Garni Temple & Geghard Monastery tour: lavash baking included

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (1,303 reviews) 95% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/18

Duration5h–6h

GroupUp to 49

LanguagesEN · RU

Mobile ticketAccepted

Three centuries of Armenian stone, one morning's route

A group tour of Armenia visiting Garni Temple, the Garni canyon's basalt formations, and Geghard Monastery, with a professional guide in English or Russian and time to participate in traditional lavash baking. The tour runs 5 to 6 hours and includes an air-conditioned vehicle, entry tickets, water and pastries, and WiFi; when winter closes the canyon road, a visit to Symphony of Stones or a sujukh-making class replaces that stop.

5h–6h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Garni, Geghard, and Lavash baking

Start at meeting point
Visit Garni Temple
Participate in Lavash baking
Explore Garni canyon basalt columns
Tour Geghard Monastery

The Experience

Garni Temple sits on a triangular cape overlooking a valley, the only surviving pagan shrine in Armenia. Built in the first century AD by King Trdat the First and dedicated to the sun god, it blends Greco-Roman columns with Armenian construction—a style that vanished after Armenia adopted Christianity in 301. The ruins of the royal palace and a bathroom decorated with mosaic work still stand nearby. Before leaving Garni, you'll watch lavash (Armenian flatbread) being baked in a traditional stone oven, and you can try your hand at making it yourself.

The route passes through Garni canyon, where columnar basalts rise in geometric columns—the result of ancient lava flows broken into polyhedral shapes so regular they're called the Basaltic Organ. In winter, when the canyon road closes, the tour visits Symphony of Stones instead, or you join a sujukh-making master class and tasting. An air-conditioned vehicle carries the group, and the driver provides WiFi and bottled water throughout the day.

Geghard Monastery closes the tour. Carved partly into a massive rock face, the complex dates to the 13th century and was originally called Ayrivank (cave monastery) before being renamed Geghard after the lance—the Roman soldier's spear that pierced Christ—which the monastery housed for centuries. The churches are masterpieces of Armenian stone carving, surrounded by khachkars (cross-stones) with intricate sculptural detail. The site is on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List, and the rock-hewn chambers are known for their acoustic properties, making them ideal for singing spiritual songs.

What’s included

Air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi and passenger insurance.
professional guide speaking English and Russian consecutively.
entry tickets to Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery.
participation in lavash baking at Garni.
bottled water and pastries throughout the day.
visit to the Basaltic Organ viewing point in Garni canyon (or Symphony of Stones or sujukh-making class if the canyon road is closed).

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hyur Service

Is this one for you?Book this group tour if you want a guided route through Garni and Geghard with transport and entry handled for you; choose the winter option if the canyon road is closed and you'd prefer a craft class over the stone monument site.