The Road Above the Abyss — from Ancient Areni Wine to the Caves of Khndzoresk and Tatev

A journey that begins with wine and ends above the Vorotan Gorge is one of the most unusual and impressive routes in southern Armenia. In the morning we set off for the ancient wine region of Areni to get to know Armenian wine and taste local varieties. Then the road takes us further south, to Syunik, where a completely different world awaits: caves where people lived until relatively recently, a vast gorge, and a swinging bridge linking the two sides of the canyon. After Khndzoresk we head for the Vorotan Gorge, where the famous Wings of Tatev cable car crosses the abyss. The finale of the journey is Tatev Monastery, one of the main spiritual and educational centres of medieval Armenia. This route is for those for whom simply seeing the sights is not enough — here the whole day feels like a real journey.

Early in the morning an Amaras Tour car arrives directly at the address you give in Yerevan — your hotel, apartment or another place agreed in advance. There is no common meeting point and no waiting for other tourists: the day belongs only to you and your companions. From Yerevan we head south, and the first major stop is the famous wine region of Areni.

The village of Areni lies in Vayots Dzor and is today one of the best-known centres of Armenian winemaking. But the history of wine here did not begin a few centuries ago — it goes back thousands of years. Next to the modern village is the Areni-1 Cave, an archaeological site that has given the world some of the most important evidence of how ancient the region's wine culture is. Inside the cave, archaeologists discovered a winemaking complex about 6,100 years old, with structures and objects linked to pressing grapes and storing wine. The find is considered one of the oldest known wineries in the world. That is why Vayots Dzor is interesting today not only for its beautiful modern wineries: there is a genuine historical link here between ancient and modern wine culture. One of the symbols of the region is the local Areni grape, often called Areni Noir. It has adapted perfectly to the climate of Vayots Dzor, where high altitude, plenty of sunny days, stony volcanic soils and a marked difference between day and night temperatures create special conditions for growing grapes. Areni is used above all for red and rosé wines.

At the start of the journey we visit one of the region's wineries. The specific winery can be chosen in advance, depending on guests' preferences and availability on the date of the tour. The programme may include the history of the winery, a talk about the Areni grape, a visit to the production area, an introduction to how wine is made, a visit to the cellars, a talk about ageing wine, and a tasting. This is not just a stop to “try some wine” — we want guests to understand why Vayots Dzor is considered Armenia's leading wine region. The tasting format depends on the chosen winery: the set may include white, rosé and red wines, wines made from Areni, aged wines and special or reserve lines, and a more extensive tasting can be arranged on request. The wine tour and tasting are paid separately unless they have been included in your individual quote in advance. After the tasting, guests can buy the wines they liked directly at the winery, if they are on sale.

After Areni begins the long and very beautiful road to Syunik. The landscape grows steadily more mountainous as the road winds through passes, valleys and highland stretches. Syunik is nothing like central Armenia: the mountains are more massive, the gorges deeper, and the distances between settlements give a real sense of travel. Our next destination is Khndzoresk, not far from Goris. There is a modern village of Khndzoresk today, but the main attraction lies in the gorge: Old Khndzoresk, a historic cave settlement. What awaits us is not a single cave or a small archaeological site — an entire settlement once stood here.

Hundreds of natural and artificially enlarged caves line the slopes of the gorge. People used them as dwellings, work spaces, shelters and storerooms. Some caves were connected to one another, and the settlement also included ordinary stone houses, churches and other buildings. The cave way of life survived here for a very long time. Families adapted natural hollows in the rock to their everyday needs: people lived in some rooms, while others were used for storing food or keeping animals. The rock gave natural protection from wind, heat and bad weather, and so, little by little, a unique settlement took shape where nature and human architecture existed side by side. Khndzoresk was once a fairly large settlement, and life went on here right up to the 20th century. Later the inhabitants gradually moved to flatter ground, where modern Khndzoresk grew up, while the old settlement remained in the gorge. Today it lets you literally walk in the footsteps of the life that once filled it.

To reach the heart of Old Khndzoresk you cross the famous Khndzoresk Swinging Bridge. About 160 metres long, it runs high above the gorge and links its two sides. The bridge is one of the most memorable parts of the journey: beneath your feet is a deep canyon, on either side the rocks and caves of the old settlement. The bridge sways slightly as you walk, so the crossing feels like a real adventure. For anyone afraid of heights it can be an emotional moment, but it is from here that some of the best views of Khndzoresk open up. Once across, we continue on foot past cave dwellings, rock passages, the remains of old buildings, churches, historic paths and viewpoints — and it is here that you realise how large Old Khndzoresk once was. Khndzoresk is known for more than its unusual architecture: the area played a significant role in the history of Syunik. Its remoteness, rugged terrain and many natural shelters made the settlement well protected, and hard periods of Armenian history, wars and the resistance of the local population all passed through this region. It is important to understand that visiting Khndzoresk is not an ordinary roadside stop: there are descents, climbs, steps, uneven stone surfaces, the swinging bridge and a walk on foot. No special fitness is required, but comfortable shoes are a must. For older guests or those who find long walks difficult, the programme can be shortened.

After Khndzoresk we continue through Syunik, and the road gradually brings us to one of the deepest and most beautiful gorges in the region, the Vorotan Gorge. Here the next part of the journey begins: the famous Wings of Tatev cable car, which links the area around the village of Alidzor with Tatev. The cableway is 5,752 metres long and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest reversible passenger cableway of its kind in the world. But the main impression is not the length itself — it is what the cable car passes over. The cabin glides high above the Vorotan Gorge: below are cliffs, mountain roads, forests, the Vorotan River and the enormous depth of the canyon, and as you approach the far side Tatev Monastery gradually comes into view. Tatev can also be reached by road, but the Wings of Tatev let you see the Vorotan Gorge in a completely different way. It is not just transport but a part of the journey in its own right: in a few minutes the full scale of Syunik unfolds before your eyes in a way you could never feel from an ordinary road. Cable car tickets are paid separately. The Wings of Tatev operate according to the seasonal timetable, technical schedule, weather conditions and wind strength, so the schedule and availability must be checked in advance before every trip.

On the edge of the vast Vorotan Gorge stands Tatev Monastery, one of the most famous historic complexes in Armenia. Tatev cannot be separated from its surroundings: the monastery stands literally above the abyss, and it is this combination of architecture, history and nature that makes it one of the most impressive places in the country. An early Christian presence here dates back to the first centuries of Christianity in Armenia, but the main monastic complex took shape from the 9th century onwards. Over the following centuries Tatev grew ever larger and more influential, becoming the most important spiritual, cultural and educational centre of Syunik. The monastery's main church, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Surb Poghos-Petros), is the architectural centrepiece of the complex. It was built in the late 9th to early 10th century. Its interior was once covered in rich frescoes, some traces of which survive.

Tatev gained particular fame in the 14th–15th centuries, when the renowned University of Tatev operated here — one of the most important centres of learning in medieval Armenia. Philosophy, theology, grammar, mathematics, natural sciences, music and the art of manuscripts were all studied here. Tatev was not only a place of prayer: it was where the intellectual elite of its time was formed. One of the outstanding thinkers behind the development of the Tatev school was Hovhan Vorotnetsi. He played an important role in creating and developing Tatev's educational tradition, and his students carried on this work. The most famous of them was Grigor Tatevatsi — a philosopher, theologian, teacher and one of the greatest Armenian intellectuals of the Middle Ages. Thanks to him, the University of Tatev reached its golden age. The tomb of Grigor Tatevatsi stands within the monastery grounds.

One of Tatev's most mysterious and fascinating monuments is the Gavazan, a tall octagonal stone column erected in 906. What makes it special is that it can move and sway slightly. It is believed that this allowed the pillar to respond to tremors in the ground, which is why it is often described as a kind of medieval seismic indicator. More than a thousand years ago, building a tall stone structure that could stay stable while also responding to movement was a serious engineering challenge. So the Gavazan is interesting not only as a religious or symbolic object — it shows the high level of engineering thought of medieval Armenian craftsmen. The complex also preserves a medieval oil press, where you can see the equipment and how oil was made from various seeds. It is an interesting part of Tatev because it reveals not only the spiritual but also the everyday economic life of a large monastery. After the tour we always leave time for the panorama. Before us is one of the most impressive gorges in Armenia: high mountains, a deep valley and the Vorotan River form a landscape of immense scale, with the monastery standing right on its edge. This is the moment when it is best simply to pause for a while.

Meals are not included in the base price of the private tour, but since the route is very long, we always set aside time to eat. At guests' request, lunch can be arranged in Vayots Dzor, around Goris, in Khndzoresk or around Alidzor and Tatev; the place and length of the stop are agreed in advance. For such a long route we also recommend bringing water and a light snack. After Tatev we begin the long journey back, and the Amaras Tour car takes you directly to the address you give in Yerevan. This is one of the longest day routes in our private programme, taking roughly 13–15 hours, so we recommend an early start and a comfortable car.

The private tour can be booked in two formats: with a professional driver, or with a professional driver plus a separate professional tour guide. Cars are available in Standard, Comfort, Premium and Luxury categories, and professional drone filming can be added to the trip on request. In a single day the journey passes through completely different worlds: the vineyards of Areni, an ancient wine culture, mountain roads, the caves of Khndzoresk, the swinging bridge, the Vorotan Gorge, the Wings of Tatev and ancient Tatev. We begin the day with a glass of Armenian wine, then cross a gorge on a swinging bridge, walk through a town hidden in the rocks, rise above the Vorotan Gorge and end the journey at one of the greatest monasteries of medieval Armenia.