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While I don’t particularly consider myself a country counter, I do try to visit new countries if I have the opportunity. When I was in Tbilisi, Georgia, once I found out I could easily take a day trip to Armenia, I knew I had to do it.
Day Trip To Armenia From Tbilisi Tour Information
Several tour companies offer day trips to Armenia from Tbilisi. All are full-day trips that pack a bunch of stops into the tour. Most visit the monasteries of northern Armenia & also include lunch.
After researching a few options, we decided to go with the Tbilisi Day Trip to Armenia Including Homemade Lunch Tour from Gamarjoba Georgia Tours, as it had excellent reviews & included most of the things we wanted to see while also minimizing the amount of driving.
Book your Tbilisi day trip to Armenia here
Armenia Day Trip Stops
We started the day by meeting our guide, David, at the Gamarjoba Georgia Tours offices near Avlabari metro station. The company has several other tours starting around the same time (including Kakheti wine tours), so be sure to join the right group.
There were 8 of us on the tour that day, though the minibus could have had up to about 15 people.
We started the journey out of Tbilisi toward the Georgia-Armenia border, which, depending on traffic, can take 75-90 minutes. It was a grey day, but there was some snow on the hills as we left the city and crossed the wintertime brown of nearby farmland.
Along the way, David started to tell us more about the intertwined history of Armenia & Georgia. He gave us an overview of the countries and their historical politics with the Persians, Russians, and Turks.
David also asked us if we knew of any famous Armenians. He seemed relieved when I mentioned System of a Down first instead of the Kardashians. I didn’t realize this, but Cher is also of Armenian descent. Many Armenians live in Southern California because their ancestors had to flee the Armenian genocide.
Once we crossed the border, David focused more on Armenia’s history. The border area has a lot of common culture since it used to be Georgia. Control of this region has been passed around over the centuries, with some relationships being better than others. Conflict continues to this day between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Armenia and Turkey.
Border Crossings
Do you like getting passport stamps? Then you will love taking a day trip from Georgia to Armenia!
Both countries stamp passports on both entry and exit, so over the course of the day, you will get four stamps: one leaving Georgia, one entering Armenia, one leaving Armenia, and one entering Georgia.
The border crossing process takes some time (about 30 minutes during the slow winter season, but potentially longer during other times of the year) but isn’t particularly complicated. Our tour guide did a good job of telling us what to expect at each stage. Note that visitors from some countries will need visas to enter Armenia. Be sure to check the latest information before embarking on the tour.
As with many places in Georgia & Armenia, the border crossing is inhabited by local dogs of varying degrees of friendliness.
Upon entering Armenia, we had the option to get some Armenian money (Dram). This isn’t required, but it does allow you to make souvenir purchases during the day since none of the stops take credit cards. There is also a shop where you can buy snacks & gifts.
Ahktala Monastery
After crossing the border, we headed further into the mountains. The northern part of Armenia is actually less mountainous than other parts of the country, which is hard to believe considering how many mountains there are. We could see snowy peaks above us as the road followed the winding Debed River with its blue-grey water.
We were heading to the poorest part of Armenia. The region suffered greatly from two factors in the late 20th century. First, there was an earthquake in 1988 that killed 25,000-50,000 people and destroyed much of the area. Then, the collapse of the Soviet Union wrecked the local economy, as Armenia had been a close supporter of Moscow & thus heavily reliant on their continued relationship.
Not long after crossing the border, we arrived at our first destination of the day, the town of Akhtala. The town is one of the most diverse in Armenia because it has been Greek, Georgian, and Azerbaijani at various points.
The area once had a booming copper mining industry, boasting hundreds of mines. It was even the place where all coins were minted. Now, only a few small mines remain.
Our destination was Akhtala Monastery, which is also a fortress.
We walked through the fortress to get to the monastery. An Armenian cross marks the entrance.
The monastery was built by Georgians in the 12th century. Over the centuries, control passed between Georgians, Armenians, and Greeks, leaving a melange of influences. For example, Armenian churches do not have graves inside, while the Georgians allowed them. There are also many icons, which are atypical of an Armenian church. The dome collapsed in 1784 when it was burned by the Ottomans.
Although it was cold and blustery outside, it was much cozier inside. It’s a lovely stone building with carpets on the floor.
Most impressive are the beautiful murals covering the inside of the church.
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The murals were painted between the 12th and 16th centuries.
After getting a monastery tour, we had some free time to explore on our own. I stayed the longest inside, taking in every view of the murals.
Haghpat Monastery Complex
Our next stop was a 20-minute drive away. The Haghpat Monastery Complex, built in 976, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The large complex is located around 1,000 meters above sea level and is surrounded by beautiful, snow-covered mountains. It’s an impressive sight, and one can easily understand why this site was chosen as a religious place.
We walked over graves to enter the monastery. People intentionally chose to have their graves placed in such a fashion so they could serve after death.
The entrance to the church is actually four times the size of the church itself. It was built this way so the non-baptized could still listen.
The Armenian poet & musician Sayat-Nova was executed at the Haghpat Monastery in 1795 for refusing to convert from Christianity to Islam despite the demands of an invading army.
On one exterior wall, there are two princes holding a model of the church, which immediately made me think of the Spin Doctors. Now that song is in your head, too. You’re welcome!
Once again, after the guided tour, we had 25 minutes or so to explore the grounds on our own. Except for the last few minutes, we were the only people at the monastery, so we could contemplate the space in peace and quiet, aside from a couple of cats running the place.
Homemade Armenian Lunch with a Local Family
Despite visiting a couple of impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site monasteries, the next stop was actually my favorite of the day.
We headed to a house in the nearby neighborhood for lunch.
Our host, Anusha, had cooked a fantastic spread for us. We also had the option to purchase alcohol (white or pomegranate wine and Armenian brandy).
Some of the dishes included with our lunch included Armenian cheeses, omelette with cabbage, pickles, carrot salad, cabbage and corn salad, couscous, and Armenian bread and lavash.
As if this wasn’t enough, Anusha brought out meat and potatoes. It was truly a feast, and there was no way we could finish it all.
All of the dishes were excellent, but one of my favorite things was something I would then later have throughout my trip to Georgia. Pear lemonade (soda) is popular throughout the region, and this was my first encounter with it (of many).
Many day trip tours include food, but lunches tend to be either an afterthought or at some touristy place. Our lunch with Anusha was truly a great local lunch and an integral part of an excellent day trip.
Alaverdi
After lunch, we headed to the village of Alaverdi. Alaverdi consists of areas that are close to the river and areas that are high in the hills. Driving between the two was a bit harrowing given the mountain roads, but our driver seemed like a pro.
Alaverdi was once home to one of the biggest copper factories in the Soviet Union. The locals used cable cars to get to the factories. Nowadays, the remaining copper smelter plant has opened and closed over the years, and the industry is smaller scale than in its heyday.
Today, the area still feels like it’s in the Soviet era. It has struggled with the post-communist transition. The Russian Federation Railway still runs through the town. There were lots of Soviet cars still on the roads, and we spotted locals waiting for Soviet-era buses.
Mikoyan Brothers Museum
Our first stop was the Mikoyan Brothers Museum. If you haven’t heard of the Mikoyan Brothers, you’ve likely heard of the creation of one of the brothers: the MiG fighter jet.
The MiG was created by Arytom Mikoyan & Mikhail Gurevich (the name being a combination of their surnames). Older brother Anastas Mikoyan served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Both were from the town, so the museum is dedicated to their lives.
The centerpiece of the museum is located out front. It’s a MiG 21 fighter jet.
If “Two Princes” hasn’t now been replaced with “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins in your head, I don’t know what we’re doing here.
Sanahin Monastery Complex
We next headed a short distance through the neighborhood of Sanahin. As we got out of the minibus, there were tables with women selling old Soviet money, medals, and other souvenirs. This is one reason you might want to convert money when crossing the border.
After passing the tables, we took a short walk up the hill to the Sanahin Monastery Complex, which is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 10th-century monastery was founded before Haghpat Monastery. In fact, the name “sanahin” means “this one is older than that one.”
The monastery grounds are pleasant to walk around, though we had to avoid potential dangers from icicles. Three weeks prior, a storm had also broken a window. Due to the site’s UNESCO status, fixing it is complicated.
Sanahin Bridge
Our final stop before heading back to Georgia was the lower area of Alaverdi along the river. We saw old factories and old yellow Soviet buses.
Despite the industrial backdrop, there was still a beauty to the area, with the river flowing toward Georgia and eventually the Caspian Sea.
We took a short walk to the Sanahin Bridge, which spans the river. The bridge has been here since 1195.
In front of the bridge is a statue of the man who designed it and the bell tower in Sanahin Monastery.
Summary & Recommendation
Our full-day trip to Armenia was an excellent way to see a bit of the country. We learned about Armenian history while also seeing the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our lunch was also a great experience, as we got to try Armenian food. While I hope to someday return to Armenia to see more of the country for longer, this day trip tour from Tbilisi was a great introduction. I highly recommend it if you have the time to spare while visiting Georgia.
Here are some other great Tbilisi tours & activities.
For Georgian wine experiences, I recommend taking a day trip to Kakheti from Tbilisi. Also, you can visit the many wine bars in Tbilisi.
If wine isn’t your thing, Tbilisi also has excellent cocktail bars & craft beer bars & breweries. Be sure to try the local spirit known as chacha!
Need a place to stay? Check out these Tbilisi hotel options. I enjoyed my stay at the Moxy Tbilisi, and the Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel is another excellent option.
