3 Days Samsun, Ordu & Giresun Private Tour from Trabzon

Your private Black Sea journey begins with a morning pickup from your hotel, the airport or the intercity bus terminal in Trabzon, where you meet your English-speaking guide and driver. We set off westward along the scenic Black Sea coastal highway to Giresun, the only city in Turkey built on both the mainland and an offshore island. Here we visit the hilltop Giresun Castle, whose ramparts offer sweeping views over the harbour and the legendary Giresun Island, and we explore the Giresun Museum, housed in a restored Ottoman church, to learn about the region's Pontic and Ottoman heritage. Continuing along the coast, we reach Ordu, where we board the Ordu Boztepe cable car and rise to the Boztepe hill viewpoint at 470 metres, taking in a panorama of the city, the harbour and the endless Black Sea below. In the afternoon we drive on to Samsun, the largest city on the Turkish Black Sea coast and the birthplace of the Turkish War of Independence. On arrival we visit the Amazon Village, inspired by the legend of the warrior women said to have lived on these shores, see the symbolic First Step Monument commemorating Atatürk's landing on 19 May 1919, and view the historic Bandırma Ferry museum ship. We then check in to your hotel in the centre of Samsun, where the rest of the evening is free. Dinner is optional, at the hotel or in one of Samsun's lively city-centre restaurants.

After breakfast we leave the coast and head inland to one of the Black Sea region's natural highlights: Şahinkaya Canyon. Here we board a boat for a relaxing one-hour cruise along the emerald waters of the Altınkaya Reservoir, gliding beneath dramatic rock walls that soar up to 324 metres on either side — one of the most spectacular canyon landscapes in Turkey. A delicious lunch in the valley is included. Next we make our way to the historic town of Vezirköprü, a beautifully preserved Ottoman settlement, for a walking tour through its atmospheric old streets. We visit the Taşmedrese (Stone Madrasa), the Taşhan caravanserai, the covered Bedesten bazaar, the elegant Kurşunlu Mosque and the restored Abdullah Dereci Mansion, each telling the story of Vezirköprü's role on the old trade routes. After some free time to enjoy the town and Samsun, we transfer to Ordu, where you check in to your hotel in the city centre. The evening is at leisure, with an optional dinner in Ordu.

On our final day we head up into the lush green highlands behind the coast. We begin with a stop at the Sağra Chocolate Factory for a sweet shopping break and a taste of the region's famous hazelnut chocolate. Continuing into the mountains, we reach the Kuzalan Waterfalls Nature Park, where a series of powerful cascades tumbles through dense forest — a perfect spot for photographs and a short nature walk. We then visit the stunning Blue Lake (Karagöl), whose vivid turquoise waters, coloured by limestone and mineral deposits, sit cradled among the peaks. From there we climb to the Kümbet Plateau at 1,750 metres, a classic Black Sea highland of alpine meadows, wooden chalets and cool mountain air, where a traditional plateau lunch is included. In the late afternoon we begin our scenic return drive to Trabzon, with rest breaks along the way, arriving in the evening at the end of your unforgettable 3-day Black Sea adventure.