Tatev Khndzoresk Shaki Waterfall Areni Winery Tour from Yerevan





Description
This tour offers a truly unique combination of Armenia’s cultural heritage, breathtaking nature, and unforgettable experiences. You’ll explore one of the country’s most iconic landmarks—Tatev Monastery—reached by the world’s longest reversible cable car, the Wings of Tatev, flying above deep gorges and scenic valleys. Along the way, you’ll visit the ancient cave village of Khndzoresk and cross its dramatic suspension bridge, marvel at the beauty of Shaki Waterfall, and enjoy wine tasting in the historic Areni wine region, known as one of the oldest winemaking areas in the world. Carefully curated and guided by professionals, the tour blends adventure, history, and authentic Armenian flavors into one memorable day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
To have an accurate idea of the culture, architecture and history of Armenia, a visit to the Tatev Monastery is one of the must-haves. St. Paul and Peter Church, built in 906, is considered one of the best structures of the time. The colossal church stands on the very edge of the gorge, at the edge of the abyss. One of the favourite places of Armenians once was a university, and a few centuries later, it even became a centre of the liberation movement, led by the greatest hero of the Armenian people, Garegin Nzhdeh.
The Wings of Tatev is the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway, stretching 5.7 km over the stunning Vorotan Gorge in southern Armenia. This 12-minute ride offers breathtaking views and connects travelers to the 9th-century Tatev Monastery. It’s not just a cable car—it's a journey through history and nature.
A place where you will see an accumulation of rocks and you will hardly believe that there were residential districts there, and the population of Khndzoresk reached 10-15 thousand at the beginning of the last century. People lived in rock-hewn houses until the 1950s. Being a village of historical importance, Khndzoresk is often mentioned in the pages of the national struggle. The grave of Mkhitar Sparapet is here, who was one of the leaders of the liberation movement in the 18th century. The entirety of this cavernous village is completed by the swinging bridge built over the gorge, up to 63 meters high and 160 meters long. By the way, the name is also related to the depth of the gorge, which was originally Khordzoresk.
Shaki waterfall completes the indescribable scenery of nature. The 16-meter-high waterfall tells a beautiful legend, according to which a girl named Shaki is saved by its waters. This jewel of nature in the south of Armenia is a favorite place for both locals and tourists.
At the end of the tour, we visit the center of winemaking in the village of Areni, where we are hosted by the Areni Wine Factory. Our guests can taste different types of Armenian wines, including those made from Areni grapes. We will also see the cellar, where the wines are stored, and on the upper floor, there's a nice cafe.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 8h for transportation (to go and to come back)
Reviews(170)
Expected more for that money. The guide spoke very quietly, we told him about it, but nothing changed. It didn't matter, nothing was heard. The tour was to see the Tatev Monastery, but we were in it for a solid 26 minutes, which is unworthy of it. My friends came to Armenia for the first time and really wanted to walk around Tatev, but they couldn't. This complex is watched for at least 1.5 hours, or even two. It is big and has a huge history. Stopped to eat twice, the first place was okay, a regular food court, but the second place was just a dive, all the clothes smelled of that food, but the food was good and inedible. The guide gave very little information and spoke without any interest, and only on the bus, the guide's name is Gevor Gevorgyan. We were really upset and it was a shame to waste the money and effort!!!
Здравствуйте! Спасибо, что так подробно поделились впечатлениями. Нам очень жаль, что поездка не оправдала ваших ожиданий, особенно учитывая, что для ваших друзей это было первое знакомство с Арменией. Мы обязательно разберём ситуацию с гидом Гевором. Также отдельно проверим тайминг программы. Спасибо, что также обратили внимание на места остановок для питания. Мы передадим этот отзыв ответственным сотрудникам и пересмотрим данный момент, поскольку качество таких остановок также влияет на общее впечатление от тура. Нам искренне жаль, что после долгой поездки у вас осталось именно такое впечатление и ощущение, что потраченные деньги и силы себя не оправдали. Ваш отзыв не останется без внимания — все указанные замечания будут отдельно рассмотрены с гидом и командой, отвечающей за организацию тура.
Visited places were like many other places in Armenia beautiful, special and worth all the effort. This trip actually took too long and because many places had to be searched, you had to get off the car many times. The information data was also not very clear that almost nowhere in this trip is suitable for disabled people. The only downside of this trip was that unexpectedly we heard that we are being transported by a smaller van and no guide is present in the car. This was a real disappointment and the van was so small and cramped that you couldn't take a seat quietly and given the poor quality of the roads and the duration of the trip, this was torture especially if you are disabled. But I assume this was accidental! My advice: disabled and poorly walking warned!
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re glad you found the destinations beautiful and worthwhile. We sincerely apologize for the unexpected change in transportation and understand how uncomfortable the smaller vehicle must have been, especially considering the long journey and the needs of travelers with limited mobility. We also appreciate your comment about the accessibility information and will take it into consideration to make the tour details clearer for future guests. Thank you for your understanding and for highlighting this important point. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more comfortable experience in the future.
Hasmik was a amazing guide and she really made the experience much better. Some kids felt sick in the car and she did everything to make them feel better including stopping at a pharmacy. She explained a lot about Armenia during driving and visits. This was definitely the best guide and tour that I experienced in Armenia.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a memorable experience and that the tour met your expectations. We truly appreciate your kind words and are especially happy that you felt well taken care of throughout the journey. Thank you for choosing us and for sharing your experience. We hope to welcome you back to Armenia for another unforgettable adventure!
It’s very long. Their Vehicles A/C doesn’t work properly. I’ve had three separate tours with them and all three vehicles had an issue with their A/C. Coming back, the van broke down which could happen to any car. They brought another car to pick us up. Later the car was fixed and during night time drive back, one of headlights weren’t working and the other was pointing sideways. The driver had to switch to high beams all the time so he could see the road. However, the tour guide, Ani, was amazing. She did an incredible job.
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback, especially after traveling with us on three different tours. We’re truly sorry that the transportation issues affected your experience, particularly during the long journey and in the summer heat. While vehicle breakdowns can unfortunately happen unexpectedly, we understand that the subsequent issues with the headlights were concerning, and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort caused. We’re glad our team was able to arrange another vehicle and continue the journey. Your comments regarding the vehicle condition and air conditioning have been shared with our transportation team for closer attention. Thank you again for your patience, understanding, and honest feedback. We truly appreciate you choosing to travel with us.
An interesting tour and our guide Ana was excellent, we had a great driver too! The bit I found best was not even part of the tour! You drive through a village in the Ararat valley called Surenavan, every single utility post has got a huge nest with storks inside it! I loved this ! ( they are not there all year around because they migrate, but you can see them in July) The driver will take you to Tatev for free but if you pay about £12 extra you can arrive by cable car which I enjoyed , it was spectacular. The cave settlement is down many steps with a wobbly ( but safe) bridge to cross. If you pay a very small sum extra a local will drive you back up the hill, and save you the steps! I was taken up in a very old Lada that sounded if it was going to explode,going up such a steep incline and I loved it. Definitely recommend this small extra payment. The waterfall is beautiful. Ana told us a lot about the country. You go to the food court to purchase food and drink.. Really low prices because used by the Armenians. A visit to the winery finished off the day nicely.
We’re so grateful for your positive review! It’s great to know that we were able to make your trip memorable. We can’t wait to help plan your next getaway!
The tour is impeccable. The guide was very careful and it was a smooth journey. But the only seat left was at the back of the minibus, and I was sweating constantly with the people next to me, which honestly hurt. You should go to the meeting place early. It is also a good idea to bring sandwiches and other items as the food court is chaotic with stops along the way.
Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and found it well organized. We also appreciate your comments regarding the seating and the food court. Your feedback is valuable to us and will be taken into consideration as we continue to improve our services. We hope to welcome you again on another tour!
İt was great the energy and the vibe of the guide was amazing
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear that you had a great experience and that you enjoyed the guide's energy and positive vibe. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
One Way Tour is an excellent tour operator! The guide was friendly, helpful, and professional. The day trip was well organized, and everything was smooth and easy. Highly recommended 👌❤️
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We’re so glad to hear that everything went smoothly and that you enjoyed your travels. Looking forward to helping you with your next vacation!
Its a long day but its worth it. You see beautiful rugged scenery unlike other parts of Armenia caves, waterfalls, mountain top monasteries dinner wine and the worlds longest single track cable car. Anna our guide was superb, informative, organized, cheerful and a real Gem. Highly recommended
We’re so happy you had such a great experience! Thank you for your kind words and trust in our services. We can’t wait to help you plan more amazing trips in the future.
I reserved a private tour with One Way Tours Armenia and paid $230. It was going to be a very long day going all the way to the south of the country so we decided to book it with a so called reliable company. When I booked I specially requested a car with AC and a driver who does not smoke in the car. they promised a comfortable vehicle with working air conditioning and a non-smoking driver. This was very important to us because we were going to be on the high way for more than 8–9 hours that day. Our pickup was scheduled for 9:00 AM, but the driver arrived 30 minutes late. As soon as we got into the car, he informed us that the air conditioning did not work properly and was not strong enough to cool the vehicle. As a result, we had to drive with all the windows open for about 9 hours. It was extremely hot, noisy, and uncomfortable. On two occasions, bees flew into the car and we had to remove them. To make matters worse, on the way back, the driver got a flat tire. He did not have a spare tire in the vehicle. Considering he was working for what presents itself as a professional tour company, it was shocking that his car had not been properly checked. It appears that the company does not adequately inspect the private vehicles used by its drivers and can send virtually anyone, despite promising customers a quality vehicle and professional service. After the flat tire incident, the driver became visibly stressed and, despite the company's promise of a non-smoking driver, he started smoking in the car. He also complained how the company does not pay them enough and they pay them less than a taxi driver. It seemed that he had become too comfortable around us and felt it was acceptable to do so. This was especially frustrating given that one of the reasons we booked with this company was their assurance that we would have a non-smoking driver. The entire experience was frustrating and unacceptable. When I complained afterward, the company responded by saying that I should have called them during the tour. However, by that point, we were approximately three hours away from their main hub, where they dispatch replacement vehicles. It was not realistic to wait several more hours for another car and lose a significant portion of our day. In the end, they refunded only $13 and simply apologized, saying they were unaware that the vehicle had these issues. That response was disappointing. I would not recommend booking tours with this company. If you are looking for transportation services, I would suggest considering other options, as the vehicle and driver provided to us did not meet the standards that were promised.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We are truly sorry that the vehicle and service provided during this private tour did not meet the standards you expected from us. We understand how important punctual pickup, a comfortable vehicle, working air conditioning, and a non-smoking driver are, especially for such a long full-day tour. The situations you described, including the delay, air conditioning issue, flat tire, and smoking in the vehicle, are not acceptable for our service standards. After reviewing this case, we took internal action, and the driver is no longer assigned to our tours. We are also strengthening our vehicle checks and driver requirements to prevent similar situations in the future. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment caused.



