09:00 Pick up from a Hotel
Your adventure begins when a private driver and a tour guide pick you up from your hotel in Tbilisi.
10:10 Georgia-Armenia Border
Duration: 30 minutes
It takes an hour and 10 minutes to get to the border and around 30 minutes to cross. You’ll be able to exchange money in Armenian currency after entering Armenia. However, paying by card is a bit complicated at restaurants and souvenir shops. Because of this, it is better to have local currency.
10:45 Local shop in Armenia
Duration: 15 minutes
After crossing the border, we stop at a local shop to exchange money and buy local products.
11:45 Akhtala Monastery Fortress
Duration: 45 minutes
Explore Akhtala on a one-day tour in Armenia. This ancient site, built in the 10th century, sits on a high cliff overlooking Akhtala town, surrounded by canyons. Discover St. Astvatsatsin church, a 13th-century tower, and more. It's where Prince Ivaneh Zakarian and his son Avag are said to be buried. Akhtala's name may mean "white glade," with its original Armenian name 'Pghndzahank' referring to copper mines. French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan found 576 stone sepulchers and ancient artifacts in the late 19th century.
13:00 Haghpat Monastery Complex
Duration: 50 minutes
Explore Haghpat Monastery in Lori! This really old place was built long ago, from the 10th to the 13th centuries. It used to be a center of education with many old books, places to copy them, and even places to eat and learn. While you're here, check out cool stuff like the main church of St. Nishan (967-991), which has pretty sculptures and paintings from the 13th to 14th centuries. There's also St. Gregory Church (1005), the church of St. Astvatsatsin (12th-13th centuries), a cafeteria from the 13th century, a place for books from the same time, a tall tower (1245), and stone crosses.
14:00 Lunch in a Local Restaurant
Duration: 1 hour
You will try lots of tasty traditional Armenian dishes at the lunch spot.
16:00 Sanahin Monastery Complex
Duration: 45 minutes
After lunch, we head to the renowned Sanahin Monastery, a UNESCO heritage site displaying 10th-century architecture. Along the way, enjoy three extra stops: a 12th-century bridge revealing Soviet Union history and a view of copper mines, the scenic Debed Canyon, and the captivating Mikoyan Brothers’ Museum with its original MiG 21 aircraft.
17:40 Local shop in Armenia
Duration: 15 minutes
Before crossing the border, we stop at a local shop again.
18:00 The Border
Duration: 30 minutes
It takes about 1 hour from the last stop to the border. The average time for crossing the border is 30 minutes in the evening.
20:00 Drop off at a Hotel
After the tour, we will drop you off at your hotel at 20:00.