Armenia travel advice
Armenian wine & cognac
Nune Tatunts, from our supplier Arara, with some tips for wine lovers:
“Armenia has more than 10 endemic grape varieties such as Areni, and many local producers. The Areni village holds an annual wine festival on the first weekend of October, and there is also the Yerevan Wine Days festival held in early May on Saryan Street which is full of wine bars. Armenia wines have taken many gold medals in recent international competitions. Cognac/brandy making is also popular here, the most famous company being Ararat. We have over 100 years experience in brandy making, so you can expect some good stuff!”
Exploring Yerevan
Natalie Fordham from our supplier Wild Frontiers on the capital’s cultural highlights:
“We always include the Matenadaran, and the Erenuni archaeological district, for the history. The Armenia Genocide memorial is an important place to visit, and we recommend visiting Yerevan over a weekend so you can see the Versaj open air market. Yerevan is far and away the most modern part of the country and you really notice it as soon as you venture beyond.”
Our Armenia Vacations
Armenia small group vacation
Group tour to Armenia's culture, nature, cuisine & history
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£1385 to £1559
8 days
ex flights
Georgia & Armenia cultural vacation
Journey to the furthest reaches of Europe
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£2095 to £2450
16 days
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Armenia tailor made vacation
Armenia's ecclesiastical architecture and amazing history
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£1490
9 days
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Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia tour
Small group tour of the Caucasus
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US $3990
19 days
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Armenia vacation, Ancient Armenia
The best of Armenia from stunning churches to local culture
From
£1075
7 days
ex flights
Georgia and Armenia vacation
Churches, monasteries, snow capped mountains, lakes and waterfalls
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US $3049
14 days
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Caucasus small group tour
Charms and contradictions of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
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US $3845
15 days
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Georgia and Armenia tour
Journey through the Caucasus region of Central Asia
From
US $2720
16 days
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Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia vacation
A scenic journey through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
From
£2995 to £3245
14 days
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Caucasus tour
20 day tailor made tour to Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
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£3990
20 days
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Armenia hiking vacation, small group
Armenia walking tour, mountains and forests with sightseeing
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£959
11 days
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Armenia & Georgia hiking tour
Discover the culture & nature of Armenia and Georgia
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£1609
11 days
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Armenia vacation, private departure
Independent tailor made vacations to Armenia
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£671
8 days
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Uzbekistan to Turkey overland tour
Overland through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia & Turkey
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£4700
48 days
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Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan small group tour
A comprehensive tour through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
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£2699
20 days
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Georgia and Armenia small group tour
The cultural and scenic highlights of Georgia and Armenia
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£1999
14 days
ex flights
Armenia and Iran walking vacation
Explore off the beaten track in two beautiful countries
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£2749 to £2889
16 days
inc UK flights
Armenia walking tour, one foot in Armenia
An off-beat walking vacation in the Caucasus
From
US $1450
9 days
ex flights
Xian to Istanbul overland tour
Experience the Silk Road and the beautiful Caucasus
From
£9515
42 days
ex flights
Armenia Georgia Azerbaijan hiking vacation
Get amazed by the scenery of the South Caucasus.
From
£2909
18 days
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Caucasus vacation, Armenia, Azerbaijan & Georgia
Journey through three Caucasus states
From
£2990
14 days
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Armenia bird watching tour
Observe rare birds on this Armenia small-group vacation
From
£1496
10 days
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Georgia and Armenia tour
Journey through Georgia and Armenia in 11 days
From
US $2110 to US $2558
11 days
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Armenia country tour
8 day group tour to Armenia's culture, cuisine & history
From
£1385 to £1559
8 days
ex flights
Armenia vacation, private departure
Private, tailor-made tour of Armenia
From
US $1810
9 days
ex flights
Great for vegetarians & vegans
Great for vegetarians & vegans
Nune Tatunts, from our supplier Arara, shares some highlights of Armenian cuisine:
“Apricots and pomegranates are very special in Armenian culture – the Latin name for apricots is fructus armeniacus, while the pomegranate is another symbol that often appears in Armenian architecture and old carvings. Typical Armenian foods everyone should try include spas, which is a white soup you can eat hot or cold; khash, which is a beef broth said to have medicinal properties and eaten ritually, and khorovats, our delicious barbecue. But Armenia is not just for meat eaters; our cuisine uses many vegetables, fruits and herbs so we have no problem creating different menus for vegetarians and vegans.”
Visiting monasteries
Visiting monasteries
Natalie Fordham from our supplier Wild Frontiers on Armenia’s religious highlights:
“Each monastery has its own distinctive features and while there is probably such a thing as too many, we try to include them wherever they fit into an itinerary. Tatev with its cable car, and Khor Virap with Mt. Ararat in the background are the most visually impressive. We always suggest Etchmiadzin too, because it’s such a significant place, and Geghard offers something fun and a little different. Visitors need to dress modestly; knees and shoulders should be covered. Women will sometimes need a headscarf so we recommend packing one.”
Jim O’Brien from our supplier Native Eye on the monastery experience:
“Armenia’s monasteries and churches are so atmospheric, especially if you happen to be visiting during any kind of service. You can expect lots of singing, scented candles being burned – very interesting just to watch quietly from the back.”
Cultural encounters
Cultural encounters
Jim O’Brien from our supplier Native Eye on visiting Armenian villages:
“Many of the ethnic villages that we visit aren’t particularly ‘opened up’ for tourism yet, so it’s really a case of wandering around, occasionally stopping to meet and have a chat with the locals. It’s interesting just to learn a little about their history and how they came to end up in this far flung corner of the Russian empire. At Garni we sometimes have lunch in a local home, with opportunities to help prepare it too which is a fun activity.”
Buzzy working
Buzzy working
Nune Tatunts, from our supplier Arara, explains why Armenia is so sweet:
“In rural areas almost every family keeps bees and makes honey, usually naturally and organically. Some people take it very seriously – they have special big cars or even buses which they sleep in, and load shelves with beehives. Then they drive their bees from place to place to catch seasonal flowers for a good honey harvest – you see it especially in alpine areas.”
Our top Armenia Vacation
Armenia small group vacation
Group tour to Armenia's culture, nature, cuisine & history
From
£1385 to £1559
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 3 Oct
2021: 10 Apr, 12 Jun, 17 Jul, 25 Sep
2022: 25 Jun, 3 Sep
2020: 3 Oct
2021: 10 Apr, 12 Jun, 17 Jul, 25 Sep
2022: 25 Jun, 3 Sep
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Armenia or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Armenia tips from our traveler reviews
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Armenia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
The walks to the monasteries are mostly uphill over rocky ground - the transport cannot get you closer than a few hundred yards in most cases and in some the walk is a lot longer ![]()
– Baron-Vahl Amos
“Be prepared to have your eyes opened as to the depth of Christianity practised in both Armenia and Georgia, both in the past and still today. Bring healthy appetites, for the food is very good and tasty and so plentiful. If you can extend your trip by a couple of days (before and/or after the guided sections), you can experience more of the local capitals. “ – Judy Schneider
“The trip is advertised as a cultural vacation and the itinerary mentions that many monasteries will be visited. Complaints about "not another monastery" are unwarranted. The variety and environment in which all of these are found varies and the journey to and from them is quite spectacular.” – Maddy Ball
“The trip is advertised as a cultural vacation and the itinerary mentions that many monasteries will be visited. Complaints about "not another monastery" are unwarranted. The variety and environment in which all of these are found varies and the journey to and from them is quite spectacular.” – Maddy Ball
Try the local home made produce you can get from vendors outside the monasteries. ![]()
– Wayne Smith
“Traveling through Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan means an action-packed 2 weeks, but you'll see everything from grim Soviet-era relics to incredibly beautiful ancient monasteries on remote mountaintops. Be flexible, wear good walking shoes, and come prepared for all sorts of weather.” – Paula Lozar
“The walks to the monasteries are mostly uphill over rocky ground - the transport cannot get you closer than a few hundred yards in most cases and in some the walk is a lot longer and over the time that the vacations are offered the temperatures the heat is in the upper 20's and low 30's but some days the thermometer is above the 35 degree centigrade mark, be prepared. “ – Baron-Vahl Amos
“Try the local home made produce you can get from vendors outside the monasteries. The bread filled with herbs we bought at Tatev was delicious and the walnuts wrapped in fruit was also very good. Fruit brought from roadside sellers also recommended.” – Wayne Smith
“The walks to the monasteries are mostly uphill over rocky ground - the transport cannot get you closer than a few hundred yards in most cases and in some the walk is a lot longer and over the time that the vacations are offered the temperatures the heat is in the upper 20's and low 30's but some days the thermometer is above the 35 degree centigrade mark, be prepared. “ – Baron-Vahl Amos
“Try the local home made produce you can get from vendors outside the monasteries. The bread filled with herbs we bought at Tatev was delicious and the walnuts wrapped in fruit was also very good. Fruit brought from roadside sellers also recommended.” – Wayne Smith
More about Armenia
The most popular time of year to visit Armenia in terms of climate and scenery tends to be autumn.
Almost every trip to Armenia will feature a sprinkling of the key monasteries, some light hiking, and a day or so in Yerevan.
Armenia is more than just ancient monasteries – although they are, of course, the focus of many trips here.
You can easily spend a week or more exploring Armenia in depth, but a popular option is to combine it either with Georgia, and possibly also Azerbaijan.
If you've always wanted to explore in the furthest reaches of Eastern Europe but didn't know where to start then read on as we explain why visiting Armenia and Georgia together is a really worthwhile experience.
Armenia is great for families, allowing for a mix of outdoor activity, interesting cultural excursions and relaxation.
You don't have to be deeply devout to be curious about the churches and monasteries in Armenia.
The Armenian capital of Yerevan is home to a third of the country’s population, and dates back to the 8th century (making it just a smidge older than Rome).
There’s never been a better time to think about how to make a positive difference on your vacations.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: ReflectedSerendipity] [Wine : Narek75]
[Exploring Yerevan: Diego Delso]
[Food: Ralf Steinberger]
[Visiting monasteries: Oleg Sidorenko]
[Jim O'Brien - monasteries: A Lads Club Escapette]
[Cultural encounters: Arian Zwegers]
[Buzzy working: Jez Timms]
[Review introduction: Vigen Hakhverdyan]
[Review 1 - Baron-Vahl Amos: Oleg Sidorenko]
[Review 2 - Wayne Smith: Oleg Sidorenko]
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