The Eastern Anatolian Tour
For those clients who would prefer to explore Turkey with a professional guide, we are pleased to offer the option of joining one of our escorted tours, discovering Central,Western, Northern and Eastern Turkey. These tours are operated with limited numbers, enabling us to pay personal attention to each individual client and leaving plenty of space on the bus.
All tours have guaranteed departure dates with a minimum of 6 and maximum of 20 people.
Ankara – Cappadocia – Adiyaman – Kahramanmaras – Kahta – Mount Nemrut – Atatürk Dam – Harran – Sanliurfa – Mardin – Diyarbakir – Van – Dogubeyazit – Kars – Trabzon (14 days and 13 nights) Day 1 Arrival in Ankara
Arrive at Ankara airport (via Istanbul) to be met by your tour guide, transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2 Ankara
Set off from your hotel in the morning to visit the fascinating Hittite Museum, where displayed are the remains of 16 different civilisations that have inhabited Anatolia. Continue to Atatürk’s Mausoleum, the resting place of the founder of modern Turkey. Still revered as a great national hero, he was responsible for revolutionising the country and turning it into the modern secular state it is today. Stop at Tuz Gölü ‘Salt Lake’, the second biggest lake in Turkey and continue on to visit the 13th century Seljuk caravanserai, or traveller’s inn, before arriving in Cappadocia for dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 3 Cappadocia
Depart from the hotel and drive to Pasabagi to see the fascinating mushroom-shaped pinnacles continuing on to the city of Avanos for lunch. 
Visit the beautiful open-air museum at Göreme to view the early Christian settlements and remains of rock cut churches and frescoes. Before returning to your hotel, visit the natural rock castles at Üçhisar, staying overnight in Ürgüp.
Day 4 Cappadocia
Visit the famous rock churches in the Red and Rose Valleys and hike the 5km through the Güllüdere Valley. Stop by the houses and churches of the Christian clergymen in Çavusin Village before going on to Pigeon Valley and Kaymakli, the underground city where the early Christians sought refuge. End the day with a visit to the natural castle at Ortahisar and Greek Village of Mustafapasa, overnight in Ürgüp.
Day 5 Adiyaman – Kahramanmaras – Kahta
Set off from your hotel early, driving through the Taurus Mountains, affording you the opportunity to observe the countryside and everyday life of rural Turkey. Stopping at Kahramanmaras, famous for its ice cream, you can spend some time strolling around the local bazaar before heading towards Kahta for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 Mount Nemrut – Atatürk Dam – Harran – Sanliurfa
Leave for the spectacular Mount Nemrut to see the huge stone heads, all that remains of the statues in the Commagane Temple, which overlook the plateau and Atatürk Dam. Visit Mithridates I’s Hierothesion in Arsemia, once the capital of the Commagene Kingdom before continuing on the old Roman Cendere Bridge over the Cendere stream and the Karakus tumulus where members of the Royal family were buried. Then set off for Sanliurfa, visiting the Atatürk Dam, one of Turkey’s biggest projects, the GAP (South Eastern Anatolia) Project en route. Arrive at Urfa and visit the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham with its mosques, Abraham’s birth cave and its beautiful gardens. Continue to Harran, the famed city of Mesopotamia, a mystical and ancient village of ‘bee hive’ houses built of mud bricks where you will also
visit the world’s first Islamic University. Dinner and overnight in Urfa.
Day 7 Mardin – Diyarbakir
Seen from the South at a distance, Mardin looks spectacular with its tiered layers of houses, mansions, mosques and churches rising out of the endless, level plain and clinging to a huge citadel topped rock. Visit the Deyrulzafran (Saffron) Monastery, still used by the Syrian Orthodox communities. Start by going underground to view the vault, said to have been used as a temple by sun-worshippers as long ago as 2000BC then the chapel with its finely decorated arches, carved stone alter and the Patriarch’s Metropolitan’s throne on which are carved the names of all the Patriarch’s since 792AD. Drive on to Diyarbakir where you will visit the basalt city walls, built by the Roman and Ulu Cami, the first of all Anatolia’s great Seljuk Mosques. Overnight in Diyarbakir.
Day 8 Van
Drive to Bitlis to visit the 13th century Theologicals School before catching a ferry to Akdamar Island, situated in Lake Van, Turkey’s biggest lake where you’ll view an exquisite example of an Armenian Church. Stay overnight in Van.
Day 9 Van
Visit Hosap Castle, constructed at the behest of Sari Süleyman Mahmudi, a local strong man in the 1640’s, where according to legend, he was so pleased with the result when the castle was completed that he had the architect’s hands chopped off to ensure that he would never build another to rival it. Continue to Çavustepe, the site of an Urartian Royal palace, built between 764 and 735BC by King Sardur II. Visit Van Castle, 100m high and 300m wide at the base, it is typical of the places which the Urartians favoured for their strongholds and was the site of an Urartian temple, of which only a couple of arched niches remain. Cuneiform inscriptions on a statue base in one of the niches document the life and works of Menua, an important Urartian King. Overnight in Van.
Day 10 Dogubeyazit
On the way to Dogubeyazit, stop at the beautiful Muradiye Waterfall then head for Ishak Pasha Palace, a spectacular 17th century palace set on a 200m high plateau overlooking the town. Ishak Pasha Place, overshadowed as it is by the magnificent Mount Ararat, the architect seems to have taken elements from every architectural style extant in Anatolia and incorporated them into the palace’s construction. You will also visit the Crater, situated close to the Iranien border before reaching Dogubeyazit for the night.
Day 11 Kars
Originally an Armenian city, Kars has a spectacular castle and still has fine examples of Armenian architecture, one of which is the breathtaking site of the ancient city of Ani located on the Armenian Turkish border. Overnight in Kars.
Day 12 Trabzon
Drive west to Trabzon, leaving Anatolia for the lush green mountainous countryside of the Black Sea, where Turkey’s famous tea is grown. Travelling through a forested region, passing through small fishing villages, untouched by tourism, you will arrive in the late afternoon, leaving some free time to enjoy the city, the largest in the Black Sea region, at your own pace. Overnight in Trabzon.
Day 13 Trabzon
After visiting the Hagia Sophia Museum with its spectacular frescoes, you will head inland to visit the mystical Sümela Monastery, dating back to early Christianity, built high into the side of a steep cliff face. Overnight in Trabzon.
Day 14 Trabzon
Transfer to the airport for your return home (via Istanbul). If you wish, you can extend your stay in Istanbul or one of our many seaside resorts in Turkey or fly to North Cyprus, in which case you will be transferred to the airport at the end of your stay.
Cappadocia - Nemrut mountain - Şanlıurfa (harran) - Göreme
DAY 1 CAPPADOCIA
Arrive in Cappadocia.Transfer to hotel .Free day, O/N Cappadocia
DAY 2 CAPPADOCIA - NEMRUT MOUNTAIN
Departure in the morning from Göreme,After Kayseri, visit the 13 th century Seljuk Caravansarai "Karatayhan".The next stop is Pinarbasi for a short tea break and then drive to Tekir for Lunch.Take a picture of the beautiful scenery of the Tekir Valley.Drive to Kahraman Maras to have world famous icecream(dondoruma), then drive to Kahta.Tea break,transfer to hotel,O/N Nemrut ( L-D )
DAY 3 NEMRUT - Sanli Urfa - HARRAN
Very early departure up to the ruins, After get off the minibus twenty five minutes climbing on foot to the top where you will watchthe beautiful sun rise between the colossal size statues and heads of the kings and Gods. After sun rised time to walk around and taking pictures. Then drive back to the hotel for breakfast.
Drive to Kahta, on the way visit the ruins of the arsemia Roman bridge of Cendere and Tumulus Tomb of Karakuş. Tea break in Kahta. Drive to Sanli Urfa-Harran on the way visit Ataturk Dam which is the biggest dam in Middle east. C/in to hotel in Sanli Urfa,after lunch visit Abrahams Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp surrounding it, then walk around oriental covered bazaar.
Drive to Harran a village of Spellbinding Mud-Birck "beehive" houses mentioned in the book of genesis where Abraham spend last years of his life.Visit the ruins of Harran including city walls, oldest islamic university and the castle dated to eighteen century. After the sun set drive back to the hotel, dinner and O/N Sanli Urfa ( B-L-D )
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DAY 4 SANLI URFA - GOREME
Departure from Sanli Urfa to Adana-Birecik which is the famous with its bald-ibis ( Kel aynak ) birds.This birds are living only in Bilecik in the world.There is not much left of them.There is a Breeding farm of Bald İbis birds.Having a lunch,drive up to the Taurus Mountain after Adana.Tea break then drive back to Goreme.
Includes
Cappadocia 1 night hotel(BB),Transfer to Cappadocia hotel
Nemrut Tour(Guide, Entrance fees,Transportation
2 nights hotel,2 breakfast,3 lunch,2 dinner)
Excludes
Drinks
EASTERN TURKEY TOUR 14 DAYS
Day 1: Meet with your guide in Istanbul. Transfer to the hotel in the hearth of old Istanbul. C/in
Day 2: Istanbul-Gazi Antep-Sanli Urfa
Take a internal flight from Istanbul Atataurk Airport to Gazi Antep. Visit the archaeological Museum of Gaziantep where you will see the Belkis/Zeugma mosaics, which has stayed buried beneath the pistachio groves for nearly two thousand years. After the visit of museum transfer to Sanli Urfa. On our way to Sanli Urfa will stop in Birecik to see the Kel aynak “bold ibish”( Geronticus eremita) birds and have a dinner. C/in to our antic hotel in Sanli Urfa
Day 3:Sanli Urfa-Harran
Transfer from Sanli Urfa to “Harran”; was an extremely important city in the region, famous for its philosophers and thinkers, and is also near to the site where the ancient tablets carrying the Epic of Gilgamesh were found. Harran was where Rebecca found water for Jacob, and where the prophet Abraham, having been born just to the north, decided to move to Canaan. Return back in the afternoon to visit Balikli Gol and the castle at the center of Sanli Urfa.
Night in Sanli Urfa
Day 4: Sanli Urfa-Nemrut Mountain-Kahta
Transfer to Ataturk dam (GAP) “Southeastern Anatolian Project”. The project consists of a series of dams on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers designed to create artificial lakes that will be used to create millions of hectares of arable land. Than drive up to Adiyaman where we will see the sun set at the Nemrut Dagi (Mt. Nemrut) is the first impressive peak rising from a flat plain in Northern Mesopotamia and stretches to a height of 2150 metres. It is matchless in its historical treasures. The original peak was removed and in its place was constructed the Tumulus of Antiochos 1, one of the kings of Commagene when it was at its height of power and art expression during the 1st century B.C.
Night in Adiyaman “Kahta”
Day 5: Nemrut Mountain-Diyarbakir
After our breakfast we will be driving to Diyarbakir second largest city in Turkey's South-eastern Anatolia region, where we will visit ancient city walls; the best preserved walls in the world after the famous Great Wall of China. Another fascinating sight we will visit is the Ulu Mosque, Mesudiye Medresse, Hasan Pasha Han with the antic streets and bazaar’s of Diyarbakir.
Night in Diyarbakir
Day 6: Diyarbakir-Midyat-Mardin
Today we will be driving from Diyarbakir to Midyat (Matiat) and Mardin; the ancient city of Mardin is the epicenter of a centuries old Christian Syriac/Aramean enclave in Southeast-Turkey, widely familiar under its Aramaic name Tur-Abdin and we will be visiting several monastery’s of Tur-Abdin ( Mor Gabriel, Deyr’ul Zafaran, Mor Yakup) and will visit ancient city of Mardin with in narrow streets.
Night in Mardin
Day 7: Mardin-Hasankef-Van
Today our first stop will be ancient city of Hasankeyf located around Tigris river;
Hasankeyf was as the capital of the Artuklu Seljucks. A grand fortress was built during the time on wonderful limestone structures. The remains of the fortress are where we will visit. After visiting Hasankeyf and the Tigris river we will drive to Van.
Night in Van
Day 8: Van-Dogubayazit
Our first visit in Van will be the Akdamar church “island”; The Church of the Holy Cross was once an important Armenian cathedral. The seat of the Armenian Orthodox patriarch, the cathedral was founded by King Gagik between 915 and 921 alongside a royal palace and monastery. After visiting Akdamar aand having lunch in the shore of Van lake we will visit the Van castle “rock of Van”; It was built within the capital of the Uratu State, Tushba during the 9th century B.C.. Transfer to Dogubayazit on the way have a stop in the waterfall of Muradiye.
Night in Dogubayazit
Day 9: Dogubayazit-Kars
Today our visit will start with Ishak Pasha Palace; Ottoman governor of the province, constructed the palace in the 17th-century in a mixture of architectural styles. The next visit will be a Biblical Noah’s Ark in the plane of Mount Ararat and will visit some of local villages in the foot of Mount Ararat. In the afternoon we will be transferred to Kars.
Night in Kars
Day 10: Kars-Ani-Erzurum
After our breakfast we will drive to visit ancient city of Ani Ruins “the City of 1001 churches” Ani is first mentioned in Armenian chronicles in the 5th century A.D. Located on the crossroad of the trade routes between Byzantium, Persia, Syria, and central Asia it flourished, and in the 11th century its population was above 100,000 people. After the visiting of Ani we will drive to Erzurum and will visit Cifte minarel medrese, and Yakutiye medresesi with museum.
Night in Erzurum
Day 11: Erzurum-Trabzon-Sumela
Today we will be driving from Erzurum to Trabzon in the shore of Black sea to visit Sumela Monastery; stands on the foot of a steep cliff facing the Altindere valley known as "Meryem Ana manastırı" The Virgin Mary monastery. The Monastery, founded in honour of the Virgin Mary, took the name of "Sumela" which derives from "Melas", meaning black.
Night in Trabzon
Day 12: Trabzon
Our last day in the eastern part of Turkey in the shore of black sea. The day of visiting Trabzon bazaars and visiting and enjoying old hamam’s “Turkish b
ath” of Trabzon city. Trabzon Sekiz Direkli Hamam is assumed to be built by Seljuks in the 11th century. The name is derived from the eight columns inside.
Day 13: Trabzon-Istanbul
Take a flight from Trabzon to Istanbul. You will have free time to discover grand bazaar of Beyazit and Sultanahmet area in the afternoon.
Night in Istanbul
Day 14:
Transfer to Ataturk Airport. End of the tour.
