Trabzon, Sumela Monastery and Hagia Sophia, Black Sea Coastline-Tea Factory-Overnight Artvin

Trabzon Hagia Sophia Museum - Begin the day with a morning flight from Istanbul to Trabzon (or arrive the previous day). The guide will meet the group at the airport. The tour starts with a visit to the Hagia Sophia Museum, a notable 14th-century Byzantine church overlooking the Black Sea, featuring significant frescoes.

Sumela Monastery - From Trabzon, travel a short distance up the Zigana Valley to Macka in the Altindere National Park to visit the Monastery of the Black Virgin at Sumela. This breathtaking location features the seven-story Sumela Monastery, which clings to a 1200 ft cliff overlooking a steep river valley. This site has been a monastic location since the 4th century AD, renowned for its unique setting and the ascetic principles of early Christian monasticism. Drive to Artvin via Rize and Hopa along the Black Sea coast.

Altindere Vadisi National Park - Enjoy a Trabzon city tour and explore Altindere National Park.

Georgian Valley-Ishan and Osvank Churches-Yakutiye Madrasa. Overnight Erzurum

Erzurum-Kars-Ani, Overnight Kars

Erzurum - After breakfast, visit the Great Mosque, Double Minaret Medrese, and other central sites including the bazaar, three tombs, and Ulu Cami. Walk through the city center to experience the historical sites and local life of Erzurum.

Ani Cathedral - Historical sources and inscriptions indicate that construction began in 989 under King Smbat II (977-89) and was completed by 1001 (or 1010, depending on the inscription) by Queen Katranideh (Catherine), wife of King Gagik Bagratuni, Smbat’s successor.

Ararat-Dogubeyazit- Overnight Van

Mount Ararat - Continue the journey south, skirting the western edge of Mt Ararat, which stands at 5137m (16854 ft).

Ishak Pasha Palace - In Dogubeyazit, visit the stunning Ishak Pasha Palace (1685-1784), showcasing a unique blend of Seljuk, Ottoman, Georgian, and Armenian/Persian architectural styles. Despite its ruined state, the palace’s opulence and originality captivate the imagination. Built as the provincial government seat in Eastern Anatolia, it rivals any palace in the empire.

Muradiye Selalesi - Pause for refreshments at the picturesque Muradiye waterfall.

Akdamar Island-Hosap Castle, Van Castle-Overnight Van

Hosap Castle (Hosap Kalesi) - After breakfast, depart for Hosap to explore Hosap Castle. Built along the Silk Road, it served to protect the road and collect tolls from travelers. Constructed in 1643 by Kurdish chieftain Mahmudi Sari Suleyman (or Blond Suleyman), the castle stands on a rocky outcrop on the north bank of the Hosap River. The current structure dates mostly from 1643 when Sari Suleyman Bey rebuilt the castle and added a new entrance tower. A castle likely existed here as early as the Urartu Kingdom (9th c.- 6th c. B.C.), with modifications continuing until the seventeenth century.

Ancient Urartian site of Cavustepe (Sardurihinilli) - Cavustepe is an Urartian Royal palace and fortress.

Nemrut Tatvan-Ahlat-Tatvan-Overnight Tatvan

Hasankeyf-Midyat-Mardin-Overnight Mardin

Deyrulzafaran Monastery - The Saffron Monastery was once the ancient center of the Syriac Christian Patriarchy. This site has been a center of religious worship for centuries, built over an ancient temple from 1000 BC dedicated to sun worship, now forming the foundation of the monastery buildings. The temple’s roof is a fascinating flat arch.

Mardin- Diyarbakir-Overnight Diyarbakir

City Walls - Diyarbakır Fortress is a historical fortress in Sur, consisting of an inner and outer fortress. The main gates are Dağ (Mountain) Gate, Urfa Gate, Mardin Gate, and Yeni (New) Gate. The walls originate from the old Roman city of Amida, constructed in their current form in the mid-fourth century AD by Emperor Constantius II. They are the widest and longest complete defensive walls in the world, second only to the Great Wall of China.

Grand Mosque - The Great Mosque of Diyarbakır, built by the Great Seljuk Sultan Malik-Shah I over an older mosque, is inspired by the Great Mosque of Damascus. It is considered the fifth holiest site in Islam and can accommodate up to 5,000 worshippers, hosting four different Islamic traditions.

Nemrut Adiyaman-Overnight Nemrut

Mount Nemrut - Depart for Nemrut via the ferry over the Euphrates, arriving in Narlice Village in Nemrut National Park. Travel to the top of Mount Nemrut to see the Tombs of the Commagene Kingdom and the Colossal Statues of Gods. Climb to the Tumulus of Antiochos, the capital of Kommagene, to watch the sunset from the summit of Nemrut. This ancient funerary monument was forgotten for nearly 2000 years and rediscovered by an Ottoman government worker in the early 1880s. At the mountain’s peak, 2150 meters, lies a tumulus of crushed stones, believed to contain the remains of its builder, Antiochus Epiphanes.

Sanliurfa- Gobekli Tepe-Overnight Sanliurfa

Potbelly Hill - Visit the ongoing archaeological dig at Gobekli Tepe, one of the most significant archaeological sites currently being excavated. This site represents a major shift in understanding early human history, with remains of the earliest religious structures built by humans, dating back 11,000-13,000 years, predating pottery, writing, Stonehenge, and the Pyramids.

Sanliurfa - In Urfa, visit the Holy Pools of Abraham and the cave where tradition says the Prophet Abraham was born. Explore the Bazaar and Gumruk Han.

Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum - Şanlıurfa Museum is an archaeological museum in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, located at 11 Nisan Fuar Caddesi. The museum exhibits findings from the surrounding area, including Göbekli Tepe and Harran, and from the Southeastern Anatolia Project.

Gaziantep-Zeugma Museum-Overnight Gaziantep

Zeugma Mosaic Museum - Travel to Gaziantep to visit the renowned Mosaic Museum, which houses mosaics from the city of Zeugma, now submerged under the Ataturk dam’s floodwaters. The mosaics are a testament to the skill and artistry of ancient craftsmen and the wealth and taste of the citizens who commissioned them. After the museum, enjoy leisure time visiting the citadel district in the city center and the old town to experience the sights and smells of Gaziantep, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Gaziantep - Despite its rich history and Turkey’s renowned cuisine, Gaziantep is special for its food. Alongside familiar Turkish specialties, Gaziantep offers hot and spicy dishes influenced by Ogus Turks and Aleppo in neighboring Syria. The cuisine includes unique rice meals, soups, kebabs, meatballs, and more, with some dishes being particularly spicy. Notable dishes include lahmacun (a spicy meat pancake), karisik dolama (a vegetable preparation), yogurtlu patates (potato with yogurt), and much more.

Transfer to Gaziantep Airport

Gaziantep - After breakfast, transfer to Gaziantep Airport.

• Dinner
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Breakfast
• Includes: Two domestic flights, All state and local taxes, breakfasts, dinners, all museum site entries
• All fees and/or taxes

• Lunch
• Alcoholic beverages

Our tours are meticulously crafted through rigorous research and examination, fortified by hands-on regional understanding and our three-decade long experience. Spanning across the 12,000-year-old history of Anatolia, this distinct 12-day journey to Eastern Turkey covers three separate climatic regions and four vast civilizations, including the world’s oldest known monumental megalithic structure. Highlights include visiting Black Sea’s tea plantations, the memorable Mount Ararat (believed to be Noah’s Ark’s final resting place), the enchanting Lake Van, the capital city and significant citadel of the Kingdom of Urartu, culminating in the incredible site of Göbekli Tepe dating back to 10,000 BC!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.