Day 6 April 18, 2026 Yerevan to Goris Armenia
Today we leave Yerevan for southern Armenia and later to northern Armenia. Only a total of five hours of driving today. They do a good job of breaking the day up so you are not on the bus too long.
The first sight is Khor Virap Monastery. Just like most monasteries it sits up on a hill. Khor Virap’s notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact that Gregory the Illuminator was initially imprisoned here for 13 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. Saint Gregory subsequently became the king’s religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing activity in the country. In the year 301, Armenia was the first country in the world to be declared a Christian nation. A chapel was initially built in 642 at the site of Khor Virap as a mark of veneration to Saint Gregory. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly rebuilt. In 1662, the larger chapel known as the “St. Astvatsatsin” (Holy Mother of God) was built around the ruins of the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. Regular church services are held in this church. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Armenia. The setting is impressive with Mount Ararat in the distance.
Off we go for a wine and cheese tasting. The valley has lots of vineyards. The view of Mount Ararat is impressive. We have been very lucky to see it so well. We arrived at a small family run cheese producer. They must not be too small because they produce 23 kinds of cheese and sell to numerous Armenian stores plus export to California. By the way the Los Angeles area has a very large Armenian population. They have purchased wine locally so we get some of each. The cheese is mild compared to some countries but delicious. We especially liked the one with dill. We also got a glimpse inside their cheese factory. It wasn’t running today unfortunately. They only make one kind of cheese on a given day. The type depends on the makeup of the milk they receive. Yesterday they also sold all the cheese they had made. They have a small orchard on the property too.
Lunch was bbq chicken that was really smokey. They put the pieces on a stick and place it in the wood oven that is also used to make bread. Connie would liked to have eaten much more but she was too full. The roof of the dining room was criss crossed logs giving a very unique look.
We drove past a large cave where archaeologists found proof of early wine making from beginning to end. Some groups were visiting the site but not us. Just as well the climb didn’t look very appealing.
A couple of the small towns had lots of stork nests. They were everywhere. Hundreds of them nest here every year.
The nearby canyon was very beautiful with high walls and a river at the bottom. Those trying to use the bus’s internet were out of luck.
The next stop was Noravank Monastery which is a 13th-century Armenian monastery, located 122 km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery. The monastery is best known for its two-storey Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church, which grants access to the second floor by way of a narrow stone-made staircase jutting out from the face of the building.
Before arriving at our hotel we stopped where we could see across to caves on the opposite side of the canyon. Many of these are still used today by local families for storage to include cars. The rock pillars are similar to those in Turkey just not as many nor as colorful.
Before dinner Connie and Karen helped make baklava with the hotel chef. Quite fun if you like that sort of thing. Dinner in the hotel was great as usual and the baklava was finished by the end of dinner.
Unfortunately Connie got the trots that night.
Spoffords Travel 