Persian leopard holiday in Armenia
| country: | Armenia |
| departures: | 2008: 11 Sep |
| price: | From £1360 (11 days) including flights from the UK, from £900 excluding flights. Price includes accommodation, all meals, ground transportation and excursions, services of local guides |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Discover the pristine forests and breathtaking mountainous landscape of Armenia, home to the endangered Persian leopard. Learn how to recognise leopard tracks as you follow in the footsteps of these elusive creatures and enjoy the limitless hospitality of your hosts in a country widely untouched by tourism. The rich wildlife and heritage of Armenia promise to make this the trip of a lifetime!
Largely undiscovered by tourism, Armenia is a land of rich heritage and culture, proud and hospitable people and breathtaking scenery. Armenia is also home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including brown bear, grey wolf, lynx, wild boar and porcupine, set against a backdrop of pristine forests and stunning mountainous landscapes.
This year the scientists and conservationists from Armenia are welcoming travellers to visit their country and to spend time with them in their research to save one of Armenia’s most charismatic large carnivores, the Persian Leopard.
Please note this itinerary is a guide only. Due to circumstances beyond our control, as well as to maximise opportunities for seeing animals, the following itinerary may be subject to change. No sightings of species described are guaranteed as they are wild animals and we cannot restrict their natural movements, nor indeed would we wish to. Participants must be reasonably fit as the tours will involve extended walking in the mountains and river valleys.
Largely undiscovered by tourism, Armenia is a land of rich heritage and culture, proud and hospitable people and breathtaking scenery. Armenia is also home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including brown bear, grey wolf, lynx, wild boar and porcupine, set against a backdrop of pristine forests and stunning mountainous landscapes.
This year the scientists and conservationists from Armenia are welcoming travellers to visit their country and to spend time with them in their research to save one of Armenia’s most charismatic large carnivores, the Persian Leopard.
Please note this itinerary is a guide only. Due to circumstances beyond our control, as well as to maximise opportunities for seeing animals, the following itinerary may be subject to change. No sightings of species described are guaranteed as they are wild animals and we cannot restrict their natural movements, nor indeed would we wish to. Participants must be reasonably fit as the tours will involve extended walking in the mountains and river valleys.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | The Adventure Begins. Arrive at London Heathrow Airport for your flight to Yerevan. On arrival, you will be welcomed by Alexandre Malkhasyan, a freelance researcher and wildlife expert, and his English and Armenian speaking wife, Naira who will take you to the Congress hotel in Yerevan. |
| Day 2: | Journey to Eghegnadzor. After breakfast you will travel by mini bus to the down of Eghegnadzor, south of Yerevan. During the journey you will stop at Noravank monastery, founded by Bishop Hovhannes, an abbot of Vahanavank who moved to the area in 1205. You will also take this opportunity to visit a village in the Egheghis river canyon. Bezoar goats, a main prey species of the Persian Leopard, have been reintroduced here and members of the reserve team will help you look for them. This evening the group will stay in a family home in Eghegnadzor town. |
| Day 3: | Journey to Meghry. This morning you will travel to the very south of Armenia, to Meghry, where Alik and his team have carried out most of their research. During the journey you will have the chance to look at the spectacular mountainous scenery, which changes from dry and sparse to green and lush the further south you travel. En route you will stop at Zorats-Qar, a megalithic observatory. It comprises of 204 rough-hewn stones, arranged in an elaborate layout and dating from some time prior to 2000 BC. Large lizards, up to 40cm in length, sometimes clamber over the stones. This species is called Caucasian agama and they range from Turkey to Pakistan. You will spend tonight and the next 3 nights, in Meghry. |
| Day 4: | Boghkhar reserve. Today you will explore the Boghkhar reserve, looking for signs of the wildlife here, such as brown bears and porcupines. You will be transported to the reserve in 4 wheel drive vehicles and then be able to explore more on foot. |
| Day 5: | Leopard path. Today you will follow a leopard path through the Meghry range. As you walk you will be able to look for signs of the leopards, such as their scats, scrapes and footprints. You may also be able to spot bezoar goats, the leopards main prey species. |
| Day 6: | Njuvady. After breakfast you will travel to Njuvady, the location for much of the current leopard research and conservation projects and also the main habitat of the leopard in the region. |
| Day 7-8: | Shikahokh reserve. This morning you will say your goodbyes to Meghry and travel to Shikahokh village, in the Shikahokh reserve. Over the next couple of days you will explore the reserve, taking in the spectacular scenery and looking for signs of leopards as well as visiting an ancient church and bridge. During your time here you will stay in a family house in Shikahokh village. |
| Day 9: | Journey back to Yerevan. Today you will travel back to Yerevan. En route you will visit Khor Virap, a monastery with the impressive back drop of Mount Ararat. Khor Virap is famous above all else as the place where King Trdat III imprisoned St Gregory the Illuminator for 13 years in the late 3rd and early 4th century and it is still possible to visit the subterranean cell where he was imprisoned. Once you have arrived at Yerevan, there will be a chance to rest in the Congress hotel or to explore this historic city. Believed to be as old as Babylon, the city of Yerevan grew up around the original fortress town of Erubuni, whose prosperity grew as a result of its location on the cross roads of a number of major trade routes. |
| Day 10: | Lake Sevan. This morning you will travel to Lake Sevan. At 1,900m above sea level, Lake Sevan is one of the world’s highest lakes. Its clear turquoise waters have earned it the name of ‘the Emerald of Armenia’. As you walk around the mountain lake you may spot wetland birds, such as the endemic Armenian gull. In the afternoon you will visit Garni temple, Armenia’s only Greco-Roman-style building. You will enjoy a guided tour of the site and hear about its long and important history. You will also visit the Geghard monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built into the side of a mountain in a deep, heavily wooded valley Geghard is a fantastic example of medieval Armenian architecture. Begun in 4th century AD it consists of the ‘Mother of God’ Cathedral and two chapels carved deep into the rock. This evening you will have a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. |
| Day 11: | Farewell. This morning your guides will take you back to the airport for your return flight home. |
how this holiday makes a difference
|
In line with our strong beliefs in responsible tourism our trip to Armenia is locally run from start to finish. Guests will spend most of their time in home stays, where they can sample homecooked food and drinks such as lavash (flat bread), barbequed meat, yoghurt and vodka! Food is bought and often grown locally and the restaurants where you will dine, which again are locally run, come highly recommended by your Armenian hosts and guides. You can also rest assured that a fair price has been paid for all your travel, guides, accommodation and meals.
When searching for wildlife your guides will be local experts in the fauna of Armenia. We have been funding a project on the Persian leopard for several years and proceeds from this trip will also go to continue helping this vital conservation work. With the exception of the overheads for our small UK office, all of the money paid for the trip remains in Armenia - with Armenians. Aside from the economical issues, using local guides ensures you will learn from the best when it comes to the indigenous and endemic flora and fauna of Armenia and the conservation projects and plans to protect them. We provide our clients with advice on responsible travel behaviour and keep the group size small to reduce the possibility of any negative impacts on the areas you visit. The leaders are also keen to educate you during your time with them and you will leave knowing more about the wildlife, conservation programmes and way of life in Armenia. We work towards ensuring a future for endangered species worldwide and believe sustainable practices have a role to play within this. Back in the UK, as part of our environmental policy we operate a recycling, energy-saving and waste reducing programme in our office. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |