Khor Virap, Garni & Geghard tour: Lavash baking included

Geghard Monastery's churches are carved directly into solid rock, built into the mountainside itself.

This full-day tour visits four Armenian landmarks (Khor Virap Monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat, the 1st-century Garni Temple, the columnar basalt formations of Symphony of Stones, and the rock-carved Geghard Monastery) with a live English or Russian guide and air-conditioned transport. The day ends with hands-on lavash baking and tasting in a traditional Tonir oven, plus local Gata pastry and bottled water throughout. The tour runs 8 to 9 hours. Entrance tickets to Garni Temple and Symphony of Stones are optional add-ons at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Khor Virap Monastery50m
2. Garni Temple1h
3. Geghard Monastery50m

Explore Armenia's iconic landmarks

• Visit Khor Virap Monastery
• Enjoy Azat Reservoir views
• Tour Garni Temple and bath house
• See Symphony of Stones
• Explore Geghard Monastery
• View Mt. Ararat from Charents Arch

The experience

Khor Virap Monastery sits at the foot of Mount Ararat, the mountain that dominates Armenia's landscape and its identity. Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned in a pit here before converting the country to Christianity in 301 AD: making Armenia the first nation to adopt it as a state religion. The monastery itself stands on a high plateau, and the views across the valley frame the mountain in nearly every direction. From there, the tour moves to Azat Reservoir, where the Yeranos Mountains roll back from the water's edge and create the kind of quiet that makes photography feel necessary.

Garni Temple dates to 77 AD and is the only standing pagan temple in the entire post-Soviet region. It sits on a high plateau overlooking the Azat river gorge, built in the Greek-Roman style and dedicated to the sun god Mihr. Below the temple lie the ruins of a royal palace and a bath house whose floor is a mosaic of 30,000 pieces of natural stone: each one placed by hand in the 3rd century. The nearby Symphony of Stones is a natural formation of tall, column-like basalt rocks that rise from the earth in a pattern so regular it looks engineered, though it was shaped by volcanic activity over millennia.

Geghard Monastery is carved into the mountainside itself. Its churches are drilled directly into the solid rock face rather than built on top of it. The complex dates to Armenia's 13th-century Golden Age and holds deep religious significance. The monastery's name comes from the lance (Geghard in Armenian) that pierced Jesus during the crucifixion, which was kept here for five centuries. The architectural solution of embedding churches into the stone is distinctly Armenian and has no close parallel elsewhere in the region. After the monastery, the tour moves to a family home where you bake lavash (the thin flatbread central to Armenian meals), in a traditional Tonir oven sunk into the ground. You'll taste what you've made, along with local Gata pastry. The guide speaks English or Russian throughout the day, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. Water is provided.

What’s included

• The tour includes a live guide in English or Russian.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• hands-on lavash baking in a traditional Tonir oven with tasting.
• and local Gata pastry. Entrance tickets to Garni Temple and Symphony of Stones are optional at checkout.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday and SaturdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 4.88

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Yerani Travel LLC

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Armenia's major historical and natural landmarks (Khor Virap, Garni, Geghard and Symphony of Stones) in a single day with a guide handling the route and timing. The lavash baking at the end gives you a direct experience of how Armenians prepare their daily bread, rather than just observing it from a distance.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Khor Virap Monastery and why does it matter to Armenia?

Khor Virap is where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned before converting Armenia to Christianity in 301 AD, making the country the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official state religion. The monastery sits at the foot of Mount Ararat and is one of Armenia's most sacred sites.

Is Garni Temple really the only pagan temple still standing in the post-Soviet region?

Garni Temple, built in 77 AD and dedicated to the sun god Mihr, is the only standing pagan temple in the entire post-Soviet area. It sits on a high plateau overlooking the Azat river gorge and is surrounded by the ruins of a royal palace and a Greek-Roman bath house whose mosaic floor contains 30,000 pieces of natural stone.

What makes Geghard Monastery's architecture unusual?

Geghard Monastery's churches are carved and drilled directly into the solid rock of the mountainside rather than built on top of it. This architectural approach is distinctly Armenian and dates to the 13th century, Armenia's Golden Age.

Do I bake the lavash myself, or just watch?

You bake the lavash yourself in a traditional Tonir oven (a clay oven sunk into the ground), and then taste the bread you've made along with local Gata pastry. This happens at a family home near the end of the tour.

Are entrance fees to the temples included in the tour price?

Entrance tickets to Garni Temple and Symphony of Stones are optional add-ons you can choose at checkout, priced at €6–€14 per person. All other stops and the lavash baking experience are included.

How long is this tour and what's provided during the day?

The tour runs 8 to 9 hours and includes a live guide in English or Russian, air-conditioned transport, bottled water throughout the day, lavash baking and tasting, and local Gata pastry. You'll visit four major sites and spend time at each one.