*NEW* Eastern Turkey: Across Ancient Landscapes

Arrival in Adiyaman

Transfer to your hotel to rest after today’s long journey. Be prepared for the remarkable cultural and historical immersion that lies ahead.

Sunrise at Mount Nemrut

Rise early and drive 1.5-hour to catch the sunrise at the summit of Mount Nemrut, where colossal stone heads gaze silently over the horizon. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this mystical royal tomb sanctuary offers a surreal and unforgettable start to your journey. Enjoy a private picnic breakfast with the spectacular view. 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. Drive an hour to visit the ancient city of Perre (modern-day Pirin), once a major center of the Commagene Kingdom, known for its hillside tombs and burial caves.

Halfeti and Rumkale

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. 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.

Harran the Legendary Village

Drive 2 hours 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. Then, drive 45 minutes to Sanliurfa and check into your hotel.

Sanliurfa: The Birthplace of Abraham

Today we explore Sanliurfa, where according to the Bible and Quran, is the birthplace of Abraham – the biblical patriarch of Israel whose story is told in the Book of Genesis. Visit Abraham’s Pool (Balikli Gol), the Great Mosque and Abraham’s Cave to discover the ancient city’s association of the great patriarch.

Private visit to Klaus Schmidt Memorial House

Enjoy a private visit to the Klaus Schmidt Memorial House, a 200-year-old stone residence in Urfa that Klaus Schmidt – the archaeologist who discovered Göbekli Tepe – purchased to house his excavation team. The house accompanied the Göbekli Tepe excavation and research project with Klaus Schmidt for 20 years, and has now been transformed into a memorial space featuring permanent exhibitions, archival photographs, and evocative artworks inspired by the site and its legacy.

The 11,000 year-old Gobekli Tepe

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.

Journey to Mardin

We continue our eastern endeavour and drive 3 hours to 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.

Mardin and Dara 

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 from Mardin to Van

Depart Mardin for a full day long drive to Van. We will first drive 2 hours to visit Hasankeyf for a private boat tour of the village that is submerged with the completion of the new Ilisu Dam project. Then continue to drive for about 5 hours to Van and check in to hotel.

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.

The highlight of sodium-rich Lake Van is the spectacular 10th-century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island, reached via a 20-minute ferry ride. Built between 915 and 921, the church features remarkable stone reliefs depicting scenes from the Old Testament and a variety of mythical and real creatures.

Muradiye Falls and Dogubeyazit

Start our 3-hour drive to Dogubeyazit after breakfast, enroute stop at the elegant cascades of Muradiye Falls, and the historical Devil’s Bridge. Continue our journey to Dogubeyazit, visit the beautiful 17th-century Ishak Pasha Palace ruins, perched on a small hill overlooking the city. It is one of the most magnificent and lavish examples of Ottoman architecture.

Drive 50 minutes to Noah’s Ark mound situated on a hillside and is one of a few possible ark sites around Mount Ararat. Continue to Kars for another 2-hour drive where you will rest for the night.

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.

Depart Kars

Spend your morning at leisure. Transfer to Kars Airport for your homebound flight, taking with you lasting memories of a truly extraordinary adventure.