Testimonials
Read testimonials by our past travellers, find out what they thought of their holidays in Armenia and Caucasus
Bonnie, New Zealand
Yes, we enjoyed our Caucasus trip very much. Each country was completely different, and enjoyable in its own way. We have taken a number of tours over the years, and our Grand Caucasus tour compared very favourably with them. I guess there was a certain risk taking a tour with a local company, but we were very pleased with the way it turned out.
We thought that Artush was a wonderful guide. He was very interested in what he was showing us, and explained it well. He gave a lot of individual attention to us all, and Armenia was the highlight because of him. The little folk performance in the countryside was wonderful. Our Svaneti guide Ika was good also - very nice man and helpful. Svaneti was most interesting, well worth the lond road there. We enjoyed the additional day in Kutaisi, we were taken to a nice church, some caves and the local market. Generally it was very professionally run, and we were happy with all the arrangements. You run a good company, and we would not hesitate to recommend your tours to others.
Grand Caucasus with Svaneti Extension (2010)
Ann, USA
Thank you for arranging and offering the cycling tour The Best of Armenia by Bike. We found Armenia to be a country of friendly, generous people surrounded by spectacular landscape and a lot of history. This tour allowed us to visit diverse regions of your country from the fertile valleys along the Araks and Arpa Rivers to the arid highlands around the Vorotan and Sulema Passes, the beautiful Lake Sevan and the forested Tavush, Armenia's Switzerland. We toured the ancient monuments at Zorats Karer (Karahunj), monasteries such as Noravank, Tatev, Haghpat and Sanahin. We stayed at modern hotels such as the Hotel Europe in Yerevan, a country guest house, Gyulnara's in Ijevan and a farm stay in Akner. Our driver, Ara Hakobyan, was especially attentive and knowledgeable. He was an excellent driver and very patient with us as we stopped so many times to take pictures. I am planning to write a review of our tour and submit it to International Travel News in the hope that the article might stimulate more Americans to visit Armenia.
Pete, UK
Well this was a really good tour made even better by Vresh, our guide. He was exceedingly helpful in everyday situations but was excellent in taking one of the group (whose rear tandem wheel had broken) to Yerevan to have it rebuilt at the Velodrome. He was also great at chatting with everyone and answering endless querstions. Hakob, our driver was full of help organising the search for the best vodka and setting up a great barbecue in Ijevan plus acting like a sheepdog making sure everyone was present before driving off. You have real assets in your team. So thanks again for organising everything and look forward to next year.
Sergio, Italy
Many thanks for your mail and thank you for all the work that has gone into the preparation of our journey.
Our trip to Armenia is full of great memories. Having a chance to see Echmiadzin on a Sunday, when mass is ongoing was probably the most unforgetable experience as it is something that's difficult to repeat.
The landscapes were probably the biggest surprise. As to the sites and monuments, they are simply unique and we feel fortunate that we had a chance to see them. Noravank, Tatev were the highlights of the first few days. And although it was undergoing works, Haghartsin was simply stunning. In fact, the works made it even more interesting as we could witness some of the ancient construction techniques at use in today's environment. The sites around Alaverdi were stunning and the climb up to Aragats, seeing the fortress, church and nomads was unforgetable.
Last but not least, I have to mention a couple of sites that were not in our itinerary but Ara was kind enough to take us there anyway as they were small detours: Makaravank, in NE Armenia was beautiful and Hohvanavank and nearby Saghmosavank were simply stunning. On a more general note, one thing that surprised us was the weather. It was very cool - chilly even in the evenings and we thought it would be much drier! Like most people, I assumed the summer would be far too hot to travel in Armenia. And I guess it is, but only if you're staying in Yerevan. To travel into the mountains of the Southeast or the North, I guess July and August are warmer and therefore better. I guess this is something I would pass on to other travellers as way of advice. One final word for our guide and driver Ara. You couldn't ask for a more patient and dedicated person to take you around Armenia. It was a pleasure travelling with him and he gave us an understanding of the country that we probably wouldn't get otherwise. On the whole we really enjoyed our trip, thanks again for everything.
Tailor-made Armenia Tour (2010)
Katrin, Germany
We indeed came home with great memories. It was great that the hike took us through so many different
landscapes and the balance between hiking and sightseeing was just right. Staying at local families' homes was a great privilege because we got to know so much more of the country. All of them prepared really good food
too. Last but not least, Vrej was a great guide but I'm sure it's not the first time you hear that. All in all we enjoyed the trip to Armenia very much. Many thanks again!
Vivian, France
I wish to thank you very much for the wanderful jeep tour you organized in Georgia and Armenia for me and my family. Mr Vano, our guide has been the best guide we could hope. He has done his job perfectly well and has been helpful and very friendly so that we could enjoy our trip at the best.
Johan, the Netherlands
I wanted to thank you for an excellent jeep expedition through Armenia and Georgia last month! My friends and I had wonderful time riding high into the mountains in our jeeps. Within minutes of starting our journey, we encountered a beautiful world of wild flowers and high peaks. Seeing ancient petroglyphs and monasteries from the past, visiting wild Svaneti, going off road, soaking in the natural beauty of the Caucasus mountains were absolute highlights for us. Hayk and Ika were excellent tour guides offering us the perfect blend of historic and cultural info as well as providing us with some great laughs. Tbilisi was our last stop and I can't think of a better way to end the trip than a relaxing bath in the medieval town center.
Jeep Tour Armenia with Svaneti Extension (2010)
John, UK
We turned our backs on conventional tours because we wanted to spend more than a fleeting moment at each of our visits. Lingering at one location gave us many things that we could not have had from a conventional sight-seeing tour. It gave us the time and opportunity to discover and appreciate the past (recent as well as distant) of Armenia and to learn about the varied lives of present day Armenians. As for seeing the historical, nature and religious sites, we appreciated them all the more for not cramming them together.
Travelling at our own pace meant that we could observe recent historical and social changes. Around Aghveran there are many disused and abandoned apartment blocks and factories, that have lost their purpose with the collapse of the Soviet Union. New build goes on, with swank houses, new hotels and even, in a land that has as many ancient churches as it has rivers, new churches.
Having a personal driver, rather than being shipped around in a bus, had many advantages. The biggest was flexibility. We were very fortunate in having a helpful and pleasant driver, who also acted as interpreter and adviser on the value of bank notes!
Here are a few individual notes on the places we visited.
Jermuk
Our stay of two nights meant that we had time to go beyond viewing the spa facilities. We would recommend the following to anyone going there:
The local forest has many well maintained walkways which offer pleasant rambles in the shade. Steeper walks await the more adventurous. Scattered throughout the forest and hillside are magnificent busts carved from rocks. These honour former heroes, the fedayee, and seem to be endless.
The town itself is an interesting glimpse into Armenian life, for it is home to many local residents as well as Armenians on holiday who form the majority of the tourists. The Verona guest house is a joy for those seeking homely Armenian cuisine. Set by the side of the river, it is tranquil and has beautiful views. It appears to be family run and seemed much more homely than the large hotels in town. It seems that this part of the country is a secret Armenians keep to themselves. These are all things we would have missed had we done the usual tourist overnight stopover.
Alaverdi and Akner
Our stay in farmhouse in Akner will never be forgotten because our hosts, the Muradyans, made us feel like family guests, which we were as we shared their home..
The mountainous area around Alaverdi has outstanding natural beauty. The panorama changes throughout the day and from one day to the next with shifts in light, sunshine and wind. And the best place to view these changes was the balcony of our farmhouse. In Yerevan, you would not have any notion that there are rural communities still working in the same way as their parents and even grandparents did, although satellite TV and internet connections are to be found. It pays to walk around the village to compare the old style cottages with the old Soviet tenements of the nearby towns. With luck, you may catch farmers at work or distilling home vodka or arak. Expect to see free ranging farm animals in the streets and around the village. There are outstanding walks in the hills and forests, with views of mountains, ravines and caves. There are eagles to spot, from above if you climb high enough.
Churches and Monasteries
After the first three days, we began to think that we could not stand any more but we did not, as it turned out, tire of them.
If you have a mind, you can trace the history of religious architecture and art through touring the monasteries, starting with the pre-Christian Garni temple. The human achievement of creating the old monasteries, like Gegherdavank and Norivank, are awesome, and they remain beautiful even in their faded modern forms. But the newer churches, such as Surp Mesrop in Oshagan and Surp Kevork near Aghveran, also have captivating art work. We were fortunate that in Haghpat, the priest gave us an expert and well-informed tour. This again is an opportunity that may not have arisen if we had been pressed to move on to the next site. We wish we had had more knowledge of the history of these places. Many have posters with historical notes but reading them hurriedly in burning sunshine is not conducive to learning.
Culture
We decided to spend several days in Yerevan at the end of the stay so that we could attend concerts. For us, the Surp Khach festival in Astarak was a highlight. We were enchanted by the dancing, singing and also the music. What was different about this event was the chance to see Armenia's folklore. We would strongly recommend the event. We were lucky to be there at the right time.
Tailor-made Armenia Tour (2010)
Peter, UK
I have arrived safely back in the UK having had a fantastic time in Armenia - thank you!
The tour was excellent; it lived up to its name and I certainly saw the Best of Armenia. Ruzanna was an excellent guide to the places we visited and to Armenia, its people, culture, food and history. Hakob was an excellent driver and despite me having no Armenian and he having very little English, he managed to explain quite a lot!
The places visited covered all that I was expecting and more; I was particularly impressed with Tatev, the meal with the family in Sanahin and the walking tour of Gyumri. On the whole the hotels/guesthouses were very good - especially the Daravand in Dilijan and the Mirhav in Goris.
I certainly have some very fond memories of my time in Armenia; and thank you all for being excellent ambassadors for your fascinating country.
Best of Armenia (2009)
Catharina, the Netherlands
Last week Sunday I returned from Armenia. I enjoyed the trip very much, and I would like to thank you for organising the tour Grand Caucasus. Armenia and Georgia are splendid - also thanks to some thunderstorms the fields were covered with flowers. The churches, monasteries, fortresses - it was sometimes a challenge to reach them but we were rewarded largely! The guide was an expert, the driver Hacob: chapeau! He drove us through an extremely heavy thunderstorm that ravaged some roads, safely to Dilijan, and was kind, helpful and correct.
The hotels were good or very good and we enjoyed the food everywhere. I carried a couple of kilos of apricots back home, never tasted apricots like in Armenia. To conclude: I would recommend Caucasus to all my friends and AdvenTour to organise their trips!
Grand Caucasus (2009)
Sami, Finland
There are three things to make the tour successful: itinerary, travel companion and guide. The itinerary was excellent for seeing and feeling different sites and ways of life in Armenia. Your nature, culture and people gave me a lot. We had a opportunity to see beautiful sceneries of your country, different ways of living and meet very friendly, hospitable and kind people.It is hard to say what was the best part of the tour - the whole tour was so
fascinating, but I found two personal paradises: the first was hiking to fortress of King Smbat and it's scenery (I asked for to be left there!), the second was the visit to Tatev monastery. For a couple of nights I was in my dreams still on the curvy roads to Tatev with breathtaking views.
My biggest appreciation goes to our guide and driver, Vrezh. From the very first moment I was confident with him. Vrezh put over 100 % effort to make our journey successful. He showed the most interesting places, best sceneries and encouraged to see them (even outside the itinerary; for example, thanks to him, I took a lot of beautiful pictures), was flexible with our wishes and a very good company. With help of him, I got a many-sided picture of life in Armenia. Vrezh is passionate with his work, good sense of people and humour, and really earns my thanks.
Finally, what comes to overall impression, I would like to answer as I answered to Vrezh when he asked the same. My journey to Armenia was a fairy-tale.
Best of Armenia (2009)
Howard and Jo, USA
I want to share our excitement about our trip. We can now say that "we've seen the Caucasus"!! It was a wonderful time, and our overall impression was it was one of our greatest trips, ever!
First we both enjoyed the company of Karina and felt she did a great job bringing the past "to life". I loved her little anecdotes about life in Armenia and sharing stories of its history. I can't remember seeing such beautiful landscape. Talk about mountains! They kept changing from curve to curve. Plus the beautiful gorges, valleys, and meadows. And to be there in the Spring with the Wildflowers was an added treat. We'd just marvel at the clumps of purples, yellows, and reds (poppies). Some hillsides looked like they had patches of snow on them from the white daisies. I went crazy with the lilacs that were in full bloom.
We did love seeing the monasteries and learning the history behind them. Armenia and Georgia are exceptionally rich in colorful histories. I think, though, of all that we saw, I was most smitten by Norvansk area. The skies were so blue, and what views!!! It would be hard to top Tatev. That whole day was special: going so deep into the back country that is unspoiled and innocent. Even Sisian was like a walk back in time; it's sort of like a ghost town now. But then, the next morning when we went to the ancient "observatory", we all went wild taking photos! What a surprise stop. And while we're on the subject of surprise stops, I just can't stop talking about the most unexpected stop of all: at a Yezididi nomad camp on our way to the Amberd Fortress. Although we didn't make it to the fortress because of fog.........this stop more than made up for what we missed. A shepherd just happened to walk out of the fog where Hakob had stopped our van.........and invited us into their camp for coffee!!! (I had just made a comment when we stopped, "I could sure use a cup a coffee right now"!) Since I used to be a social worker, this was one of the highlights of the trip for me! Seeing the mountain people up close and personal. One of the women had just had a new baby. Every facet of this visit was interesting; and the coffee was great!
We loved the food and wine! Oh, did we love the wine!!! You've got the best Bar-B-Ques! I tend to be mostly a salad/bread/vegetable person, but those kebabs were so good, I couldn't pass them up. We had such a good time at the outside Barbeque at the house near Garni. We loved the Armenian lavosh; wish we could find it here in US. I did go out and buy some tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro herbs and made the salad we had there. Since our produce is so plumped with hormones, it just didn't taste the same. But it brought back such great memories.
Georgia was equally hospitable and happy! Great food, especially the Cheese Bread! And Wine! Our guide, Nino was great. I wanted to see a refugee camp, and she arranged not only to "see" one, but to actually visit a home and speak to the family. It was a very emotional and moving experience, but something so unbelievable. Then, once in Tbilisi, seeing the Demonstrators organize, along with seeing all the hundreds of "cells" set up in Freedom Square and Rustavilli Ave. I never felt so close to history. Kazbegi was out of this world in beauty.
So, all in all, this was a great adventure. The most varied, super-packed trip, ever! We felt so fortunate to have seen so much. I just wish there were more like us that would appreciate such a unique and awesome region of our world! We'll do our best to "spread the word" and promote Armenia and the Caucasus!
Grand Caucasus (2009)
Connie, Norway
Why Armenia? I did not even know how to find it on the map. I only listened to that special voice inside that tells me where to find the next biking adventure. It has not been wrong yet.
I discovered that the internet knows more than I do, so I started by typing "bike trip Armenia" on Google. Only one travel agency popped up. It was called AdvenTour and I figured it was a promising name so I wrote. That was the beginning of a delightful correspondence with Hasmik.
We arrived in Yerevan at midnight and were met by a delightful young man named Vrezh who was to be our driver for the trip. The look on his face when he saw two elderly ladies that would be in his charge for 10 days on the road could not be compared to his expression when he met us the next morning in our lycra biking shorts!
Our bikes, loaded on a small Land Rover, were waiting for us outside the hotel. Vrezh advised us NOT to bike through Yerevan, and after seeing the worst drivers I have ever seen on any of my travels, I knew he was right. After we cleared the city we biked through villages and gardens towards Mt. Ararat and Khor Virap Royal Prison. It was the first of many remote monastic sites we visited, with secret pathways and underground chambers - fascinating parts of Christian history.
Armenia was the first country to have Christianity as the state religion (311 AD) and those ancient monks sure could find the most inaccessible sites on mountain tops to build their monasteries. If their purpose was contemplative prayer in safety, it was achieved.
I had prepared some talking cards with phrases like "Where is the toilet? " and "Your country is so beautiful " and "Thank you for helping me", etc which I asked Vrezh to translate into Armenian. They were much appreciated by the Armenians, not so much for the content but for the respect they showed.
Let me state that our driver was NOT just for taking our luggage from one point to another. We learned that he had been engaged (at no extra cost to us!) to take care of us 24 hours a day for 10 days - and he did. He left us to bike alone as long as we wished, but magically appeared whenever we needed him.
Our first evening dinner on the road was one of several things we could never have done on our own. We were having our first dinner at a remote goat cheese farm. With the bikes on the back of the Land Rover we bounced up a dirt track for nearly an hour, finally arriving at an old stone farmhouse at the top of the mountain . We were welcomed by mother and her daughter Katrik, who greeted us proudly in school-girl English but could not converse. Grandfather was perched on a little stool near the door, dressed for the occasion in knickers, a shirt and jacket, heavy knitted brown kneesocks with short knitted grey socks over them, thick-soled slippers and a cap. His broad smile showed his gold tooth and we sipped welcoming cups of thick Armenian coffee.
Dinner was a feast. A table had been set in the garden under the heavy boughs of a nut tree in deep grass. There were platters of fried chicken, fried potatoes, goat cheese, sliced cucumbers, whole green chili peppers, a bowl of chopped greens and herbs mixed with yogurt, and freshly-baked soft flat Armenian bread wrapped in plastic bags as individual servings beside each place. Dessert was thick sour cream topped with homemade honey and our beverage was ton, a ubiquitous Armenian drink made with plain yogurt mixed with water until it looks (and tastes nothing) like milk.
It turned out that the mother taught German to school children in her home. Ingrid managed to keep the conversation going with her limited German and I kept patting my stomach and waving my " The food is delicious! " talking card. There were hugs all around as we left and I thanked God (and Hasmik) for these new friends.
Biking the next days was often at 4000 - 6000 feet, so we were grateful for our strong lungs - and legs. Sometimes the roads were so steep and winding that, when flying down, we were "biting ourselves in the tail" as they say in Norwegian. Sometimes the road was so narrow that there was no room for two cars and a bike to meet at the same time, yet the hairpin turns were so tight one could not see what was coming. We checked our brakes many times a day!
The fields of wild flowers with intense colors were everywhere, the most spectacular I have ever seen. We always brought a picnic lunch of bread, cheese fresh tomatoes and apricot jam (my favorite) along the roadside, washed down with gallons of water. It is hot and dry in southern Armenia at this time of year (July) and dehydration can be dangerous for bikers.
Perhaps the most unforgettable occasion for us was one no one could not have programmed. I had read in my book before the trip that Armenian hospitality was legendary and that total strangers might invite you into their homes. Well, it happened to us! We were standing on a village street when two little boys popped out of an old stone house and were fooling with our bikes. The boys' mother came out and asked if we would like to come in for a drink of ton. Naturally I was thrilled and Vrezh accepted for us. He stayed in the background, but Ingrid and I were escorted through an old kitchen with loaves and loaves of bread cooling on the table and into a small living room. We were seated on a sofa with a little table in front of us.
Well, it was just like the book. First came the glasses of ton, and then the platters of cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and bowls of yogurt, loaves of the newly-baked lavash, bowls of sour cream for dessert and a plate of chocolate. I had good use of my "Your country is beautiful" and "The food is delicious! " and "Thank you for your friendship" cards! When we left we discovered that they had given Vrezh a bag of bread and a huge hunk of cheese for us to eat later. I will never forget that spontaneous and loving hospitality.
The most moving occasion on the trip was our visit to the memorial for the Armenian genocide in 1915. Until I started reading some Armenian history I did not know of the dreadful holocaust in which 1.5 million people were murdered or sent off to die in the desert. The memorial and the garden in which trees are planted by people from many countries in memory of those who died touched me deeply. I will never forget what happened to the people of this magnificent country.
I almost forget that I knew nothing about Armenia a few months ago. I now know where it is on the map, I know that it is full of Christian history, gorgeous scenery, bumpy roads and great food. But most of all I know it is full of warm, wonderful hospitable people who are proud of their heritage and their country.
Biking Armenia (2008)
Thomas, Germany
We were looking for a very special adventure holiday in Armenia in June 2007. A unique tour combining extreme sporty character on mountain bikes with beautiful landscapes in remote areas.
After a long preparation phase involving a lot of research we have found an ideal tour operator fulfilling our special needs: AdvenTour really did a great job putting a perfect adventure travel programme together for us. Thanks to Hasmik and her team for realizing this difficult task. We are already looking forward to our next tour in Caucasus in 2009.
Biking Armenia (2007)
Joanna, UK
Thank you for this wonderful holiday, we really enjoyed our Caucasus tour. The most memorable thing was the adventure caving, because it was really exciting and something special. We will never forget our holiday and will always remember Armenia and Gerogia and the people that live there. Visiting your region was a very special experience and I hope that many more tourists will discover the beauty of this exciting spot on earth.
Grand Caucasus (2007)
Ray, USA
Armenia is a beautiful country, with a host of historic sites and wonderful people. But traveling to a new country and not speaking the language can be a daunting experience. The beauty of planning this trip through AdvenTour was that by the time I was ready to leave essentially all my concerns had been laid to rest by Hasmik, who patiently and promptly answered all my questions. Also, when I was in Armenia I found that AdvenTour staff not only were knowledgeable but very adept at making sure that all the little details of the trip were taken care of. If one is interested in seeing Armenia, which I would recommend, then AdvenTour is the way to go.
Hiking Armenia (2006)
Hazel, USA
My plan to revisit Armenia after 40 years was more than satisfied when I chartered a special custom-made archaeology tour through AdvenTour. The tour was wonderfully planned and executed. My son and I were so thrilled to see the beautiful Armenian landscape and her ancient sites. Working with Hasmik was very pleasant - she helped us out at every step in the planning process and our driver, Artak, was kind and courteous - what else could we ask for?
Archaeology Armenia (2006)
Sarah, USA
We had the most wonderful time in Armenia. We created many happy memories, and I know that we will plan to return in the future. I also wanted to tell you how much we liked AdvenTour team and appreciated all of you during our visit. I know our time in Armenia went so smoothly because of your hard work and I wanted to thank you for everything! I think our favorite part of the trip was the lunch in Vandzor, and the trip to Echmiadzin. We will be telling others about your agency so that they can feel confident in their visit to Armenia.
Thank you again for making our trip memorable and fun. You are a treasure, and we loved Armenia and the Armenian people.
Hiking Armenia (2006)
Alexi, Guatemala
En julio, mi hijo de 14 anos me dijo: pa, porque no vamos a conocer un pais diferente osea Armenia, asi podemos saber un poco de nuestros ancestros. Pues me parecio buena idea y reservamos desde Guatemala por internet el vuelo hacia Yerevan y asimismo contactamos adventour. Pues ahora que estamos de nuevo en Guatemala nos han quedado los mejores recuerdos de Armenia, nuestro corazon y nuestra alma se quedaron en Armenia. Que pais tan diferente a lo que conociamos, su gente es excelente y el pais es lindo lleno de historia, por supuesto gracias a Artak el guia que nos asigno adventour fue una excelente persona. Ahora mi hijo quiere ir de nuevo y quiere aprender el idioma, asimismo mi esposa y mi otro hijo tambien quieren ir a conocer despues de que vieron las maravillosas fotos, asi que con pocas palabras aconsejo a cualquiera ir a conocer este lindo pais Armenia. AdvenTour seria una buena eleccion, hacen un muy buen trabajo.
Best of Armenia (2006)
