WESTERN ARMENIA, CILICIA, CAPPADOCIA, CORICOS SEA (10 DAYS) (5 DAYS AT CORICOS SEA)


Duration:
10 days (9 nights) 2 meals

Description:
During the trip, we will see Kars, Ani, Van, Mush, Diyarbakir, then the famous fortresses and cities of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia: Sis, Levon Fortress, Adana and Tarsus, the sea and land fortresses of Korikos, the statues of the ancient gods of Nemrut, as well as during the trip we will visit Cappadocia and Erzurum.

Cost: 360,000 AMD

The price includes:
  • Transportation costs
  • Hotel: Van, Mush, Korikos, Cappadocia, Erzurum
  • Meals: 2 times (breakfast and dinner)
  • Service of a high-class Turkologist-historian tour guide
The price does not include:
  • Turkey entry visa (16,000 AMD)
  • Entry tickets to historical and cultural institutions (equivalent to 25 USD in AMD)



Tour Program:

Day 1
Igdir, Bayazet, Berkri Waterfall, Van

From Yerevan we will depart for Gyumri, pass the Armenian-Georgian Bavra border checkpoint and enter Javakhk. Crossing the Georgian-Turkish border from Akhalkalaki, we will head to Igdir, then passing by the "Ruined Bazaar" on the slopes of Mount Ararat, we will reach Bayazet. On the way, we will see the beautiful view of Mount Ararat from the opposite side, and the Daroynk Fortress in old Bayazet. We will also enter the Ishaq Pasha Palace, which combines Persian, Arabic and Armenian architectural styles. From Bayazet we will depart for the city of Van, on the way we will stop and rest at the Berkri Waterfall. We will spend the night at a hotel in Van.

Day 2
Varagavank, Mher's Gate, Lake Van, Akhtamar Island, Van Fortress, Van Cat Breeding Site

In the morning we will leave for Varagavank, then we will see the rock-cut Mher's Gate, or in other words one of the Khaldian gates, on which cuneiform inscriptions have been preserved to this day. After seeing the Mher's Gate, we will go to Van Fortress, and then to the Van Cat Breeding Site. Then we will go to Akhtamar Island, to the Holy Cross Church, and upon returning from the island we will taste the only fish of the lake, the Van tarekh. From Van we will travel to Mush and rest at the Mush hotel.

Day 3
Mush, Mush old quarter, Sulukh bridge, Diyarbakir, Mount Nemrut - statues of ancient pagan gods, Korikos beach.

In the morning, Mush, we will see the old Armenian quarter and the Armenian cemetery, we will visit the Sulukh bridge, where the Armenian freedom fighter Gevorg Chaush was martyred. From Mush, we will head to Diyarbakir, then to Mount Nemrut and to an altitude of 2100 meters. On the top of Nemrut, we will see the tomb of King Antiochus I of Commagene, as well as the colossal statues of the Hellenistic and Armenian pagan deities Zeus-Aramazd, Apollo-Mihri (Tiri), Heracles-Vahag, Anahit (Fortuna). In the afternoon, we will move from Nemrut to the Korikos beach. We will spend the night at a hotel on the beach.

Day 4
Rest on the beach of Korikos.

Overnight at a hotel on the beach of Korikos.

Day 5
Rest on the beach of Korikos. Overnight at a hotel on the beach of Korikos.

If desired, visit to Seleucia, hell, heaven, the cave of asthma, as well as other nearby places - for a fee)

Day 6
Rest on the coast of Korikos. Overnight at a hotel on the coast of Korikos.

(If desired, we will visit the sea and land fortresses of Korikos - for a fee)

Day 7
Rest on the beach of Korikos.

Overnight stay at a hotel on the beach of Korikos.

Day 8
Korikos, Tarson, Adana, Levoni and Anavarza fortresses, Sis city, Sisi fortress, Cappadocia.

After breakfast in the morning, we will depart from Korikos to the capital of Cilicia, Sis. On the way, we will see Tarson, Adana, Levoni fortress, Anavarza and Sisi fortress. From Sis city, we will depart for the fabulous Cappadocia. Overnight stay at a hotel in Cappadocia.

Day 9
Cappadocia, Malatia, Holy Trinity Church, Kharberd, Erzurum.

At sunrise we will see the hot air balloon flight, after which we will have breakfast and move to Kharberd, on the way we will visit the Holy Trinity Church of Malatia, which is located in the old Armenian Çavuşoğlu district. It is in this district that the famous Armenian intellectual of Istanbul, Hrant Dink, lived. From Malatia we will depart for Kharberd, we will see the Kharberd fortress and the old Armenian district. Then we will head to Erzurum, on the way we will see the Bingöl mountains. We will spend the night at the hotel in Erzurum.

Day 10
Erzurum, Shepherd's Bridge, Kars, Arakelots Church, Ani Capital, Yerevan.

In the morning we will depart from Erzurum to Kars, on the way we will see the Shepherd's Bridge, as well as the forests of Sarighamish. In Kars we will visit the Arakelots Church, climb the Kars Fortress, see the medieval bridge "Vardan", the house of Yeghishe Charents, walk through the streets of the city and feel the breath of ancient Armenian Kars. Then we will head to the capital of Ani, which is located 45 km from Kars. After seeing the thousand-year-old churches of Ani, we will move towards Armenia, crossing the Turkish-Georgian border, passing through Akhalkalaki and arriving in Yerevan in the evening.