Discover the ancient soul of Southeastern Türkiye on this five-day private journey through the heart of Mesopotamia, planned in-house by Inca Tour, a TURSAB-licensed operator, and led by your own English-speaking guide. From the jet-black basalt ramparts of Diyarbakır to the golden hillside houses of Mardin, from the mythic stone heads of Mount Nemrut to the sacred pools of Şanlıurfa and the legendary kitchens of Gaziantep, the route traces thousands of years of history across the land between the Tigris and Euphrates.
Along the way you visit Hasankeyf and the Syriac monasteries of the Tur Abdin, cross the Roman Cendere Bridge near Kahta, look out over the Atatürk Dam, and step into Harran with its beehive mud-brick houses tied to the story of Abraham. With a private guide, comfortable hotels and a balance of ancient sites, living culture and world-famous cuisine, this itinerary is made for history lovers, culture seekers and food enthusiasts. Prices are per person and fall as your group grows.
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Early in the morning you are picked up from your Istanbul hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Diyarbakır. On arrival your guide meets you and the tour begins in a city around 5,000 years old — one of the oldest on earth, ringed by massive ramparts of jet-black basalt built on a Roman plan with four gates. A walking tour takes in the fortification walls, the Seljuk-era Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) and the 3rd-century Aramaic Church of the Virgin Mary. You then drive to Hasankeyf, whose history spans nine civilisations and reaches back some 10,000 years, before continuing to Midyat to see its monastery and old stone houses. Overnight in Mardin.
After breakfast you explore Mardin, a unique city of old Arabic-style houses adorned with intricate stone carvings, spread across a hillside above the Mesopotamian plain. It is a lively trading centre and played an early role in the spread of Christianity. You visit the Deyrulzafaran (Saffron) Monastery just outside town — founded in 762 AD and for almost 800 years the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch — and take time to walk the bazaars and admire the stonework throughout the old town. Overnight in Mardin.
After breakfast you drive towards Kahta, stopping at the old castle of Arsameia, the Roman Cendere (Septimius Severus) Bridge dating to the 3rd century, and the Karakuş tumulus. You then ascend Mount Nemrut, one of the most striking UNESCO World Heritage sites, to stand among the colossal heads and statues of the ancient Commagene deities. Built by King Antiochus around 2,000 years ago as a monument to his divine ancestry, the summit complex sits at roughly 2,150 m. After taking in the views you descend for dinner and overnight in Kahta or Adıyaman.
After breakfast you drive to Şanlıurfa, passing the Atatürk Dam — part of the vast GAP hydro-electric and irrigation project on the upper Tigris and Euphrates. Urfa, "the city of prophets," is rich in biblical heritage: you visit the castle with its Roman columns, the sacred Pool of the Carp (Balıklıgöl) and the reputed birthplace of the Prophet Abraham. In the late afternoon you continue to Harran, an ancient Mesopotamian city of beehive mud-brick houses, home to one of the world's first universities and linked in the Book of Genesis to Abraham's family. Optionally, a visit to Göbeklitepe — the world's oldest known temple — can be added. Overnight in Urfa.
After breakfast you drive to Gaziantep, Türkiye's culinary capital. You visit the world-famous Zeugma Mosaic Museum, home to the celebrated "Gypsy Girl" mosaic, then explore the old city castle, the copper bazaar and a renowned baklava shop (baklava's original home). In the late afternoon you are transferred to Gaziantep airport for your flight back to Istanbul, arriving to a transfer to your hotel.
Diyarbakır, Mardin → Mardin → Mount Nemrut, Kahta → Şanlıurfa, Harran → Gaziantep
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 — Diyarbakır, Mardin, Mardin, Mount Nemrut, Kahta, Şanlıurfa, Harran, Gaziantep.
Other private and group tours that visit the same destination.
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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!
