Eastern Anatolia & Mesopotamia Grand Discovery Tour (14 Days)
Highlights
- ✓Cliffside Sumela Monastery and Black Sea cultural heritage
- ✓Seljuk masterpieces in Erzurum, Ahlat, and Mardin
- ✓The medieval ruins of Ani, once a great Silk Road capital
- ✓Ishak Pasha Palace with panoramic views of Mount Ararat
- ✓Boat trip to Akdamar Island and the Church of the Holy Cross
- ✓Mount Nemrut and its monumental stone heads
- ✓Göbeklitepe & Karahantepe, the world’s oldest known temples
- ✓Ancient cities of Hasankeyf, Dara, and Zeugma
- ✓Rich culinary and cultural traditions of Gaziantep and Adana
Overview
This
extraordinary journey unfolds across the heart of Eastern Anatolia and ancient
Mesopotamia, tracing civilizations that shaped human history. Beginning on the
lush shores of the Black Sea and ending in the fertile plains of Çukurova, the
tour reveals a timeless landscape of monasteries carved into cliffs, medieval
capitals, sacred mountains, and the world’s earliest temples.
From the dramatic Sumela Monastery and the
ruined city of Ani to the mystical heights of Mount Nemrut and the Neolithic
wonders of Göbeklitepe, each day offers a profound encounter with history,
faith, and culture. Carefully paced and rich in meaning, this tour is designed
for travelers seeking depth, authenticity, and unforgettable heritage
experiences.
Route
Itinerary
Upon arrival in Trabzon, you are met by your professional guide and
transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing
time to rest after your journey or enjoy a gentle introduction to this historic
Black Sea city.
Overnight:
Trabzon
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, your guide picks you up from
the hotel to begin a full-day exploration of Trabzon and its surroundings.
Travel into the forested mountains to visit the legendary Sumela
Monastery, dramatically built into a sheer cliff face in the
14th century and dedicated to the Black Virgin.
Returning to the city,
visit the elegant Hagia Sophia, followed by the Atatürk
Pavilion, set within tranquil gardens overlooking Trabzon. At
the end of the tour, return to your hotel.
Overnight:
Trabzon
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Following breakfast, meet your guide
and depart from the hotel toward Erzurum, passing through the lush valleys and
highlands of the Black Sea region. Upon arrival in Erzurum, enjoy a guided city
tour featuring the iconic Çifte Minareli Medrese,
Yakutiye
Medrese, Erzurum Castle, the Three
Tombs, and the historic Ulu Mosque,
outstanding examples of Seljuk architecture.
After the tour, drop-off
at the hotel.
Overnight:
Erzurum
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, depart with your
guide across the wide pastures of Eastern Anatolia toward Kars. En route,
explore the remarkable ruins of Ani, the medieval
capital known as the “City of a Thousand and One Churches,” located near the
Turkish–Armenian border.
Continue to Kars to
visit Kars
Castle and the Archaeological Museum.
Transfer to the hotel at the end of the day.
Overnight: Kars
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Breakfast at the hotel is followed by
departure with your guide toward Doğubeyazıt. Visit the magnificent Ishak
Pasha Palace, an 18th-century masterpiece blending Ottoman,
Persian, and Seljuk architectural styles.
Admire views of Mount
Ararat, traditionally believed to be the resting place of
Noah’s Ark, before continuing toward Van with a stop at the scenic Muradiye
Waterfalls. Hotel drop-off upon arrival.
Overnight:
Van
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, your guide escorts
you to the pier for a boat trip to Akdamar Island, home
to the Church
of the Holy Cross, famed for its intricate biblical reliefs.
In the afternoon, visit
the Urartian fortress of Çavuştepe and the
impressive Hoşap
Castle (1643). Return to the hotel at the end of the tour.
Overnight:
Van
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Meet your guide after breakfast and
depart toward Tatvan. Travel by local minibuses to reach Mount
Nemrut Crater Lake, the largest volcanic crater lake in Turkey.
Continue to Ahlat,
renowned for its Seljuk mausoleums and monumental cemetery. Transfer to the
hotel in Tatvan.
Overnight:
Tatvan
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, depart with your
guide for Mardin. En route, visit Hasankeyf, an ancient
settlement overlooking the Tigris River, and the Syriac monastery of Anıtlı.
Continue to Midyat,
famous for its stone houses and traditional silversmiths, before arriving in
Mardin. Hotel drop-off in the evening.
Overnight:
Mardin
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, your guide picks you
up for a full-day exploration of Mardin, a medieval
city cascading down the hillside above the Mesopotamian plains. Visit the
important Dayrul-Zeferan
Monastery, followed by the ancient Roman city of Dara,
near the Syrian border.
Return to the hotel
after the tour.
Overnight:
Mardin
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Following breakfast, depart with your
guide toward Karahantepe and then Göbeklitepe,
the world’s oldest known temple complex, dating back over 11,000 years.
Continue to Urfa,
where visits include Abraham’s Cave, the Sacred
Pool, the historic bazaar, and the Haleplibahçe
Museum. Transfer to the hotel.
Overnight:
Urfa
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Early breakfast, followed by departure
with your guide toward Mount Nemrut. Explore
the monumental sanctuary of King Antiochus I, the Nemrut
Dağı National Park, Cendere Roman Bridge, Arsameia,
and the Karakuş
Tumulus.
Continue to Adıyaman and transfer to
the hotel.
Overnight:
Adıyaman
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
After breakfast, depart with your
guide toward Halfeti. Enjoy a ferry ride to see Rumkale
and the partially submerged village along the Euphrates River.
Continue to Gaziantep
for visits to Zeugma and the world-renowned Zeugma
Mosaic Museum. Hotel drop-off.
Overnight:
Gaziantep
(Breakfast and Lunch Included )
Breakfast
at the hotel, followed by free time for shopping in Gaziantep. Later, depart
with your guide for Adana. Upon arrival,
enjoy a city tour including the Adana Archaeological Museum.
Transfer
to the hotel at the end of the day.
Overnight:
Adana
(Breakfast Included )
After breakfast, your
guide provides transfer from the hotel to the airport for your onward journey.
End of services.
What's included
- ✓Accommodation
- ✓Guide
- ✓Meals
- ✓Transport
- ✓Other included
- ✓Hygiene protocol
Not included
- ✕Flights
- ✕Insurance
- ✕Other not included
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