Group Tour: Lake Sevan (Sevanavank), Dilijan (Goshavank, Haghartsin)
Description
On this 9-10-hour tour visit Lake Sevan, pearl of this mountainous country and one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in Eurasia. You will also visit Sevanavank, a monastery complex on Sevan peninsula. Currently a religious seminary functions here, which is not readily open to the public, the peninsula can be named the very point from where the whole beauty of the Lake Sevan is seen. You will then have a short stop in Dilijan town, otherwise referred to as "Armenian Switzerland" for its fantastic natural forests. The town is a part of Dilijan National Park. The next stop is Haghartsin, a 10th century monastery which has been recently renovated by donation of Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, who was impressed by the monastery when visited it. Goshavank is the final stop surrounded by green territories.
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.
A marvelous scene opens in the north-western part of Lake Sevan, where the peninsula towers over the transparent surface of the lake. Sevanavank monastery was built on the peninsula in 874 by the order of king Ashot Bagratuni's daughter – princess Mariam. The silhouette of the churches against the background of the turquoise lake and blue sky casts unexplainable impression on the visitors.
Goshavank was founded by the famous medieval scientist, fabulist Mkhitar Gosh. The complex consists of several religious and secular buildings. The unrivalled khachkar, put in front of the one-naved basilica, was created by the skillful master Poghos in 1291. Goshavank used to be one of the most famous religious and cultural centers in medieval Armenia.
Haghartsin monastery, situated in the woodlands of Tavush region, represents an indescribable example of blend of nature with architecture. It was founded in the 10-11th centuries, though new buildings were added in the 12-13th centuries. Now it consists of St. Grigor, St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), St. Stepanos churches and some other buildings.The refectory, due to its skillful architectural composition, is of great interest. Near Haghartsin there used to grow a huge oak tree, almost at the age of the monastery, completing the whole scene. Unfortunately, only a small part of the hollow has remained till the present day, however, it is still of much interest among the visitors, and preserves the tradition, according to which, when one makes a wish and at the same time manages to pass through the tree (hollow), it is expected to come true in the nearest future.
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
- Seats will not be known in advance
- 200 steps to climb to Sevanavank, 600 meters to walk down the hill to Haghartsin
Reviews(1,177)
Great tour -we have seen a lot in one day ,amazing Sevan lake and it was so nice to escape to the mountains from hot Yerevan Special thanks to our guide Nina and the driver Levon
Thank you for the warm review! Our company will gladly take care of your vacation during your next visit to Armenia!
It was the most amazing experience. Everything was so beautiful. The tour guide and bus driver kept it very informative but also entertaining throughout the whole trip. Definitely recommend them both!!! Arayik and Raffi did AWESOMEEEEEE
Thanks a lot for the kind review! We’re excited to host you on your next visit to Armenia!
Raffi and Arayik were great! Very accommodating and knowledgeable. Helpful and nice!
We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience! We’ll be more than happy to host you again anytime!
Thank you, Hayk and Levon, for your kindness.
Merci pour votre chaleureux retour! Nous avons hâte de vous revoir lors de votre prochaine visite en Arménie.
A long tour outside the city starting from Yerevan, visiting several monasteries and towns in an environment different from other regions of Armenia. Recommended in summer for the cooler climate found in these areas.
Siamo davvero felici per il feedback positivo! Saremo lieti di darvi il benvenuto di nuovo in Armenia!
Guided by Hayk, driven by Levon. Amazing communication the entire day, good in both russian and english. Timetable was really good and drove all the time on time.
We are grateful for the nice review received. It’s our pleasure to make the stay of our customers enjoyable!
Took part in a day trip. Everything was very nice - the work and accompanying guide Ike and the work of driver Spartacus.
Спасибо большое за отзыв! Мы будем рады вновь встретить Вас в Армении!
The tour may have been much better suited for Russian speakers. Combining Russian and English in the same tour was not a good decision. Typically, the guide would spend about 10 minutes speaking in Russian and only 2–3 minutes in English, making English-speaking guests feel like an afterthought. Some of the main issues we experienced were: - Instructions and meeting points were often unclear. - We were traveling with a senior and a child, so we naturally moved more slowly and were frequently at the back of the group. - The guide rarely waited for the entire group to gather or ensured that everyone had heard the directions. - At one stop, we lost the group completely, which was stressful. - The guide did not seem mindful of the different needs of guests. - Several other English-speaking participants were also visibly frustrated by the confusion and lack of communication. - At most stops, the Russian explanation took up about three-quarters of the time, leaving English speakers waiting around aimlessly until the guide returned to give a very brief explanation before everyone had to rush back to the bus. The lunch was mediocre at best. In addition: - It was not clearly explained that the cake was an extra charge. - We were traveling with a child, and none of the food options were suitable for her. - When we chose not to order food for her, the guide seemed offended, which made the experience even more uncomfortable. Overall, this was not a pleasant experience. I would not recommend this tour to English-speaking travelers, especially families with children or seniors.
Thanks to our guide Aik and our driver Aro for this good tour. I really like, how Aik told about Armenia history and about places. Lake Sevan is astonishing and road to Dilijan with monasteries are beautiful. For me also been interested to hear Armenian history. It’s really old country. I highly recommend this tour!
Thanks so much for your fantastic review! We would love to host you again whenever you return!
It was a great experience. Big thanks to the guide Haik and the driver Aro Also, I also gives big thanks to the guide of our tour with hyur service to Garni temple and Gehard monastery (it's a women which i really forgot her name) Both guided tours were well organized, Starting and ending time are as per itinerary, no any delays
We’re delighted by your kind words! You are always welcome to explore Armenia with us again!
