Armenia Map and planner Guide Routes ENRU

Vayots Dzor wine & canyons

Areni's cave winery, Noravank's red gorge and a ridge-top fortress.

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Areni-1 Cave
Photograph: Serouj / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Day 1

Starts from Yeghegnadzor · 4h 35m at the sights, 1h 10m travelling · 65 km

Areas: Vayots Dzor

  1. Areni-1 Cave — Cave where the world's oldest leather shoe and winery were found (45m)
  2. Areni Church — Momik's 14th-century church above the wine village (20m)
  3. Noravank — 13th-century monastery in a red cliff canyon (1h 15m)
  4. Smbataberd — Ridge-top fortress high above the Yeghegis valley (1h 30m)
  5. Tsakhats Kar Monastery — Hillside monastery near Smbataberd (45m)

Day 2

Starts from Yeghegnadzor · 3h 40m at the sights, 1h 53m travelling · 104 km

Areas: Vayots Dzor

  1. Spitakavor Monastery — Remote white-stone monastery in alpine meadows (1h)
  2. Selim Caravanserai — 1332 Silk Road inn on the Selim pass (30m)
  3. Jermuk — Spa town known for its mineral water, gorge and waterfall (1h 30m)
  4. Gndevank — 10th-century monastery in the Arpa gorge (40m)