Eastern Turkey Tour – 14 Days & 13 Nights

Arrival in Cappadocia

Arrive at Kayseri Airport or Nevşehir Cappadocia Airport, where our representative will meet you and provide a private transfer to your hotel in Göreme. Your arrival flight to Cappadocia is not included, although our team can assist with suitable flight options. The remainder of the day is free for rest or independent exploration. Overnight in Göreme, Cappadocia.

Meals included: None.

Private Cappadocia Tour – Underground City & Fairy Chimneys

An optional hot air balloon flight may be arranged before breakfast. At approximately 10:00 AM, meet your private guide and driver and begin with a panoramic introduction to Cappadocia’s volcanic landscape, valleys and historic villages.

Visit Kaymaklı Underground City , a complex subterranean settlement with living rooms, kitchens, stables, storage areas and places of worship. Continue to Pigeon Valley for views of Uçhisar Castle , then enjoy lunch at a small local restaurant in Avanos . See a traditional kick-wheel pottery demonstration before visiting Paşabağ and the imaginative formations of Devrent Valley . Return to your hotel at approximately 5:00 PM. Overnight in Göreme.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

Private Cappadocia Tour – Valleys, Churches & Historic Villages

Depart at approximately 9:30 AM for a walk through the Red and Rose Valleys , where colorful rock formations, pigeon houses and centuries-old rock churches create one of Cappadocia’s most memorable landscapes. The walk ends near Çavuşin , an old village known for its rock-cut dwellings and panoramic views.

Continue to an Uçhisar viewpoint and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, explore the frescoed churches of the Göreme Open-Air Museum , then visit Mustafapaşa , formerly known as Sinasos, to see historic Greek houses, religious monuments and Ottoman architecture. Stop in Ürgüp to see classic fairy chimneys before returning to the hotel. Overnight in Göreme.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

Cappadocia to Gaziantep via the Historic Silk Road

Depart at approximately 8:30 AM and drive toward Gaziantep. Stop at the monumental Karatay Caravanserai , one of Anatolia’s best-preserved Seljuk roadside inns. Continue to Kahramanmaraş for lunch and an opportunity to taste the city’s famous traditional ice cream.

In Gaziantep, visit the Zeugma Mosaic Museum , home to exceptional Roman mosaics recovered from the ancient city of Zeugma. Continue with the historic castle area , the coppersmiths’ market and a traditional baklava shop. Overnight in Gaziantep.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Harran and Şanlıurfa – The City of Prophets

After breakfast, drive approximately two hours to Harran , an ancient settlement located along historic routes between Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Explore its traditional beehive-shaped adobe houses, fortress remains and the archaeological traces of its early Islamic university.

After lunch, continue to Şanlıurfa. Visit the sacred Pool of Abraham and the surrounding historic complex, then walk through the old streets and bazaars where Arab, Kurdish and Turkish cultural traditions meet. Overnight in Şanlıurfa.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Şanlıurfa Museum, Göbeklitepe and Drive to Kahta

Begin at the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum and Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum , where discoveries from the region provide essential context for the earliest settled communities of Upper Mesopotamia.

Continue to Göbeklitepe , one of the world’s most important prehistoric archaeological sites. See its monumental T-shaped limestone pillars and learn how the discoveries transformed modern understanding of early ritual life and community organization. After lunch, drive approximately three hours toward Kahta, stopping for views of the Atatürk Dam. Overnight in the Kahta or Adıyaman region.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Mount Nemrut Sunrise, Commagene Sites and Diyarbakır

Depart very early, usually around 3:30 AM, for Mount Nemrut . After reaching the national park, walk approximately 30 minutes to the summit terraces and watch sunrise beside the colossal statues commissioned by King Antiochus I of Commagene.

Descend to visit Arsameia Ancient City , the Roman-era Cendere Bridge and Karakuş Tumulus before returning to the hotel for breakfast. Continue to Diyarbakır to explore the historic city walls , the Great Mosque and the cultural landscape surrounding the Hevsel Gardens . In the late afternoon, drive to Mardin. Overnight in Mardin.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Mardin, Midyat, Hasankeyf and Drive to Tatvan

After a regional breakfast, explore Mardin’s stone-built old city overlooking the Mesopotamian plain. Visit the Kasımiye Madrasa , Zinciriye Madrasa , the Great Mosque and Deyrulzafaran Monastery , an active center of Syriac Christian heritage.

Continue to Midyat to visit the historic town and Mor Gabriel Monastery . After lunch, travel toward Tatvan with a stop in the Hasankeyf area beside the Tigris River. Arrive on the western shore of Lake Van in the evening. Overnight in Tatvan.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, Akdamar Island and Van

Depart Tatvan for Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery , an extraordinary field of monumental medieval tombstones carved by master stoneworkers. Continue along Lake Van and board a boat to Akdamar Island .

Visit the 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross , celebrated for its architecture and detailed exterior reliefs. Return by boat and drive approximately one hour to Van. Overnight in Van city center.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Van Castle, İshak Pasha Palace and Drive to Kars

Begin at Van Castle , the massive Urartian fortress overlooking the remains of ancient Tushpa. Learn about the kingdom of Urartu and its powerful presence around Lake Van during the first millennium BC.

Continue to Doğubayazıt and visit the remarkable İshak Pasha Palace , an 18th-century complex combining Ottoman, Persian and local architectural traditions. Afterwards, drive approximately two and a half hours toward Kars, with views of Mount Ararat along the route when weather conditions are clear. Overnight in Kars.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ani Ancient City, Kars Castle and Erzurum

Drive approximately one hour to Ani Ancient City , the former medieval capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom. Walk among its city walls, churches, mosques, palaces and caravanserai remains while overlooking the dramatic Arpaçay valley on the modern border.

Return to Kars for lunch and a visit to Kars Castle , then continue across the high Anatolian plateau to Erzurum. Overnight in Erzurum.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Erzurum Heritage Tour and Drive to Trabzon

Explore central Erzurum on foot, visiting Erzurum Castle , the Double Minaret Madrasa , Yakutiye Madrasa , the Great Mosque and the Three Tombs . These monuments reveal the city’s importance during the Saltukid, Seljuk and later Ottoman periods.

After lunch, drive approximately four hours through changing mountain landscapes toward the Black Sea coast. Overnight in Trabzon.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sümela Monastery and Trabzon Hagia Sophia

Travel through the forested Altındere Valley to Sümela Monastery , a Greek Orthodox monastic complex built dramatically against a steep cliff. Explore its rock church, chapels and monastic spaces while learning about its religious and artistic history.

After lunch, return to Trabzon and visit the 13th-century Hagia Sophia , known for its Byzantine frescoes, reliefs and distinctive architecture. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight in Trabzon.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Trabzon Airport Transfer and Flight to Istanbul

After breakfast, enjoy free time according to your flight schedule. Your private driver will transfer you to Trabzon Airport for the included domestic flight to Istanbul or another agreed destination, subject to the confirmed booking arrangement. The tour concludes upon arrival at the destination airport.

Meals included: Breakfast.