This tour takes you for an  in-depth look at two of these countries:  Armenia, an ancient and proud millennia-old civilization in a remote mountain landscape, the first state to adopt Christianity as an official religion; Georgia, the lush green heart of the Caucasus, followed not long after. With its fabulous cuisine and culture, diverse landscapes and a wealth of ancient churches, cathedrals, monasteries and cave cities, this is a part of the world truly like no other.

DAY 00/01     SINGAPORE / TBILISI

Fly       Singapore/Doha                      QR639                        0210/0455 – Daily (7 h 45 m)

            Doha/Tbilisi                             QR974                        0830/1445 – Tue, Thu, Fri (5 h 15 m)

            Doha/Tbilisi                             QR976                        1300/1915 – all other days (5 h 15 m)

Upon arrival, be met and transfer to your hotel.

(Dinner included)

DAY 02          TBILISI/MTSHKETA/ UPLISTSIKHE/GORI/TBILISI

This morning drive 45 min to Mtskheta, ancient capital of eastern Georgia. Georgia’s conversion to Christianity occurred in Mtskheta in 337AD.  Visit its historical, fully-functioning churches including the beautiful 7^th century Jvari Church perched on a cliff overlooking the city, the Sveti-Tskhoveli Cathedral, the first Christian church to be built in Georgia and its largest functioning cathedral, and the Samtavro monastery complex, with its shrine to St Nino, converter of Georgia.

Continue driving for another hour to the town of Gori, infamous as the birthplace of Josef Stalin, and have lunch before visiting the Stalin Museum.  Then proceed just outside the town to visit Uplistsikhe cave town, developed to service the trade route from India to the west in the 1^st millennium BC.  The town is a complex of rock-cut streets, residences, churches, secret tunnels, water passages, markets and the oldest theatre in Georgia, all hewn out of the mountain side.  Return to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight stay.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 03          TBILISI/DAVID GAREJA/TBILSI

Today’s excursion is to the haunting David Gareja monastery complex, set in the semi-desert on the border with Azerbaijan, 140 km or about 2 hours drive from Tbilisi.  This complex of rock-cut cave monasteries and churches was founded in the 13^th century by the Syrian Fathers, a group of monks from Assyria who came to Georgia to help with the establishment of Christianity.  Many of the caves bear ancient frescoes.  We have time for about 2 hours of hiking to visit two of the monasteries, enjoying a picnic lunch before returning to Tbilisi.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 04          TBILISI/ANANURI/GUDAURI/KAZBEGI/GUDAURI

Today we drive north along the Georgian Military Highway.  Completed in 1817 to link Georgia with Russia this has long been an important military and economic route through the mountainous region.  About 45 minutes out of Tbilisi, we stop to visit Ananuri, the beautifully sited 16^th century fortress complex with its exquisitely carved churches; then continue into the Caucasus Mountains for another 1 hour to Gudauri, Georgia’s top ski resort.  After a brief rest to take in the mountain scenery, we continue for a 1½ drive through alpine meadows and mountain passes littered with medieval watch towers to Kazbegi.  Here we take a hour and a half walk up to the Tsminda Sameba Church, perched in a beautiful, solitary spot high above the village of Kazbegi, one of Georgia’s iconic sights.

Return to Gudauri for dinner and overnight stay.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 05          GUDAURI/TBILISI/DZORAGET

After breakfast, check-out and drive about 2 hours back to Tbilisi.  From here it is an hour to the border crossing to Armenia at Sadakhlo; after the immigration formalities, meet your Armenian guide and driver.  Drive another 30 minutes to Dzoraget, along the Debed River nestled among the forest-covered hills.  Check-in to the Avan Dzoraget hotel, built in 2004 but designed to evoke the historical atmosphere of a medieval Armenian castle.  Take the rest of the day to stretch, unwind and relax.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 06          DZORAGET/SANAHIN/HAGHPAT/YEREVAN

This morning we backtrack slightly to visit the 10^th century monastic complexes of Sanahin and Haghpat, outstanding examples of medieval Armenian architecture and UNESCO World Heritage sites.  Continue for a brief visit to Saghmosavank, a monastery in a breathtaking site in the deep canyon of Qasakh.  Then drive 2 hours to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 07          YEREVAN/ECHIAMIADZIN/YEREVAN

After breakfast start on a city tour, including a visit to the Memorial Park and the Museum of the Armenian Genocide.  Then drive to Echmiadzin, the seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  Visit the ancient cathedral, on the site where St Gregory the Illuminator first built in 301-303 AD; also visit the Zvartnots ruins from the 7^th century.  Both Echmiadzin and Zvarnots are UNESCO World Heritages; return to Yerevan for dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 08          YEREVAN/GARNI/GEGHARD/YEREVAN

Excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Geghard monastery, rock-cut from caves, producing some beautiful acoustics.  Then continue to Garni, a pagan Hellenistic temple in a picturesque setting, and have lunch at a local house.  Return to Yerevan, and visit the Armenian History Museum, whose collection includes important relics from Stone Age to Medieval periods.  Also visit the spectacular Cascade complex, which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of modern glass sculpture.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 09          YEREVAN/KHOR VIRAP/NORAVANK/GORIS

Today leave Yerevan and head towards southern Armenia.  First stop is Khor Virap, in the Ararat valley against the spectacular backdrop of Biblical Mt Ararat.  Although the complex we see today mostly dates from the 17^th century, it is built over the 4^th century site of the imprisonment of St Gregory the Illuminator in a pit for 12 years.  Continue to Noravank monastery, a great religious and cultural centre in the 12^th century, and also visit the Areni wine factory to taste the local wine.  Arrive at the picturesque city of Goris for dinner and overnight.  Total driving time today will be approximately 3 hours.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 10          GORIS/KHNDZORESK/TATEV/GORIS

Start today by exploring Goris, nestled in a bowl of green hills and mountains with some of the nicest traditional Armenian architecture.  Then drive 30 minutes to the UNESCO World Heritage Tatev Monastery, above the beautiful Vorotan Canyon.  This architectural masterpiece dating to the 10^th century is built on the edge of the canyon and is accessible by a ropeway from the village of Halidzor.  Visit the cave village of Khndzoresk before returning to Goris.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 11          GORIS/SELIM/LAKE SEVAN/DILIJAN

Check-out and drive to Karahunge, Armenia’s Stonehenge.  This is an ancient astronomical observatory, 1,770 m above sea level and comprising 223 slabs of basalt stone.  Then drive towards Lake Sevan.  Enroute we stop to visit the caravanserai at Selim pass, built in 1332, and also visit Noraduz, an ancient cemetery with khachkars (‘cross-stones’) dating back to the 6^th century.  Drive along the shore of Lake Sevan, the biggest lake in the Caucasus, occupying a full 5% of the area of this small country, and stop at Sevanak.  Total actual driving time from Goris to Sevanak is approximately 3 hours.

Visit the 8^th century Sevanak monastery, built on the hill of what was once an island, turned peninsular as the lake level fell.  The view over the lake and surrounding mountains is marvelous, and well worth the windy climb up the steps. 

Continue driving another 30 minutes to Dilijan, Armenia’s mountain resort area, to check-in to your hotel for the night.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 12          DILIJIAN/TBILISI (230 KM)

Visit the preserved 19^th century street and buildings of Old Dilijan, and visit the Gohsavank complex in the woods, founded in the 11^th century. 

After lunch, drive to the border to cross back to Georgia.  Meet your Georgian guide and car again and drive to Tbilisi for dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 13          TBILISI/SINGAPORE

Today we explore Tbilisi, capital of Georgia for over 1500 years.  Destroyed and rebuilt nearly 30 times, it is today one of the most lively and cosmopolitan cities in the Caucasus.  Walk through the narrow streets and inner courtyards, and stroll down Rustaveli Avenue, the main thoroughfare.  Visit Metekhi Church of the Virgin, which was rebuilt in the 12^th and 13^th centuries after the 6^th century original was destroyed by the Mongols.  Drive to Sioni Cathedral in the town center, the main cathedral of Tbilisi and seat of the Catholicos of the Georgian Orthodox Church.  In addition, see the synagogue and bath houses, a herbal medicinal shop and the history museum. 

Later transfer to the airport for check-in to your departure flight.

Fly       Tbilisi/Doha                             QR975                        1545/1945 – Tue, Thu, Fri (5 h 15 m)

            Tbilisi/Doha                             QR977                        2015/0015 – All other days (5 h 15 m)

            Doha/Singapore                      QR642                        0055/1330 – Daily (7 h 45 m)

(Breakfast, lunch included)

Arrive Singapore on Day 14.

3 DAYS AZERBAIJAN EXTENSION

Azerbaijan differs from its neighbors Georgia and Armenia in two important ways: it is majority Muslim; and it has huge oil reserves. The wealth has changed the capital, Baku, in ways which are not always interesting to the visitors; nevertheless, the historic Old Town is well conserved and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage, and a day trip to Gobustan and Ateshgah is richly rewarding.  Because the Qatar Airways flight from Tbilisi to Doha stops in Baku, a stopover here can be arranged as an extension of one of the other Caucasus tours.

DAY 14          TBLISI / BAKU

Transfer to the airport for flight.

Fly       Tblisi/Baku                  QR975                        1545/1700 – Daily (1 h 15 m)

Upon arrival, be met and transfer to your hotel.

 (Dinner included)

DAY 15          BAKU

Meet your guide after breakfast and visit the historic Old Town of Baku with its maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings contrasting sharply with the relentless modernity of the new city.  Start with a visit to Icheri Sheher, the fortress of Old Baku dating to the 15^th century, and continue to Maiden Tower, the Shirvan Shahs’ Palace Complex, medieval market square and caravanserai.  The Synyk Kala Minaret, completed in 1093, is the city’s oldest building. 

After lunch, visit the historical part of downtown; this is the original boom town erected after the initial discovery of oil here in the late 19^th century.  Visit the State Carpet Museum, and have a panoramic view of Baku city and the Caspian Sea.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner included)

DAY 16          BAKU / DOHA

After breakfast, proceed outside the city to Gobustan, famous for its archeological monuments with more than 4,000 rock drawings from the Neolithic period.  Continue to the Absheron Peninsula, which has the oldest oil fields in Azerbaijan, and stop at the pink salt lake of Masazir Golu.  Visit the Zoroastrian Fire Temple at Ateshgyakh, from the 18^th century, and return for lunch.

Later transfer to the airport for departure flight.

Fly       Baku/Doha                              QR975                        1800/1945 – Tue, Thu, Fri (2 h 45 m)

            Doha/Singapore                      QR642                        0055/1330 – Daily (7 h 45 m)

(Breakfast, lunch included)

Arrive Singapore on Day 17.

In Baku:

- Kempinski Hotel Badamdar:  Baku’s newest 5-star hotel is located in the developing Badamadar district and offers competitive rates for superb facilities to make up for its comparatively inferior location.

- Park Hyatt Baku:  The Park Hyatt is starting to show its age but is still the hotel with the best reputation in Baku, at least until Four Seasons comes up in 2012.