Eastern Anatolia tour

Highlights: Cappadocia, Antioch, Nemrut, Urfa

  Day 1 — ARRIVE Ankara / Cappadocia
Arrive at Ankara early in the morning and transfer to the city to visit to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, where the prehistoric and unique Hittite collections are exhibited, and the Mausoleum of Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey. Lunch and drive to the spectacular region of Cappadocia enjoying the view of the Salt Lake. Dinner and overnight. (L-D) Pre-Istanbul stay or one night stay in Ankara can be arranged in case you can not make it in Ankara early in the morning this day.

Day 2 — Cappadocia
Breakfast and departure for a full day tour to the extraordinary and fascinating Cappadocia; visiting the surroundings of Uchisar Fortress that the water and the wind gave spectacular views to the volcanic rocks and than Goreme Valley, which was inhabited by the Turks after early Christians. Lunch in a local restaurant and up to Pasabag valley vineyards where you can see very good examples of the formations called 'Fairy Chimneys'. This Valley is also called as Monks Valley. Time for shopping before returning to your hotel. (B-L-D)

Day 3 — Cappadocia / Adana
Breakfast and check out from the hotel to visit the underground city of Kaymakli or Derinkuyu; excavated by the early Christian communities to protect themselves, up to eight levels under the ground. Drive to Tarsus, the birth place of Saint Paul. In the pre-Christianity period, Tarsus was known as the place where Cleopatra tempted Marc Antonius after his victory in Philip when he ordered to get the Egyptian queen Tolemita to punish her because of her help to Caslo when the engineers of the antic Tarsus opened a passage way in between the Northern Mountains till the Cilician gates, they created one of the most historical mountain routes of all the times. Till then the armies and the merchants used this passage way. Persians with their 100.000 people and later on Alexander the Great passed through here. Alexander the Great was almost loosing his life while he was swimming in the freezing waters of the Cyndus River. Arrive at Tarsus and visit the Well of Saint Paul and the Cleopatra Gate. Lunch in Tarsus and drive to Adana for overnight. (B-L-D)

Day 4 — Adana / Antakya
Breakfast and departure for Antakya, the biblical city called Antioch, situated next to the Asi (Orantes) River in the fertile plains surrounded with the high mountains. This is the city where the word "Christian" was used for the first time. Its museum has one of the richest Roman mosaic collection of the world. The major part of the fantastic stone paintings were found during the excavations in Antakya and around Daphne. Outside the city there is the Cave of Saint Peter which was a church constructed in a cave where the apostles gave their first preach and where the Christian community settled down. Lunch during visits. Dinner and overnight. (B-L-D)

Day 5 — Antakya / Adiyaman
Breakfast and departure for Adiyaman, visit the mount Nemrut to see the tumulus of the King Antiochus of Commagene, the special tomb known for its gigantic statues, the heads spread around and reflecting the charming periods of the past. Lunch during visits. Dinner and overnight. (B-L-D)

Day 6 — Adiyaman / Urfa
Breakfast and departure for Urfa, the old city of Prophets, one of them is Abraham. Visit Halil Rahman Mosque situated next to a special pool where the sacred fish are living. Lunch and drive to Harran to visit the biblical place which has the bases of one of the first universities of the world. Dinner and overnight. (B-L-D)

Day 7 — DEPART Urfa
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Istanbul. (B) You can extend your stay in Istanbul if you wish.

(B) Breakfast - (L) Lunch - (D) Dinner

 Important Notes 

  • This tour is run from Ankara on private basis, therefore the costs depend on the number of people you have in your party.
  • It's important that guests fly to Ankara early in the morning in order to join the group. In case they can't, then we can arrange one night stay in Ankara before Day 1, at extra cost.
  • Order of the visits may be changed for the convenience of the tour.
  • This tour operates with a minimum of 8 participants!

ALL TRAVEL SERVICES FOR THIS TOUR ARE BEEN ARRANGED BY A GOVERNMENT LICENSED & RELIABLE TRAVEL AGENCY