millennial secrets waits for you. It is a volcanic mountain Ughtasar, on the top and slopes of which you can see many petroglyphs, which  miraculously survived until nowadays and portray  faith  and life  of pre- Christian and Cristian times.
You will sleep not far from that place.

In the morning, before lunch you will have a free time to explore these unique stone symbols  and admire the nature. If you want there will be a small hiking to neighbourhood.
Then, through the mountains you will get to the hot mineral sources which Armenia is rich of.
The night stay will be nor far from the sources.

In the morning you will go to the river Allich. The river has a volcanic origin and is situated at an altitude of 2700 m.
Then, on jeeps you will reach to Jermuk. As well as throughout the whole tour, on this day too, the road will be so interesting and fascinating that even spending a long time in the car, you won't  be bored.
You will spend the night in a picturesque place, on the nature.

Jermuk is situated at an altitude of 2080 m, and on 3 sides  it is surrounded with high mountains covered with forests, and from the south-west with the gorge of Arpha river. It's not surprising that  nature of this place “has created” mineral sources with curing properties. To one of these sources you will go on the tenth day of your jeep tour in the southern parts of Armenia. These are the famous geysers of Jermuk. From time to time a warm mineral water fountain hits. Because of the mineral deposition the geyser's surrounding had turned into interesting, yellow-orange color.
After geysers, you will pass through Jermuk city to the monastery of Gndevank. The next destination is Tatev's gorge. It is impossible to tell about the beauty of this place, you need to see it with your eyes... There is  an ancient village of Halidzor in that gorge. People were sent to live in a new village of Halidzor and this place was left with empty houses built with very interesting shapes. Here, the rocks and houses are the continuation of each other that form a kind of cascade, when the roof of one's house is a courtyard for another.
At night, you are going to stay in this village.

On this day, till afternoon you will have a free time. You can enjoy  the surrounding nature or, for example, explore the old houses to understand clearer  how old people lived there. For those, who  want, we can organise a hiking to the previous Tatev desert. The desert  was destroyed during an earthquake and the monks had to leave that place and build a new one above the flowing river. Then we will go to Tatev monastery. On the way we will go to several interesting places such as the Devil's bridge and a viewing platform.
A viewing platform was the part of a warning system which warned about approaching enemy.
The Devil's bridge is situated in the gorge of Vorotan river. There are lot of mineral springs here, the part of which is under the bridge  and flows into the river, and because of this there's a mysterious impression that less water flows into the river than it runs out. And maybe this is why the bridge is called so.
Tatev monastery is situated on a rock. From here opens a view to the gorge and from the top we can see the road along which we've passed. The monastery of Tatev has  the most important  meaning for Armenian history. In the Middle Ages, there was another popular university here- Tatev University. Then along an old road we will drive to Bgheno-Noravank. The monastery is situated in a forest on a narrow ridge branch.
We will stay for night in a nearby picturesque place.

On this day you will have a visit to one of the less-known and most mysterious fortresses- to Baghramaberd.
The nature of the southern Armenia is so diverse that you want to stay there and look around for hours. You will have a free time. So, if you want you can just have a rest and enjoy the surrounding nature. Or you can participate in a hiking to the fortress.
Then you will go to the most interesting monastery of Vahanavank. At the end of the day to the fortress of  Halidzor. The fortress is famous because it used to be a desert for female, but later it became the residence and fortress for the rulers of this region.

On the 13th day of  your trip, a visit to Khustup mountain waits for you. Mountain's height is 3021 m. The weather is mostly frosty. The mountain slopes are heavily crushed, with many cliffs and caves.
You are going to spend your whole day here. You can have a walk or join to a climbing to the mountain of Khustup.
The night stay will be at a foothill of the mountain.

In the next morning you will go to another awesome place- to the cascade of Lichk waterfalls.
Here you will have a short hiking  through the gorge. After enjoying the numerous waterfalls you will have a free time. But for those who want, the hiking can be continued further up the gorge.
At night, you will stay in a very picturesque place.

On the 15th day of your jeep tour you will get to a wonderful place- to the heart of Khndzoresk's cave town. All houses and even fortresses and churches here, are in the caves. To move between the “houses”, people created a complex system of cable ladders. The most fascinating thing is that people lived there until the middle of the last century.
Here you will have an opportunity to spend your free time as you want or you can participate in a hiking through Khndzoresk.
The overnight stay will be in the territory of  Khndzoresk.

On the last day of your saturated tour on jeeps you will return to Yerevan. But on the way, you will go to the volcano of Armaghan and then to Sevan lake. Armaghan is an extinct volcano with a height of 2529 m. The crater of 50 m depth is partly filled with  water. According to the legend, sometimes the celestial fairies get down to the lake to drink some water. In that time the top of the mountain covers with a fog in order not to be noticed. And of course, lake Sevan, the real natural richness. We can talk about Sevan endlessly, but it is better to see it yourselves.
In Yerevan your transfer to the airport will be organised at a convenient time for you. We will impatiently wait to see you again in order to show other parts of Armenia.