How to Visit Garni Temple and Symphony of Stones by Bus
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Garni Temple and the nearby natural wonder “The Symphony of Stones” are two spectacular sites that can be reached from Yerevan on a day trip. It’s one of the most popular tours offered around the capital.
They are also very near Geghard Monastery, an awesome UNESCO-recognized monastery with a deep history rooted in Christianity. I visited all 3 on the same day using public transport which is quite easy to organize. Here’s how!
Taking the Yerevan to Garni Bus
Two buses, numbers 266 and 284, go directly from Yerevan to the village of Garni. They both depart from Gai Bus Station at this exact location.
To get to Gai Bus Station from the city center, grab bus #63 (100 AMD/0.25$) and get off at Gai Avenue. You will find the 266/284 buses idling between two small patches of a park.
Only these two buses (266 and 284) use this station and both go to Garni so it’s hard to get lost or confused. The timetable on the official site shows 3 departures at 11:11, 12:11, and 12:59.
However, one bus for sure goes at 10 AM as this is the one I took. It goes all the way to the village of Goght (250AMD/0.65$). Go to the terminus at Goght if you want to visit Geghard Monastery. Afterwards, you can backtrack and visit the Symphony of Stones and finally Garni Temple.
If you want to visit only Garni Temple, get off at Garni.
Which one to visit first: Garni Temple or the Symphony of Stones?
The two sites are not thematically connected in any way. People usually pair them for a visit because of their proximity, not cultural relations. This means you can visit either site first.
One reason you might want to visit the Symphony of Stones first if you’re alone is that there’s a secret back entrance to the Garni Temple site from a pathway that starts down at the Symphony of Stones’s gorge. This allows you to skip the entrance fee, which for foreigners is double the locals’ rate – I hate these.
I visited the Symphony of Stones first because I came from Geghard Monastery and it is closer.
Symphony of Stones
When you get off the bus in Garni, walk through the village towards this location where you can buy a ticket for the Symphony of Stones.
The entrance fee for it is 250 AMD (0.65$).
After you enter, there is only one path through the gorge with beautiful rock formations on both sides. They are what people call the Symphony of Stones.
The Symphony of Stones is a part of the Garni Gorge where enormous basalt rocks form regular and symmetric penta and hexagons. The unique shapes make it a very photo-worthy location and a must-see site in Armenia. Yeah, it’s just rocks, but unique and impressive rocks anyhow!
Walk through the gorge until you reach a small path going to the right and up. Take it and follow it until you get to right under Garni Temple.
You won’t be able to see Garni Temple from down under, but another path slopes around the cliff and brings you straight under the Temple.
Best of all – this way you avoid the official entrance and save a bit of money on a ticket (go buy a ticket if you want to be all clear and support the site of course).
Garni Temple
The Temple of Garni is the easternmost Roman temple still in existence.
Built by King Tiridates I in the 1st century it served as a temple to the sun god Mihr. Armenia converted to Christianity in the 4th century (a fascinating story you can dive in by visiting Khor Virap) and so the pagan temple had to be either destroyed or converted.
Eventually, it was converted into a royal summer house for the King’s sister. Talk about a change in utility.
The temple was destroyed in 1679 in an earthquake and for 3 centuries the rubble was just lying around.
It was then fully rebuilt with the same rubble in 1975. What you’re looking at today is a very good fake.
Nonetheless, a beautiful fake.
The entrance fee to Garni Temple is 1500 AMD (3.7$) for foreigners and 750 AMD for locals.
Best Tour to Garni and Symphony of Stones
If you can’t be bothered with the public transportation in Yerevan and just want to relax and admire the sights, then an organized tour is a good decision.
Here is the one I recommend:
- The Trifecta: Garni, Geghard, and Symphony of Stones (+Complimentary Lavash tasting): BOOK HERE.
- Christianity Started Pack: Garni, Khor Virap, Geghard: BOOK HERE.
- See it all: Khor Virap, Garni, Geghard, Echmiadzin, Zvartnots: BOOK HERE.
Getting back to Yerevan
To return to Yerevan, to Garni town city center.
You will then have two options – wait for the bus to come or hitchhike.
According to the official timetable (take it with a pinch of salt), the bus from Garni to Yerevan departs at 7:36, 8:06, 9:16, 13:46, 14:36, 16:06, and 19:46. This is the bus stop location.
The first three may be too early for a day trip, but the rest are suitable.
As for hitchhiking, practically all cars going west are going to Yerevan, so you should have no trouble hitching a ride back to the capital.
Where next?
Did you visit Geghard Monastery? It’s one of the oldest religious complexes in Armenia and a UNESCO heritage site. Must go!
What about Khor Virap? This is where Christianity began in Armenia!
If you want to spend more time in Yerevan, check out my top places to go there.
What about Armenia’s second city – Gyumri? It is all about culture, museums, and humor. Check it out!
