This nine-day private tour threads together Turkey's imperial past and its green, little-visited north — from the mosques of Istanbul and the Hittite capital of Hattusa to the frescoed monasteries and dripstone caves of the Pontic Mountains. Arranged in-house by Inca Tour, a TURSAB-licensed operator, and guided throughout in English, it is a journey through three thousand years of Anatolian history.
From Istanbul you head east to the serene Abant Lake for a lakeside walk, then to Safranbolu, whose timber houses, Cinci Hodja Caravanserai, bathhouse and Kaymakamlar House Museum earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. In Ankara you visit the Anitkabir (Ataturk Mausoleum) and its museum before crossing the Anatolian steppe to Hattusa, capital of the Bronze-Age Hittite empire, where the Lion Gate, the King's Gate, the great temple and the open-air rock sanctuary of Yazilikaya survive beside the earlier site of Alacahoyuk.
The road descends to Amasya, cradled between cliffs along the Yesilirmak, where you see the citadel, the rock-cut tombs of the Pontic kings, the thousand-year-old bridges and the Bimarhane, a medieval hospital for the mentally ill. Crossing to the coast you reach Trabzon to explore the thirteenth-century St Sophia (Ayasofya) with its Byzantine frescoes, the Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Trabzon Castle, Ataturk's Mansion and the Ortahisar Mosque, with a seaside lunch at Akcaabat and tea on the hill of Boztepe. The climax is the Sumela Monastery, suspended on a cliff in the forested Altindere Valley National Park, followed by the Silk-Road pass through the Zigana Mountains to the glittering Karaca Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Türkiye. Prices are per person.
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Welcome to Türkiye. On arrival at Istanbul Airport you are met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to rest or take a first stroll through the city that has been the capital of empires. Overnight in Istanbul.
After breakfast you set out at 08:30 for a guided tour of the historic peninsula. You visit Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans, the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque (Blue Mosque), and the Hippodrome with its Obelisk of Theodosius and Serpentine Column. After a lunch break you explore the Grand Spice Bazaar, a feast of colour and aroma. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
You leave the city for Abant Lake, a tranquil crater lake surrounded by pine forest where you can walk the shoreline or ride horseback, with lunch at an open-air restaurant. In the afternoon you drive on to Safranbolu, strolling the historic bazaar and visiting the Cinci Hodja Caravanserai, the Cici Hodja bathhouse and the Kaymakamlar House Museum. Dinner and overnight in Safranbolu.
This morning you travel to Ankara, the capital of modern Türkiye. After arrival and lunch you tour the city, visiting the Ataturk Museum and the monumental Anitkabir (Ataturk Mausoleum), the resting place of the republic's founder. Dinner and overnight in Ankara.
You drive to Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite empire, to see the great temple ruins, the Lion Gate and the King's Gate, and the nearby open-air rock temple of Yazilikaya with its carved reliefs of Hittite gods, as well as the earlier site of Alacahoyuk. After lunch you continue to Amasya, where you visit the citadel, the two-thousand-year-old water channels, the thousand-year-old bridges, the Bimarhane medieval hospital and the Ottoman mansions beside the river. Dinner and overnight in Amasya.
A full day's drive takes you over the mountains to the Black Sea coast and the historic city of Trabzon, with your guide recounting the story of the Byzantine empire of Trebizond along the way. There is an optional traditional Turkish bath on arrival. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.
You explore Trabzon, beginning with the thirteenth-century church of St Sophia (Ayasofya) and its Byzantine frescoes, the Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Trabzon Castle, Ataturk's Mansion on its wooded hillside and the Ortahisar Mosque, once the cathedral of the Comnenians. After a seaside lunch at Akcaabat you drive up to Boztepe for samovar tea and panoramic views over the city. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.
Today you visit the fourth-century Sumela Monastery, clinging to a sheer cliff deep in the forest, and relax beside the rushing stream of the Altindere Valley National Park. You then follow the old Silk Road through the Zigana Mountains of the Pontic Alps to the Karaca Cave, renowned for its vivid colours and dramatic dripstone formations. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.
After breakfast the tour comes to an end. You check out and are transferred for your onward journey. End of the tour.
Handpicked 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels along your route. Choose your category — the price adapts.
Exact hotels are confirmed on booking based on availability and your chosen category; equivalent alternatives may be offered.
Istanbul → Abant Lake, Safranbolu → Ankara → Hattusa, Amasya → Trabzon → Sumela, Zigana, Karaca Cave → Trabzon
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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👥 37 Seats (2+1 VIP)
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Extra day tours you can add along your route — Istanbul, Abant Lake, Safranbolu, Ankara, Hattusa, Amasya, Trabzon, Sumela, Zigana, Karaca Cave.
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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!