Arriving in Yerevan, Armenia, I was not entirely sure what to expect. It’s not the type of country that will come up during your doomscrolling.
Armenia is a “niche pull”, if I had to describe it in social media terms. I have never been to a post soviet country, and it looked extremely cool…so it was time to see it.
Booking a tour is not normally something I do, but it felt appropriate in this case. Why? Because the Armenian language is one of the most unique/hardest in the world. And if it’s not Armenian, Russian is being used.
So I booked my Yerevan tour with Hyur Service after researching countless experiences on Trip Advisor.
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Hyur Service Review
I booked a 5 hour day tour to see some of the most famous landmarks in Yerevan, Armenia. Honestly, tours have grown on me and I wouldn’t have minded if it was a group tour. But at the time I did a private tour…just me and the 2 guides.
We were in communication prior and arranged pickup at my hotel, The Courtyard Marriot Yerevan (review coming soon).
I was in the lobby 10 minutes early, and boom, they were right there waiting for me. Armenian locals were extremely friendly to me this entire trip by the way.
There was “the driver” Andranik, and the English speaking guide, Gayane. If you travel to Yerevan, Armenia, I would highly recommend them.
I arrived at midnight, so I have zero knowledge of the city as we head out. We were driving great, but some of the people on the road were maniacs. Armenian driving culture is crazy.
We headed outside of the city and Gayane was just teaching me everything about Armenia, she was very passionate about her country. It started to feel like we were in rural Italy, I had no clue Armenia had so much fruit and greenery. Turns out they have some of the best peaches in the world.
Mount Ararat
They brought me through the hills and into a rural countryside, it was very cool. We pulled over at a viewing point for Mount Ararat, which is iconic in Armenia.
They say Mount Ararat was the resting place for Noah’s Arc. When you come to Yerevan, you will discover so much history that you did not know existed.
You will see Ararat everywhere. There’s a brewing company, water company, shops, etc. In 1920 or so, this land was given to Turkey in a peace treaty but it’s still a national symbol of Armenia.
We observed the scenes and saw some stray dogs until we moved on to the next location, which was something I was really looking forward to.
Geghard Monastery
Geghard Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To sum it up, it’s a church that is built into the mountain and extends into a cave.
My guide led me up the hill from the parking lot, and it felt like I was going back in time. It was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Basically just a secluded sanctuary with calm streams and sunlight hitting perfectly.
The full name is “Geghardavank”, which means “Monastery of the Spear”. Why?
As crazy as it sounds, it is believed that the spear that punctured Jesus Christ was brought here in the early days. I would have never learned that without Hyur Service Tours.
We entered the medieval church and it was dark and eerie. She brought me into “the meeting room”, which I do not want to spoil for your trip, but it was crazy.
On the way out I was given some free samples of dried fruit from the local sellers. It was refreshing to not be “harassed”, like I have experienced in some other countries. Everybody was very nice and honest in Armenia.
It was time to head to the final location.
Talking To The Guide
When you travel to Yerevan, it’s very important to talk to the locals. Armenia is a country that has faced countless adversity. The genocide is one that is barely talked about, which is mind blowing.
If you look at maps over the years, you will see Armenia get smaller, and smaller…and smaller. And you could feel the passion that they have for their country. Hearing the stories felt powerful, considering it’s such a peaceful place.
I will not forget this one, which was quite funny. I was asking about futbol, and wondering if Armenia was any good (Because I know their neighbor Georgia is solid).
She said “No, we are not good at team sports. Everybody has the drive to be the best on the team”. Which just shows that everybody has that chip on their shoulder, which I respect.
Garni Temple
We arrived at the final location on the tour, Garni Temple. Now this makes zero sense because it’s a Greek Temple, I was blown away by this.
This is the most known surviving structure from the Hellenistic period.
Garni Temple collapsed due to an Earthquake in the 1600’s but was later reconstructed with the SAME pieces. When you go close to this, it’s extremely clear it was put back together.
This was very cool. The location was in such a peaceful place as well, with the mountains and hills in the background.
Gayane was super educated on this and taught me all the history. She was actually surprised by how I “took in” the attractions. I don’t want to take 100 pictures, I want to look at the things with my eyes…which is an ongoing theme of “Shut Up And Book It”.
…But she still took my phone and forced me to be in a picture so I would remember the temple. Great hospitality.
We headed back to my hotel and just chatted about life and normal things. I gave them both a tip, and they were both very thankful for it.
I have no clue if Gayane & Andranik were a “team” or they are just randomly seleted by Hyur Service, but I highly recommend them both. The Yerevan tour couldn’t have gone better.
Hyur Service does group tours, private tours, airport transportation, you name it.
I spent around $70-100 on this private tour, but like I said, it was just me. You could experience this for much cheaper if you do a group tour, but the private one has a lot more perks in my opinion.
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