Private tour to Khor Virap, Noravank, ancient Birds-Cave, Hin Areni wine factory
Description
Explore the most amazing attractions of Armenia! Visit Khor Virap monastery, a great place for embracing the most picturesque views of the mountain. Next see the monastery complex, Noravank, that is unique in its construction as the Church of Holy Mother of God is the only two-storied monastery in Armenia. After that visit an ancient cave called "Birds-Cave" or Areni 1. Finally see Areni, one of the oldest settlements in Armenia and today is famous for its wines.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Khor Virap is the most famous pilgrimage site in Armenia, as it is directly connected with the adoption of Christianity. As a state religion, Christianity in Armenia was adopted in 301 due to endeavors of Saint Gregory The Illuminator, who, before converting King Trdat The 3rd to Christianity, was imprisoned in the dungeon, over which a church of Khor Virap monastery was built in the 17th century. From the monastery one can admire the stunning view of the Biblical Mount Ararat.
Passing a narrow road, surrounded by rocks of hundred caves, one discovers a scene of harmony of architecture with nature. The monastery, enshrined with fine architectural solutions and luxurious embellishments, is one of the brightest examples of Armenian architecture of the 13th century. Noravank consists of St. Karapet, St. Gregory The Illuminator churches and St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) two-storey church, which is notable for its ideal constructive and sculptural work.
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.
The cave is situated 12 km from Yeghegnadzor, on the left bank of river Areni. It consists of 3 halls, has approximately 500 m² area, the large part of which still hasn’t been explored. As a result of studies, metal knives, fruit seeds, grain residues, rope, dishes, clothing, dried grapes and plums, dated to 4200-3500 BC, were found in the cave. The oldest leather shoe of the world was found right here. It is more than 5500 years old. Also, in the same area, there were found world’s oldest women’s skirt (3900 BC), as well as the first winery in the whole world. Nowadays the mentioned winery is considered to be the ancient one and it is referred to 4th millennium BC. No one has lived inside the cave, at the meantime, wine consumption was of ritual meaning for people.
Highlights
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Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(99)
Wonderful visit with our guide Samvel ! Amazing travel through those sites thanks to the driving skills of Levon.
Great and enjoyable tour with smooth logistics and knowledgeable guide. Thanks Arpine and Harut for kindly accommodating the elderly members of our party. Stunning and unique scenery and sights.
We have been with our guide Arpine for the second consecutive day getting to know Armenia. Arpine is a guide with extensive knowledge of history and has been very kind and friendly to our group. The first group from Andorra that has had!! She has conveyed her passion and love for her culture, religion, and country, and has explained the history and interesting curiosities in detail. She speaks perfect Spanish!! It has been a pleasure, Arpine! Thanks to the driver Khachik as well!
Muchas gracias por su confianza. Estaremos encantados de ser su anfitrión en futuros viajes a Armenia.
Where do I begin? First off, our guide Rose is an absolute gem! We were lucky enough to be randomly assigned to her for two separate tours. She’s extremely knowledgeable not only about the sites we visited but all of Armenia and was able to answer all of our random questions. It was an absolute delight to spend 2 full days with her learning about the history of Armenia. Our driver Harout was an added bonus for the tour. He was careful and caring and made sure we were comfortable every step of the way. Can’t thank both Rose and Harout enough for making us feel right at home.
We very much appreciate your highest mark! We will be very glad to organize your trips anytime you visit our lovely country!
Hyur Services did an excellent job with pairing us up with our driver/tour guide, Arakel. He was very informative and helpful. We enjoyed our scenic tour and learned so much about Armenia. I highly recommend booking your tour with Hyur.
We are deeply thankful for your kind feedback! We’re ready to organize more wonderful experiences for you!
We just took a private tour to Khor Virap in Armenia and had a wonderful experience. Tamara, our guide, was knowledgeable, warm, and brought the history of the monastery to life with great stories and insights. David, our driver, was professional, friendly, and made the whole journey smooth and comfortable. The views of Mount Ararat from Khor Virap were breathtaking, and having such a great team made it even more memorable. Highly recommend Tamara and David for anyone visiting Armenia!
Thank you for your fantastic review! We can’t wait to host you during your next visit!
They visited Armenia with their friends in June 2026. On the advice of acquaintances booked 4 tours with this agency. Three tours were with departure from Yerevan and one sightseeing tour of the city. The tour operator worked on great. Everything was well organized, all tours started without delay, the minibus was comfortable, the announced tour program was fully implemented. It was nice to have water and umbrellas in the car. A special big thank you to our tour guide Mariam and a driver named Ara. In addition to being a very professional tour leader, Mariam proved to be a remarkably attentive, caring and soulful person. All our requests and wishes, even those not related to the tour programme, were not ignored. Thank you very much again for being able to show us Armenia in all its cultural, natural, historical and human brilliance! The trip and the interaction with Mariam will stay in our hearts for a long time!
Большое спасибо за теплые слова! Будем рады вновь принять Вас в Армении!
Fantastic day exploring Khor Virap, Noravank, seeing the birds and enjoying a wonderful wine tasting. Rose was an incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and answered all of our many questions. Arthur was an excellent driver throughout. Thank you both for a memorable experience in Armenia!
We very much appreciate your highest mark! We will be very glad to organize your trips anytime you visit our lovely country!
Driver Hayk was very nice and professional, we enjoyed our 3 day private tour to Khor Virap and Dillijan.
Your kind words mean a lot to us! We look forward to welcoming you again in Armenia!
The four-day private tour turned out to be a fantastic experience. Armenia is a land rich in culture, traditions, and natural beauty that we were able to appreciate in the best way thanks to our guide, Gayane, who speaks Italian perfectly, and our driver Arachiel, who was kind and willing to accommodate every request. Gayane conveyed her love for her homeland by describing the architectural works not only from an aesthetic point of view but also helping us appreciate the culture. Gayane and Arachiel truly tried to fulfill every desire of ours, even from a culinary perspective, taking us to taste Armenian specialties. Certainly, our visit to Armenia was an exceptional experience, thanks in large part to them, whom we highly recommend.
Grazie tante per il bel feedback! Siete sempre benvenuti in Armenia!
