ultimate eastern turkey
tour

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From the Black Sea Coast of Turkey the Eastern Anatolia, down to Northern Mesopotamia, this tour covers it all! We created this tour to offer those who want to see the best of the best in the area an opportunity to do so in one go! The highlights of all of our other Eastern Turkey Tours are included here packed into one jaw-dropping itinerary. Incredible Ancient temples at Gobekli Tepe predating Stonehenge, beautiful landscapes and natural wonders, Roman Ruins, Ottoman Palaces -- you name it, you'll find it in Eastern Turkey! This is an absolutely amazing once-in-a-lifetime tour.

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Day 1 Arrival in Trabzon

Arrive in Trabzon and meet your driver who will take you to the hotel. After you settle in, you'll meet your tour guide and hear the details of the trip. 
 

Day 2 Trabzon

Visit the 14th-century Byzantine church of Hagia Sofia overlooking the Black Sea and see the Sumela Monastery. Then visit Historical Bazaars in the city center.

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Day 3 Rize

Depart for Rize. Explore Zil Castle, Ayder High Mountain Village, and Kackar Mountains National Park.

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Day 4 Artvin

In Artvin, see Borcka Karagol National Park and Hell's Canyon. From there, visit Savsat Lake and beautiful thousand+-year-old monasteries in the area. 

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Day 5 Erzurum

On your way to Erzurum, visit Ishan Church, Osvank Church and Tortum Waterfall. Stop and explore the geological formations at Narman Peribacilari. 

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Day 6 Erzurum

See the Old City Center of Erzurum including the Twin Minarets Madrassah and a 5th Century Castle. Depart for Kars via the Aras River Valley and see the First World War battlefield site of Sarakamis.

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Day 7 Kars
Head to UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ani, the City of 1001 Churches. After you finish exploring this captivating place, visit the Old City Center and Castle of Kars. On your way to Dogubeyazit, trek the Chocolate Hills and enter a Salt Mine. 

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Day 8 Mount Ararat
Trek on the Biblical Mount Ararat, where the Bible says Noah's Ark came to rest. Visit the Iranian Border and Ishak Pasa Palace. Enjoy a delicious local lunch and learn about carpet weaving at a carpet factory. Take in the sites at the Muradiye Waterfall and visit the famous Van Cat Museum. 

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Day 9 Van
Visit the Van Museum and a local silver factory. Hike up to the Van Castle. See the largest museum of the Urartu civilization in the World. Take a boat tour to the 10th Century Holy Cross Church on Akdamar Island. This quaint island has no vehicles and is beautiful to explore. Depart for Tatvan.

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Day 10 Tatvan
See the great Volcano Crater of Nemrut and Nemrut Crater Lake. See the Seljuk monuments of Ahlat Cemetery. Here you'll find graves dating back over 2000 years. Important people throughout history have been buried in Ahlat and there are many interesting Ottoman gravestones found here as well.

Day 11 Midyat

Visit Malabadi Bridge, a huge stone bridge used on the Silk Road Trade Routes. Take a boat ride on the Tigris to the sunken city of Hasankeyf and finish out the day by exploring the historical limestone mansions in the city of Midyat.

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Day 12 Mardin

See the Deir-Al-Zafaran (Saffron Monastery). This monastery was once the center of the ancient Syriac Christian Patriarchy. This site has been the center of religious worship for many centuries. The monstery is built over an ancient temple, which was built in 1000 BC. It was originally used for the worship of the sun. The people became Christians in the first century and built a monastery on top of the temple. After you're done at the monastery, visit picturesque Kasimiye Madrassah before exploring the limestone streets and museums of the Old City of Mardin.

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Day 13 Diyarbakir

Depart for Diyarbakir in the morning and see its famous Old City Walls, which are second in length only to the Great Wall of China! Visit the Caravan Saray, Ulu Mosque, Song House, and Islamic Museum. From there, watch the sunset at the 10 Eye Bridge, gazing over the Euphrates River. 

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Day 14 Diyarbakir & Mount Nemrut

In Diyarbakir, visit the Archeology Museum and then leave for Nemrut along the Euphrates River. See Karakus Tumulus, a burial sanctuary, and the Cendere Bridge, erected by the XVI Legion in honor of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus. Arrive in Narlice Village in Nemrut National Park. Travel to the top of Mount Nemrut and see the Tombs of the Commagene Kingdom and the Colossal Statues of Gods. Climbing up to Tumulus of Antiochos, the capital of Commagene, watch the sunset from the summit of Mount Nemrut. This ancient burial monument at the peak of the mountain was forgotten and lost for nearly 2000 years! Depart for Adiyaman, seeing Old Kahta. 

Day 15 Sanliurfa

After breakfast, proceed to Sanliurfa. Visit Ataturk Dam and then visit the on-going archeological dig at Gobekli Tepe. This is the most important archeological dig currently being undertaken anywhere in the world. This site represents a major shift in our understanding of man's early history. Here lie the remains of the earliest religious structures built by man yet to be discovered. Experts believe they are around 10,000+ years old which predates pottery, writing, Stonehenge, and the Pyramids! Arriving in Urfa City, visit the Holy Pools of Abraham and the cave where, tradition tells us, Abraham was born. 

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Day 16 Sanliurfa

Visit Haran City and Jacob's well. In Haran, see mud houses that have been maintained for hundreds of years! See the amazing Archeology Museum and Mosaic Museum of Sanliurfa. 

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Day 17 Gaziantep

Head to Gaziantep and take a boat trip on the Euphrates River to see the sunken city of Halfeti. See the stunning Mosaic Museum, which houses a priceless collection of mosaics from the now sunken city of Zeugma. Visit the Archeology Museum, the citadel, and the Old Town and Bazaar of Gaziantep.

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Day 18 Head Home

Rest, reflect and get ready for your journey home. Say goodbye to your tour guide who is sure to have become a friend. Your driver will take you to the airport.