Group Tour: Lake Sevan, Hayravank, Noratus, Jermuk, winery
Description
During this tour, visit Hayravank, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the "blue pearl" of Armenia – Lake Sevan. The next stop will be at the collection of khachkars in Noratus, which are considered the highlights of Armenian architecture. Then you will pass through the Selim Pass, which connects the northern part of Armenia with the southern one. Then you will go to the resort town of Jermuk, which is famous for its mineral waters, which have various healing properties. Also in Jermuk you will see a waterfall with the original name "Mermaid's Hair". You will visit Hin Areni winery, where you will taste the unique Armenian wine.
Tour Options
Itinerary
starting and ending point
The fascination and the "pearl" of mountainous Armenia is Lake Sevan, which is one of the world's greatest high altitude fresh-water lakes. It is about 1900 m above sea level. The lake is of volcanic origin and is surrounded with mountains of 3000 m and higher. The beautiful landscape and the crystal water serve nice preconditions for excellent rest.The lake is also famous for its peninsula and medieval church complex, built in 874.
The church of Hayravank is built on a high rock on the shore of Lake Sevan. There is no written testimony concerning the date of its foundation, however, according to the constructional solutions, it has gained its place among the 9th century architectural pillars. This cozy church is built of roughly hewn stone and looks rather modest.
The art of khachkar (cross-stone) is the most original manifestation of Armenian medieval culture. Noratus, truly considered to be a forest of khachkars and an open-air museum, displays hundreds of khachkars, the most stunning of which are the so-called "embroidered" ones, typical to the 13th-14th centuries. This is a unique place, where one can reveal the development of khachkarial art in its historical process. Armenian cross-stones art is included in UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Selim pass, connecting Vayots Dzor and Gegharkunik regions, has been an important trade route from times immemorial. The long caravans with loaded camels were passing this way. Perceiving the necessity of having a place to stop after long and tiring journeys, the Armenian duke Chesar Orbelian in 1332 ordered building a caravansary on this long serpentine road of Selim pass. This is a three-nave building, lightened only through the windows on the ceiling as, out of security concern, they foresaw no windows on the walls and even nowadays the mysterious darkness seems to keep some rumors from those far away days...
The famous health resort Jermuk is in the north-eastern part of Vayots Dzor. The mineral waters of Jermuk have been famous for their medicinal properties since early medieval. A special drinking gallery, along which pump rooms with mineral water are lined up, has been constructed for visitors. The water temperature varies from 30 to 50 degrees C.
Vayots Dzor and Areni village in particular has been the cradle of Armenian winemaking for millennia. "Hin Areni" wine factory opens up the doors of this region to the world to showcase the historic and indigenous Armenian grape varietals. At the winery the historic traditions of winemaking are well combined with state-of-the-art modern equipment. "Hin Areni" wine factory has the capacity to process over 250 tonnes of grapes.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- The duration is approximate
- Seats will not be known in advance
- 200 steps to climb Sevanavank
- Sunscreen recommended in summer
Reviews(266)
The tour was good. Many interesting places we have visited with Guide Karen and David the driver took us there.
Marian and Ayrat did both a very good job. We enjoyed this day, despite some bad weather. They even provided umbrellas for us, verry considerate
Your perfect review is much appreciated! We will gladly organize your vacations whenever necessary!
I would like to share my honest feedback as this was my first experience of this kind, and I hope it may help others who are considering this tour. Overall, I found the itinerary quite long and tiring, with a significant amount of time spent in the bus on winding mountain roads. In my opinion, Armenia has many more interesting and rewarding places to explore. Although Lake Sevan is mentioned in the program, the actual experience mainly consists of a stop at a small monastery, followed by driving past the lake. The visit to the cemetery felt unnecessary and not very engaging. The Selim Pass is beautiful, but the journey is very fast-paced, leaving little time to truly enjoy or photograph the scenery. The lunch was enjoyable, and the waterfall and mineral springs were pleasant stops, although they required a separate detour rather than being naturally on the route. The winery visit felt rather basic compared to other tastings I have experienced, with limited storytelling and a simple tasting of three wines with light snacks. Overall, the tour lasted around 12 hours, and in my personal opinion, it did not fully justify the time or cost. The guide, Karen, is a very kind and knowledgeable person, but the delivery felt quite monotone, which made it harder to stay engaged throughout the day. This is simply personal feedback and is not intended to offend anyone.
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We are sorry the tour did not fully meet your expectations. This route is indeed one of our longer and more intensive programs, and its duration and itinerary are announced in advance. We are glad you enjoyed the lunch, waterfall and mineral springs, and we will carefully review your comments regarding the pace, winery visit and guiding style.
I went with a buddy of mine and we had a great time. Beautiful landscapes and sights, well organized, with a very friendly guide, who could tell a lot about the history and culture. I would definitely recommend that you try a tour with these guys.
Thanks a million for the lovely feedback! You are always welcome in Armenia!
Very nice trip! So much to see and enjoy. It was a long day but the differences make it pretty. Guide are also very pretty, friendly and helpfull. Thank you!
Thank you for the highest mark! We will be very pleased to host you in Armenia!
Tamara and Karen did a great job with the Tour, good organization and answering all questions.
We are deeply thankful for your kind feedback! We’re ready to organize more wonderful experiences for you!
First time in Armenia. Were greatly impressed not only by nature, but also by your company's service. Everything is organized clearly and planned. Our guide was Edward. Super guide, super professional.
Благодарим за высокую оценку! Мы всегда готовы организовать для Вас незабываемые поездки в Армению!
Excellent day with Khachik as the driver and Marina as the guide. The itinerary was truly interesting, and Marina's explanations about everything we see, even during the journey, make the excursion quite fascinating. Additionally, the location and the quality of the lunch add even more to the experience. We were truly delighted with our expedition. I really recommend it. Thank you to Khachik and Marina.
Merci beaucoup pour votre retour élogieux! Nous serons toujours heureux de vous accompagner pour de nouvelles aventures en Arménie.
Thank you for the wonderful tour! My wife and I enjoyed the tour a lot. It's organized at the highest level. Special thanks to guide Marina and driver Hachik. 20.05.2026 Sergey and Oksana, Novosibirsk.
Большое спасибо за положительный отзыв! Всегда рады помочь Вам в организации отдыха в будущем!
Everything was great from easy booking online to easy check in, then departing on time. The bus was comfortable with good leg room. The tour guide ( Marineh) and the driver ( Karen) have excellent hospitality, customer service and communication skills. I enjoyed the tour very much, good explanation in both Russian and English languages. I would recommend making the lunch break a little bit longer, the food was very delicious. I'm very proud as an Armenian to have such a great tour company in Armenia, highly recommended and will book other tours with Hyur Service
We are thrilled to hear that you loved your experience! Hope to host you in our country once more!
