The Road of Wine, Mountains and Jermuk

This route runs only for you and your companions. At the agreed time an Amaras Tour car arrives directly at the address you give us in Yerevan, whether a hotel, an apartment or another place arranged in advance, and at the end of the day it brings you back to your address. There is no need to get to a shared meeting point. The private format lets you plan your time more flexibly, stop at beautiful viewpoints and linger longer in the places you like. The price is calculated individually and depends on the number of travellers, the car category you choose, the format of the trip (with a professional driver or with a professional tour guide) and any additional services. Cars are available in Standard, Comfort, Premium and Luxury categories. On request, professional drone filming can be added to the trip.

In the morning we pick you up from your address and head south through Armenia. Over a single day the scenery changes several times: the Ararat Valley gives way to the mountains of Vayots Dzor, the red cliffs of Noravank, and then the forests and high mountain gorges of Jermuk.

The first stop is Khor Virap Monastery, one of the most important places in the history of Christian Armenia. Its name translates as 'deep dungeon'. According to Armenian Christian tradition, it was here that King Trdat III imprisoned Gregory the Illuminator for his Christian faith. Gregory spent about 13 years in the underground pit. After his release he played a key role in converting the royal family and in Armenia's adoption of Christianity in the early 4th century. Today visitors can climb down into the pit connected with this story.

Khor Virap is famous for another reason too: it is one of Armenia's best-known viewpoints, looking out over Greater and Lesser Ararat. On a clear day the mountain seems remarkably close. The private format allows plenty of time here for a walk and photos. If you choose the tour with a professional guide, you will hear the full historical story of Gregory the Illuminator, King Trdat III and early Christianity in Armenia.

After Khor Virap we continue south. The Ararat Valley gradually falls behind and Vayots Dzor begins, a region of mountains, canyons, ancient monasteries and one of Armenia's most famous winemaking traditions. The next stop is Areni, the wine heart of Vayots Dzor. The village is known above all for its grapes and centuries-old history of winemaking, and the native Armenian Areni grape variety is tied to this very region. The climate of Vayots Dzor, its altitude, its many sunny days and its particular soils create good conditions for growing grapes. Today Areni is one of the main centres of wine tourism in Armenia.

The trip includes a stop for a wine tasting, where guests can get to know local wines and learn more about the region's modern winemaking culture. Guests who don't drink alcohol can skip the tasting or swap it for extra time at another stop on the route. That is the advantage of the private format: the programme adapts to you.

From Areni we continue through a picturesque gorge. The landscape gradually becomes something else entirely: the road winds between tall reddish cliffs, and around one more bend Noravank Monastery appears among the mountains, one of the architectural symbols of Vayots Dzor. The monastery complex flourished especially in the 13th and 14th centuries and was closely tied to the powerful princely house of the Orbelians. Noravank was more than a religious centre: education, manuscript art, architecture and stone carving all developed here.

The story of Noravank is inseparable from the name of Momik, one of the outstanding masters of medieval Armenia. He was an architect, sculptor, miniature painter and khachkar carver. One of the best-known buildings in the complex is the two-storey burial church of Surb Astvatsatsin, also called Burtelashen, completed in the 14th century. Its unusual composition and stone carving have made it one of the most recognisable monuments of Armenian medieval architecture. On a private tour there is no need to rush through the monastery: we allow time to explore the complex, listen to a professional guide, take a walk, take photos and capture panoramic shots against the red cliffs. After Noravank we head deeper into Vayots Dzor.

As we approach Jermuk the scenery changes once again, with dry cliffs gradually giving way to greener mountain landscapes. Jermuk lies in the high mountain part of Vayots Dzor and is known for its mineral springs, gorges, forests and cool climate. One of its natural sights is the famous waterfall often called Mermaid's Hair: the water runs down the slope in thin streams into a deep gorge, which is how the waterfall earned its romantic name. We stop here for a walk and photos. The next photo spot is the Arch of Dreams, a popular Jermuk viewpoint overlooking the gorge and the surrounding mountains, where we stop for photos and a short walk. In good weather this part of Jermuk is especially good for beautiful panoramic shots.

After the natural sights we get to know Jermuk itself, one of Armenia's best-known resort towns. The town's main natural treasure is its mineral springs, and it is thanks to them that Jermuk has been developing as a resort for decades. We visit Jermuk's famous Mineral Water Gallery, where the water flows straight from natural springs. The springs differ in temperature, and you can taste the water and feel how different it is from ordinary bottled mineral water. It is one of Jermuk's most distinctive sights.

Since the tour is private, time for rest in Jermuk can be built in, and on request we arrange a stop for lunch. If you would rather spend more time in nature, the stops in town can be shortened, or the other way round. After Jermuk we set off back, and the car drops you directly at your address in Yerevan. The approximate return time depends on when you set off, how long the stops take and the traffic. The whole trip takes about 11–12 hours.

This private tour is especially suited to those who want to see many sides of Armenia in a single day, bringing together Ararat, the history of Christianity, the winemaking culture of Areni, medieval Noravank, the mountains of Vayots Dzor, a waterfall and the mineral springs of Jermuk. It is a full route for couples, families, friends and small groups who want to travel at their own pace, without a large tour group. Amaras Tour: travel around Armenia at your own rhythm.