Two Week Discovery Tour In Eastern Turkey

Arrive Istanbul and check into hotel. As Constantinople, Istanbul was the capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, and so is steeped in history. Most of the sites of historic interest are around the area known today as Sultanahmet. Modern day Istanbul also has much to offer its visitors - not least its famous cuisine.                      

Overnight Standard Hotel

This morning we explore some of Istanbul’s many attractions on a guided city tour. Istanbul was known until the First World War as Constantinople, the old capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and nearly all of the city’s main sites of historic interest are in Old Stamboul. Return visitors to Istanbul will find much to interest them beyond the better known sights of the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya and Topkapi Palace; Istanbul is a city you simply can’t visit too often. This afternoon we take a flight to Trabzon.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Trabzon serves as Turkey’s largest Black Sea port and has been a major trading route since a settlement was first founded here in 746 BC.We drive to Erzurum, stopping en-route to visit the Greek Orthodox Monastery at Sumela, which is precariously situated, on a sheer rock face in the Altindere National Park. Founded in 1386 by two Athenian monks. Over the years bequests enriched the monastery and it became a place of pilgrimage. It took on its current appearance in the 19th century; the last monks left in 1916. After our visit we continue to Erzurum.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Erzurum is a conservative town and one of the largest settlements in eastern Turkey, yet the centre is compact enough to allow us to explore the major monuments on foot. We visit the elaborately decorated Twin Minaret Medrese, (formerly a Koran school), the Three Tombs and enjoy panoramic views from the Citadel, where the town gives way to the windswept plains beyond. In the afternoon we board our charter bus for the drive further east, to Kars.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we visit the ruined Armenian town of Ani, 35 miles from Kars. Located on a dramatic ravine, right on the Armenian/Turkish border, the once wealthy city is now an abandoned ghost town since its destruction by the Mongol hordes in 1239, though parts of the citadel and the convent still remain. However, its many ruined churches still retain some of their remarkable decoration and wall paintings. The basic design of Ani’s Armenian churches became the architectural blueprint for churches all over Western Europe during the following centuries. We continue our journey after lunch stopping en route at the Isak Pasha Palace. Started in 1684 and completed in 1784 the place is one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of  18th century Ottoman architecture. If our journey is on a clear day it may also be possible to see Mount Ararat, the legendary resting place of Noah’s Ark, as we drive to Dogubeyazit.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We drive today to cross the mountains stopping to see the waterfalls at Muradiye and the dramatic Kurdish fortress at Hosap and Cavustepe, built in the 8th century BC and once the home of the kings of Urartu, before reaching the lakeside town of Van.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we take a boat trip across Lake Van. Fringed by mountains reaching over 4000m in height, this is the largest lake in Turkey and the largest saline lake in the world. Although its alkaline waters are denser than seawater, it still supports several species of fish. We visit Akdamar Island, with its 10th century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, before travelling onwards to Tatvan where we will overnight.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Starting in Tatvan this morning we have a full days driving taking us via the walled city of Diyarbakir to Mardin.  Mardin is home to authentic bazaars and handsome Arab style stone architecture in the old town. From the citadel there’s a fine view over the rooftops and minarets of Mardin and out to the plains of Mesopotamia stretching off in the south. We will spend two nights in this ancient strategic town.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we will take time to visit two different sites - Hasankeyf lies to the North East of Mardin and has recently become more well known due to the threat to it from the Ilisu dam, which could result in the entire area being flooded. This lovely honey coloured village is situated clinging to the rocks above the Tigris and has been compared to Capadoccia in miniature, containing many sites of historical interest and some inhabitants that still live the troglodyte life style. We will also visit Dar-ez- Zaferan (the Saffron Monastery), an important Syrian Orthodox monastery dating back to the 5th century. Most of Mardin’s Christian population has dispersed over recent years, but despite this the monastery fields and orchards are still carefully tended and the chapel continues to hold a daily service in Aramaic, the language of Christ.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we drive westwards to Urfa, the birthplace of Abraham. En route we will stop at Gobekli Tepe, one of the oldest place of worship ever discovered dating back to the 10th millennium BC. Some people believe that it is the site of the original garden of Eden and the origin of religion. Gobekli tepe is so old that it predates settled human life. It is pre-pottery, pre-writing, pre-everything. Gobekli hails from a part of human history that is unimaginably distant, right back in our hunter-gatherer past. After a visit to this amazing and important site we arrive at Urfa and visit the old town to enjoy the heady atmosphere of its covered bazaar, one of the best in Turkey. Urfa was an important staging post on the ancient trade routes between Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the Mediterranean coast beyond. The city remains an important centre for Christian and Muslim pilgrims alike.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we visit the curious beehive village of Harran, one of the oldest settlements in the world and reputed to have been the home of Abraham. The unique design of the beehive houses allows them to remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Looking at the dusty settlement today it is difficult to believe that Harran was a major economic, religious and cultural centre even as far back as 2000 yrs BCE. Our visit allows us to get a feel for life in this remote corner of the Middle East. The remainder of the day is free for personal exploration.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We drive via Karakus to Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut). Nemrut Dagi is one of the “must sees” of eastern Turkey. We plan to visit the summit at sunset, when the rockscape below is cast into shadow and the vast stone heads littering the summit are bathed in golden light. These remains are part of the great temple mausoleum Antiochus I crafted in the 1st century BC. Though he wanted to be worshipped as a god in his own lifetime, Antiochus’ ambitions were to be thwarted by the arrival of the Romans into Anatolia, who smashed the temple to the ruins we see today. We return at dusk to our hotel, located close to the summit.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we take time to explore this striking region on foot (optional) before drving out this afternoon to the roman Cendere Bridge, the castle at Kale and we also include a visit to the ancient Commagene capital of Arsameia. The site has many interesting stone reliefs including one featuring the god Hercules shaking hands with the founder of Commagene.We finish our day by driving up to Nemrut Tumulus for sunset.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive to Gazientep, arriving just in time for lunch and the chance to sample some of the local speciality dishes and deliciously sticky baklava.  We have a free afternoon in Gazientep with a chance to visit the local market, famous for its copperware, the museum and the 6th century castle.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning our tour ends in Gazientep.  (Passengers on the group flights fly back to Istanbul and on to the UK).

Included meals: Breakfast