Turkey – Armenia – Georgia

Upon arrival meeting with your tour director at Istanbul Airport
We will commence with sightseeing, covering the following
Istanbul City Walls, it boasts several impressive castles a fortification. Massive walls of ancient Constantinople, built by the Emperor Theodosius II over 1500 years ago, are in many places still standing.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), a 16th century’s religious center and the only mosque in Istanbul with 6 minarets.
Hippodrome square, where horse carriage and gladiator fights took place during the Byzantian Empire. It is decorated today with an Egyptian Column, Serpentane Column.
Hagia Sophia Museum a unique combination of Christianity and Islam religion in the same holding place.
Topkapi Palace Museum – a museum palace with a wide collection of Porcelains, Treasuries, religious collect peace. It is the first Great Imperial Palace of Ottoman Dynasty.
Grand Bazaar which has more than 4000 shops selling local products handicrafts.
Dinner and overnight in Istanbul

Transfer to airport and take a domestic flight to Van (Flight is excluded)
Van Lake even though Van is Turkey’s largest lake, it has managed to stay virtually untouched without a slew of hotels or resorts on its shoreline.
Akhamar Island – The main attraction of the island is the Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross, dating back to the year 915.
Holly Cross Church – The Holy Cross Church stands beautifully atop the island mountain of Akhtamar surrounded by the Lake Van. Built between the years 915 and 921 by Armenian architect Trdat Mendet, the Holy Cross Church is the island’s biggest attraction.
Citadel of Van – Overlooking the ruins of the 3,000-year old town of Urartu is a colossal stone fortress called the Citadel of Van. Built between the 9th and 7th centuries BC, the Citadel of Van is the largest stone fortress there is, made from basalt (foundation) and mudbricks for the main areas.
Dinner and overnight in Van.

After breakfast e will commence with sightseeing, covering the following
Van Museum – The Van Museum in the pleasant town of Van houses artifacts dating from significant eras in the history of Turkey – prehistoric, Urartian and Ottoman Turk eras. An interesting section of the Van Museum is the Genocide Section, from which you’ll learn about the bloody massacres that occurred in the region.
Hosap Castle – Erected on a rocky outcrop on the shore of the Hosap River is a splendid medieval castle, the Hosap Castle.
Cavustepe – Erected on a rocky outcrop on the shore of the Hosap River is a splendid medieval castle, the Hosap Castle. Local legends state that the architect of the castle, Kurdish man Mahmudi Suleyman, had his hands cutoff by the authorities so he could no longer build another castle that would rival Hosap.
Muradiye Castle – Quite the beautiful sight, the Muradiye Şelalesi (Muradian Falls) gets it name from Sultan IV Murat. Surrounded by a colorful palette of flora and fauna, the waterfalls are around 18 meters in height and were formed from volcanic rock. Dinner and overnight in Van.

After breakfast e will commence with sightseeing, covering the following
Ishak Pasha Palace – probably one of the most important sites in Doğubeyazıt, the Ishak Pasha Palace is a stunning construction overlooking an expanse of wide empty landscape. Completed in 1784, the construction took over a century and was undertaken by generations of the Pasha family.
Mighty Mountain of Ararat – with an altitude of 5,137 meters, Mount Ararat is the highest mountain in Turkey. It is believed where the Noah Arks landed.
Ahmed-I Hani Mausoleum – Ahmed-I Hani is a wroter of Mem u Zin book, it was a monument of nationalist literature for Kurds and mobilized them politically. In the seventeenth centur, Hani possibly concerned himself only with the Kurmanci speakers, and hence his perception of the Kurds consisted mainly of the tribal Kurmancis.
Sarıkamış – during the winter, the town and district of Sarıkamış in Kars is the ultimate stop for ski enthusiasts; mountains and valleys covered with a fresh layer of snow surround the area. With an average of 2.1–2.4 meters (seven to eight feet) of snowfall, the winters are long and offer the perfect conditions for its use as a ski resort. Dinner and overnight in Kars

After breakfast e will commence with sightseeing, covering the following
Cıldır Lake – Anatolia’s second largest lake is located at the border with the Ardahan District and is the only body of water in Turkey to completely freeze in the winter. The freshwater lake, with a surface area of 123 square kilometers (47.5 sq mi), is a popular place to go ice fishing, ice skating, and to even take a ride across with a horse-drawn sled.

Castle of Kars – In 1153, Saltukid Sultan (one of the ruling dynasties of Anatolia) Malik Izzeddin Saltuk II commissioned Vizier Firuz Akay to build the Castle of Kars, one of Kars’ major landmarks. Cathedral of Kars – the Armenian Bagratid King Abas I built this former Armenian Apostolic church, in the mid-10th century. After serving as a mosque, a Russian Orthodox church, and a museum, the structure became a mosque once again in 1993 and is connected to a larger Islamic complex that includes Kars’ largest mosque, the Evliya Mosque.
Ani – speaking of cathedrals, no mention of Kars would be complete without discussing the stunning ruins of Ani. Once the thriving capital of the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom, the site nowadays is a collection of dilapidated yet still glorious structures in a beautiful valley next to the border with Armenia. Dinner and overnight in Kars

After breakfast e will commence with sightseeing, covering the following
Transfer to the airport for your flight back home, bringing back wonderful memories and superb souvenirs from your Turkish vacation. Transfer to Turkey-Georgia border, then countinue to Georgia-Armenia border. Change of guide and vehicle, drive to Gyumri.
Gyumri: it is the second largest city in Armenia. By the end of the 19th century, when the city was known as Alexandropol, it was the largest cities of the Eastern Armenia.
The residents are Gyumri are widely known as conservative people. Traditions and local customs are widely preserved by the local citizens. It is very common for Armenians to refer to the dignity of Gyumri. Gyumri is considered to be the “laughter and humour capital” of Armenia. The jokes and anecdotes of famous local humorists like Jgher Khachik and Poloz Mukuch are widely known by the local citizens. Many works have been published to narrate about the legacy and heritage of the humor in Gyumri.

Breakfast. We will start the excursion to centuries-old monuments Ejmiatsin and Zvartnots. These sites are listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. Zvartnots Temple was built in 7th century by Nerses Builder Catholicos. Our next step is the spiritual center of Armenia: Ejmiatsin. The Cathedral of Ejmiatsin, founded in 303, is the official residence of the Catholicos of Armenia. We will also visit the museum of Ejmiatsin where a small part of Noah’s ark is kept. Lunch at the local restaurant. Drive to Yerevan. We will start the tour in the capital of Armenia: Yerevan. For ages this city has been known as a pink city because of the color of the stone it has been built with. So we will visit Republic square, Mashtoc Avenue, the House of Opera and Ballet after Aram Khachatryan, the park Cascad and etc. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast. Take trip to Garni. This Pagan Temple built in the 1st century AD. It is the only temple that has been preserves from the Pagan times in Armenia. It was devoted to the god Mihr, who was the god of cleanness. In 1679 it was destroyed by earthquake. In the 1975 the Temple was restored. Then we will continue our trip to Geghard Monastery. Its name came from the legendary lance that was used to pierce the body of Christ. It has been kept here for centuries. Though the exact foundation of the monastery is unknown, the present complex was built in the mid – 13th century. Afterwards we will a local house where you will have the chance to see and participate in the preparation of Armenian national bread: lavash. It is a very thin, usually sold in very large forms. It is usually cooked in a ground oven: “tonir”. In 2015 it has been inscribed in UNESCO intangible heritage list. Here we will enjoy the “Armenian fast food” with lavash and cheese. Return to Yerevan. Visit Matenadaran manouscrpit museum. Visit to Genocide memorial and museum. Dinner at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

Breakfast. We will drive to Lake Sevan which is one of the largest lakes in the world. It stands out with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Here we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the beautiful lake. Another surprise is expected for our tourists; we will have a cruise in Lake Sevan and take the chance to admire the beauty of blue pearl of Armenian highland. Then we will visit Sevanavank Monastery which is situated on Sevan Peninsula. There are 2 monasteries actually; one of them is destroyed but the other stands still. They have been built in the middle Ages; around 10th century. We will visit Haghpat monastery which is UNESCO world heritage site. It is located on an uneven plateau, separated by a deep crack formed by a small river that flows into the river Debed. Haghpat Monastery was one of the largest religious, cultural and educational centers of medieval Armenia. Drive to the Armenian border Sadakhlo. Border formalities, transport and guide change. Continue the tour in Georgia. Dinner at the traditional restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

After breakfast have Tbilisi city tour. We will visit the Old Tbilisi Sulfur Baths, Georgian Orthodox and Armenian Gregorian churches, Jewish synagogue, also, Turkish mosque side by side, reflecting city’s acceptance and tolerance of different religions. We can also see a recent monument – Tbilisi Sameba Cathedral, the largest cathedral in the Caucasus; Metekhi Church, which is erected on the cliff, overlooking the Mtkvari River; Narikala fortress, established in the fourth century. Walk downtown and discover Shardeni Street with its fashionable cozy cafes and art galleries. Walking we will come across the Anchiskhati church, the oldest church in Tbilisi keeping the miraculous icon of Jesus Christ. Finally, the tour takes you to Rustaveli Avenue, where attractions, such as the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Parliament, Rustaveli Theatre, different art galleries and cafes, will draw your attention and provide a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Overnight in Tbilisi hotel.

After breakfast drive to Mtskheta (UNESCO Heritage), an ancient capital of the Georgian Kingdom. Tour includes following sights: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a life-giving pillar – Cathedral of 11th century – magnificent, both inside and outside, the Cathedral is an important piece of Christian history, as it is a place, where Christ’s robe was buried. Jvari Church – 6th century monastery – Jvari, or the Holy Cross Church, stands where a sacred wooden cross was erected in the 4th century by St Nino before she converted Mtskheta to Christianity. Afterwards visit Uplistsikhe, the lord’s fortress, which is an ancient rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia. Built on a high rocky left bank of Mtkvari River, it contains various structures dating from the 2nd ML BC to the Late Middle Ages, and is notable for the unique combination of various styles of rock-cut cultures. Finally return back to Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi hotel.

After breakfast drive to Kazbegi. A stunning drive from Gudauri along the Tergi River will bring us to Kazbegi – the main town in the region. On the way, we visit Ananuri Castle and Jinvali water reservoir of amazing beauty. En route stop and see different local hand made things (thick felt, embroidery, iconographic painting). From Kazbegi we drive by 4X4 cars to Gergeti Trinity Church located at 2170m. Weather permitting you may catch a glimpse of one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi (5047m). Finally return back to Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi hotel.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport