13D GREAT HISTORICAL TURKEY
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1 ISTANBUL – GOBEKLITEPE – SANLIURFA (D)
Your arrival at the Istanbul Airport will be followed by an early morning domestic flight to Urfa. We will drive for about 25 minutes from Urfa to Gobeklitepe, the world’s oldest religious construction that was built in 10,000 BCE. You will get to explore the Ataturk Dam, the world’s 4th largest dam in the world. The legendary pool of sacred fish, Saliurfa Balikligol, is another important part of this day as Jews and Muslims believe Balikligol to be the place where Nimrud threw Prophet Abraham into the fire. We will explore the surrounding religious places like the Halil-ur Rahman Mosque and the birthplace of Prophet Abraham – Maqam-i Ibrahim (Cave of Prophet Abraham). Ruins of Islam’s first university called Harran are also present that we will be exploring before staying the night at Sanliurfa.
DAY 2 SANLIURFA – ADIYAMAN (B/L/D)
We will travel to Adiyaman after breakfast at the hotel in Sanliurfa, which will take around one hour and ten minutes. We’ll ride in a minibus to Nemrut Mountain, where we’ll see a breath-taking sunset. You will also get to enjoy great walks on the peak of the mountain and see the huge statues of the Commagene Kingdom. We’ll return to the hotel for dinner, and an overnight stay at Adiyaman after these stops.
DAY 3 ADIYAMAN – DIYARBAKIR (B/L/D)
After breakfast at the hotel in Adiyaman, we will drive for around 2 hours and 40 minutes from Adiyaman to Diyarbakir. You can explore the Diyarbakir Fortress here. It is one of the longest defensive walls in the world and is often compared to the Great Wall of China. You can take great pictures on these spots and stay the night at Diyarbakir.
DAY 4 DIYARBAKIR – VAN (B/L/D)
This morning, depart early from Diyarbakir and go to the North East, stopping to see the Akdamar Church along the way close to Van. To go to Akdamar Island in Lake Van, we will board a small boat. Lake Van is the biggest lake in both Turkey and the Armenian Highlands. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, also known as Akdamar Church, is a medieval Armenian Apostolic cathedral that was first constructed as a palatine church for the Vaspurakan monarchs and afterward used to house the Catholicosate of Akdamar. Visit Van Castle, a sizable stone stronghold constructed by Urartu’s ancient kingdom between the 9th and 7th centuries BC.
DAY 5 VAN – DOGUBEYAZIT (B/L/D)
We will depart for the Iranian border town of Dogubeyazit. The Ararat Mountain’s beauty will be seen to us from a distance. Follow that by going to Ishak Pasha, one of the largest and most sophisticated palace complexes in the world. Then, we’ll keep on to Kars, a city perched above a series of steep cliffs. Then, in the late afternoon, we shall stroll around Kars’ bazaars to experience the Eastern ambiance.
DAY 6 DOGUBEYAZIT – KARS (B/L/D)
After breakfast, we go to Ani, one of the towns that were evacuated when the Turkish government welcomed Muslim Greeks into its country. Due to the lack of habitation since that time, the village now resembles a ghost town despite having exquisite stone carvings.
DAY 7 KARS – ERZURUM (B/L/D)
Visit the Grand Mosque of Erzurum by driving from Kars to Erzurum in about 2 hours and 50 minutes. The mosque is designed in the traditional Seljuk pre-Ottoman rectangular style. Visit the Ifte Minareli Medrese (Twin Minaret Madrasa), a late Seljuk architectural landmark in Erzurum City. The Twin Minaret Madrasa, which was built as a theological institution a few years before 1265, gets its name from the two fluted minarets that top its imposing façade.
DAY 8 ERZURUM – TRABZON (B/L/D)
Visit Karaca Cave on the way to Trabzon. Stalactites, stalagmites, and travertines are just a few of the many dripstone formations that abound in this cave in all various sizes, forms, and colors. Then go to the Sumela Monastery, which is a Mary-centered Greek Orthodox monastery. It seems to be a nine-story skyscraper suspended in the clouds and perched above a forest from a mountain’s slope.
DAY 9 TRABZON – AMASYA – SAMSUN (B/L/D)
We will go to the ancient town of Amasya in the morning since it was crucial to the founding of the Republic of Turkey during the time of transition after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. This village, which is sandwiched between two tall mountains, is well known for the royal rock tombs it has carved into the sides of the mountains. The Maidens Museum, the Clock Tower, the Amasya Tower, a stroll along the Green River, the Statue of Strabon, the History Master, and the Amasya wooden houses will all be on our itinerary as we explore the city. The Beyazit Mosque, a historically significant mosque from the 15th century in Amasya, was constructed in 1486 on the Sultan Bayezid II of the Ottoman Empire’s orders. Drive up to Samsun in the north after that.
DAY 10 SAMSUN – DIVRIGI – KANGAL – SIVAS (B/L/D)
We will go by car to Divrigi, an area of Anatolia that the Turks captured at the start of the 11th century. Discover the Divrigi Great Mosque and Hospital, a mosque and hospital complex constructed in 1228–1229 by the Mengujekids, a local dynasty in the little Anatolian village of Divrigi. Continue on to Balikli Kaplica, a thermal spring home to tiny fish that can survive in hot water and are famed for curing skin conditions. Continue on to Kangal so we may view the renowned, enormous Kangal Dogs.
DAY 11 SIVAS – HATTUSA – CAPPADOCIA (B/L/D)
On Day 11, we will go to Hatussa, which served as the late Bronze Age capital of the Hittite Empire. Within the expansive Kizilirmak River loop, its remains are located close to the present-day Turkish town of Bogazkale. In 1986, Hattusa was included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The 4000-year-old Hittite City of Hatussa with its Lion Gate, magnificent Temple, and several outstanding structures may be seen there. Then, take a trip to Yazilikaya, where two rock clefts—one to the northeast and the other to the east—form open-air galleries naturally. The Hittites revered this location. It was created within a cluster of rock outcrops and had two primary chambers. The Hittite pantheon’s gods are shown in the rock reliefs of Chambers A and B, which are still very spectacular today. Drive forward to Cappadocia.
DAY 12 CAPPADOCIA – ISTANBUL (B/L)
Before visiting the carpet factory, where you will witness a wide variety of renowned Turkish carpets, you may choose to take a hot air balloon journey in the early morning in Cappadocia. We’ll go to the Underground City, which can accommodate up to 20,000 people and is renowned for its size. Before reaching Avanos, the center of Cappadocia’s pottery industry, we will also see the Derbent Valley, which is renowned for its many distinctive rock formations. We will see Goreme Town and Goreme View Point, home to the famed Uchisar Citadel and cave churches with exquisite carvings in huge rocks. Before spending the night in Cappadocia, explore the Pigeon Valley, which is home to several artificial pigeon homes, and pay a visit to the Turquoise Factory. We will take an evening flight to Istanbul.
DAY 13 ISTANBUL (B/L)
In Turkey, you will go to locations with a rich religious and historical past. Our first visit will be to the Blue Mosque, one of Turkey’s most popular tourist attractions. In 1617, it was built. The Hippodrome of Constantinople, which was the center of social and athletic events in ancient Constantinople, will also be visible to you. We’ll spend the day in the Topkapi Palace after visiting the Hagia Sophia Mosque. It is well known for its beautiful architecture and valuables, which contain holy relics that are the belongings of various prophets, such as the Staff of Moses and a few other prophetic artifacts. We’ll have local at a great local restaurant at the conclusion of the trip. Spend your afternoon for shopping in Grand Bazaar before transferring to airport.
INCLUDED
- Hotel Accommodation
- All airport transfers
- Transportation by AC Coach with Wi-Fi
- Professional Tour Guide Service
- Meals as per itinerary
- Museum entrance fees as per itinerary
- Water service during meals and in the bus
- Portage in out at hotels and Parking fees
- All taxes of the services within the itinerary
- Bosphorus Cruise
EXCLUDED
- Domestic & International Flight Tickets
- Visa (in any)
- Airport tax & travel insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Drinks during meals except water
- Portage Service at Airport
- Hot Air Balloon Tour
- Optional Tour
- Gratuities (tipping) for guide and driver
TERMS & CONDITIONS
- Price valid until June 2023
- Price based on DOUBLE/TWIN/TRIPLE Room
- There is no booking has been made yet
- Deposit required upon confirmation received and non refundable
- Price and itinerary subject to change without prior notice and subject to availability
- Cancellation policy apply
- Timing on itinerary may change due to traffic, weather or unexpected situations. There will be no refund for unused services.
- The above named hotels are examples and may be replaced by hotels of the same standard.
- Prices are not applicable on fair dates, on religious holidays and Christmas – New Year period
- Please recheck flight details
PRICE PER PERSON IN USD
PACKAGE | HOTEL | NUMBER OF PERSON | |||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
GOLD | 4 STAR | 3449 | 2805 | 2359 | 2215 | 1881 | 1605 | 1453 | 1325 |
PLATINUM | 5 STAR | 3580 | 2929 | 2471 | 2337 | 1970 | 1715 | 1575 | 1408 |