Private Yerevan tour with Garni Temple & Geghard Monastery

Build your own day around Armenia's oldest capital and two ancient sacred sites

A private tour of Yerevan and the surrounding highlands, visiting Garni Temple (Armenia's only preserved pagan temple), Geghard Monastery (a UNESCO-listed cave monastery from the 4th century), and Symphony of the Stones, a natural rock formation of hexagonal basalt columns. The itinerary is customized to your schedule and interests. Includes a guide, transport with a professional driver, hotel pickup and drop-off within Yerevan, and bottled water. You choose whether to add a guide or travel with just the driver.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Republic Square30m
2. Geghard Monastery40m
3. Garni Temple1h

Yerevan city and Garni temple tour

• Visit Cafesjian Center for the Arts
• Explore Republic Square buildings
• See St Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral
• Shop at Vernisage flea market
• Stop at Charents Arch near Yerevan
• Tour Garni pagan temple
• Visit Geghard Monastery cave complex
• View Symphony of the Stones basalt columns

The experience

This tour starts from your hotel in Yerevan and moves outward through the city's landmarks before heading into the highlands. In the capital itself, you'll see the Cascade (572 steps rising 302 meters, a favorite with locals), Republic Square with its five surrounding government and cultural buildings, St. Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral, and Vernisage, the city's year-round flea market. The route is flexible: you can swap stops, linger at museums, taste traditional Armenian sweets at a local food market, visit the Ararat brandy factory, or try your hand at rug-weaving at the Megerian Carpet factory.

Outside the city, the first stop is Charents Arch, a natural stone gateway between two religious sites. Then comes Garni Temple, built in the 1st century by King Trdat III and the only pagan temple still standing in Armenia after an earthquake in 1679 destroyed much of it. Nearby is Geghard Monastery, a cave monastery carved into the rock and founded in the 4th century at a sacred spring. It's on the UNESCO World Heritage List and takes its name from the spear said to have pierced Christ. The final stop is Symphony of the Stones (also called Basalt Organ), a gorge filled with hexagonal and pentagonal basalt columns nearly 50 meters high that rise like organ pipes from the canyon floor.

The tour runs 8 to 9 hours total. You can book it with a live guide (in English or Russian) or with just the driver. Groups range from one or two travelers to up to fifteen. Transport is in a comfortable vehicle with Wi-Fi, and pickup and drop-off at your Yerevan hotel are included. Entrance fees to museums, Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones, and lunch are separate.

What’s included

• Transport in a comfortable vehicle with a professional driver and Wi-Fi.
• hotel pickup and drop-off within Yerevan.
• bottled water.
• optional live guide service in English or Russian (depending on your chosen option).

Options for this experience

6 options

Without a guide, for 1 to 3 travelersUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Duration: 8 hours. Car, sedan for 1 to 3 travelers without a guide. Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Pickup is included.

Without a guide, for 4 to 7 travelersUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Duration: 8 hours. Car, minivan for 4 to 7 travelers without a guide. Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Pickup is included.

With a guide, for 1 to 2 travelersUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Duration: 8 hours. Car, sedan for 1 to 2 travelers with a guide. Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Includes pickup.

See 3 more options

Without a guide, for 8 to 15 travelersUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Duration: 8 hours. Car, minibus. Pickup is included.

With a guide, for 3 to 6 travelersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Duration: 8 hours. Car, minivan for 3 to 6 travelers with a guide. Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Pickup is included.

With a guide, for 7 to 15 travelersUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Russian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00Duration: 8 hours. Car, minibus for 7 to 15 travelers with a guide. Private tour: Yerevan sightseeing city tour and Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones or Garni Gorge, Geghard Monastery. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Saturday5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00

Book up to20h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Jan Armenia Tours

Is this one for you?Choose a guided option if you want context and stories about the temples and the city's history. Pick the driver-only option if you prefer to explore at your own pace or are traveling with someone who speaks Armenian. Groups of up to fifteen can book together, so families and small groups travel in a single vehicle.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

Can I customize which Yerevan sites we visit, or is the itinerary fixed?

The tour is built around your schedule and interests, so you can swap stops and choose which museums, markets or factories to include. The Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery and Symphony of the Stones are the main outside-the-city stops, but the Yerevan portion is flexible.

What is Geghard Monastery like, and why is it on the UNESCO list?

Geghard is a medieval cave monastery carved directly into the rock, founded in the 4th century at a sacred spring. It's on the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its architectural significance and its role in Armenian Christian history. The monastery takes its name from the spear (Geghard) believed to have pierced Christ, which was kept there.

Is Garni Temple the only pagan temple left in Armenia?

Yes, Garni Temple is the only pagan temple that has been preserved in Armenia. Built in the 1st century by King Trdat III and likely dedicated to Mithra, the God of the Sun, it was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1679, but enough remains to see its graceful columns and structure.

What exactly is Symphony of the Stones?

Symphony of the Stones is a natural gorge filled with enormous hexagonal and pentagonal basalt columns, some nearly 50 meters high, that rise from the canyon floor. The columns are so symmetrical and organ-like in appearance that the site is also called the Basalt Organ Pipes.

Does the tour include a guide, or do I travel with just a driver?

You choose at checkout: book with a live guide (available in English or Russian) or with the driver alone. Groups range from one or two travelers to up to fifteen, and the guide service is optional depending on which option you select.

What's included in the price, and what do I pay separately?

The tour includes transport in a comfortable vehicle, a professional driver, hotel pickup and drop-off in Yerevan, bottled water, and Wi-Fi in the vehicle. Entrance fees to museums, Garni Temple, Symphony of the Stones, and lunch are not included and are paid separately.