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6-7 hours
Daily Tour
Armenian, English, Russian
The private tour to Sevanavank, Hayravank, and Noratus lasts around 6-7 hours, and all the sites are located in the Gegharkunik region, around the shores of Lake Sevan.
1. The first stop is Lake Sevan, which is the largest natural lake in Armenia, situated at an altitude of over 1900 meters above sea level. From the top of the peninsula, you’ll have a panoramic view of Lake Sevan. You will also visit the Sevan Peninsula, at the top of which stands the 9th-century medieval monastery, Sevanavank.
2. The second stop is Hayravank, which is situated on another shore of Lake Sevan. It was founded in the 9th century, and additional parts of the monastery were added in the 12th–13th centuries.
Near the monastery complex, excavations revealed early Bronze Age fortified walls and the foundations of a settlement. There are also numerous beautiful khachkars scattered around the church.
3. The final stop is Noratus, home to the Noratus Cemetery, where you can find numerous khachkars dating from the 10th century all the way up to the 16th–17th centuries, along with more recent ones.
Imagine walking by the water’s edge, breathing in fresh air, listening to quiet stories held in stone, that’s what this tour feels like. At Noratus, the centuries-old khachkars are not just monuments but invitations to reflect. You won’t just see places you’ll feel connected to them.
All private tours can be changed upon request.
Your private driver and guide meet you at your hotel in Yerevan. The drive to Lake Sevan takes approximately one hour - a route that climbs through the Gegham Mountains before the vast blue expanse of the lake appears suddenly below you.
First stop at the 9th-century Sevanavank Monastery, founded in 874 AD by Princess Mariam of the Bagratid dynasty. Climb the staircase to the peninsula and visit the two ancient churches built from black tuff - a material that gave the monastery its name, Sevanavank meaning the Black Monastery. Panoramic views of the lake from the top in every direction.
Drive 30 km south along the quieter western shore of the lake to Hayravank - a small, deeply atmospheric 9th-century monastery perched directly on a cliff above the water. Far fewer tourists visit Hayravank than Sevanavank, and its setting is arguably even more dramatic. The complex includes a church, chapel and gavit, surrounded by ancient khachkars and gravestones, with the lake directly below.
A short drive inland to the village of Noratus and the largest surviving khachkar cemetery in Armenia - and one of the most extraordinary open-air sites in the entire Caucasus. Over 800 carved stone crosses stand in a field above the lake, carved between the 9th and 17th centuries in an extraordinary variety of styles. Unlike many Armenian monuments, Noratus feels untouched and completely genuine - no tourist infrastructure, just centuries of Armenian spiritual art standing in the wind above the lake.
Optional lunch at a lakeside restaurant with fresh ishkhan trout. Can be added in Extras when booking.
