Iran and Armenia Program

Day 1 Arrival Isfahan

Arrive at Isfahan international airport. You will met & assisted with our representative and transfer to hotel

Day 2 Isfahan

First day of your tour in amazing city of Isfahan where you find yourself walking in boulevards surrounded by beautiful gardens and splendid art and architecture masterpieces.

This city is famous with its Persian – Islamic architecture and one of the largest city squares, Naghsh-e Jahan square. Your city tour will start with visiting this famous and truly beautiful square, that you will find Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque on its eastern side, this mosque was built during Safavid dynasty, Shah Abbas I and was a private mosque for the royal court.

The next monument is Imam Mosque (formerly Shah Mosque) on the south side of the square also built under the order of Shah Abbas I considered as one of the masterpieces of Persian architecture. Next site, opposite to Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is the imperial Palace of Ali Qapu, the best example of Safavid art and architecture. Now time for one of the oldest Bazaar in Isfahan, Qeysarie Bazaar in the north side of the square. The entrance of Bazaar is full of paintings and you will be amazed by high ceiling and all the art details you find on the roof. You can find different shops both side and it can be a best place for buying souvenir; Persian carpets & rugs, miniature, calligraphy, tile work…  or siting in one the tea houses to get refreshed.

Among other places you can visit in the afternoon Chehel Sotoun is highly recommended, this Pavilion that was built under the order of Shah Abbas II is in the middle of a park and used for his entertainment. After visiting the Chehel Sotoun and its collection of paintings that each has its story you can sit in the its park and enjoy a cup of tea.

In the evening you will enjoy the city on your own, having dinner in one of the many local restaurants that all of them serve high quality food and no matter where your hotel is located, you can always find some of these good places easily.

Day 3 Isfahan

You wake up again in Isfahan while your head is still full of those dreams you had last night of all the eslimi patterns, miniature, frescos… and still another day.

Isfahan is also famous for its Zayandehrood, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau. Anywhere is a river there are some bridges and bridges in Isfahan are among the most beautiful ones. There are eleven historical bridges over Zayanzehrood. You will visit 2 of them. Allahverdikhan Bridge popular as Si-o Se Pol is the largest one. The next bridge is Khaju Bridge, in words of Arthur Pope and Jean Chardin, Khaju is "the culminating monument of Persian bridge architecture and one of the most interesting bridges extant ... where the whole has rhythm and dignity and combines in the happiest consistency, utility, beauty, and recreation.

Isfahan also has great number of Armenian population. You will have a visit to Armenian Quarter in Jolfa district and will visit Vank Cathedral and its museum. While you are walking in streets and alleys of Jolfa you can smell coffee, no wonder, you can find many of coffee bars here and all serve nice coffee. Jolfa is also very nice part of the city to spend your evening. Many young people will come for dinner here and you see a lot of street food and also good restaurants.

Day 4 Isfahan - Tabriz

You will fly to the western part of Iran, to Tabriz. Rest of the day you can explore Tabriz. Here you can stroll through the hustle and bustle of the city and visit the trendy shopping streets or search for the cultural sites. The main attraction is the immense bazaar, the largest in Iran. But there is also an Armenian church, and the beautiful Masjed-e Kabud, the Blue Mosque. The Bagh-e Melli, a landscaped garden with a large pond where you, along with Iranian families, can take a breather, is located in the eastern part of the city.

Day 5 Tabriz - Kanduvan

Today you will drive in one hour to Kanduvan. This is one of the most extraordinary 'troglodyte' (cave city) of Iran. Completely carved into limestone rocks reminiscent of the landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey. You will sleep in a cave hotel yourself.

Day 6 Kanduvan - Urumieh

Today you drive to the city of Urmieh, located near the lake with the same name. This is one of the 3 holy lakes of the historic Armenian empire (the other ones being Sevan in Armenia and Van in Turkey). This is also the site of the ancient empire Urartu. Near the salt lake you will find many churches. Also there is the town of Marageh, once the capital of the Mongolian empire ruled by Hulagu Khan. Here you can visit a 13th century observatorium and the tombe of Gonbad-e Kabud.

Day 7 Urmieh - Maku via Bastam and St. Thaddeus church

You drive to the remote place of Maku, in the border region with Turkey and Nakhichevan. On the way you might see the peaks of Mt Ararat in Turkey. First stop will be the village of Bastam, once an important stronghold in the Urartu empire. 
One of the highlights of our trip will be the visit of the Armenian church of St. Thaddeus. This church is build on original foundations of 68 AD, making it one of the oldest churches in the world. The church is also called Qara kelisa (black church) and is open only once a year, on a holy day in july, when thousands of pelgrims come together.

You will sleep in the town of Maku, beautifully located 20 km from the Turkish border.

Day 8 Maku - Jolfa

From Maku you drive to Jolfa. At Jolfa you will find the more traces of the Armenian past in Iran. Here is the St. Stepanos church, built between the 7th and 10th century. The church is located in a deep canyon near the Aras river. In the vicinity you will find some Armenian churches and in Jolfa itself you can visit an old caravanserai. You will also see a bridge here, which forms the border with Nakhichevan.

Jolfa lies in the Aras valley. The Aras river has a legendary status. This would be one of the four rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden, and is mentioned in the Bible as the river Gihon. Now it is the border river of Iran with Azerbaijan and Armenia. You can see the river, which flows through the rugged mountain landscape like a green oasis.

Day 9 Jolfa - Goris
Today you will cross the border and enter Armenia. After border formalities you will drive through the beautiful valley of Agarak. On the way you can visit the cave village of Khndzoresk, a bit similar to Kanduvan. You will sleep in the provincial town of Goris.

Day 10 Goris - Hermon via Tatev

Today you will visit the famous 9th century monastery of Tatev. This dramatically situated monastery offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. It is therefore on Unesco's list of World Heritage Sites for a reason. The final stretch you can do this via the 5.7 km long (and thus longest in the world) cable car. You will have nice time here to see the old monastery complex and its beautiful surroundings.
Before reaching Hermon where you will sleep, you might visit Karahunge, the 'Stonehenge' of Armenia.
In Hermon you can visit the 9th century monastery of Hermoni Vank.

Day 11 Hermon - Sevan lake

Another beautiful day of travel follows with the trip across the Selimpas to Lake Sevan. The Selimpas has been an important passage over trade routes since the times of the Silk Road. Near the top of the pass, at an altitude of about 2,400 meters, you will find a 14th century caravanserai. On the way visit the village of Noratus on the edge of the lake, where you will see hundreds of Armenian crosses in a field. It is also possible to take a walk to the 10th century Smbataberd fortress.

Sevan Lake is one of the three sacred Armenian lakes (besides Lake Van in Turkey and Lake Urmieh in Iran). More than a hundred kilometers stretches the lake. At one time, this lake was even larger. Large-scale irrigation works, started in Soviet times under Stalin (and conceived by the same Mr. Manasserian, who was also engaged in lowering the water level in Lake Aral, resulting in an ecological disaster), resulted in the mirror of the water dropping some 17 meters, with all its consequences. Since the 1980s, attempts have been made to restore the water level to its original level, with great difficulty. Nevertheless, the lake looks beautiful. In Sevan you will visit Sevanavank, the monastery of Sevan, which used to be on an island, now on a peninsula.

Day 12 Sevan lake - Yerevan via Garni and Geghard

On the way to Yerevan you will visit Garni and Geghard. Garni is the sole monument from the Greco-Roman period, a kind of miniature Parthenon. It lies amidst beautiful green valleys. A little further still, at the end of the valley is the Geghard monastery. Geghard means "spear," and is named after the spear you can now see in the museum at Echmiadzin. The monastery complex is beautifully set against the mountains. The church itself is partly inside a cave, which adds to the mystical atmosphere. Behind the church you will find a collection of khachkars, including some of the finest in the country. If you visit the monastery complex on a weekend, there is a good chance of a pleasant but solemn crowd. Chances are also good that you will be introduced to Armenian religious chants.

Day 13 Yerevan

To get acquainted, take a walking tour of the Armenian capital with a local English-speaking guide. See how the city is emerging from its Soviet past and looking for a new identity. Republic Square (formerly Lenin Square) is the heart of the city. The National History Museum and the National Art Museum are located here. Stroll from the square along Hanrapetutyan Street with its stately buildings dating from the Soviet era, alternating with modern new buildings. Freedom Square is home to the National Opera. In this square there are numerous restaurants and cafes; this is a good place to be especially in the evening. The Matenadaran is the country's most famous library full of ancient Armenian manuscripts and miniatures. From the Opera House it is a short walk to the "Cascade," long steps with a waterfall. Walk up here for a beautiful view of the city. Below the steps are several galleries with modern art. The statue of "Mother Armenia," which towers high above Yerevan also offers a fine view of the city. The monument commemorating the genocide of the early 20th century should not be missed on a walk through the city. Images, photographs and newspaper articles paint a picture of the country's tragic history. If it is Sunday then a trip to Echmiadzin, the head of the Armenian church, is a good plan.