An amazing East Turkiye tour to Mt Nemrut, visits Göbeklitepe, Urfa, Mardin, Diyarbakir, Van, Kars, Erzurum and back via the beautiful verdoyant Black Sea region

Day 1- Istanbul
On your arrival at Istanbul Airport you will be met by one of our staff and transferred to your hotel in Istanbul. The rest of the day is free time for you to explore this magical city. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2 – Mt. Nemrut - Urfa ( B )
Early morning we will pick you up from your hotel, transfer to airport and flight to Adiyaman, you will be met by the guide then we will visit the magnificent funerary monument at the peak of Mt Nemrut which stands as a testament to an ancient king’s ambition. From Nemrut we continue to the massive Ataturk Dam straddling the mighty river Euphrates, and on to Sanlıurfa, the ancient city of prophets.

Overnight in Sanlıurfa.

Day 3 - Gobekli Tepe - Diyarbakir ( B )
Breakfast at your hotel then we will proceed to the on-going archaeological excavation area at Göbekli Tepe. So far Gobekli Tepe is known as one of the most important and oldest archaeological site in the world. We will drive to Diyarbakir which is an ancient settlement in the world. It is one of the most important and developed city in Eastern Turkey which is famous for its ancient city walls; constructed by the Romans, the current walls, built of massive black basalt blocks, the longest defensive wall in the world.

Overnight Diyarbakir.

Day 4 - Mardin - Hasankeyf - Tatvan ( B )
Breakfast at your hotel then we will depart from Diyarbakir to Mardin which is located on a high hill overlooking to the plains of southern Turkey. We will visit Deir-Al-Zafaran (the Saffron Monastery),centre of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchy which is still an active monastery. The site of the Saffron monastery has been a sacred place for thousands of years. We will drive to Hasankeyf, situated by the Tigris River; soon to be submerged under the flood waters of a new dam on the Tigris. After visiting Hasankeyf we will drive to Tatvan which will take about four hours.

Overnight in Tatvan.

Day 5 - Akdamar - Van ( B )
After breakfast we will drive to near Akdamar Island where we visit the beautifully restored 10th Century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross or Sourp Khach. Then we will drive back to Van city then Overnight in Van.

Day 6 - Van - Hosap ( B )
After having breakfast at the hotel we will drive to south along a branch of the Silk Road to visit Hosap Castle. The main castle of Hosap, built straddling the Silk Road which was used to protect the road and a point of charging tolls from the travellers in old days. After visiting Hosap we will drive back to Van to visit old Citadel of Van to watch the sun set over Lake Van.

Overnight in Van.

Day 7 - Dogubeyazit - Ararat - Kars ( B )
After having breakfast we will depart from Van for Dogubeyazit where we will visit the spectacular Ishak

Pasha Palace then we will drive to Mt Ararat which is one of the biggest natural spectacles of the world, Ararat consists of two peaks, Ararat traditionally is associated with the mountain on which Noah’s Ark came to rest at the end of the Flood. The name Ararat, as it appears in the Bible, is the Hebrew equivalent of Urardhu, the Assyro-Babylonian name of a kingdom that flourished between the Aras and the Upper Tigris rivers. After visiting Mt Ararat we will drive to Kars and Overnight in Kars.

Day 8 - Kars - Ani ( B )
After breakfast at your hotel in Kars we will drive to Ani to spend the morning at the former capital of the great medieval Armenian Kingdom. The remains of the ruined city include several churches as well as the shell of the Cathedral of Ani, the citadel and a mosque along with an extensive and well preserved defensive wall.

Overnight in Kars.

Day 9 - Kars - Erzurum ( B )
Breakfast then we will depart for Erzurum by passing through Sarikamis along the gorge of the river Aras and Cobandede bridge and we will reach to Erzurum.

Overnight in Erzurum.

Day 10 - Erzurum to Trabzon ( B )

After breakfast at your hotel in Erzurum then the driver will drop you to bus station and you will take a bus to Trabzon which will take about five hours, arrival and transfer to your hotel and overnight in Trabzon.

Day 11- Trabzon- City Tour ( B )
Breakfast at the hotel then depart for St. Sophia Church/Mosque, a 13th century church and see its extraordinary collections of Byzantine frescoes, depart for Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Castle and Ataturk’s Mansion (a picturesque hillside retreat), visit Ortahisar Mosque (a Comneni cathedral in the old town). In the afternoon we will explore the cobbled stone streets of Trabzon. Drive to Boztepe; enjoy your tea from samovar with the panoramic view of the city. We will visit Lake Sera then back to your hotel, overnight in Trabzon.

Day 12- Trabzon-Sumela Monestary – Karaca Cave ( B )
Breakfast then depart for Sumela Monastery, we will visit the 4th century Sumela Monastery which clings to a sheer cliff face in a forest, relax beside a flowing stream at Altindere Valley National Park, we will drive along the Silk Road through the Zigana Mountains  which will take us to Karaca Cave , considered to be the most beautiful cave in Turkey for its colors and formations. End of the day overnight in Trabzon.

Day 13- Ayder Tour ( B  )
We pick you up from your hotel at about 09:30am, the first stop on the tour will be Surmene; famous for handmade knives. Next, we will see how fabrics are woven in traditional looms, we will visit the tea groves at Ziraat Botanic Garden in Rize.

After stopping for a tea break near the historical old Ottoman Stone Bridge in Storm Valley, we will reach to Ayder highland. Enjoy your free time in here to discover the Ayder highland. Enjoy your day by sitting on the grasses and watching the mountains full of trees, breathe the forest smell, taste the local foods being cooked over the traditional stoves of the local restaurants. End of the day drive back to Trabzon by watching all these beautiful lush greenery of Black Sea, arrival and transfer to your hotel in Trabzon.

Day 14- Uzungol Tour ( B )
We pick you up from your hotel at about 10:00am and drive to Uzungol , we will be visiting a horse farm and tea factory on our way to Uzungol. It was declared as a Nature Park due to its rich flora, stunning wildlife and outstanding natural beauty. Everywhere is covered with spruce trees, an impressive array of wildlife exists with species such as roe deer, wild boar, bear, badger, lynx, birds of prey, and trout as well as various kinds of reptiles.

End of the tour transfer to airport and flight to Istanbul, arrival and transfer to your hotel,overnight in Istanbul.

Day 15- Istanbul ( B )
After breakfast at your hotel, our tour concludes and it is time for us to say goodbye. We will take you to the airport in time for you to catch your international flight back home and we will wish you a very pleasant flight. We hope to see you again on another Pomegranate Tour.