Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus region with a rich history dating back over 3,000 years. Known as the first nation to officially adopt Christianity, Armenia offers ancient monasteries, stunning mountain landscapes, and warm hospitality. From the vibrant capital Yerevan to the medieval monasteries perched on cliffsides, Armenia combines deep cultural heritage with breathtaking natural beauty.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Garni Temple & Geghard Monastery
This pairing covers the only Hellenistic-style colonnaded temple in the former Soviet Union and, a short drive further into the gorge, a monastery cut directly into the rock face of the Azat River valley. Garni sits on a basalt promontory above the gorge, rebuilt in the 1970s from its original stones after a 1679 earthquake; Geghard's chapels and tombs are carved into the cliff itself, some reachable only by ducking through low rock passages. Together they show two very different registers of Armenian building - pagan-era stone columns versus medieval cave-cut Christian architecture - within a single valley.
Highlights: Garni: Armenia's only surviving Greco-Roman temple (1st century AD) · Symphony of Stones basalt column formations in Azat River gorge · Geghard: UNESCO monastery partially carved into living rock with superb acoustics · Lavash bread baked in tonir ovens by vendors at Geghard entrance
Khor Virap Monastery & Ararat Valley
Khor Virap is where Gregory the Illuminator was reportedly imprisoned in a pit for over a decade before converting King Tiridates III to Christianity in 301 AD, making it the site most associated with Armenia's adoption of Christianity as state religion. The monastery sits on a low hill in the Ararat Valley directly facing Mount Ararat across the closed Turkish border, and on clear mornings the mountain fills the frame behind the church walls - one of the most photographed views in the country. Visitors can climb down a narrow ladder into the actual pit beneath one of the chapels.
Highlights: Most iconic Mount Ararat views in Armenia — best in early morning before clouds · Descend into the pit where St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years · Armenian border crossing point visible (Ararat is in Turkey despite being Armenia's national symbol) · Pomegranate and grape orchards in the valley below
Lake Sevan & Sevanavank Monastery
Sevan is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world, sitting at over 1,900 metres, and Sevanavank is a 9th-century monastery on what was originally an island before Soviet-era water level drops turned it into a peninsula. The two surviving churches sit at the top of a short but steep climb from the car park, with the lake spread out on both sides. Beyond the monastery, the trip is really about the lake itself - swimming beaches in summer, fish restaurants along the shore, and a very different landscape and air temperature from Yerevan.
Highlights: Sevanavank Monastery on a former island, now peninsula, with panoramic lake views · Fresh Sevan trout and crayfish at lakeside restaurants · Swimming beaches (cold even in July — lake sits at 1,900m elevation) · Noratus Cemetery nearby with hundreds of medieval khachkars (cross-stones)
Tsaghkadzor Ski & Mountain Resort
Tsaghkadzor was built up as a training base for Soviet Olympic athletes because of its altitude and forested slopes, and it remains Armenia's main mountain resort town, roughly 20 minutes short of Lake Sevan. In winter it functions as a ski resort with a cable car running from the town up to Mount Teghenis; in the warmer months the same cable car and chairlifts carry hikers and mountain bikers up for valley views instead of running skiers down. The town itself is small and low-key compared to European ski resorts, so the appeal is the mountain and forest setting rather than nightlife.
Highlights: Kecharis Monastery complex (12th century) inside the resort town · Cable car operating year-round for mountain views even in summer · Excellent skiing December-March with equipment rental and lessons · Summer hiking trails through alpine meadows with wildflowers · Mountain biking trails in season
Noravank Monastery & Areni Wine Region
Noravank is a 13th-century monastery built into a narrow red-rock canyon south of Yerevan, notable for the Surp Astvatsatsin church's steep external stairway leading to a second-floor entrance with no railing. The drive down passes through the Areni wine region, home to some of the oldest evidence of winemaking in the world - a 6,100-year-old winery was excavated in the nearby Areni-1 cave - and the modern village still produces wine from the same Areni grape variety in small family wineries and one or two larger producers open for tastings.
Highlights: Noravank: 13th-century monastery glowing red against sheer canyon cliffs — best at sunset · Narrow exterior staircase to Surb Astvatsatsin church upper floor · Areni Cave — world's oldest winery (6,100 years old) 10km before Noravank · Family wineries producing Areni Noir wine from indigenous grapes · Areni Wine Festival first weekend of October
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized shared day tours depart from major Yerevan hotels from $15-35 per person. Garni-Geghard and Khor Virap tours run daily in peak season. Less popular routes may be 2-3 times weekly.
- Private
- Private car and driver from $50-80 per day allows full flexibility. Highly recommended for Noravank-Areni wine region and southern Armenia. Hotels can arrange, or book through Envoy Tours or Hyur Service.
- Public
- Marshrutkas from Kilikia Bus Station serve most destinations for $1-3 each way. Works well for Lake Sevan, Garni, and Gyumri. For monastery visits further from towns, a local taxi or walk may be needed from the marshrutka stop.
- Rental
- Car rental from $25-50/day economy, $50-100/day SUV. 4WD/SUV strongly recommended for Amberd Fortress, Ughtasar petroglyphs, and mountain routes. Available at Zvartnots Airport from Sixt, Naniko, and local agencies.
Multi-day tours from Armenia
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
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Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — most monastic sites are best in morning light and before tour groups arrive after 10am
Bring cash for admission fees and local restaurants — card payment not available at most monasteries and remote sites
Combine compatible sites on the same route: Khor Virap + Noravank + Areni makes a perfect southern loop; Garni + Symphony of Stones + Geghard a classic eastern loop