Awesome Places to visit in Armenia during Winter

“Explore awesome Places in Armenia during winter , known as the land of Noah and the first country to officially adapt Christianity in the World”

As a Filipino who lives in a country with a tropical climate, it has been a dream of mine to experience snow during the winter. After visiting Georgia and the northern part of Armenia in 2023 during the autumn, I have been looking forward to my next travel destination for the winter. Initially, I was torn between Kazakhstan and Armenia. But then, I realized, I haven’t fully experienced Armenia since I just visited there for a 1-day tour from Georgia. Upon searching and checking for tours in the winter, I found Armenia interesting and magical. Moreover, considering the cost of a flight ticket during the month of February and the convenience of G7 Euro Travel & Tours, which also caters to tours in Armenia, I was completely convinced to go to Armenia. Meanwhile, I’ll reserve Kazakhstan on my bucket list for my next travel destination.

Let’s talk about Armenia.

Armenia is a country, part of the Caucasus region between Eastern Europe & Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey in the West, Georgia in the North and Azerbaijan to the east. The capital city of Armenia is Yerevan. Similar to Georgia, this nation has a lot to offer, from stunning landscapes to a unique & diverse culture, tradition as well as folklore. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state of religion, an event traditionally dated to AD 301. You can get around Armenia with relative ease, moreover, you will experience Europe in a budget-friendly way while still getting the feeling of a perfect balance of convenience & a sense of adventure.

Requirements in entering Armenia

Passport– Should be Valid for 6 months from the date of travel
Printed copy of e-Visa– It is mandatory to present your printed e-Visa together with your passport in order to enter Armenia.

Note: Although visa on arrival is provided for Filipino or Expat living in Saudi Arabia or any GCC country with Residents ID or Iqama holders, I would highly suggest to process e-Visa online to lessen your burden, since many questions might be asked and many documents you might need to present before they approve your visa. Moreover, you need to fall in line and wait longer time before your turn for application.

Anyway, e-Visa processing online is easy which cost 7 USD only.

In my case, my tour agency provided me free e-Visa assistance as part of my package and was approved after 2 days. They only requested a copy of my Passport with 6 months validity and latest passport size photo.

Additional Note for Filipino travelling from Saudi: Kindly keep and print a copy of your Translated Iqama to English with stamp (40 SAR only) – Based on my experience, though it’s a case-to-case scenario, during my returned flight from Yerevan to Dammam, they asked me for my resident ID in Saudi, and since Iqama is written in Arabic, translating it in English will be easier for them to understand. Fortunately, I still have a copy from my last trip, when I visited Georgia. I recommend visiting a certified office that provides services for the translation of Iqama to English near your area; otherwise, you can also message them online, and they will send you the soft copy. If you are in another GCC country and your resident ID is written in English, there is no need to translate it.

For other nationalities, please check online for your visa eligibility in Armenia

Where I booked my Tour in Armenia

I book all my two days tours in G7 Euro Travel & Tours, highly recommended. It’s my second time doing a transaction with them, so I can confidently say that they are one of the best Travel & Tour agency providers in Georgia & Armenia. Otherwise, you also check viator.com for more tour package.

Sim Card: You can buy a SIM card at the airport, or you can opt to buy it in the city.

Since I am just staying for 4 days and 3 nights in Armenia, I decided not to buy a SIM. I relied mostly on the Wi-Fi of my hotel for contacts for my tours & have full trust in G7 Euro Travel & Tours since this is my second time booking with them already. However, if you’re new to the place and want to explore DIY, and for emergency reasons, I highly suggest buying a SIM card. Actually, I just tried, if possible, not to buy a SIM card this time, and it works for me.

Seasons in Armenia

December to March- Winter
April to May-Spring
June to September- Summer
October to November-Autumn

In my case, I traveled from February 6 to 9 since I would like to experience snow during the winter season.

Where to stay in Armenia.

You can find lots of hotels available on agoda or Booking.com.

By the way, I stayed at the City Center Hotel by picnic since it is located in the heart of Yerevan, where most establishments and popular landmarks are walking distance. If you book here DIY, I believe the cost per night during the month of February was around 42 USD, including breakfast.

Day 1: Wander in Mt Ararat View, Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery, Tsaghkador Ski Resort, Lake Sevan & Sevanavank Monastery

Amaze with the Stunning Mt. Ararat View

Our first stop before going to Garni Temple is the amazing view of Mount. Ararat. This is only along the road, so don’t miss to inform your driver or tour guide to stop over for a minute. You will surely mesmerize with the magnificent view of Mt. Ararat in this location. In my opinion, it is the best spot to wander the spectacular view of Mt. Ararat during winter season.

Garni Temple

One of the tourist attractions I am excited to see in Armenia is Garni Temple. It reminded me of Parthenon in Greece, which is inspired by Greek Mythology. This temple is built at the edge, surrounded by mountains, in the village of Garni, in Armenia’s Kotayk Province. Based on research, this temple is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia. During the winter, this site is a wonder to behold—really magical.

Geghard Monastery

Another popular tourist attraction in Armenia that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is Geghard Monastery. This medieval monastery is located in the Kotayk province, set in a landscape of incredible natural wonder, surrounded by towering cliffs at the entrance to the Azat Valley. This site is stunning, don’t miss going to the back side of the monastery, where you will see a small bridge and river with valleys around.

Tsaghkador Ski Resort

Your winter season in Armenia will not be complete without visiting Tsaghkadzor in the Kotayk Province. This place is the most popular and favorite ski resort in Armenia; where you can experience snow activities like ski and snowboarding starting in mid-December and extending well into March. My favorite part here is when I took a rope that was going down. It was really a magical experience, as you would appreciate more the magnificent landscape of Armenia from a bird’s-eye view.

Lake Sevan

Looking for a lake to relax your mind? Lake Sevan will surely fulfill your desire. What a beautiful sight to behold! The site itself is a natural wonder with very calm vibes and gives you a feeling of peace and relaxation. It is the largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus region, as well as the largest freshwater high-altitude (alphine) lakes in Eurasia. I was told that the fish dishes here are fresh from the lake and very delicious.

Sevanavank Monastery

Once you are in Lake Sevan, never miss hiking to the top of the hill, where you will reach Sevanavank Monastery. The overlooking view at the top is superb, you will see the whole town and a stunning view of Lake Sevan. If you happen to be here in the afternoon, which I did, you have to witness the amazing sunset.

Day 2: Discover Khor Virap, Areni Winery, Areni Cave & Noravank Monastery

Khor Virap Monastery

One of the most visited monastery sites in Armenia is the Khor Virap Monastery. It is situated near the border of Turkey and undoubtedly one of the best spots to wander in the amazing Mount Ararat. The view here is spectacular, and it is probably one of my favorite places to wander in Armenia. Aside from the view, you would also be amazed by the History of the monastery.

Areni Winery

One of the awesome things to do in Armenia is joining a winery tour and experience wine tasting in the oldest wine factory in the country. Outside the winery is the vineyard, where grapes are cultivated.

Areni Cave

Close to Areni Winery is the Areni Cave, also known as Bird’s Cave, an Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, located near the Areni village in southern Armenia along the Arpa River. Many discoveries were made here, including the pair of leather shoes, which are believed to be the oldest shoes in the world.

Noravank Monastery

Undoubtedly one of the best tourist destinations in Armenia, and what I consider it to be my favorite, is Noravank Monastery. The location of the monastery is mesmerizing and looks mysterious as it is situated in the narrow and tall cliffs, and at the end of the road is the 13^th-century church built on the top of a hill surrounded by a beautiful brick-red cliff. In the month of February, the site is more amazing, as you will witness the cliff view divided by snow and a pure red cliff on the other side (just look at the photo above). By the way, during our visit, we were fortunate to see a wild fox.

Helpful basic language you need to learn before going to Armenia

Don’t forget to learn basic Armenian language as it will help you connect with locals.

Barev-Hello
Merci-Thank You
Khndrem-You are Welcome
Ayo / voch’— Yes / No
Ts’tesut’yun- Goodbye
Inch’pes yes-How Are You?
Urakh yem dzez tesnel- Nice meeting you

Cost of Travelling to Armenia Winter Season

This cost is based on my experience traveling from Saudi Arabia. It’s a 4-day and 3-night itinerary with my choices of tours excursion.

Description	Cost (SAR)
Flight from Dammam to Yerevan plus travel insurance	1856
Travel Insurance	50
Hotel Accomodation	480
Winter Tour Package (Garni, Geghard, Tsagkhador, Lake Sevan) (Private Tour, Solo)	375
Winery Tour Excursion (Khor Virap, Areni Winery & Cave, Noravank) (Join Tour)	150
Food	200
Transportation (Mostly are walking distance)	0
eVisa & airport transfer (Free by G7 Euro Travel)	0
Rope Way	30
Garni Temple Entrance	10
Total	3151

Please note that this budget below is from Dammam International Airport going in Saudi Arabia to Armenia. In my case, I live in Jubail, which is about 95 km away from Dammam. So if I include my private taxi cost 280 vice versa, my total expenses were around 3431 SAR.

So, have you been to Armenia? Please share your thoughts, I would love to know your experience.

Lan Wandered