Tours / Canyon to Forest

Tour 03 · South to north, slowly

You arrived knowing one Armenia. You leave having met many.

Eight days and seven nights from Yerevan through Goris, Tatev, Jermuk, Dilijan and Lori — nature, regional gastronomy and slow adventure. Your host travels with you the whole way.

8 days · 7 nights Tatev · Jermuk · Dilijan · Lori Wings of Tatev · COAF · Haghpat Group of up to 6 From £1,950 pp
Hold my seat See the full plan

This trip is for you if…

  • you've done a long weekend and want depth — regions, not only the capital
  • you travel for landscapes that change every day: gorge, mineral water, forest, valley
  • you like adventure without roughing it — boutique hotels, village tables, a host who knows the road
  • you want Tatev from above, Jermuk's spa air, Dilijan's trees and Lori's medieval stone
  • you prefer six travellers maximum and a single thread of story across the week
  • you believe the best way to know a country is to eat it region by region

Day by day

Seven nights across Yerevan, Goris, Jermuk, Dilijan and the Debed Valley. Private minibus, regional lunches, and a host who doesn't leave on day three.

Day 1

Arrival, softly

Late-night welcome at Tufenkian Historic Yerevan.

FriDepart London Luton — land Zvartnots evening, host in arrivals, transfer to Tufenkian
NightWelcome snack in each room — overnight Yerevan
Day 2

The road south

Vayots Dzor lunch, Karahunj at golden hour, first taste of Syunik in Goris.

AMBreakfast, briefing, depart south through open landscape
13:00Private countryside lunch in Vayots Dzor
17:00Karahunj — stone, sky and unanswered questions
EveningCheck-in boutique hotel Goris — regional dinner
Day 3

Above the gorge

Wings of Tatev, monastery at the edge, Old Goris by afternoon.

10:30Wings of Tatev cable crossing — above the Vorotan Gorge
11:00Tatev Monastery with a local storyteller — architecture and silence
13:15Private southern lunch near Tatev
16:15Old Goris walk — stone houses, caves, gardens
NightSecond night Goris — herbs, bread, southern table
Day 4

Water in the mountains

Transfer to Jermuk — mineral walk, spa restoration, mountain air.

AMSlow morning Goris, then scenic transfer to Jermuk
PMJermuk water walk — gallery, resort architecture, waterfall as conditions allow
EveningSpa time at boutique mountain hotel — overnight Jermuk
Day 5

Into the forest

Jermuk → Dilijan — sensory forest walk, mushrooms and herbs on the table.

AMBreakfast, long transfer from mineral water to forest
16:30Guided sensory forest walk — easy route, nature guide
NightForest dinner, overnight Dilijan among trees
Day 6

From forest to valley

Haghartsin, village lunch in Dsegh, arrival at Concept Hotel by COAF.

10:00Haghartsin before the crowds — architecture held by forest
13:00Private village lunch in Dsegh — Lori hospitality at one table
14:45Soft forest and village walk with community host
EveningCheck-in Concept Hotel by COAF, Debed Valley — dinner overlooking the valley
Day 7

Ancient & future Armenia

Haghpat, local tasting, COAF SMART — final long-table dinner south to north.

10:00Haghpat with architecture-focused guide — the medieval campus
11:45Local produce tasting — cheese, honey, bread, herbs
15:00Visit to COAF SMART Center — contemporary rural Armenia
19:00Final long-table dinner: Armenia from south to north on one table
Day 8

The road home

Slow morning in Debed, farewell lunch near Yerevan, flight to London Luton.

AMSlow morning Debed, check-out, private transfer Debed → Yerevan → Zvartnots
14:30Farewell lunch near Yerevan
16:30Free time central Yerevan — personal goodbye to the city
NightDepart Yerevan → London Luton (flights booked separately)
We hold the full week as one narrative — so the return feels like closing a book, not leaving a hotel.

What's included

In the price

  • 7 nights: Tufenkian Yerevan, Goris (2), Jermuk, Dilijan, COAF Debed (2) — twin rooms, breakfast
  • All private minibus transport for the full route including airport transfers
  • helloiam.am host throughout — including host travel and on-tour meals
  • English-speaking guides: Tatev, Goris, Jermuk, forest, Haghartsin, Haghpat, village walks
  • Wings of Tatev tickets, Tatev and Karahunj experiences, COAF SMART visit
  • Regional lunches and dinners across Syunik, Jermuk, Dilijan, Dsegh and Lori
  • Spa session allowance in Jermuk, local produce tasting, farewell meals
  • Extended pre-trip planning, dietary collection and supplier coordination

Not included

  • Flights London Luton ↔ Yerevan
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal purchases and optional spa upgrades
  • Alcohol beyond included meals

The deeper journey is waiting.

Limited departures, maximum six guests. A full week with your host on the road. Tell us your dates — we confirm routing, Wings of Tatev and COAF access before you commit.

£1,950per person · 8 days · excl. flights
How active is this tour?

Daily walking on cobblestone, monastery grounds and forest paths — easy to moderate, never technical hiking. Long scenic drives between regions are part of the rhythm; we build in rest and spa time in Jermuk.

Is Wings of Tatev included?

Yes — cable crossing and monastery visit with a storyteller are in the package. We pre-book where possible and adapt to weather.

What is COAF SMART?

A contemporary education and community campus in Lori — architecture of opportunity in rural Armenia. Visits are subject to prior approval; we arrange access as part of the northern chapter.

Is there a founding-guest price?

Standard premium is £1,950 per person. Selected early departures may qualify for £1,750 — ask when you check dates.