Noravank: getting there, entry, season and stop order via Areni

What it is and where it stands

The Noravank monastery complex (Noravank of Amaghu) stands on the right bank of the Gnishik River, 3 km from the abandoned village of Amaghu, at an elevation of about 1,500 m. In the state list of monuments of Vayots Dzor it is entry 9.8.1/1, dated to the 12th–17th centuries, with the status of a monument of republican significance. The monastery is on the UNESCO tentative list (nominated in 1995): that is a nomination, not a World Heritage Site; more in the article on UNESCO sites in Armenia. The nearest inhabited village is Areni, about 8 km down the gorge; at the start of the gorge, by the main road, is the Areni-1 cave.

© BarevTrip

History by date

From the early 13th to the first half of the 14th century Noravank was the seat of the metropolitans of Syunik. It is also the necropolis of the princely Orbelian family.

The earthquake of 1840 damaged the complex, after which it was abandoned. Restorations: 1982–1989, the main church and Surb Grigor; 1996–1999, Burtelashen, consecrated in 1999.

What to see on site and nearby

The three buildings stand close together: the walk round takes 45–60 minutes, or about half an hour without climbing the stairs and taking photographs. Burtelashen is recognised by the external cantilevered stairs on its west facade: the steps are narrow, there is no handrail, and going down is harder than going up. The climb is sometimes closed, and in rain, frost or strong wind you should not go up; in winter, when icy, with small children and if you are afraid of heights, view the church from below.

© BarevTrip

There is a small museum on the grounds with works by Momik. In the churches shoulders and knees must be covered — this rule is also on the trip page.

© BarevTrip

Nearby, at the start of the gorge, is the Areni-1 cave (the “Bird Cave”): a guided tour of about 40 minutes; the floor inside is uneven and in places slippery, so closed shoes are needed; the cave is not accessible with a pushchair. In Areni village there are wineries and the church of Surb Astvatsatsin of 1321, also the work of Momik. A 2.5 km trail of 1–2 hours and moderate difficulty runs along the gorge from the monastery, with scree and a slippery descent; it does not fit into a 60-minute stop. You can add it in two ways: as a stop outside the programme at a rate known before booking, or by asking for an estimate for your own route.

Hours and tickets

The monastery publishes no official schedule and sells no tickets in advance. In the BarevTrip catalog the “Noravank Monastery” stop is marked as free, and the trip page says “Free entry”. If you arrive late, judge on the spot whether the gates are open. The amounts below are the institution’s prices, paid on site, not BarevTrip prices.

Entrance tickets are not included in the price of the trip: they are bought on site, separately, and it is safer to have cash in drams.

How to get there from Yerevan and how long it takes

The road runs along the M-2 highway south to the turn just past Areni, then about 8 km up the gorge: from the start of the path to the Areni-1 cave to the Noravank parking it is 7.6 km and 8–9 minutes. The asphalt is narrow and winding, and buses meet on the bends. The parking is by the monastery fence, and that is where the driver waits; at weekends buses take part of the spaces.

The calculation has no traffic and no stops; the figures for your winery and hotel will differ by minutes. The trip page gives the road between stops as about 4.5 hours with a reserve, and the catalog gives 260 km. 60 minutes are set aside for the monastery: enough for the three buildings and the stairs, but not for the trail.

When to go

Noravank receives visitors all year round, and the trips with it are available in the catalog in any month, except the Grand South Loop (May–October, the Selim pass). It is best to go in spring and autumn: April–June and September–October. In summer the gorge is hot and crowded. In winter the gorge road is not always cleared right after a snowfall and the pass on the M-2 can be slippery: check the weather in the morning and the bulletin of Armenia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations. The drivers of the BarevTrip fleet have at least 5 years of experience and have driven across Armenia’s regions, including on mountain roads and in winter conditions.

The Areni-1 cave works in the season from 1 March to 31 October, 10:00–19:00. The Areni trip in the catalog is open in winter and the cave stays in it: we check the hours with the foundation before the trip; if the cave is closed, the time goes to the winery and Noravank.

Daylight decides whether the route fits. The calculation is for the monastery’s point, local time:

With an 8:00 or 09:00 pickup, the eight-hour route with Areni gets back to Yerevan before sunset even on 21 December. The red cliffs look best in the morning and in the last hour before sunset.

The order of stops with Areni

In the catalog the order is: Khor Virap Monastery (60 min) → Areni winery, tasting (45 min) → Areni-1 Bird Cave (40 min) → Noravank Monastery (60 min). Four constraints set it.

The default pickup is 09:00; for this route the catalog advises 8:00. The calculated schedule for both options, without traffic:

The trip page gives a return at about 17:00 with a 09:00 pickup: that is a reserve of about 45 minutes for the hotel, parking and traffic. You can change the order of the stops for free by telling the driver at the start of the trip; a stop outside the programme or a different route is paid as an “unplanned stop or change of route” at a rate known before booking, and only with your consent. The view of Ararat from Khor Virap is a separate topic: when to go to see Ararat; the monastery itself is in the article Khor Virap.

What to combine in one day

Noravank is part of four trips in the catalog. Three of them are below, price for the whole car:

The fourth is the Grand South Loop: Khor Virap, Noravank, Tatev, Karahunj & Sevan: Noravank in it goes together with Areni, 75 minutes, and the trip itself runs only from May to October; the price is on the trip page. For winter the eight-hour trip with Areni makes more sense than Tatev: where to go from Yerevan in winter and whether you can make it to Tatev in one day. The trip with Jermuk in December and January returns at dusk. If you are choosing between south and east of Yerevan, see the article Garni or Khor Virap; a separate article on Tatev will come out later. Other combinations are in the answer on what to combine in one day; with children, see the answer on trips with children. All routes are in the tour catalog, the order of booking and payment is on the how it works page, and the ways to pay are in the answer on payment.

By tradition

According to tradition, the master Momik fell in love with the daughter of the prince of Syunik. The prince agreed to give her if Momik built a new, beautiful monastery within three years. Hewing stones out of the cliffs, the master nearly finished the work on time; the prince sent a servant, who climbed onto the dome and pushed Momik off. The last stone he had hewn became his gravestone.

One thing is certain: Momik was a real master, the author of Burtelashen, and his khachkar of 1333 stands inside the church. The rest is tradition. If you want to hear this and other stories on site, add a guide to the trip: the driver does not give tours.

What to check on site

• Hours and gates. There is no official schedule: if you arrive late, see whether the gates are open.
• The Burtelashen stairs. The climb is sometimes closed; the steps are narrow and without a handrail, and in rain and ice you should not climb.
• Cash. Parking, the toilet and the museum on the grounds may be paid: take drams.
• Areni-1 cave in winter. The season ends on 31 October; if the cave is closed, the time goes to the winery and Noravank.
• Tasting in Areni. The winery asks to be warned in advance, so the time is fixed before departure.