Armenian Tea Drinking Rituals by Darman
Berd, Tavush Province
Wild herbs and herbal teas are ubiquitous aspects of the Armenian kitchen and wider culture. They can be found pretty much everywhere. You can even spot edible herbs growing out of cracks in sidewalks in downtown Yerevan! Yet for some reason, there was no organized Armenian tea drinking ritual – until now. Our nonprofit arm ONEArmenia teamed up with Darman Tea, the only organic-certified tea producer in Armenia, based in Berd, to create the first Armenian tea drinking ritual. For this experience, you’ll travel up to a beautiful ridge overlooking the mountains of Berd, where Darman sources the herbal teas and flowers used in their teas. There, you’ll get settled on beautiful local carpets and select the organic herbs and flowers you want included in your own personal blend, learning about where they come from, how they’re used traditionally in Armenia, and their wellness properties. After brewing the teas, we will taste them together. To activate your sense of smell and enhance the tasting experience, we will also perform an aromatherapy ceremony, burning select herbs that have proven antibacterial properties. In fact, this was a common practice in old Armenian homes. Finally, we will guide you through a basic meditation session to end your experience. Before you leave, you’ll have an opportunity to purchase the unique blend you created, or one of Darman’s original blends, at their production facility.

Silent Mountain Therapy Retreat
Gyumri, Shirak
Have you ever gone into nature and done nothing but listen to the sounds of nature – the rushing of a river, the rustling of leaves, the crackling of pinecones, the song of birds, and in the winter months the crunch of snow beneath your feet? That’s exactly what you’ll do on a Silent Mountain Therapy Retreat with North Adventures Armenia, an adventure tour operator based in Gyumri. On this wellness experience, you’ll head out to one of Armenia’s most remote natural locations, Ashotsk, where panoramic views inspire awe. There, your hosts will set you up in a beautiful corner of nature with comfortable seating, light snacks, local wine, and other drinks, and then let you sit back and do nothing. They’ll be happy to share information and stories about local wildlife, but if you prefer to just sit back and connect with nature in silence, they’ll be more than happy to facilitate that for you. You can choose an open field, a riverbed, or a mountain location, and your preferred time of day for this experience – either day, night, sunrise, or sunset. If you're not sure what type of Mountain Therapy experience you want, your host will build one for you after asking you a few questions during the confirmation process. You’ll come away from a Mountain Therapy retreat feeling recharged and one with nature.

Hiking & Riverside Sauna Therapy
Vanadzor, Lori
If outdoor adventures are how you like to spend your time unwinding in a foreign country, we highly recommend you pay a visit to The Nest, an all-season hiking and wellness center where you can enjoy year-round hiking, followed by a riverside sauna experience for hot-cold therapy. First, you’ll go on a hike with their local professional guide and learn about local flora and fauna along the way. During the snowy winter months, you’ll go on a snowshoeing adventure with all the necessary equipment. After your hike, you’ll have the opportunity to rest and unwind with water therapy in The Nest’s sauna, located right by a local river. As you move between the hot sauna and the cold waters of the river, your body and mind will relax, and you’ll leave this experience feeling refreshed and renewed.