Armenia tours & vacations
Few countries so regularly elicit the response of “Where’s that?” as Armenia
A country of hauntingly beautiful natural scenery, strong ties to the past and exceedingly warm local hospitality, holidaying in this Caucasus jewel makes for an experience enormously rewarded.
Our Armenia trips
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Explore tailor-made tripsArmenia at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Yerevan (population 1.2 million)
POPULATION
2.9 million
CURRENCY
AMD
LANGUAGE
Armenian
TIME ZONE
(GMT+04:00) Yerevan
CALLING CODE
+374
ELECTRICITY
Type C (European 2-pin) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)
Learn more about Armenia
History and government
Located at the crossroads of Europe, western Asia and the Middle East, Armenia has endured a past that’s proven nothing if not eventful. Alternately divided and conquered by the Romans, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Ottoman Turks and Russians over the centuries, Armenians have had to work hard at retaining a national identity – the offshoot of which is an avid patriotism that permeates every dimension of national life. The country became the world’s first Christian country back in 301 AD, had developed its own alphabet barely 100 years later and suffered the 20th century’s first genocide (in which it is estimated up to one and a quarter million of its population were killed).
Following a short-lived taste of independence from 1918 to 1922, the country submitted to Soviet rule under the Bolsheviks. A brief period of stability ended when Stalin started widespread purges of the populace and the persecution of the church. After Stalin’s death, Krushchev brought an era under which the country flourished technologically and economically. But these reforms weren’t enough to placate the Armenian population, who were among the first to let their dissatisfaction be known with the advent of glasnost. Following some demonstrations and violent clashes in 1991, the country became the first non-Baltic republic to declare independence and secede from the Soviet Union.
Today, Armenia is a stable country with a democratically elected leadership.
Best time to visit Armenia
With almost half of the country at over 6562 feet elevation, a dry, high-altitude climate typifies much of Armenia.
May and June or September and October are generally considered the best times to go on holiday, as the weather is warm but mild and the flowers are in bloom.
Armenia travel FAQs
ARMENIA VISA:
Most nationalities require a visa to enter Armenia. We recommend obtaining an e-visa in advance using the following link: https://evisa.mfa.am/
Fill in the requested information and submit to receive a link to the application form emailed to you. Please use the address of your finishing point hotel for the Contact Information in Armenia. You will need to upload a scanned passport sized photo and a passport copy to complete your application. In the case that the website is down, it may be possible to obtain a visa on arrival at the land border. Please contact us if you are having difficulty accessing the website.
Tipping is becoming increasingly common in Armenia, particularly at restaurants and cafés, with rounding up the bill or adding 10% the general rule. Some restaurants have started adding service fees, though this won’t necessarily be going to your waiter. Tipping for other services is not customary, save for taxi drivers where rounding up the fare is common.
There’s no shortage of internet cafés in Yerevan (some 24-hours) and other larger cities outside of the capital.
Internet coverage throughout Armenia is reliable and extensive. Cheap, convenient and easy to come by, temporary pre-paid SIM cards are a good option. Vivacell and Orange both have booths offering free SIM-cards at the airport and offer better English services than their competitors.
Western-style sitting toilets are the standard in Armenia, although on occasion one may still encounter squat-style toilets in rural areas.
Coffee in a café = 700 Dram
0.5 litre bottle of beer from a supermarket = 380 Dram
Meal in a fast food restaurant = 1,800 Dram
Restaurant meal in the CBD = 3,000 Dram
Armenia’s tap water is generally considered safe to drink. For the overly cautious, bottled water can be readily procured, though we recommend water purification tablets or asking your leader where filtered water can be found to cut down on unnecessary landfill.
Credit cards are accepted in Yerevan and other major cities, though it’s best not to rely too heavily on them. Visa is the more commonly accepted of the major credit cards brands.
ATMs are common in Yerevan and other major cities, less so in small towns. Visa cards (with the Visa Electron) are the best bet, and some local ATMs are also connected to the Plus and Maestro systems.
Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travelers, regardless of their nationality.
We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.
For travelers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travelers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.
We recommend that all travelers check with their government or national travel advisory organization for the latest information before departure. If traveling from the US, you can find helpful information from the US Department of State and the World Health Organization.
Read more about traveling with Intrepid as an American
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most.
Find out more or make a donation