Musa Ler Festival “Harisa” cooking

(September 16- September 25)
Every year on the 3rd Sunday of September, a national festival takes place in the village of Musaler, about 10km outside Yerevan. When the celebration starts, a bonfire signals the opening as the Armenian national instruments, the tmbuk (drum) and zurna play and villagers dance traditional dances. The festival celebrates the rescue, in 1915, of Armenian villagers who held out against the Turkish attackers. Saved by French sailors, the villagers were offered a “matagh” (offering) of harisa.

The main attraction of the event is the cooking of harisa, a dish that combines chicken or lamb with rice and grains. Harisa means (hari sa) stir this (or whip this). During the celebration the participants dance around 98 cauldrons of cooking harisa. At one point the dancers make room for the cooks, who, dressed in white aprons, dance around the cauldrons holding long sticks used for stirring the stew. The most interesting and expected part of the celebrations is the distributing harisa. As soon as harisa is blessed by the clerics, it is distributed to people. Numerous groups of people, holding different – size pots and buckets, ask for harisa.The celebration lasts till late evening and then the guests return to Yerevan, Aleppo, Canada, Australia to wait for the next year.     Learn more…

DAY 1 – September 16    
Arrival at Zvartnotz International Airport. Our tourist guide will welcome you at the airport. Transfer you to the hotel/apartment in Yerevan. Rest.

YEREVAN CITY TOUR. Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is a modern, colorful city, situated in the Northeastern part of the Ararat Valley. Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world. The fortress of Erebuni, the birthplace of Yerevan, was founded by King Argishti of Urartu in 782 B.C. The Urartu Kingdom was a powerful & highly developed civilization. Yerevan skyline with biblical Mount Ararat on the background is very impressive.  

Drive through the central streets of Yerevan, Republic Square, Opera House, “Cascade” Monument and stairs, "Mother Armenia" Monument with a fascinating view of Yerevan, Victory Bridge, Hrazdan Stadium, Sports and Concerts Center, Presidential Palace, National Assembly Building, Academy of Sciences, Tsitsernakaberd-Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and Museum.

Visit Matenadaran- a unique Research Institute and Museum of Ancient Manuscripts. The Matenadaran is the largest center of study and safekeeping of Armenian manuscripts in the world. Lunch in a traditional Armenian restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 2 - September 17

Drive to GARNI PAGAN TEMPLE AND GEGHARD MONASTERY
The Pagan Temple of Garni is the only non-Christian temple currently standing in Armenia. Gracing the hillside the pagan temple was dedicated to the God of Sun, Mithra. It was built in 77A.D. by the Armenian King Trdat I. The architectural complex of Garni was Armenia's foremost center of Hellenistic culture and the summer residence of Armenian kings. The fortress is situated in a picturesque mountain locality and commands a broad panorama of orchards, fields and mountain slopes covered with motley carpets of varicolored grasses, of the jagged and precipitous canyon of the Azat River. The artistic merit and uniqueness of its monuments place Garni among outstanding creations of architecture of world importance. Lunch in a traditional Armenian peasant house.

Driving for 9 more kilometers from Garni, You'll reach the Monastery of Geghard which is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Geghard is an incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. Though the monastery has been around since before the 4th century, the main cathedral was built in 1215.It is said that the holy lance that pierced the body of Christ was kept here. The architectural forms and the decoration of Geghard's rock premises show that Armenian builders could not only create superb works of architecture out of stone, but also hew them in solid rock.Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 3 - September 18

Leave for Khor Virap Monastery, one of the most popular destinations in Armenia for a number of reasons, primarily because it is where Grigor Luisavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) was imprisoned for 13 years before curing King Trdat III of a disease. This caused the conversion of the king and Armenia into the first officially Christian nation in the world in the year 301. To this day you can visit the underground chamber he was imprisoned, located in the nondescript St. Gevorg Chapel apart from the main church. Its location, near the closest point to Mount Ararat within Armenian borders, offers a spectacular view of the mountain, the national symbol of Armenia. Lunch in a lovely restaurant on Arpa River bank.

Continuing to more south you'll reach Noravank Monastery, an architectural gemstone nestled among brick-red cliffs, just above a deep gorge. This monastic complex is a masterpiece by a 13th century architect Momik. The surrounding cliffs offer a spectacular backdrop of mineral colors reflected from the sun. It is also worth mentioning that Noravank once treasured a piece of the true cross-stained with the blood of Christ, brought by a mysterious stranger.
On the way back visit "Areni" Winery, where you can taste different sorts of wine.The wine matures in oak tree barrels which give a wine a slight flavor of oak-wood and make a perfect match with the wine character. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 4 - September 19

Leave for Musaler village, about 10km outside Yerevan, in order to participate in the Festival of Musa Ler. Here you’ll enjoy the Armenian music and dances. In the end you’ll taste “harisa”, a traditional Armenian dish with grains cooked with the meat of lamb sacrificed with a priest's blessing. Typically about 8,000 to 10,000 people visit not only from different regions of Armenia but from Diaspora as well. September 22 is a special day especially for Musalertsies, as during the festival they can meet their old friends and relatives.

After the festival leave for Echmiadzin, the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where the Armenian Catholicos (Supreme Patriarch) resides.
Visit St. Hripsime Church, built in the 7^th century. It is considered a masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture.

Continue to Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral. Historically, it is the focal point of the city of Echmiadzin, the oldest church in the world. It was originally built by Saint Gregory the Illuminator as a vaulted basilica in 301-303, when Armenia was the only country in the world the state religion of which was Christianity. The church was built on the place of a pagan temple, the remains of which can be seen until now. The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch in a restaurant.  Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 5 - September 20

Leave for Lake Sevan, the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world, situated at 1900m above sea level. A famous writer has poetically characterized Sevan, "A genuine piece of sky, dropped down on earth among mountains". Visiting the Monastery of Sevanavank (9^th century) which is located on Sevan peninsula. Proceed to Dilijan town.

Dilijan is a resort town in the north of Armenia. Words alone can't describe the natural beauty of Dilijan. Many poets used to say, "If there are woods, mountains, streams and mineral waters in paradise, it must be like Dilijan." As a climatic balneal health centre of medium- mountain zone, Dilijan is characterized by mild, moderate warm summer, sunny warm winter and dry warm weather during the whole year. Due to its forested mountains and mild climate, Dilijan is named "Armenia's little Switzerland."
You'll see the most beautiful part of the town, Old Dilijan. Lunch in an Armenian family in Dilijan town.

The next route will lead to Goshavank, which was founded by famous Armenian cleric and law – codifier, Mkhitar Gosh, in 12-13^th centuries. The monastery played a prominent role in Armenia's religious, cultural and educational life through the Middle Ages. Here stands the famous work of sculpture of Varpet (Master) Poghos, a masterpiece of carved stone cross, known in Armenia as "khachkar" carved in 1291. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 6 - September 21

Drive to Aragatsotn region at the foothills of Mount Aragats (4090m), the highest peak of Armenia.

Oshakan - St. Mashtots Church is where the primordial alphabet-giver, St. Mesrop Mashtots, is buried, just under the altar of the church. It's a hall-type church with frescoes. The church is surrounded by a garden with ornamented Armenian alphabet letter statues.

Visit Saghmosavank Monastery. It is situated on the edge of a deep gorge at the foot of Mt. Ara, with Mt. Ararat and Mt. Arargats rising majestically on the western and northern horizons. It's an 11^th century structure. Lunch in an Armenian peasant house.

Visit Karmravor, a tiny, but a very beautiful cruciform church dating from the 7^th century, in the town of Ashtarak. Its unique red tiled roofing came down to us completely unharmed.

Drive to Mughni’s St. Gevorg(St. George) Church, founded in the 13^th century. It houses some relics of St. George. Especially striking is the black and orange striped dome of this church. It's surrounded by a beautiful garden of fruit trees and roses. Lunch in Ashtarak. Overnight in Yerevan. 

DAY 7 - September 22

Tours in Yerevan. Visit Sergey Parajanov house-museum, an exceptional Armenian film director. In this museum you’ll marvel at Parajanov’s fabulous works-his graphics, dolls, collages, 23 screenplays and librettos of unrealized productions of cinema, theater and ballet.

Then you’ll be taken to "Ararat" Brandy Factory of Yerevan. Here a guide will tell you the history of brandy-making in Armenia. After tour you’ll taste the best Armenian brandies with chocolate:  Nairi (maturity of 20 years), Akhtamar (maturity of 10 years) and 3* (maturity of 3 years).

Visit Erebuni Museum and Fortress, the birthplace of Yerevan. Erebuni is an Urartian fortress in the south-eastern part of modern Yerevan founded in 782B.C. by King Argishti I. Lunch in an Arabic restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 8 - September 23

Visit Sardarapat Battle Memorial Complex and the rich Ethnographic Museum. Then drive to Taronik village where you’ll visit the fascinating Metsamor Museum.

Experience a journey between the recent past and the ancient past. See the Sardarapat battlefield with its bell tower honoring a strategically important 1918 Armenian victory and tour the Armenian Ethnographic Museum. The more academic traveler will be impressed by the Metsamor Archaeological Museum, with astrological stones dating from pre-Christian times and gold jewelry made more than 1400 years ago. Lunch in Sardarapat. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 9 - September 24

Drive to the north-west of Armenia, Lori region, the most beautiful forested area of Armenia with its miraculous mountainous woodlands and bottomless gorges.

Visit the masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture, Sanahin and Haghpat Monasteries. Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries are huge complexes in the North of Armenia founded in 10-13^th centuries. The both monasteries are outstanding masterpieces of Armenian architecture in which artistic merits transcended the limits of the national culture. They are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch in Alaverdi town.

Visit the house-museum of All-Armenian writer and poet Hovhannes Toumanian in Dsegh village. Overnight in Yerevan.

DAY 10 - September 25

Transfer to airport. Departure.

*Itinerary is subject to change at any time upon your request.

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