This four-day trip pairs the monuments of Hakkari with the flavours of its kitchens. Set in the mountainous far south-east of Turkey, on the borders of Iraq and Iran, the province has been governed by a long succession of civilisations, and its mosques, castles and palaces bear witness to that past. You stay three nights in a hotel in Yuksekova, reached by domestic flight to Hakkari Yuksekova Selahaddin Eyyubi Airport, and spend two guided days discovering the region with a professional English-speaking guide and comfortable air-conditioned transport.
The first guided day visits the Semdinli Stone Bridge, a one-arch bridge anchored on rock at both ends that crosses a deep, mountain-framed valley on the Derecik-Iraq road, and Kayme Palace, dated by its inscriptions to 1909-1911 and attributed to Seyit Muhammed Siddik, son of Seyit Ubeydullah. A panoramic coach tour of Yuksekova town centre follows. The second day is all about food: in a local restaurant you learn to make Gulul soup with yogurt, green lentils and cut dough, Finger Kebab made from finger-shaped aubergine with generous spices, and Jajik with yogurt, cucumber and garlic, and you hear about Chevirmeli Pilav and the sesame tahini dessert of Cukurca.
After eating the lunch you helped to prepare, free time in the town centre lets you shop for souvenirs. Three nights of hotel accommodation, three breakfasts and one lunch, airport transfers, the guided city tour, the cooking lesson and shopping tour, entrance fees and hotel room taxes are included, while domestic flights and other meals are extra. It is a rewarding choice for food lovers and curious travellers who want a personal, unhurried introduction to one of Turkey's most remote provinces.
| Tour type | Private · multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 Days 3 Nights |
| Price | From €580 per person |
| Departures | Every day |
| Guide | Licensed guide in your language |
| Stops | 4 |
| Entrance fees | Included |
| Booking | Instant request online, confirmation within 24 hours · TÜRSAB-licensed operator (A-5751) |
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Your journey starts at Hakkari Yuksekova Selahaddin Eyyubi Airport, where a representative greets you and accompanies you on the short transfer to your hotel in Yuksekova. After check-in the day is entirely free. It is a good chance to enjoy the mountain air and explore the streets near your hotel at your own pace before the guided days begin. Over the next three nights Yuksekova will be your base for sightseeing in the province of Hakkari and for a cooking lesson devoted to its home-style dishes. Overnight in Yuksekova, Hakkari.
Following breakfast your guide meets you for the sightseeing day. Hakkari's long and layered history, shaped by many different rulers, can be read in its mosques, fortresses and palaces. The tour takes you to the Semdinli Stone Bridge, a single arch set firmly on rock on either bank, spanning a gorge hemmed in by high peaks on the Derecik-Iraq road. You also visit Kayme Palace, raised between 1909 and 1911 according to its inscriptions and attributed to Seyit Muhammed Siddik, the son of Seyit Ubeydullah. The afternoon ends with a panoramic coach tour of central Yuksekova. Overnight in Yuksekova.
After breakfast you are driven to a local restaurant for a professional cooking lesson. On the menu is Gulul soup, a yogurt soup made with green lentils and small pieces of dough, and Finger Kebab, the Yuksekova speciality of finger-shaped aubergine pieces with a lively mix of spices. You also prepare Jajik, a cool blend of yogurt, grated cucumber and garlic. The chef may also introduce Chevirmeli Pilav, a layered rice dish, and the tahini dessert of Cukurca made from slowly roasted local sesame. The dishes become your lunch, after which you have free time for shopping in the town centre before returning to the hotel. Overnight in Yuksekova.
After a final breakfast you check out and are driven to Hakkari Yuksekova Selahaddin Eyyubi Airport for the domestic flight to Istanbul, where your onward journey begins. We hope you take home happy memories of the Semdinli Stone Bridge, Kayme Palace and the recipes of Hakkari, and we look forward to seeing you again.
Arrival in Yuksekova → Semdinli Stone Bridge, Kayme Palace & Yuksekova → Hakkari cooking lesson & shopping → Yuksekova to Istanbul
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Extra day tours you can add along your route — Arrival in Yuksekova, Semdinli Stone Bridge, Kayme Palace & Yuksekova, Hakkari cooking lesson & shopping, Yuksekova to Istanbul.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!
