from 3 reviews
5-6 hours
Daily Tour
Armenian, English, Russian
Our private tour to Garni, Geghard, Symphony of Stones & Lavash Baking Masterclass is one of our most popular destinations. It lasts around 5 to 6 hours, and all the sites are located in the Kotayk region, about 40 to 50 minutes drive from Yerevan.
1. The first stop is the Arch of Charents, also known as the Arch of Ararat, because this is a famous observation point where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the biblical Mount Ararat.
2. The second stop is Garni Pagan Temple – the only pagan temple preserved in the territory of Armenia, built in the first century AD. The temple served as a summer residence for Armenian kings even after the adoption of Christianity, which is one of the reasons it was preserved.
3. The next stop is Geghard Monastery, a partially cave-carved monastery dating back to the 13th century. The name Geghard translates as “spear,” referring to the Spear of Longinus, which, according to tradition, pierced the body of Jesus during the crucifixion. Armenian history says that the spear was once kept here, but it was later moved to the Treasury Museum (Ganzaran) inside the main cathedral in Etchmiadzin.
4. The last stop is for a lavash baking experience, where you’ll learn the centuries-old Armenian technique of making lavash. You’ll take part in the rolling and stretching of the dough, bake your own lavash in a traditional tonir oven, and of course – taste it the Armenian way, wrapped with fresh herbs and cheese.
Rather than just watching the world pass by, this tour invites you to take part. Baking lavash alongside locals gives a sense of shared tradition, while visiting historic sites in a private setting creates quiet moments that feel personal and meaningful.
All private tours can be changed upon request.
Your private driver and guide meet you at your hotel in Yerevan. Garni and Geghard are just 40 km from the city - one of the closest great day trips from any capital in the region.
First stop at the most iconic pagan monument in Armenia - and the only surviving Hellenistic colonnaded temple in the entire former Soviet Union. Built in the 1st century AD in honor of the sun god Mihr, Garni Temple was destroyed by earthquake in 1679 and painstakingly reconstructed between 1969 and 1975. Your guide will explain the remarkable engineering and the myths behind its construction. Below the temple in the Azat River gorge lies the Symphony of Stones - a dramatic natural formation of thousands of hexagonal basalt columns that look like a giant pipe organ rising from the riverbed. One of the most photographed natural phenomena in Armenia.
A short walk down into the gorge to see the basalt columns up close. The geological formation was created by slowly cooling lava flows thousands of years ago. The sound of the river echoing off the columns gives the place its name.
Drive 7 km up the canyon to Geghard - one of Armenia's most extraordinary monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Part of the monastery is carved directly into the living rock of the cliff face - chambers, chapels and khachkars cut from the stone itself. Founded in the 4th century and rebuilt in the 13th century, Geghard once held the spear that pierced Christ's side at the crucifixion, brought here by the Apostle Thaddeus. The legendary monastery gave it the name Geghardavank - Monastery of the Spear.
The cultural highlight of the day - a hands-on masterclass in making Armenian lavash, the UNESCO-recognized traditional flatbread. You will roll the dough, stretch it over a cushion and slap it against the inner walls of a clay tonir oven, watching it puff and blister in seconds. Fresh lavash with local cheese, herbs and matsun yogurt. An experience that connects you directly to 3,000 years of Armenian culinary tradition.
Лаваш получился))