Departure
Upcoming tour

Western Armenia (Historical Armenia) 6 day tour
(September 06, 2013 - September 10, 2013)

Route map
Tour price: 650 USD Duration of the tour: 5 days The tour distance:2600 km ( 1615 miles ) Tour type: Armenia

Testimonials

Nune Khachatryan

My cherished dream since childhood unexpectedly came true. The idea of a pilgrimage to our ancestors’ land was arising contradictory emotions inside me over years. Shall I go or not? The time has come. Together with my husband and daughter I decided to take part in this tour. 
I was looking forward to seeing my forefathers’ homeland. Ardahan was the first to welcome us. I was shocked from the luxurious colors of the nature; endless forests, fields…
Next we visited Kars. My grandfather comes from Kars. My heart began beating fast. The excitement strangled my throat, and tears were running down my cheeks. It was too difficult.
We visited Ani, Van, Igdir, Mush, Erzrum: We climbed the slopes of Ararat, were present at the liturgy taking place in St. Cross Church of Aghtamar. While leaving each place, it seemed to me as if I was tearing a piece of  my heart  and leaving it there. A blunt pain was  strangling my throat. But what can we do? We are just to live and beg God to revolt the historical truth. Our pilgrimage was rather interesting and saturated owing to the organizers of  “Anitour”. I am thankful to Mr. and Mrs. Arushanyans, their son with all my heart. May God bless you, as you are doing a patriotic, tremendous and priceless work.

Nune Khachatryan Pedagogue
Mariam Sargsyan

This was my second pilgrimage to Western Armenia. This time I visited Western Armenia together with my parents. The pilgrimage was exceptional as we were lucky to take part in the liturgy of the St. Cross Chuch of Aghtamar and receive the sacraments. I experienced pain when I saw the treshold of St. Nshan Church of Varagavank  having been collapsed (it collapsed during the earthquake in Van), I experienced pain when I saw the last relics of the Armenian districts in Mush being destroyed. As usual, this time also the Arushanyan family organized the tour on a high level. My father found his grandfather's village Berdagh with the help of Anitour. The excitement was indescribable. Thanks to the Arushanyan family for their precious and patriotic work. Let us remember that we are not only the victims of the genocide but also a nation devoid of homeland. And one day sooner or later the occupated part of our homeland will join the Republic of Armenia. Anyway, it should be noted the words by the eminent Armenian novelist Raffi “One who doesn't know their homeland, cannot love it truly.”

Mariam Sargsyan Art critic, historian
Hovhannes Hakobyan

Thanks to the Arushanyan family to provide us with invaluable service and for giving us the opportunity to be in Erzrum. Our main aim was to be in our ancestors’ homeland. My wife’s forefathers have migrated from Bayazet and my grandfather was born in Erzrum. Also my dream to climb the Mount Ararat partially came true. Hopefully next year I will climb the summit of Ararat. It is hard to describe our feelings, first - happiness that we have such a wonderful country, and then pain - that it belongs to the foreigners, who takes care of it as an owner. And after our return we experienced disappointment and uncertainty. The foreigner is protecting our country, while we are destroying the last pieces of land which we are going to lose. We are blaming everybody for the massacre; the Turkish, the Kurdish, Russians, yet the real ones to blame, are we who have lost our religious values/beliefs, have removed from our roots. And only the return to our roots will save our nation.

Hovhannes Hakobyan Jeweler
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Tour to Western Armenia
Tour to Western Armenia
Tour to Western Armenia
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