EASTERN TURKEY TOUR
Dates in 2013:
12 Nights - 13 Days

TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 01 Istanbul - Adana
Arrive to Istanbul airport. Our representative will meet you after the customs and baggage claim with a sign YOUR NAME on it. Take flight to Adana. Dinner and overnight at your hotel. (D) 

Day 02 Adana - Antakya (Antioch)
After breakfast drive to Antakya, and visit Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai, Antakya Mosaic Museum, Grotto of St. Peter. Overnight in Antakya. (B,L,D)

Day 03 Antakya - Gaziantep
Drive to Gaziantep to visit the site Zeugma, located next to Euphrates river and famous for his marvelous mosaics. Dinner and overnight in Gaziantep. (B,L,D)

Day 04 Gaziantep - Nemrut Mountain – Adiyaman
Drive to Nemrut Mountain. See the huge heads of gods (Apollo, Zeus, Hercules) and goddess (Tyke=Fortuna) built by Antiochus I, King of the Commagene Kingdom in the 1st century, and the man made hill, on top of the 2000 meters high mountain. Overnight Adiyaman. (B,L,D)

Day 05 Adiyaman - Gobeklitepe - Urfa
Departure to Gobeklitepe to see the oldest temples of the world from 10.000 BC. Continue to Harran, one of the oldest cities of the Mesapotamia. See the soil houses.  Then, drive to Urfa, the city of the prophets. Visit city center and Golbasi. Dinner and overnight in Urfa. (B,L,D)

Day 06 Urfa - Mardin - Diyarbakir
After breakfast leave Urfa and drive to Mardin. Visit of the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, an Syrian Christian Monastery still in use. Lunch en route and arrive to Diyarbakır. See the city walls, the market and Ulu Cami. Dinner and overnight in Diyarbakir. (B,L,D)

Day 07 Diyarbakir - Van
Drive to Van, situated on the shores of Lake Van, at 5,500 feet, one of the highest lakes in the world. Visit the St. Croix church, a beautiful example of Armenian architecture. This church is located on the Akdamar Island. Dinner and overnight in Van. (B,L,D) 

Day 08 Van
Morning departure for Hosap Castle. After the visit continue to Cavustepe, the Ourartéens site. Lunch and stop at a local handicraft, KILIMS. Then visit the Castle of Van at the sunset, to have a beautiful view over the biggest lake of Turkey, the lake of Van. Dinner and overnight in Van. (B,L,D) 

Day 09 Van - Dogubeyazit - Kars
Drive to Dogubeyazit, the closest town to Mt. Ararat. Visit the famous 17th century Ishak Pasha Palace, built on a high valley overlooking the caravan route. In the afternoon continue to Kars, small city which is a beautiful example of Russian urbanism of the 19th century. Dinner and overnight in Kars. (B,L,D) 

Day 10 Kars - Ani - Erzurum
Morning visit Ani, was once the capital medieval Armenian Kingdom, and later of the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom from 953 to 1045 AD. Among the ruins of this ancient city there are eight churches, a convent and a citadel along with the main cathedral which has alternately been a church or a mosque. After lunch, drive to Erzurum the largest city in the eastern Anatolia. At arrival visit the Islamic monuments from Seljuk, Mongol and Ottoman eras, Ulu Mosque and Cifte Minare. Dinner and overnight in Erzurum. (B,L,D) 

Day 11 Erzurum - Trabzon
Drive to Trabzon on the Black Sea coast. Visit Hagia Sophia and Sumela Monastery which was well known and respected as a monastic centre from the 4th century until 1923. Dinner and overnight at Trabzon. (B,L,D) 

Day 12 Trabzon - Istanbul
Fly to Istanbul. Transfer to your hotel. Free afternoon. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Istanbul (B,D)

Day 13 Istanbul - End
Transfer to Istanbul airport. End of our services. (B)