NOAH’S
TRAIL: AZERBAIJAN, TURKEY & GEORGIA
A cultural tour of the Azerbaijan,
Turkey & Georgia
Noah,
not only well known for his ark is also often referred
to as the father of mankind. His trails have always
been a fascination to historians especially and the
most convincing claim for the location of the ark seems
to be at Mount Agri – Ararat located in Turkey.
Noah’s Trail – a 2-week journey taking us
back into history and culture of this fascinating part
of the world. It is a unique small group experience
covering the Caucasus countries of Azerbaijan and Georgia
with Turkey.
Day
1: Home country - Baku.
Transfer to hotel early morning.
Breakfast at the Hotel
Relax and sleep 3-5 hours at the hotel.
Start tour at 10AM.
Tour of Icheri Sheher (Old City) in Baku. Here includes:
Tour of Maiden Tower, Tour of Shirvanshahlar Palace,
antique carpet shops and etc.
Martyrs Avenue.
Visit Fire Worshipers Temple
Visit to Burning Mountain (Yanardagh).
Drive back to Baku. Transfer to Hotel (B,
L, D) Day 2: Baku
- Guba
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Drive to Guba (2.5 hours).
Tour of Guba: Guba mosques, Krasnaya Sloboda
(Jewish settlement),
Guba bath houses
Check in to a hotel in woods.
Overnight at the Hotel in Guba (B,
L, D) Day 3: Guba – Khinalig -
Baku
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Drive to Khinalig
(2 hours).
Tour of Khinalig:
streets, mosques, museums.
Return to Guba.
Drive back to Baku.
Overnight
at the Hotel in Baku(B, L, D)
Day 4: Baku
- Nakhchivan
Breakfast at the
Hotel.
Transfer to the Airport
for Nakhchivan flight
at 6AM.
Departure at 8AM.
Arrive at 9AM. Transfer
to Hotel. After some
rest start
the sightseeing
of the Nakhchivan
city.
Trip to Jufa Daridagh
Mineral Healing Spring.
Visit Asabu Kahf
Cave as stated in
Koran.
Overnight at Grand
Hotel(B,
L, D)
Day 5: Nakhchivan
- Igdir
Drive to Salt Mountain
Mine and Hospital.
A trip to Garabaghlar
village to see 14th
century monument.
Leave for Sadarak-Igdir
crossing point.
Pass border.
Arrive in Igdir towards
evening.
Transfer to Oz
Grand Darya Hotel(B,
L, D)
Day 6: Igdir - Kars
Breakfast at the
Hotel.
Igdir is very close
to Mountain Agri
(Ararat), seems to
be located on the
very foot of the
mountain. It is on
the back side of
the Mountain.
Sightseeing in Igdir
and nearby.
Visit to Memorial
Museum.
Visiting Ishak Pasha
Palace.
Drive to Kars. Transfer
to Simer
or any other Hotel(B,
L, D)
Day 7: Kars
Breakfast at the
Hotel.
Visit Ani and surroundings
or Dogubayazit.
Drive to visit Kars
Fortress (XII century).
Other sightseeing
in Kars.
Overnight at Hotel. (B,
L, D)
Day 8: Possof/Turkey-Georgia
border-Georgia
Breakfast at the
Hotel. Drive to
POSSOF
village Turkish-Georgian
border at 8 am.
Arrive
in Possof Turkish-Georgian
border by 12:00
(Turkish time).
Pass border. GEORGIAN
PART: Possof-Vardzia-Bakuriani.
Meet with the local guide and vehicle;
Visit Vardzia rock-hewn complex (XII century).
Picnic en-rout.
Khertvisi castle (X century)
Overnight at 3* tourist class hotel in Bakuriani. (B,
L, D)
Day
9: Bakuriani – Gori/Uplistsikhe – Mtskheta - Gudauri
Breakfast at the
Hotel. Drive to Tbilisi
via the town of Gori
and ancient city
Mtskheta UNESCO
world heritage site;
Excursion to Uplistsikhe
rock-hewn city dated
to 1st millennium
BC.
Lunch at the local
restaurant nearby
Gori.
Depart to Mtskheta;
excursion to Svetitskhoveli
Cathedral and
Samtavro Nunnery
(XI century)
Jvari Monastery (VI
century) at the confluence
of rivers Mtkvari
(Kura) and Aragvi.
Drive along the Georgian
Military Highway
to Gudauri mountain
resort.
Overnight
at 3* tourist
class hotel in Gudauri(B,
L, D)
Day
10: Gudauri – Kazbegi – Gudauri Breakfast at the Hotel.
Day trip to explore Kazbegi area at the height of 2379m.
From Kazbegi center hike up 1.5-2 hours to XIV century Gergeti
Trinity church at 2180m.
Explore the fascinated view of Mt.Kazbeg 5047m.
Lunch at the local family house in Kazbegi.
Drive to Gweleti waterfalls and 1.5-2 hours walking till the
waterfalls.
Depart towards Dariali Canyon and back to Gudauri.
Overnight at 3* tourist class hotel in Gudauri. (B,
L, D)
Day
11: Gudauri – Tbilisi City Tour
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Drive to Tbilisi, known from 5th century the city is extraordinary
with
its turbulent history, elegant and remarkable architectural monuments
destroyed and restored through the centuries, but keeping entire
style
of Georgian orthodox religion and traditions.
Lunch at a city restaurant in Tbilisi.
Visit churches, cathedrals dated from IV to XIII centuries and the
modern
and the biggest Sameba cathedral dated to 1995-2004. Dinner
at traditional Georgian restaurant. Transfer to hotel for overnight.(B,
L, D)
Day
12: Tbilisi – David Gareja - Telavi
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Drive east to Kakheti province. Excursion to David Gareja semi-desert
area and monastery complex dated to VI century. Visit Lavra and
40-50min. hike up to Udabno towards the natural border between
Georgia and Azerbaijan to explore important frescos from IX-XIV
centuries all curved in rock.
Picnic lunch close to the site.
Depart for Telavi administrative center of Kakheti province.
Overnight at the local guesthouse in Telavi.(B,
L, D)
Day
13: Telavi -Lagodekhi-Sheki
Breakfast at the guesthouse in Telavi.
Drive to the border.
Pass border to Azerbaijan side
Azeri driver and guide will wait at the border.
Lunch in Zagatala/Azerbaijan.
Drive to Sheki.
Sheki tour: Kish Albanian church, Khan’s House and etc.
Overnight at the hotel in Sheki (Kervansaray Hotel)(B,
L, D)
Day
14: Sheki - Baku
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Visit Sheki bazaar.
Drive to Shemakha.
Shemakha tour: Shemkaha Friday Mosque, Yeddi Gumbez Cemetery.
Drive to Baku
Overnight at the hotel in Baku(B,
L, D)
Day
15: - Baku – Home country Transfer to the airport early morning.
Departure
Dates
2010
English Speaking Departures Apr
26 & Sep 06
Inclusions
Tour
Price Includes
Tour
Price Does Not Include
Accommodation
as mentioned (at 3-star hotels)
Any
airfares
Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast,
L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Departure/airport/border
taxes
All
Sightseeing and Transfers
Insurances
/ Visa fees
Services
of local english speaking guides
Drinks/Beverages
with meals
Entrance
Fees to Museums and Sites
Tips/Gratuities
Domestic
air tickets
Tour
Price
We
accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA
$ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for
clients outside North America).
Bestway
Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection.
Once full payment has been received, and no modification
has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour
that rate.
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada
- West Coast
N/A
USA
- West Coast
US
$ 1000
Canada
- East Coast
N/A
USA
- East Coast
US
$ 1200
Participants
This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of
15 participants.
Notes
Customised
Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates other
than the above ones or with a customised itinerary,
please contact us and we will be happy to work out
an exclusive program for you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French,
German,
Italian and Spanish
speaking departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com
or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of
U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.
NOAH’S
TRAIL: AZERBAIJAN, TURKEY & GEORGIA
Day 3: Guba – Khinalig -
Baku
Day 8: Possof/Turkey-Georgia
border-Georgia
Day
12: Tbilisi – David Gareja - Telavi
