Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia Highlighs 14 days

After arrival at Baku International Airport a private transfer will be organized for you to the hotel, check-in at the hotel, and enjoy your time.  This is a day to meet your group members and your guide for a Baku evening city tour. The spots to visit are Maiden Tower, Shirvan Shahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, and the main market square, with lots of artisans’ shops, where you can buy souvenirs. The spots in New Baku to explore are Nizami Street and Fountain Square. We will stroll Istiglaliyaat Street, where many grand buildings are located like The UN office building, Museum of Literature, City Hall, President House, etc. Here, an excellent view opens on the famous Flame Towers with evening lights.   

This day is dedicated to the Greater Baku Area, where we will explore the Petroglyphs Museum of Gobustan, where the huge stones with petroglyphs stand from the 11th century BC. Next, we will drive to Gobustan Reserve, home to one of the biggest mud volcanoes in the world. We continue to the volcanoes on the tour vehicle or will change the cars to 4WD depending on the weather conditions. After observing the volcanoes and a couple of unique photos, we will return back to Baku, to visit Martyrs Lane, providing a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. The tour will finish at the Heydar Aliyev Center, a modern architectural complex, transfer to the hotel.  

In the morning after breakfast, we will start driving to Sheki. There are several stops on the road, the first is Diri Baba Mausoleum in the village of Maraza. We continue driving to Shamakha to visit Juma Mosque, restored recently. Visit Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum, the Shirvan Shah’s family graveyard. Before reaching our main destination, we will visit the first Albanian Church in the Caucasus in Kish village.  In the evening we reach Sheki a pleasant medieval town set in a lush mountainous area. Sheki is especially known for its local style of sweet baklava. Take a good stroll in the town, check local tea shops, and try local sweets. We will stay in Sheki overnight. 

After breakfast, we are off to the Georgian border. Here we will switch the guide and driver. After passing the Azerbaijan border, neutral zone, and Georgian passport control, you will meet your Georgian guide and continue the tour to hospitable Georgia.  Right after passing the border, we will be an expected guest for a local Georgian family and enjoy a homemade lunch. Beautiful landscapes open in front of us with endless vineyards when we drive to Kakheti, the wine region of Georgia. We will stop at the unique wine cellar “Khareba” located in the tunnel carved out of the rock. This is the longest wine tunnel in the Caucasus. Wine tour and wine tasting. Continue to your hotel for overnight.

After a healthy breakfast, we start our day with a visit to  Tsinandali, the Georgian Duke’s residence, surrounded by a beautiful English garden. The Museum and wine cellar once belonged to Prince Chavchavadze, a public figure in the 19th century. We continue to the red-roofed town of Sighnaghi. Take a stroll in the turning and twisting cobbled streets of Sighnaghi made of red bricks and surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers. Our next visit is to the Bodbe Convent dedicated to Saint Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia. Here an impressive view opens on the towering Caucasus Mountains. Evening we will drive to Tbilisi for an overnight stay. After a healthy breakfast, we start our day with a visit to  Tsinandali, the Georgian Duke’s residence, surrounded by a beautiful English garden. The Museum and wine cellar once belonged to Prince Chavchavadze, a public figure in the 19th century. We continue to the red-roofed town of Sighnaghi. Take a stroll in the turning and twisting cobbled streets of Sighnaghi made of red bricks and surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers. Our next visit is to the Bodbe Convent dedicated to Saint Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia. Here an impressive view opens on the towering Caucasus Mountains. Evening we will drive to Tbilisi for an overnight stay. 

Welcome to the charming city of Tbilisi. We will start at the statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi, where an excellent view opens on the old city. We will visit Metekhi Church, and then visit Narikala Fortress to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the city from the birds’ flight. We will walk down from Narikala to the sulfur baths, and continue to the only Mosque in Tbilisi. We will take a stroll in the old town full of cafes, wine bars, and souvenir shops, providing a cozy atmosphere.  Some important landmarks are not to be missed,  Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, the clock tower of the famous Rezo Gabriadze Theatre, and the Bridge of Peace, which leads to Rike Park. Be ready for a welcome dinner with a traditional show. 

After breakfast, drive to Mtskheta. Mtskheta is one of the oldest towns and also  the cultural and religious center of Georgia. Mtskheta was the capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the third century BC. Visit Jvari, a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period built on a hilltop. You will enjoy the views of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the main cathedral of Mtskheta, and a sacred place where the robe of Christ is being kept. Continue to Ananuri Complex, a beautiful church and fortress nested on the shore of Zhinvali Reservoir. Continue driving on Georgian Military Highway passing through the highest point of it at 2394 m above sea level. En route, make a stop at the mineral water spring flowing down from a hilltop. Then we will stop at Kazbegi, a small town with views of Mt. Kazbek, seventh highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains. Visit Gergeti Holy Trinity Church located at an altitude of 2170 and enjoy breathtaking views of Mt Kazbegi. Overnight at the hotel in Kazbegi.

In the morning we will have breakfast and drive to Joseph Stalin’s hometown of Gori. Visit the Stalin House Museum, which includes more than 60,000 artifacts, a well preserved small house, where Stalin was born and lived is located in the museum yard along with an impressive bulletproof train that Stalin used to travel to Yalta and Potsdam. After we continue Explore the cave town of Uplistsikhe, which dates to the Hellenistic Period and it is a unique combination of various styles of rock-cut architecture, including both pagan and Christian. In the evening we reach Tbilisi. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out from our hotel in Tbilisi and take a drive to the Georgia – Armenia border. After passing the border we switch the Georgian car and guide to Armenian and continue to  Haghpat Monastery of the 12th century, a UNESCO World Heritage site standing on the high plateau. After that, we will continue our tour to another World Heritage site, Sanahin Monastery. This monastery was an educational center, as many monasteries of Armenia in the middle ages. There is a well preserved library, and study halls along with the monastery. Later we will continue our road to the Tavush region. Locals call Dilijan an Armenian Switzerland, for its lush forests and endless hills. In Dilijan, we will walk the Old Dilijan Complex,  where you can see 19th-century traditional Dilijan.

We will start the day by driving to Noratus Cemetery. This cemetery holds the largest amount of cross stones, distinctive Armenian monuments feature intricately carved stones adorned with traditional Armenian ornaments. Noratus is home to the largest amount of medieval gravel stones depicting Armenian traditional rituals. Our next stop is Hayravanq Monastery where you can see beautiful architecture of 10-12 centuries. From here we admire an indescribable view of Sevan Lake. After all, you will have lunch in an Armenian family where besides having homemade lunch you have a chance to chat with friendly locals and get to know Armenian hospitality.

This day is dedicated to the capital city of Yerevan and Echmiadzin. Our first stop is Zvartnots Temple, another UNESCO Site. The temple is a unique structure that summarizes the centuries-old features of Armenian architecture. Then we will continue our tour to Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of Armenians all over the world. Visit Echmiadzin Cathedral, which is considered to be the first Christian church in the world built in 301 AD. Continuing to Saint Hripsime Church of the 7th century. In the evening we will be back in Yerevan. In Yerevan, we will start our city tour from the Mother Armenia statue, where the best view opens over the city.  Later we will continue to walk in the city, and visit Cascade Monument a huge staircase connecting the city’s upper and lower parts with museums and galleries inside and lots of artworks alongside the park. We continue to the Opera house, the Abovian street with small tiny houses from 19 century, Northern Avenue the ambitious project of Alexander Tamanian, the architect of Yerevan, and the Republic Square in the end, with spectacular buildings and dancing fountains. Overnight at the hotel.

We will drive to Khor Virap Monastery, the best viewpoint on Biblical Mount Ararat. On the hilltop, the ruins and excavations of Artashat, the capital of ancient Armenia in the 2nd century BC, are preserved. Here in the city walls there’s a prison, where Saint Gregory was imprisoned for 13 years for spreading Christianity in Armenian in the late 3rd century. The 7 m deep well, the prison is available for visits. Enjoy the best-ever view of Mount Ararat from hand’s reach. We will continue to another jewel of Armenian Spiritual Architecture, Noravank Monastery amidst the ref cliff valley. Then we will go to Areni 1 Cave where the oldest shoe, wine press, clay pots and vine seeds were excavated, proving Armenia’s winemaking traditions. Then we will go to Old Areni winery where you can taste Armenian delicious wines. 

Morning off to Garni Pagan Temple, which is dedicated to Mihr, the Armenian god of the sun. This Rectangular Columnized Hellenistic structure was built in the 1st century AD. The temple stands on an impressive triangle plateau surrounded by a deep gorge and impressive mountains from 3 sides. Here some parts of the fortress’ mighty walls are well preserved as well as a Roman-style bath with a mosaic floor. After Garni, we will continue to see well-known and beautiful natural monuments of Armenia – Symphony of Stones. It is said that this natural monument is the result of the collapse of the volcanic rocks. This is one of the must-see places in Armenia. Then we continue to Geghard Cave Monastery, which got its name from the Holy Spear (Geghard) kept here. Geghard amazes with its cave churches dug in the single cliff. After all, we will go to Yerevan where we can go to Vernissage, an open air market, where local masters sell hand-made souvenirs. Chat with the artist and choose your best souvenir as a memory from your Armenia tour.

The morning after breakfast, enjoy your time before your flight. Check-out is at noon, if your flight is in the evening you can leave your luggage at the hotel till airport transfer time. Your private airport transfer will be organized for you according to your flight time.