Eastern Turkey

Imagine a place with ancient walled cities, palaces, ruins, hilltop fortresses, cave dwellings, snow-capped peaks, and endless vistas. Visit early Christian cathedrals, omni-present mosques and Ottoman history as well as friendly, fascinating and diverse cultures. Welcome to Eastern Turkey, an impressive destination, yet virtually unexplored by tourists.

Explore the mosques, museums, bazaars and palaces of Istanbul, before flying to Eastern Turkey. Enjoy the sunset after your hike to the top of mysterious Mt. Nemrut which is famed for it’s colossal stone heads built over 2 thousand years ago by King Antioch, who placed himself amongst the gods, with Apollo, Hercules and Zeus.

In Urfa, with it’s distinctly Arab presence, we visit the birthplace of Abraham, a pilgrimage site for Jews, Muslims and Christians. We continue to the scenic hilltop city of Mardin and on to the historic walled city of Diyarbakir, where a traditional Kurdish lifestyle still exists. Explore the impressive landscape and cave dwellings of Hasankeyf, situated high above the Tigris River. In Van, visit magnificent fortresses and cathedrals in some of Turkey’s most dramatic landscapes.

Enjoy impressive views of Mt. Ararat, believed to be the resting place of Noah’s Ark. Our travels take us through the natural beauty and history of the north to the Black Sea. See the snow-capped mountains of Ayder, a traditional and magical place to either relax or enjoy some of the best hiking in all of Turkey. Finally, we drive to Trabzon, for a short visit before flying to Istanbul for our farewell dinner and departure.