The tour to Haghpat, Zarni Parni Cave Castle, Aramyants Castle, and Sanahin takes around 13–14 hours. All the sites are located in the north of Armenia, in the Lori region, about a 3-hour drive from Yerevan.
1. Our first destination is a 10th-century medieval monastery called Haghpat. The complex was founded by Queen Khosrovanush, the wife of King Ashot III, as a tribute to their sons. Haghpat was not only a religious site but also a significant educational and cultural hub in medieval Armenia.
2. The second stop is Zarni Parni Cave Castle — an unbelievably beautiful and seemingly unreachable cave fortress built in the 10th–11th centuries. The fortress consists of two parts: one named after Prince Zareh, and the other used as a storage area. Both sites played an important role in defending the country against enemy invasions.
3. Our third stop is Aramyants Castle. The territory originally belonged to a Georgian prince named Baratov, who was known for his gambling, which ultimately led him to lose the estate. Mikayel Aramyants, a well-known oil industrialist, bought the property and built the now-famous castle. As a unique and luxurious residence, it hosted the famous Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanyan and even Catholicos Khrimyan Hayrik.
4. The last stop is another 10th-century monastery — Sanahin. Both Sanahin and Haghpat are recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Sanahin is slightly older than Haghpat, which is how it got its name: Sa-na-hin, meaning “this one is older than the other one,” referring to its twin monastery, Haghpat.
The individual tour to Haghpat, Zarni Parni Cave Castle, Aramyants Castle, and Sanahin is definitely one of the favorites among our visitors, thanks to the sites’ rich architectural styles, deep history, and breathtaking scenery.
