Domestic Flight: Istanbul to Kars 
Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, proceed to transfer to your domestic flight to Kars.  

Transfer: Kars Airport to Hotel 
After arriving in Kars, transfer for lunch and head to the historic Kars Castle that is sitting atop a hill for a panoramic view of the city, first built in the mid-12th Century during the Bagratuni Armenian period. Transfer to your hotel to rest after today’s long journey. 

Ani and Kars 
This morning, we will drive about 1.5 hours to the stunning medieval ruins of Ani, the “City of 1,001 Churches”, a must-visit in this part of the country, surrounded by remote landscapes near the border with Armenia.  
 
Return to Kars to explore this impressive city once colonized by Russians, filled with historic buildings including the Fethiye Mosque (formerly Alexander Nevsky Church), Russian Consulate, Revenue Office, and Governor’s mansion. We will also visit Armenian and Ottoman buildings of the old Armenian Church and Evliya Mosque. 

Muradiye Falls and Dogubeyazit 

After breakfast, drive about 3 hours to the Noah’s Ark mound situated on a hillside and is one of a few possible ark sites around Mount Ararat. Next, proceed to Dogubeyazit, visit the beautiful 17th-century Ishak Pasha Palace semi-ruins, perched on a small hill overlooking the city. It is one of the most magnificent and lavish examples of Ottoman architecture.  

Thereafter, continue approximately 3-hour drive to Van, enroute stop at the elegant cascades of Muradiye Falls, and the historical Devil’s Bridge.  

Lake Van and its Surroundings 
Devote the day to exploring the wonderful sights around scenic Lake Van. Visit Van Museum, an archaeology and ethonography museum which showcases ancient Urartian artifacts. Proceed to Van Castle that was part of the Urartu Kingdom, built on a rocky hill overlooking the waters of Lake Van.  
 
Then, head to Gevas Cemetery, comprising of tombstones dating from the 14th to 17th centuries. Look out for the polygonal Halime Hatun Türbesi, built in 1358 for a female member of the Karakoyunlu dynasty. 
 
The highlight of sodium-rich Lake Van would have to be the spectacular 10th century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island accessed by a 20-minute ferry ride. Akdamar Church was built between 915 and 921. It has amazing reliefs on its’ walls which include lots of stories from The Old Testament and numerous creatures.

Journey from Van to Mardin
Depart Van for a full day long drive to the ancient city of Mardin. We will first drive approximately 5 hours to visit Hasankeyf for a 1hr private boat tour of the village that is submerged with the completion of the new Ilisu Dam project.
 
Then, continue another 2 hour-drive to Mardin, and check in to hotel. 

Mardin and Dara 
Today, visit the ancient Roman ruins of Dara, where Mesopotamia’s first dam and irrigation canals were built. Discover the ancient stairways, underground aqueducts and cisterns of one of south-eastern Anatolia’s forgotten gems, which were only recently opened to public.  
 
En-route back to Mardin, we visit the Deyrul Zafaran Monastery, once the seat of the Syrian Orthodox patriarchate, and built on the site of a temple dedicated to the sun. Church services are still held in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. 
 
Enjoy rest of the day at leisure in Mardin.

Journey to Sanliurfa 
Today, continue our eastern endeavour at the ancient city of Mardin, encompassing honey-colored, sandstone buildings perched on the southern slope of a hill, where it was under the rule of the Hittites, Surs, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Arabs and the Seljuk Turks. Explore the labyrinthine alleys of the old town and soak in the atmosphere and architecture on foot.

Afterwards, we drive 3 hours to Sanliurfa and check-in to your hotel. 

Sanliurfa: The Birthplace of Abraham 
Today, visit the Gobekli Tepe, pre-dating Stonehenge by more than 6,000 years, from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A period, and celebrated as the world’s first and oldest temple. Then, proceed to Karahan Tepe, which is later discovered to be possibly even older than Gobekli Tepe. 
 
After lunch, visit Abraham’s Pool (Balikli Gol), the Great Mosque and Abraham’s Cave to discover the ancient city’s association of the great patriarch.

Harran the Legendary Village 
Travel towards west bank of the Balikh River to explore the ancient city of Harran, a major crossroad for primary trade routes from ancient Mesopotamia to the west. The most distinctive aspect of Harran is its mud beehive houses, and you can visit models of these at the Harran Cultural Centre. Harran also has a “kale” (fortress) dating from the 11th Century, an impressive city wall and ancient remains of abandoned caravanserais and mosques. 

Halfeti and Rumkale 
We will drive about 1.5 hours to the stunning village of Halfeti, on the banks of the Euphrates River in South-eastern Anatolia. Much of Halfeti is submerged due to the building of the Birecik Dam and the new village was moved to Karaotlak.  
 
Enjoy a boat tour in “Old Halfeti” as you learn about its fate. Until the area was flooded in 1999, the people lived from fishing in the Euphrates and farming on the riverbank, especially growing peanuts and the area’s famous black roses. Admire the Rumkale from your boat, an ancient fortress first built by Assyrians, later occupied by various Byzantine and Armenian warlords during the Middle Ages. Then, drive about 2 hours to Adiyaman.

Sunrise at Mount Nemrut 
The early start today is well worth it! You will be catching a sunrise at a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites of the Middle East – Mount Nemrut or Mountain of Gods. Enjoy a picnic breakfast with the spectacular view.

Yeni Kale and Pirin Medieval Ruins 
Visit the medieval ruins of Yeni Kale, which means new castle, situated above the village of Kocahisar and built on a narrow mountain spur high above a Seljuk bridge spanning the Kahta Cayi gorge.  
 
Next, a 1-hour drive brings us to the ancient city of Perre, today called Pirin. The city ruins and 208 caves in the rocks that are of historical importance. Synonymous for its burial caves and cities built into the hills, one of the largest cities of the Commagene Kingdom dating back to 162BC, the Pirin Caves is a stunning collection of rock tombs in striking resemblance to Cappadocia.

Depart Adiyaman 
Spend your morning at leisure.  
 
Later, transfer to Adiyaman Airport for your domestic flight back to Istanbul and onward connecting international flight.