12-Day Caucasus Tour: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia

Cultural tour of three oldest countries, National Museums, architectural monuments, Cave Towns (2000 years old)

Archeological evidence suggests that the area of South Caucasus is one of the oldest sites of human presence, dating back as far as 3 000 000 years. The gigantic isthmus of the Caucasus lies between the Black and Caspian Seas, serving as a crossroad of Europe and Asia for thousands of years. The countries of South Caucasus - Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan - are distinguished by their distinct histories, language traditions, religions, cultures and natural surroundings. The interdependence was caused by cultural and political connections as the countries developed throughout the centuries. While exploring the South Caucasus countries you will discover a fascinating cross-roads culture that has integrated both Europe and Asia. You will visit World Heritage Monasteries, unique painted churches, cave towns, stunning gorges and valleys, ethnographical and historical museums, art galleries and more…

Day 1 – Arrival You just need to reach the hotel. You can check in after 14:00. Meeting with guide and driver at 19:00 in the lobby of the hotel and you will have welcome dinner. Overnight in Baku. Day 2: Baku Tour starts at 9:00 AM, meeting with the guide at the reception of the hotel. Start excursion and visit historical-art reserve “Gobustan”, where rock paintings have perfectly remained, barrows and housing objects dated from X-XIII millennial BC to the middle Ages. There are certificates of inhabitants of region of an epoch of the Stone Age and the subsequent periods in “Gobustan” - Rock drawings, person parking, gravestone monuments, are concentrated there. Nearby is “Gaval Chalan” - original stone- tambourine, representing flat wise established huge plate. It is possible to hear rhythmic accurate motives by knocking on it. It is considered that these sounds accompanied ritual dances and ceremonies. Visiting of “Gobustan” will transfer you to other world, the world of last mankind and will allow you to feel the atmosphere of thousand-year history of this place. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) Start exploring Baku. Panorama of the city presented to the height of the mountainous part of a television tower clearly gives an idea of the contrasts and the extent of Baku, the horseshoe bay of Baku. The city is shaped like an amphitheater, descending down to the Caspian Sea. Tour covers the central part of the city showing the most interesting historical and architectural sites. Visiting “Old Town” or “Inner City”. The territory of” Inner City” - 22 hectares, which represents a small fraction of the total area of Baku (44,000 hectares). However, the concentration of architectural and historical monuments, dictates the need for this excursion into a separate and make this part of Baku, perhaps the most interesting to explore. Maiden Tower (XII century), Palace of Shirvanshahs (XV century), Castle Synyk Gala, Caravan Saray, Juma Mosque - this is not a complete list of attractions of the old Baku. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Baku. Day 3: Baku – Shemakha – Sheki After breakfast, drive to Shamakhy district. Visit the town of Shemakha, Diri Baba Tomb and Yeddi Gumbez. Shemakha was the capital of Shirvan Kingdom for several centuries. Yeddi Gumbaz (The Seven Cupolas) Mausoleum is the burial place for members of the royal families of the Shirvan shahs. Then drive to village Kish to visit the Albanian church. Legend says that the church was built in 78 AD, but the researchers place it a few centuries later. Dinner at the local restaurant. (Included) End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Sheki. Day 4: Sheki – Lagodekhi – Tbilisi Sheki is one of the most famous and ancient places of Azerbaijan. Situated 700 m (2297 ft.) above sea level like an amphitheatre surrounded by the mountains and forests of oak trees, this ancient city was long famed as a silk centre and an important stop on the Great Silk Route. There is an assumption that the name of the town goes back to the ethnonym of the Saks, who reached the territory of Azerbaijan in the 7th century BC. We’ll start our Sheki tour from visiting the 18th century Khan's summer palace with magnificent frescoes and exquisite stained-glass work. Sheki History museum is famous with artifacts from several periods. Then continue to drive to Azerbaijan Georgia border in Lagodekhi. Border formalities, transport and guide change. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) We continue our way to Khareba winery (or similar winery) to taste some of European style Georgian wines. We continue our Tour by visiting Gremi, a 16th century architectural complex and then we go on to Nekresi monastery. Then we will visit the unique 300-year-old wine cellar where you will learn about Georgian wine making traditions, which differ quite markedly from European methods (only excursion). Drive to Tbilisi. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight at the hotel in Tbilisi. Day 5: Tbilisi sightseeing tour Tbilisi sightseeing tour – the Old Town and the New City. The city offers a wide variety of sights, most of them very ancient. We begin our visit just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel in the compact area of Old Tbilisi. Starting at the church of Metekhi, we walk to the brick domes of sulfur baths and then on to spectacularly located Narikala’s fortress – one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia, overlooking Mtkvari river gorge. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) After that, we visit the synagogue, and the Sioni and Anchiskhati churches, which mark the end of the Old Town. After we visit the treasury of the National Museum of Georgia (Georgian Archaeology from 8th millennium B.C.), Visit the holy trinity cathedral, the third biggest church in the world. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Tbilisi. Day 6: Tbilisi – Mtsketa – Ananuri – Stepantsminda – Tbilisi After breakfast in the hotel, we visit the ancient capital and the religious centre of Georgia – Mtskheta (3000 years old) and see its historical sites: Jvari monastery (6th century) and Svetitskhoveli cathedral (11th century). Both Jvari and Svetitskhoveli are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Then we visit the ancient ruins of the city and drive north towards the Northern Caucasus along the well-known Georgian Military Road. On the way, we visit Ananuri – a 17th century architectural complex. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (In Panasauri or in Kazbegi - According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) An exciting drive from Gudauri along the Tergi River will take us to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) – the main town in the region. From Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) drive with 4 WD vehicles through beautiful valleys and woods brings us to Gergeti Trinity church located at 2170m. In good weather, you can see one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – the mountain Kazbegi (5047m). We go back to the Tbilisi. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Tbilisi. Day 7: Tbilisi – Gori – Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe After breakfast at hotel, you will drive to Akhaltsikhe (approximately 3 hrs.) It was founded at least 800 years ago, and was a regional administrative center for the Ottomans from the 16th century up to the Russian-Turkish War. On the way to Akhaltsikhe, we may stop at Uplistsikhe Cave Town-Fortress, which history begins in the I-II millennium B.C. or visit Stalin’s museum in Gori. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (Not included) Afterwards, a tour to the 13th century Rabat Fortress that is a mix of different religions and architecture. Check-in at the hotel in Akhaltsikhe or Vardzia. In the evening dinner at a local restaurant. (Included) End of the tour. Free time. Day 8: Vardzia – Akhalkalaki – Yerevan After breakfast at the hotel, a tour to the 2nd century B.C. Khertvisi Fortress, once destroyed by Alexander the Great and a cave monastery Vardzia, the caves of which stretch along the cliff for some five hundred meters and in up to nineteen tiers and which area is believed to be first inhabited during the Bronze Age. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) After lunch, you go to the border, where you change the transport and guide. After meeting with the Armenian guide, you move forward to Yerevan - the hospitable capital of Armenia. Check-in. Rest. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Yerevan. Day 9: Yerevan city tour – Etchmiadzin (UNESCO) – Zvartnots (UNESCO) – Yerevan Start discovering Armenia by a visit to the State History Museum where you get familiar with a complete picture of the Armenian culture and history dating back to 1 million years ago up to nowadays. Then go sightseeing in one of the world's oldest cities – 2796-year-old Yerevan. Open-air lunch at one of restaurants located just in Hrazdan River gorge. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) Then you move forward to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – the spiritual centre of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the seat of the Supreme Patriarch and the Catholicos of all Armenians. Numerous kings and Catholicoses have been crowned and consecrated here. On the way back to Yerevan you stop at the ruins of outstanding Zvartnots Temple. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Yerevan. Day 10: Yerevan – Geghard (UNESCO) – Garni – Yerevan In the morning the coach takes you to Geghard Monastic Complex located on the mountainside of the almost closed amphitheater of harsh cliffs. It is famous for its rock-cut architecture. Thanks to its hard-to-reach area, the Holy Lance, which pierced the side of Christ, has been kept here for 500 years. St. Thaddeus Apostle brought it to Armenia in 33 AD. In honor of the Holy Lance, Ayrivank Monastery (meaning “Cave Monastery”) was renamed Geghart (the Armenian translation of “the Holy Lance”). On the way you stop at Charents Arch to enjoy the majestic view of the Biblical Mount Ararat. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) The next highlight is the only standing pagan temple in Armenia – Garni, devoted to Mihr, who, in accordance with the Armenian Mythology, was the God of the Sun. From here you will enjoy the impressive view of breathtaking high cliffs called “Symphony in the stone”. An unforgettable experience is waiting for you in Garni village – you can take part in a real ritual of baking national “lavash” bread with local villagers. Return to Yerevan. Spice this day with an excursion and tasting in well-known Yerevan Brandy Factory. End of the tour. Free time. Overnight in Yerevan. Day 11: Yerevan – Lake Sevan –Haghpat (UNESCO) – Sadakhlo – Tbilisi It's time to driving to one of the highest fresh-water lakes in the world – the Sevan (1 900m). From the top of Sevan Peninsula, you can admire the full view of the lake of volcano-tectonic origin and the adjacent mountain chains. Driving through wooded mountains of Dilijan National Park and deep gorges of Northern regions you stop in mountainous Haghpat village. You just cannot leave Armenia without seeing a masterpiece of architecture – Haghpat Monastic Complex. Lunch time: 13:00-14:00 (According to the guests' decision we will agree on time/Included) Say goodbye to Armenia and continue your route to travel within Georgia. After meeting with the Georgian guide, you move forward to Tbilisi. Check-in. Rest. Gala dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight in Tbilisi Day 12: Departure Check out at 12:00 and this beautiful tour finishes.