The Lands of Ararat and the Golden Fleece

Once in Georgia we head for The Black Sea port of Batumi and then on to Svaneti province and the south Caucasus to visit the unique mediaeval village watchtowers of Ushguli. This is the Land of Colchis where local people in ancient times trapped alluvial gold in the high mountain streams using the fleeces of sheep laid down in the river beds. This is what gave rise to the legend of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts. From Colchis we take a scenic journey to Tbilisi via the Cave City of Uplistsikhe. Once in Tbilisi we will take time to enjoy the tastes and sights of the city before continuing to the Armenian border for the last leg of our trip.

Armenia is a land of faith and we will visit monasteries and churches that are testament to the long and enduring beliefs of the world’s first Christian nation. From the monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin to the monastery of Khor Virap in the northern shadow of Mt Ararat the faith of the Armenian people permeates everything. The highpoint of the tour is a visit to the Seat of the Armenian Church at Echmiadzin. In addition to this there are the cosmopolitan delights of Yerevan and the natural splendours of mountains, forests and Lake Sevan.

Beginning in the Van region of Turkey this is a journey that takes you from the brilliant blue of Van to the inky blue/ black of Sevan through the plains south and west of the mystical Mt Ararat, throwing a girdle around the Holy Mountain, to the Black Sea and to the ancient lands of Georgia, the setting for the timeless myths of the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece, before returning to the heartlands of Armenia on the northern slopes of Ararat once more.

For a detailed itinerary of this unique tour please refer to our downloadable pdf brochure.

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