(Lunch & Dinner included)

We arrive at Trabzon Airport in the late morning, meet our guide and drive to the Sumela Monastery. As we park our vehicle on the skirts of the hill upon which the monastery is built, we first have lunch at a restaurant and then take a 30 minutes hike up to the monastery following a narrow hike path covered with pine trees. After our visit, we hike back and drive to Trabzon, spending the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

We check out, and visit St. Sophia Church before driving to the Ataturk Museum. As we are done with our visits in Trabzon, we drive to Rize, following a spectacular road with tea gardens on our right and the Black Sea on our left. After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit a tea factory around Rize and drive back to Trabzon. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

On our way to Erzurum, we leave the Black Sea Coast and start driving inland. We have lunch on arrival in Erzurum. This is Turkey"s highest elevated city, built at 1853 m (6200 ft.). More important are the finest examples of Selcuk architecture that can be seen here. After visiting Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Rustem Pasha Bedesten, Ulu Mosque and the Cifte Minareli Medrese, we check-in our hotel where we will spend the night. Dinner and overnight in Erzurum.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast, we drive to Ani, via Kars. Ani dates back as far as the 5th century AD and from 806 it served as the capital of Armenia. After our visits here, we drive to the center of Kars and visit Kars Castle. We will stay at the Kar’s Hotel, in where, Orhan Pamuk, Nobel prized Turkish writer, wrote his book called "Snow". Dinner & overnight in Kars.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Today, we head on further south to Van via Dogubeyazit where we visit the legendary Ishak Pasa Palace built towards the end of the 18th century by a powerful local family who were the de facto rulers of the area. We, then drive further, past Mt. Ararat, which according to ancient tradition, is the mountain on which Noah's Ark rested. Ararat consists of 2 peaks: Buyuk Agri (5165 m) and Kucuk Agri (3925 m). We visit the Muradiye waterfalls en route. Dinner and overnight in Van.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After a leisurely breakfast, today we visit the Fortress of Van and the museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, we head on to Hosap Castle and then to Cavustepe. Dinner and overnight in Van.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Departing early, we first visit Akdamar Church before driving further southwest to Midyat. En route, we stop by Hasankeyf which was the capital of the Artuklu Seljucks in the period 1102-1232. It is well known for its structure and remains belonging to various Islamic reigns. Remains on both banks of the Tigris (Dicle) river will be submerged upon the completion of Ilusu Dam nearby. Salvation works were started in 1988. Though the original founders of the settlement are not known, scholars state that nearby caves were inhabited since prehistoric times. Dinner and overnight in Midyat.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

We leave Midyat and drive South to Mardin via the Tigris Bridge. On the outskirts of Mardin, we visit the still practicing Monastery of Mar Gabriel. As we drive back, we stop for lunch at Mardin, then drive further to Sanliurfa where we will spend the night. Dinner and overnight in Sanliurfa.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Genesis refers to Harran as Terha, the place to where Abraham took his wife and son, Lot. It is difficult to believe that this small settlement on the edge of the desert was once a major economic, religious, and cultural center. Harran means "crossroads" and has been occupied since at least 2000 BC. Finishing our visit to Harran, we drive back to Sanliurfa to see the pool and the birthplace of Abraham. After lunch at a local restaurant, we head on the the highlight of the all trip; Gobeklitepe; The data obtained as a result of the excavations, which have been ongoing since 1995, show that Gobeklitepe was a cult center built by humans and dated to around 12,000 years ago. It is composed of approximately 20 round and oval structures, reaching 30 m in diameter. 6 of them have been exposed in excavations and others were identified by surveys in geomagnetic and georadar methods. The results of excavations and surveys showed that Gobeklitepe was a 12,000 years old major meeting center composed of monumental structures built for ceremonial purposes, instead of spaces of daily life. Dinner and overnight in Sanliurfa.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast, we leave Sanliurfa and drive to Kâhta along a spectacular road, having lunch at Adiyaman. We stop for refreshment on the skirts of Mt. Nemrut before our 500-meter hike to the sanctuary. This is the magnificent funerary monument of the Commagene Antiochus I Theos. We arrive to our hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight in Kâhta.

(Breakfast and Local dinner included)

We take a long but pleasant drive today to Cappadocia; the land of the fairies. En route, we will stop by Kahramanmaras the city famous for its ice cream. We will walk on the streets of the city and visit the Archaeological Museum. We have lunch at a local restaurant and keep driving along the picturesque road which connects East to West along the silk road. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Today we will get to know the Cappadocia region, a volcanic area in which the geological formation started 10 million years ago. As a result of these formations phallic like pillars have come to life. The beautiful horse country Katpatuka, (as the Persians called her) is an unbelievable strip of land, enchanting and mysterious. Cappadocia region is also famous for its arts, including ceramic and carpets. You will be picked up approximately 09:30 from your hotel to join our regular tour. Tour starts with Uchisar Castle, the highest point of Cappadocia. After Uchisar, you visit Goreme Open Air Museum, the Heart of Cappadocia. Goreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes dating to 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses. After Cavusin you go to the restaurant in Avanos to have lunch. After lunch, you visit a pottery work shop, to see how to make potteries. Then you go Pasabagi where you can see three - headed fairy chimneys. After Pasabagi you visit another workshop to see Cappadocian handwoven carpets and kilims. Next stop is Devrent Valley, which is also called Imagination Valley, where you can see natural rock formations looking like animals. Then you head to a wine shop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop is Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is the symbol of Cappadocia. This tour will end approximately 18:00 and you will be returned back to your hotel. Dinner and overnight Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, around 9:30am you will be picked up from your hotel. We will drive you to Derinkuyu underground city, one of the best preserved and deepest Underground cities in Cappadocia.Derinkuyu Underground city is 55 meters deep and 8 levels open to visitors. After thet we will drive you to Ihlara valley which is a 16 km long canyon and both side are lined with rock carved churches. We will have 3 km hike and visit one of the churches in the valley. End of the hiking lunch be served at the Belisirma village beside river. After lunch we will visit Selime monastery, carved out of the rock by Christian monks in the 13th centry On the way back to hotel we will stop at the pigeon valley. Dinner and overnight Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included)

Leaving the land of fairies, we drive around the shores of Salt Lake to the capital of Turkey: Ankara. First we drive to the old district of the city to visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum. Lunch will be served at the heart of the modern city before visiting Ataturk"s Mausoleum where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, is buried. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, strolling down the streets of Ankara. Our farewell dinner will be at an old mansion in the Ankara citadel. Overnight in Ankara.

(Breakfast included)

Transfer to Ankara Airport for the flight back home. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Booking Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing Us