Magic of eastern turkey tour
Day 1 Saturday
Trabzon
Welcome to Trabzon! You will be transferred to your hotel and the remainder of the day is yours free to explore at your own pace. Tonight you meet your tour guide and fellow travelling companions.
Overnight Trabzon 4 star Buyuk Sumela Hotel
Day 2 Sunday
Trabzon
Today we tour Trabzon and surrounds, visiting the historical Trabzon Hagia Sophia Church Museum. Proceed to Uzungol, a picturesque lake surrounded by thick woods before returning back to the hotel.
Overnight Trabzon 4 star Buyuk Sumela Hotel (B)
Day 3 Monday
Rize, Erzurum
Today we travel along the Black Sea coast towards Artvin before driving through the wild landscapes of Çoruh Valley. We also visit picturesque Ishan village on our way to the scenic heights of Erzurum.
Overnight Erzurum 5 star Palan Hotel (B)
Day 4 Tuesday
Ani, Dogubayazit
This morning we visit the Seljuk monuments of Erzurum before continuing through Kars to Ani, close to the Turkish Armenian border. We continue to Dogubeyazit located at the foothill of Mount Ararat, the highest mount in Anatolia and where Noah's Ark is thought to have landed.
Overnight Dogubeyazit 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 5 Wednesday
Dogubeyazit, Van
After breakfast we tour Ishak Pasha Palace before driving through barren landscapes of volcanic stones stopping at Muradiye Waterfalls. We continue to Van, home to Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake.
Overnight Van 4 star Grand Hotel Van (B)
Day 6 Thursday
Van, Hosap, Akdamar
Morning drive to Çavustepe, to explore the ancient Urartian citadel before continuing to the village of Hosap. Early afternoon from the town of Gevas we take a boat excursion to Akdamar Island which is home to the 10th century Holy Cross Church.
Overnight Van 4 star Grand Hotel Van (B)
Day 7 Friday
Ahlat, Tatvan, Bitlis
Today we drive along the north shore of Lake Van to visit Ahlat, Tatvan and the picturesque town of Bitlis. Late afternoon arrival in Diyarbakir.
Overnight Diyarbakir 4 star Class Hotel (B)
Day 8 Saturday
Hasankeyf, Midyat
Morning drive to Hasankeyf, to visit the cliff top Roman ruins of ancient Cephe, and the old town of Midyat, an architectural treasure.
Overnight Mardin 4 star Hilton Garden Inn Mardin (B)
Day 9 Sunday
Harran, Urfa
On the way to sanliurfa, we will visit Göbeklitepe which will allow you to discover the region and observe the excavation currently running at the site. Visit the famous 'beehive' village houses of Harran and the ancient city of Urfa, home of Abraham. Discover the "City of the Prophets" as we visit Abraham's Caves, the pool of sacred carp and the busy and colourful bazaar.
Overnight Sanliurfa (Urfa) 4 star Hotel Harran (B)
Day 10 Monday
Adiyaman, Kahta
We have an interesting drive today as we pass by Bozova and see Ataturk Dam before arriving in Adiyaman.
Overnight Adiyaman 4 star Grand Isias Hotel (B)
Day 11 Tuesday
Mt Nemrut
We set off for Mt. Nemrut before dawn and after a short ascent of the mountain watch the magical sunrise over the plateau, and visit the massive ancient rock statues. Visit the ancient Roman city of Zeugma and tour Gaziantep, and the Mosaic Museum where the superb Roman mosaics of Zeugma are displayed.
Overnight Gaziantep 3 star Ibis Gaziantep (B)
Day 12 Wednesday
Kahramanmaras, Cappadocia
After breakfast we set off for Cappadocia, stopping off at Kahramanmaras (produces Turkey's best ice cream!) along the way.
Overnight Cappadocia 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 13 Thursday
Cappadocia
Marvel at the lunar landscape of Cappadocia as you visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum, the fairy chimneys and explore the many levels of an underground city.
Overnight Cappadocia 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 14 Friday
Yazilikaya, Hattusa, Alacahoyuk
After breakfast, we drive via Kozakli to the city of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. First we visit Yazilikaya, the ruins of the open air temple where there are rock carvings of Hitite gods. Then we go to Hattusa, 'the Great Temple', the city ruins including the Lions' Gate and the Royal Gate and the summer palace of Hitites. Then we drive to Alacahoyuk seeing the Sphinx Gate and the Royal Tombs.
Overnight Ankara 5 star Hotel Ickale (B)
Day 15 Saturday
Ankara, Istanbul
This morning we visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, an award winning museum located near the ancient citadel of Ankara and then continue on to Istanbul.
Overnight Istanbul 4 star Konak Hotel (B)
Day 16 Sunday
Istanbul
After breakfast our tour concludes and we say goodbye to our new friends before being transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)
(B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner)
Day 1 Saturday
Trabzon
Welcome to Trabzon! You will be transferred to your hotel and the remainder of the day is yours free to explore at your own pace. Tonight you meet your tour guide and fellow travelling companions.
Overnight Trabzon 4 star Buyuk Sumela Hotel
Day 2 Sunday
Trabzon
Today we tour Trabzon and surrounds, visiting the historical Trabzon Hagia Sophia Church Museum. Proceed to Uzungol, a picturesque lake surrounded by thick woods before returning back to the hotel.
Overnight Trabzon 4 star Buyuk Sumela Hotel (B)
Day 3 Monday
Rize, Erzurum
Today we travel along the Black Sea coast towards Artvin before driving through the wild landscapes of Çoruh Valley. We also visit picturesque Ishan village on our way to the scenic heights of Erzurum.
Overnight Erzurum 5 star Palan Hotel (B)
Day 4 Tuesday
Ani, Dogubayazit
This morning we visit the Seljuk monuments of Erzurum before continuing through Kars to Ani, close to the Turkish Armenian border. We continue to Dogubeyazit located at the foothill of Mount Ararat, the highest mount in Anatolia and where Noah's Ark is thought to have landed.
Overnight Dogubeyazit 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 5 Wednesday
Dogubeyazit, Van
After breakfast we tour Ishak Pasha Palace before driving through barren landscapes of volcanic stones stopping at Muradiye Waterfalls. We continue to Van, home to Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake.
Overnight Van 4 star Grand Hotel Van (B)
Day 6 Thursday
Van, Hosap, Akdamar
Morning drive to Çavustepe, to explore the ancient Urartian citadel before continuing to the village of Hosap. Early afternoon from the town of Gevas we take a boat excursion to Akdamar Island which is home to the 10th century Holy Cross Church.
Overnight Van 4 star Grand Hotel Van (B)
Day 7 Friday
Ahlat, Tatvan, Bitlis
Today we drive along the north shore of Lake Van to visit Ahlat, Tatvan and the picturesque town of Bitlis. Late afternoon arrival in Diyarbakir.
Overnight Diyarbakir 4 star Class Hotel (B)
Day 8 Saturday
Hasankeyf, Midyat
Morning drive to Hasankeyf, to visit the cliff top Roman ruins of ancient Cephe, and the old town of Midyat, an architectural treasure.
Overnight Mardin 4 star Hilton Garden Inn Mardin (B)
Day 9 Sunday
Harran, Urfa
On the way to sanliurfa, we will visit Göbeklitepe which will allow you to discover the region and observe the excavation currently running at the site. Visit the famous 'beehive' village houses of Harran and the ancient city of Urfa, home of Abraham. Discover the "City of the Prophets" as we visit Abraham's Caves, the pool of sacred carp and the busy and colourful bazaar.
Overnight Sanliurfa (Urfa) 4 star Hotel Harran (B)
Day 10 Monday
Adiyaman, Kahta
We have an interesting drive today as we pass by Bozova and see Ataturk Dam before arriving in Adiyaman.
Overnight Adiyaman 4 star Grand Isias Hotel (B)
Day 11 Tuesday
Mt Nemrut
We set off for Mt. Nemrut before dawn and after a short ascent of the mountain watch the magical sunrise over the plateau, and visit the massive ancient rock statues. Visit the ancient Roman city of Zeugma and tour Gaziantep, and the Mosaic Museum where the superb Roman mosaics of Zeugma are displayed.
Overnight Gaziantep 3 star Ibis Gaziantep (B)
Day 12 Wednesday
Kahramanmaras, Cappadocia
After breakfast we set off for Cappadocia, stopping off at Kahramanmaras (produces Turkey's best ice cream!) along the way.
Overnight Cappadocia 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 13 Thursday
Cappadocia
Marvel at the lunar landscape of Cappadocia as you visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum, the fairy chimneys and explore the many levels of an underground city.
Overnight Cappadocia 4 star Hotel to be advised (B)
Day 14 Friday
Yazilikaya, Hattusa, Alacahoyuk
After breakfast, we drive via Kozakli to the city of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. First we visit Yazilikaya, the ruins of the open air temple where there are rock carvings of Hitite gods. Then we go to Hattusa, 'the Great Temple', the city ruins including the Lions' Gate and the Royal Gate and the summer palace of Hitites. Then we drive to Alacahoyuk seeing the Sphinx Gate and the Royal Tombs.
Overnight Ankara 5 star Hotel Ickale (B)
Day 15 Saturday
Ankara, Istanbul
This morning we visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, an award winning museum located near the ancient citadel of Ankara and then continue on to Istanbul.
Overnight Istanbul 4 star Konak Hotel (B)
Day 16 Sunday
Istanbul
After breakfast our tour concludes and we say goodbye to our new friends before being transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)
(B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner)