CAUCASUS TOUR – GEORGIA-ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN
CAUCASUS TOUR 12 DAYS
1
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL TO AZERBAIJAN
Meeting at the airport. Transfer to Baku. Check-in at the hotel and rest. Overnight in Baku
2
DAY 2 – BAKU CITY TOUR. GOBUSTAN NATIONAL PARK – MUD VOLCANOES
Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing tour around Baku includes the visits to the following historical sites: Icheri Sheher, Virgin Tower, Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Caravanserai, Nizami Street, Fountains Square, Heydar Aliyev Center , Carpet Museum.
We will start the tour with exemplified restored Icheri Sheher – the Baku Old Town, where we will take a close look at its symbols: the Virgin’s Tower from the 12th century, the Shirvanshah Palace and the Caravanserai.
Departure to Gobustan, visiting the Open air museum and mud volcanoes. Open air museum is known for hosting thousands of rock engravings spread over 100 square km depicting hunting scenes, people, ships, constellations and animals. Its oldest petroglyphs date from the 12th century BC.
Mud volcanoes – a really bizarre sight that is almost unique to Azerbaijan: bubbling, spitting, leaking, oozing, gray mud volcanoes. One set of these, near Gobustan, is even on the tourist trail and should definitely not be missed. Back to the hotel. Overnight in Baku.
3
DAY 3 – BAKU – SHAMAKHI – SHEKI
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we will set off deeper into the country. Our first stop will be harmoniously integrated into the vertical wall of the rock mausoleum of Sheikh Diri Baba in the village of Maraza. Then we will get to Shemakha city with a rich heritage, which over two thousand years of its existence has often become an arena for major events. We will see a magnificent, historic Juma Mosque there.
Drive to Sheki. Sightseeing tour around Sheki. Visit Sheki Medieval fortress, Sheki Khans Palace, built in 1762 by Hussein Khan the interior of the two- storey building is decorated with magnificent frescoes and lit by exquisite stained glass. Former rulers, the Khan, placed here in the 18th century in their Khan’s Palace in oriental style, one of the most valuable and the most magnificent in this part of the world with unique frescoes and stained glass windows. We will also see a Caravanserai – a former inn for caravan merchants.
Check – in at the hotel in Sheki or close by.
4
DAY 4 – SHOPPING IN SHEKI. DEPARTURE TO GEORGIA
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we will go to Sheki Bazaar – Silk shop and Halva shop to shop local sweets and very famous Sheki silk.
Departure to Azerbaijan – Georgia border Lagodekhi. departure to the Kakheti region, which is called “the land of wine”. Georgia is considered as the homeland of wine, and Georgian wine making In Qvevri, is listed on UNESCO. Visiting a winery, wine tasting. Overnight stay in Kakheti.
5
Day 5 -KAKHETI – TBILISI CITY TOUR
After breakfast we will set off in the direction of Tbilisi. Check in, after check in, Tbilisi city tour, we will see the Old Town and the most important monuments of the capital – Narikala fortress, on which we will go by a funicular, what will allow us to admire the panorama of the city, and from the fortress there will be a beautiful view of the whole capital; Abanotubani (district of sulfur baths), winding streets of old Tbilisi, the most important temples of the city: Sioni cathedral (XVII c.), and the oldest church of Tbilisi – Anchiskhati (VII c.).
Dinner with a folklore show, overnight in Tbilisi.
6
DAY 6 – TBILISI – KAZBEGI – TBILISI
Breakfast, departure from Tbilisi to the mountains of the Great Caucasus by the famous Georgian War Road, up to the town of Kazbegi. This is a journey that will delight everyone with wonderful views of the highest peaks of the Caucasus. Along the way, visit the picturesque Ananuri Fortress, which is located on Lake Jinvali, and take a photo break at the historic lookout point in the ski resort of Gudauri. Drive to Kazbegi village, ascend by off-road vehicles to the Holy Trinity Church of Gergeti, which is a landmark of the region and the whole country. From Gergeti, in good visibility conditions, we can see the peak of Kazbek (5054 m), the second highest peak of the country.
After the tour, return to Tbilisi, overnight in Tbilisi.
7
DAY 7 – TBILISI – GORI – CAVE TOWN – TBILISI
Breakfast, departure to Mtskheta, we’ll visit the most important monuments of Georgia, places that recall the beginnings of Christianity: the old capital Mccheta. Mccheta is the cradle of Christianity in Georgia, it was here that Christianity was adopted as the state religion in the 4th century. We will visit the most important religious buildings from the UNESCO list – Svetikhoveli Cathedral (XI century) and Dzhwari Monastery (VI century). Departure to Gori, we’ll visit Uplistsikhe – cave town in Gori, it is the oldest monument and the oldest cave town on the territory of Georgia, according to historical sources, the first settlements appeared here in the II millennium BC! The city impresses with a developed, for those times, infrastructure and a variety of caves and living quarters. Return to Tbilisi. Dinner and overnight stay there.
8
DAY 8 – TBILISI – HAGHPAT – SEVAN -YEREVAN
After breakfast we drive to the Armenian border, and proceed through the checkpoint. Along the drive we will visit the Haghpat Monastery (10th century), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and combines several buildings, including churches, music halls, a library, etc. On the way to Yerevan, we will visit, the lake Sevan. Lake Sevan is the largest and deepest lake in Armenia, and it is located at 1900 m. above sea level. Here we will visit the Sevanavank Monastery (9 century), which was once located on an island and therefore cut off from the rest of the region. Today, the island has turned into a peninsula and visiting the monastery is possible for everyone. Arrival in Yerevan. Dinner and overnight stay in Yerevan.
9
DAY 9 – YEREVAN CITY TOUR
Breakfast, Sightseeing of the capital of Armenia.
Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the Caucasus and the whole world, founded in 782 BC, still serves as the capital and largest city of Armenia. Noteworthy is the city’s central square, Republic Square, where ministries and other government buildings are located. Walking further, you will see the beautiful Opera House and the Cascades. The Yerevan Cascades have 572 stairs, with which you can climb to the top and enjoy the beauty of the city. You can also use an escalator inside the building to get to the top. The interior of the Cascades is used to exhibit contemporary art, and the Cafesjian Art Museum is located here. After a tour of the city centre we will head to the Genocide Museum, a memorial to the victims of the Armenian massacre in the early 20th century. Dinner and overnight in Yerevan.
10
DAY 10 – YEREVAN – ECHMIADZIN – ZVARTNOTS – YEREVAN
Breakfast, drive to the city of Vagharshapat (Echmiadzin). Echmiadzin is known as the religious center of Armenia, it was here that the first Christian cathedral in the the world was built – the church of the same name. According to historical sources, the construction of the church was completed in 303, and despite numerous destructions, the cathedral remained preserved in almost its original state, and is listed as a UNESCO site. In the town of Vagharshapat, we will also visit the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral (7th century), also a UNESCO site. Return to Yerevan, we will end the day with a tasting of real Armenian cognac and dinner.
Overnight stay in Yerevan.
11
DAY 11 – YEREVAN – GARNI – GEGHARD – KHOR VIRAP – YEREVAN
Breakfast, departure towards the capital. In the vicinity of Yerevan we visit two unique monuments: the Geghard Monastery, part of which is carved in the rock and the church itself is astonishing with its reliefs and stone ornaments, and the pagan temple of Garni. It is a very interesting monument of Armenian architecture – the only pagan temple, built in classical style in the 1st century A.D., still completely preserved today. The temple named Garni was dedicated to the sun deity Mitra.
Next drive to the monastery of Khor Virap, where the Armenian enlightener Saint Gregory was imprisoned for 13 years. The monastery overlooks the peak of Ararat, the holy Armenian mountain. According to legends, Noah’s ark found its haven right here. Drive back to Yerevan, dinner and overnight in Yerevan.
Overnight stay in Yerevan.
12
DAY 12 – TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
Departure from Yerevan International Airport.
Trip route: approx. 2500 km
Difficulty level: easy
Documents needed: passport, e-visa for Azerbaijan (https://evisa.gov.az/en/)
Weather conditions (summer season): in mountain areas approx. +15°C, in lowland areas approx. +25°C
Currency: GEL (Georgian lari), 1 USD = 2,66 GEL. In Armenia - AMD (Armenian drams), 1 USD = 397 AMD, in Azerbaijan - AZN (Azerbaijani manat), 1 USD = 1,70 AZN.You can exchange EUR, USD or withdraw local currency from an ATM on site
Clothing: light, comfortable shoes for walking around the city, long-sleeved jacket/sweatshirt, scarf (ladies are recommended to wear a headgear when visiting temples)
Medicines: it is recommended to have sunscreen and medicine for possible stomach problems with you due to the different bacterial flora in Georgia (you can also buy it locally)
Internet: Wi-Fi is available in every hotel and most restaurants, you can purchase a local SIM card with Internet (approx. 15 GEL)
There are no Covid regulations
