Private Tour to Garni and Symphony of Stones from Yerevan

If you are looking for a light half-day tour during your stay in Armenia, this private tour is for you! Your driver/guide will pick you up from your accommodation. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the majestic Ararat mountain, one of the symbols of Armenia, while you're heading to the only pagan temple in Armenia!

Highlights:

• the pagan temple Garni

• viewpoint at Charents Arch

• Garni canyon

• the Symphony of Stones

Includes:

• driver/guide

• transportation by a private car

• hotel pick-up and drop-off

Not included:

• entrance fees

• lunch

You can also stop at Charents Arch, from where the view of the mount opens perfectly. After admiring the incredible scenery, you can now head to Garni temple - the only monument preserved in Armenia's pagan and Hellenistic periods, dedicated to the sun god Mihr. It dates back to 77 AD, was built by King Trdat I and served as a summer residence of Armenian kings. The remains of the old fortress and the royal palace, as well as the baths built in the 3rd century, have been preserved at the temple. Here you will have another breathtaking view over the wonderful Azat River, Garni Gorge.

Your last tour stop will be at the Symphony of Stones, or "Basalt Organ," which are natural monuments located in the basin of the Azat River in the area of Garni village. The monument consists of substantial symmetric hexagon and pentagon basalt columns (nearly 50 meters high), which seem to be handmade due to their excellent symmetry. These stones hanging against gravity resemble an organ, which explains why they are also referred to as "Basalt Organ Pipes." The Azat River flows through the gorge, filling the stone splendor with the sound of water.

After the tour, you will have about an hour of free time to have lunch in one of the local restaurants in Garni and try typical local meals. And after lunch, you will be taken back to Yerevan.