The Best of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

Our tour starts today at our hotel in Baku. Sitting on the coast of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan's capital is a tapestry of old meets new with the medieval walled city standing proudly next to glittering modern skyscrapers. There are no activities planned for toda...

The history of Baku is long and fascinating. In recent times, it played a major role in the 'oil boom' of the early 20th century, when the country produced more than half the world's supply of oil and the capital grew uncontrollably. This morning, however, we'll de...

We'll leave the Caspian Sea behind this morning and travel the historic trade route from Baku to Sheki, a scenic if winding journey in the shadow of the mighty Caucasus. En route, we'll stop at Samaxi where we'll visit the second-oldest mosque in the trans-Caucasus. W...

Lost in the folds of the forested slopes of the Caucasus foothills, Sheki has been an important market town for centuries. It sits on the east-west trading route, running across the Caucasus, from the Caspian Sea in the east to the Black Sea in the west. A further tra...

This morning we'll say goodbye to Azerbaijan and drive towards the border with Georgia. After clearing customs, we'll drive through the Kakheti region which is famous for its wineries and warm hospitality. Along the way, the landscape will open up to views of the ...

Our first stop today will be Telavi's farmers' market, an integral part of local daily life. Our next stop is Vardisubani village, where we'll learn about the unique wine making technique that Georgians have been using since ancient times. We'll also take part in ...

Leaving the capital this morning, we'll drive to picturesque Mtskheta, the spiritual heart of Georgia. Here, we'll visit the 6th-century hilltop Jvari Monastery where we'll have spectacular views of Mtskheta and the confluence of two rivers below. We'll make our way d...

North of Gudauri, the Kazbegi region is a picturesque area, with alpine meadows and towering snow-capped mountains. We'll make an early start this morning as we plan to hike from Stepantsminda town through Gergeti village and up to the iconic 14th-century Church of th...

This morning we'll set off for our journey to Gori. We'll stop at the Soviet-style town of Gori, where Georgia's most famous son, Stalin, was born. Here, we'll visit the museum and learn much about his life. Interestingly, Stalin initially began training as a priest i...

Today we'll head towards one of Georgia's most significant sites, the cave town of Vardzia. On route we'll stop off at Khertvisi Fortress, dramatically situated on a cliff above the confluence of two major rivers. It's one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia, dating b...

This morning we'll drive to the Borjomi Mineral Water Park, travelling through the majestic forests of the Borjomi Gorge and stopping to sample the sulphurous water, which is believed to have healing properties. Our journey continues to the UNESCO-listed monastery ...

We'll set off for Batumi this morning, Georgia's attractive summer capital that sits on the shores of the Black Sea. A renovation and regeneration project carried out at the turn of the century has transformed the city's skyline, now a mix of modern skyscrapers wh...

Today, we'll drive back to Tbilisi and, in the afternoon, take a city tour on foot. Tbilisi is both an ancient and cosmopolitan city; you can find a synagogue, a mosque, a Georgian basilica, an Armenian church, and a Zoroastrian Fire-Worshipper's temple all within a 1...

Today we'll head to the Georgia/Armenia border at Sadakhlo. Here we'll say goodbye to our Georgian tour leader and meet our Armenian tour leader. After clearing customs, our first stop is the dramatically located Monastery of Haghpat, listed by UNESCO thanks to its ou...

We'll depart Lake Sevan after breakfast to visit a cross stone cemetery in Noratus village. This unique cemetery holds a collection of nearly 1000 khatchkars (intricately carved vertical tombstones). Afterward, we'll climb higher making our way over the Selim Pass...

This morning, we'll travel out of the city to visit the 7th-century ruins of the UNESCO-listed Zvartnots. Its remaining columns are set against a magnificent backdrop of the snowy peaks of Mount Ararat. We'll continue on to the \ Holy City\ of Echmiadzin, Armenia's f...

Today, we'll once again leave the city behind us as we drive east through a landscape of alpine meadows to the Hellenistic temple at Garni. This pagan monument, dedicated to the worship of the sun, was built in AD77 and is an extraordinary site to be found in Armenia,...

Today we'll head northwest to visit the Amberd Fortress, a 10th-century fortress on the slopes of Mount Aragats. En route, we'll stop to visit Alphabet Park, a tribute to the complexity and uniqueness of the Armenian language. Finally, we'll arrive at the fortress, wh...

There are no other activities planned today, so you\ re free to leave Yerevan at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you\ d like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Yerevan Intern...