T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave
T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave
4
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Areni 1 Cave, located in Vayots Dzor, Armenia, is a testament to human history spanning from the New Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. The cave is composed of three vast halls, each with unique features, interconnected by winding passages and "secret rooms". Remarkable archaeological findings include an ancient wine production facility from the early 4th millennium BC, showcasing the earliest winemaking techniques. The cave preserves organic materials due to its microclimate, revealing insights into agricultural practices, craftsmanship, and spiritual beliefs.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Top ways to experience T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles81 reviews
Excellent
36
Very good
33
Average
10
Poor
0
Terrible
2

Dirk W
Alexandra Headland, Australia6 464 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
It is difficult for a person without an archaeological background to appreciate the significance of this cave. But they found layer after layer of human habitation here, dating back 6,000 years. They found a skirt, a shoe and the oldest humanoid brain. Best of all, they found wine making ceramic and plastered vessels, confirming this site as the earliest known winery in the world . . . a fact the Armenians are immensely proud of and will tell you a million times during your visit.
Written 16 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

msa23_2000
Chino Hills, CA1 479 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Solo
It’s famous for a shoe that was found there, but the shoe is in a museum in Yerevan. There was an English speaking guide so that was helpful. You can see some pots still in the ground. It’s not very big. You need less than 20 minutes to visit.
Written 6 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maral
Aghavnadzor, Armenia6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Couples
First off: TOUR GUIDE necessary / a must!
There is information available on plaques throughout the cave complex but to really fully experience and understand the depth of the amazing stories going on, take a guided tour. Our tour guide Arminé spoke fluent English with an incredible depth of knowledge and elevated the entire experience to something truly AWEsome!
Written 14 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ashlei
Fleet, UK12 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
It is a cave complex and excavations. A tour without guide is impossible for health and safety reasons. That is not nice.
Written 11 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JAPRADHA
Pune, India101 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
This archeological site is near Areni village...during excavations in 2007 they found about 6100 yrs old winery & also found oldest shoe in the world...found human skulls which could be related to ritual sacrifices.
Written 31 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MichaelDolgy
Gold Coast, Australia335 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
Amazing experience! the oldest winery in the world! beautiful view from the top! unbelievable exploration!!!
Written 28 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AllyP1994
Martinborough, New Zealand159 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
this massive cave has been excavated and is laid out so you can walk around - there are excellent walkways and it is well lit. The excavations are really interesting. This where the oldest shoe in the world was found!
Written 8 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Քրիստինե Ս
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Family
It's a great archeological place, located in the village of Areni in the Vayots Dzor province.
The Areni 1 winery is a 6100 year old winery that was discovered in 2007, in the Areni 1 cave complex.
The oldest leather shoe was also found in Areni 1 Cave.
There were even skulls found in jars, which may be from ritual sacrifices.
There is local guide who can tell you more information.
Written 21 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristine B
Kingston, Jamaica896 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Friends
This is a really interesting cave system that’s a working archaeological site. You don’t see the actual things that have been found there but there are pictures and several signs explaining each section of the cave and what’s been found there. This isn’t a place for a long visit but the 30 minutes you’ll spend there are worth it to learn a bit about pre-history.
Written 23 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tomas Å
Sollentuna, Sweden201 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Couples
The guys at the entrance said that the cave was closed, but then happily charged us AMD1000 each and suddenly it was open! Interesting to visit, but one wonders how much to believe of the difficult to grasp signs.
Written 22 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 36
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

T'RCHUNERI (BIRD) CAVE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave

According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave:


Restaurants near T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave: View all restaurants near T'rchuneri (Bird) Cave on Tripadvisor