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Winemaker’s Table:
Areni Cliffs

“Can't Miss Culinary Experience”

Forbes Magazine

Our Wild Food Adventures are 5/5 star rated 3 course dining experiences in Armenia’s most beautiful natural settings, hosted by professionally trained local chefs and benefiting local wildlife conservation. All the dishes on our menus are authentic to each location and are prepared using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients.

Go off roading to the towering red cliffs of Noravank Canyon in the Arpa Protected Landscape, where professional local chefs will share with you the delights of Armenian wine country. Your experience will begin with a refreshing Armenian sangria made using your hosts’ family wine along with hors d'oeuvres. While you settle in, local wildlife rangers will set up binoculars and help you spot the majestic bezoar goat, an endangered wild goat species that, thanks to their conservation efforts, are thriving in herds on the cliffs around you. All the while, your local hosts will begin preparing your 3 course meal. You’re welcome to join them in the outdoor kitchen and learn to cook local recipes with them, or simply take in the breathtaking views of the canyon  while you sip on local wines. Throughout your experience, your hosts will share the significance of each dish on the menu, where they come from, and what they mean to local people. While you dine, your table will afford crystal clear views of 13th century Noravank Monastery. See all the details and book this Wild Food Adventure through the form below!

Your Location

This Wild Food Adventure takes place at spectacular heights of Noravank Canyon in the Arpa Protected Landscape, Armenia’s first community-managed protected area. The arid and rocky canyon is home to 885 plant species, as well as 39 mammals, and 190 bird species, many of which are nationally or globally endangered, including the bezoar goat, which you will see while you dine thanks to the help of local wildlife rangers. Named after Noravank Monastery, which you’ll also see clearly from your dining table, the monastery was completed in the 13th century and is considered a masterpiece of medieval Armenian architecture.

Your Hosts

Both born and raised in Areni village, wife-husband duo Mariam and Anushavan are not new to hosting travelers like you – the two have been working together at their family winery for some time now. In fact, Anushavan’s father founded the very first private winery in Areni following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since then, their family has been hard at work sharing their wines and local way of life with travelers, and in doing so, supporting their family. Mariam played a key role in developing the menu for this experience, which you can see below. The tolma [tohl-mah] is her own recipe, made using grape leaves from their vineyard, while the tarragon salad is a family recipe passed down to her, which also happened to be her grandfather’s favorite. Preparing it, she says, keeps his memory alive.

Your Ride

You’ll meet your hosts at their family winery in the center of Areni village, from where you’ll hop into an off road vehicle for a 25 minute ride into the Arpa Protected Landscape, where your dining table awaits atop sheer red cliffs. If you need transportation from Yerevan to Areni, we’d be glad to arrange that for you at extra cost. We’ll confirm that and other details over email after you have submitted your booking request form through this site.

Your Menu

Like all our Wild Food Adventures, the menu of the Winemaker’s Table was carefully created by your hosts and ONEArmenia, our nonprofit arm, with support from an Armenian food historian, and is based on the culinary traditions of the Vayots Dzor province. All ingredients are seasonal and locally sourced. Scroll down to see the full menu! The menu is fixed, and includes options for vegetarian diners. If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, we will be sure to ask during the confirmation process after you have submitted your booking request form through this site.

The Story

The monastery before your dining table, Noravank, was built out of love by the medieval architect Momik over 700 years ago. Momik had fallen in love with the daughter of the Prince of Syunik, who ruled over this part of Armenia. The love was mutual, but the Prince had one condition for Momik: “I’ll give you my daughter’s hand in marriage, but only if you can build a temple of incredible and unmatched beauty, in less than three years.” Momik went to work immediately, and met the deadline. But as he was placing the final stone in its place on the dome of the monastery, by the order of the Prince an unknown assailant pushed him off. Momik tragically plummeted to the ground, clutching the last block of his masterpiece in his hands. That stone became his tombstone. Momik may have died that day, but the love and beauty he left behind remains. This is just one of many stories you’ll hear during your experience.

4 – 5 hours

•

8 people max

•

3 course meal

•

Vegetarian friendly

•

Professional local chefs

•

Untouched nature

•

4 – 5 hours • 8 people max • 3 course meal • Vegetarian friendly • Professional local chefs • Untouched nature •


Menu

Welcome Sangria Cocktail & Amuse-Bouches

Appetizers

Armenian mixed cheese platter

Tarragon salad with grapes and goat cheese aged underground in clay pots (horats panir)

Pumpkin hummus

Main Course

Trout wrapped in lavash bread served with grilled red pepper purée and seasonal greens

Grape leaf tolma with beef, served with garlic yogurt

Vegetarian options (by prior request):
Bean, chickpea, and pumpkin balajik stew with dried plums and apricots

Baked lentils and vegetables wrapped in lavash, served with greens

Dessert

Honey grilled seasonal fruit served with strained yogurt and mulberry molasses 

Drinks

Sangria cocktail | Red and white wine | Still and sparkling water | Coffee and tea

This menu was carefully created by your hosts and ONEArmenia, our nonprofit arm, with support from an Armenian food historian, and is based on the culinary traditions of the Vayots Dzor province. All ingredients are seasonal and locally sourced.

Your table is ready, book now

Use this form to send a booking request and our team will get in touch with you to confirm the details of your adventure, including pricing, transport & dietary restrictions. Pricing by group size below.*

2 people: 125,000 AMD per person
4 people: 76,000 AMD per person
6 people: 65,000 AMD per person
8-10 people: 59,000 AMD per person

*Free cancellation up to 72 hours before each adventure.

Adventuring for Good

Transforming the lives of both travelers and local people through meaningful and responsible experiences is why we do what we do at 2492. We believe that Armenia can be a wonderful place to both visit and live in, which is why each of our experiences are thoughtfully built not only to connect you with local people and ways of life, but also positively impact the lives and communities that you encounter. For our Wild Food Adventures, that means: 

  • Local, seasonal ingredients: All our dishes are cooked using seasonal ingredients sourced from local communities.

  • Native, authentic recipes: With the support of an expert Armenian food historian and our nonprofit arm ONEArmenia, your hosts have created a menu that is true to the culinary and cultural traditions of each location while preserving its cultural heritage with local and near-forgotten recipes.  

  • Expertly trained community hosts: Your hosts have been trained in the culinary arts, hospitality, customer service, hygiene, food waste management, first aid, and environmental protection at the Yeremyan Academy, Armenia’s top culinary school, so that you can enjoy the Armenian Highland in comfort and feel good knowing that your experience has little to no negative impacts on the environment. 

  • Untouched natural landscapes: A donation of 2,000 AMD from each individual’s booking in your group will go to the Caucasus Nature Fund, who will double that amount and send to the Arpa Protected Landscape, the community-managed protected area where this experience takes place, home to 885 plant species, 39 mammals, and 190 bird species, many of which are nationally or globally endangered.

FAQ

Questions? Concerns? Burning existential queries on life? We can help (with the first two).

  • Unfortunately not, as our menu is fixed.

  • If you are a vegetarian then absolutely yes. Some dishes in the lineup are already vegetarian-friendly. For dishes that are not, we have prepared vegetarian alternatives. Simply make sure to inform us if you or someone in your group is vegetarian when submitting your booking request. Unfortunately though, not all our vegetarian alternatives are vegan and dairy products are used extensively in Armenian cuisine so at this point we are unable to cater to vegans.

  • It will depend. Please let us know of any allergies and/or dietary restrictions anyone in your group may have using the booking request form, and we will see if we can remove/replace ingredients affected, though we cannot guarantee that there won’t be cross contamination.

  • No, however do bear in mind that some of our experiences include off-road driving on bumpy roads in order to reach the final location. If you have any physical impairments like back problems that might be affected, please inform us and we can advise on whether or not your desired experience is suitable.

  • Unfortunately, our regular itinerary is not. However, we aim to make our trips as accessible as possible so please let us know if you have any special requirements and we will try to find a solution within our means.

  • For safety reasons, children under 12 are not able to participate in the Winemaker’s Table: Areni Cliffs and Mountaintop Eats experiences. However, children are welcome in the Winemaker’s Table: Areni Vineyards experience.

  • English, Russian, and Armenian.

  • There are no pets allowed at the Winemaker’s Table: Areni Cliffs or Mountaintop Eats experiences, as both are set at high altitudes with rough terrains, and the former is also set within a protected area. As for Areni Vineyards, pets are welcome so long as they remain on their best behavior.

  • No, Armenian cuisine is not very spicy by nature. But that doesn’t mean it lacks flavor!

  • Of course! A fixed amount is included in the price of your experience and you can order additional alcohol during the experience itself, depending on what is available in the location. Note that we are unfortunately not able to provide an extensive menu given the wild nature of the experience. If you do not drink alcohol, don’t worry – a non-alcoholic alternative will be provided.

  • Though we cannot control the exact conditions on the day of your experience, insect repellent will be available for you to use in case of insects. We have done our best to select locations where there are few such critters but there is a chance you will come across other animals such as snakes (though they generally avoid people anyway). Our guide and local partners will advise you what to do in such situations.

  • We will notify you 48 hours before the experience start time if we need to postpone or cancel, in the case of a heavy rain forecast. Still, we recommend you bring a raincoat anyway in case of unexpected rain. Otherwise, the Armenian sun can be quite strong and while your dining area is arranged under a canopy, we recommend bringing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen in case. As the evenings can get quite cool, we also suggest bringing warm layers.

  • There are no fixed toilets, however your hosts will of course show you a safe, comfortable and private place to “go in the wild.” Hand washing equipment will be provided. In case you need a fixed toilet, these will be available at the start and end points of your experience.

  • Not at all. The ride to Areni takes around 2 hours and transportation is easy to arrange. You can contact us for more information. As for Yeranos, transportation from Yerevan is included in the price of your booking.