Day programme culture photo trip Armenia
Day 1: arrival
Het programma van de cultuur fotoreis in Armenië begint in Yerevan. In de avond ontmoeten we elkaar in één van de gezellige restaurants in bruisend Yerevan. Jullie krijgen allerlei praktische dingen voor dag 2 te horen. Na afloop wandelen we door Yerevan en gaan we richting ons hotel.
Day 2: Yerevan
Yerevan itself has many extraordinary culturule objects. The city has existed for thousands of years and you can feel it. We visit the Blue Mosque, the genocide monument, the Noy cognac distillery (incl wine tasting 1941 + cognac), the cascade, victory park and St Gregor the Illuminator cathedral. In the evening, we relax at will and/or look at each other's photos from the day. We sleep at our hotel in Yerevan.
Day 3: Khor Virap, Noravank, Areni and Karahunj
We leave Yerevan early in the morning and head for an iconic spot: Khor Virap. This monastery lies right in front of the mighty Ararat (over 5000m) and is a particularly photogenic spot. After this, we drive to one of Armenia's hidden monasteries: Noravank. In the middle of the (red) mountains and only accessible via a narrow gorge. After this iconic spot, we visit the nearby Momik winecubes of Areni. There they make the best wines from the Areni grape. We continue our journey, stopping at Karahunj on the way. The Armenian Stonehenge. But older and often you are the only visitor. We drive on to the characteristic town of Goris to spend the night there.
Day 4: Khndzoresk, Tatev en Yeghegis
We start the day on time with nearby Khndzoresk. An unusual place with an abandoned church deep in a gorge. All around are abandoned cave houses. After picking up our gear in Goris, we drive to Tatev. A spectacular and photographically uniquely positioned monastery in the middle of the mountains. After lunch, we leave towards Yeghegis for the night. A pretty town, close to the famous Smbataberd castle.
Day 5: Smbataberd, karavanserai, Selim pass, Sevan
Early in the morning, enthusiasts can take a 4×4 (for a fee) to the beautifully located Smbataberd, near our hotel. After returning to the hotel, we leave towards the fantastic Selim pass. Just before we reach the top, we visit the 1322 Orbelian caravanserai. A relic of days gone by where time has stood still. We slowly drive north and pass the spectacular Selim pass. We drive over the Selim pass to Lake Sevan, where we first visit the 9th-century Hayravank monastery. After the ensuing lunch, we drive on to the beautifully located 874 Sevanavank monastery. We drive a little further north and spend the night in the Dilijan area.
Day 6: Odzun, Sanahin and Haghpat
The landscape changes dramatically. We drive from Dilijan (also called Little Switzerland) to Odzun. Here we visit a fifth-century church with the oldest depiction of Mary with baby Jesus. Not far from here are the Unesco monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat. These are exceptional places where you can walk around wonderfully. Photogenic, elaborate and unique. We spend the night in Haghpat in a fantastic location with stunning views over the valley.
Day 7: Yezidi temple, Aparan basilica, Amberd castle
We drive through the high mountains towards Armenia's highest mountains. On the way, we stop in Rya Taza at a unique Yezidi temple. We also stop in Aparan. Here stands the Kasagh Basilica. One of the oldest churches on earth, built in the late 4th century and largely in original architectural style. Unique! We continue our way up into the mountains, up to the fantastically positioned Amberd Castle. This is where fairy tales come to life. After a good lunch, we drive out of the mountains, if possible, to our hotel in Yerevan.
Day 8: Garni, Symphony of Stones, Geghard, Yerevan
From our hotel in Yerevan, we drive in time to the Symphony of Stones rock formation, a lava rock with unique shapes. Close to these rock formations are two unique Unesco sites. A genuine Roman temple from the year 77 in Garni and the beautiful monastery of Geghard. Carved into the mountain, this monastery is a wonderful location to end our visits. We drive back to Yerevan. We end the evening together with a good dinner and exchanging highlights and the best photos. We sleep in Yerevan.
