Day	Description	Map
1	Arrival
2	Preparation and a city tour in Yerevan (bike)
3	Yerevan -> Gyumri (train) + Gyumri city tour (bike)
4	Gyumri -> Shirakamut village (bike) 35 km -> Trchkan waterfall (truck) -> Shirakamut (truck) -> Vanadzor (car)
5	Vanadzor -> Gosh (bike) 60 km
6	Gosh -> WishUp shore, Lake Sevan (bike) 50 km
7	Rest at WishUp shore
8	WishUp shore, Lake Sevan -> Vardenis (bike) 74 km ->Qnaravan (Nagorno Karabakh) (car) Qnaravan(Nagorno Karabakh) ->Dadivanq (car) -> Zuar Hot springs (car)
9	Qnaravan(Nagorno Karabakh) -> Handaberd (hiking tour) Border of Armenia (car) ->Tsovinar village (bike) 47 km
10	Tsovinar village -> Hermon village (car 20 km + bike 40 km)
11	Hermon -> Yerevan Hwy (bike) 25 km, Noravanq, Areni wine factory, Khor Virap, Yerevan (car)
12	Yerevan -> Garni temple, Geghard monastery, Yerevan (bike or car) 80 km + farewell dinner
13	Departure

Q&A

• Where does the trip start (the city)?
  The trip starts in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.
• How difficult is the ride?
  The ride is medium to easy. A microbus will be accompanying us, and it is possible to jump in and out for those who get tired.
• Where will the riders be eating?
  Three meals per day are included. We’ll be eating either at local restaurants or in the hotels and guesthouses where we’ll stay overnight during the trip. In most cases we’ll have very good and diverse local food. In 1-2 cases we might have a picnic lunch on the road.
• Is there vegetarian food available?
  Vegetarian and vegan food is available; we simply need to know about the food preferences, allergies or diets of the participants in order to prepare relevant food. A wide variety of delicious seasonal fruit and vegetables are available in Armenia in summer and autumn.
• Where will the riders be sleeping?
  The accommodation will vary from place to place. We’ll stay in hotels, hostels and local village houses. These are usually budget accommodations but clean and nice authentic local experiences. In case there are preferences for e.g. a maximum number of beds in the room, please, let us know and we can organize it respectively.
• What does the price include?
  The price includes 3 meals per day and the accommodation for sleeping, entrance to the museums and temples where applicable. Bicycle rent is NOT included in the price.

What riders have said about Samvel's trips

I toured Armenia in 2017 via bicycle coordinated through Cyclist for Cultural Exchange. Samvel and Vahe were our hosts and the tour was most memorable for me, partly due to the hospitality of the organization but also due to the people we met along the way. The scenery was diverse and amazing. Armenia is a very historic country and the trip was epic for me party due to my Armenia heritage but it was also my first trip to Armenia.

Yerevan is bustling and there is plenty to see and many things to do. The rest of the country is very rural, mountainous and scenic. The roads are friendly to cyclist and the villages are easy to cycle between. You don't have to be an advanced cyclist to do this trip. Samvel and his team Shepard the group along the way. Armenia is an unspoiled country and the people are truly friendly and genuine. I look forward to my next trip there.

Armenia is part of our world that I would never have experienced on my own. We were hosted warmly by knowledgeable Armenians. They'd planned and prepared everything. Their knowledge of their own culture, history and country, and their willingness and ability to share it was wonderful.

Great opportunity for sharing and bonding for everyone. Picnicing by a small stream or waterfall, sharing an evening meal with a family in their farmhouse, talking about our lives and those of our hosts, swimming in Lake Sevan. All memories not in my photo album, but lasting images painted in my mind and heart.

Beautiful nature in pretty rural countryside once we departed Yerevan. Small villages, small farms. We were graciously welcomed in some homes. Kids were great, excited to see us and adults generous and patient with our limited linguistic skills.

Interesting historic sites, some dating back to the third and fourth centuries. Some beautiful old churches and monasteries.

Marvelously interesting, culturally educational, hospitable folks and inspirational journey. I loved it.

Armenia, was wonderful. I thought our cultural exchange was honest and great. My favorite night was at the friends home where we all slept together and had a meal of fish from the lake. A small farm with pigs and chickens and it really felt like sharing their culture. I thought it was grand. For me the whole trip was wonderful and life perspective changing. It was perfect.

I was so much at home with these young tourist guides. The bike they rented me was in great shape. The places we stayed at, especially home stays with families, were very interesting and simple. It was a beautiful experience and I suggest that every one tries it. Armenia is fascinating.

When in 2017 I was invited by CCE to join the Armenia bike trip I did not know what to expect, except for a tour of a country very rich in history. Well, the reality largely surpassed my wildest imagination. There were absolutely no faults in Samvel's and his team's excellent first guided bike tour. Beside enjoying the Armenian churches, the landscapes, the friendliness of the people and the quality of the food, I have felt a bond with the people that gave to my experience that little extra that turned a holiday into a real life experience.