Fourteen days across the far east of Türkiye, from the Black Sea mountains to the plains of Upper Mesopotamia, planned in-house by Inca Tour, a TURSAB-licensed operator, and led throughout by a licensed English-speaking guide. This grand overland journey reaches the cliff-hung Sumela Monastery, the ruined churches of Ani, the shores of Lake Van, the stone terraces of Mardin, the 11,000-year-old temples of Gobeklitepe and the giant stone heads of Mount Nemrut — a side of Anatolia few visitors ever see.
The journey opens on the Black Sea at Trabzon, where you climb to the cliff-built Sumela Monastery and visit the frescoed Trabzon Hagia Sophia and the Ataturk Pavilion. Crossing the mountains to Erzurum you explore the twin-minaret Cifte Minareli Medrese, the Yakutiye Medrese, the Three Tombs and Erzurum Castle, before continuing to Kars and the hauntingly beautiful ruins of Ani, a medieval Armenian capital on the old Silk Road. At Van you stand before the Ishak Pasha Palace, gaze at Mount Ararat and the Muradiye Waterfalls, and sail across Lake Van to Akdamar Island and its tenth-century Church of the Holy Cross, with the fortresses of Cavustepe and Hosap nearby.
Travelling south-west you reach the Seljuk tombs of Ahlat and the lakeside town of Tatvan, then descend into Upper Mesopotamia. At Hasankeyf you see the ancient settlement on the Tigris and the stone houses and silversmiths of Midyat, before the terraced city of Mardin with its Deyrulzafaran Monastery and the Roman ruins of Dara. The climax of the tour lies in the deep south-east: the 11,000-year-old sanctuaries of Karahantepe and Gobeklitepe, the Cave of Abraham and the Sacred Pool at Sanliurfa, the sunrise over the colossal stone heads of Mount Nemrut, the half-drowned village and ferry at Halfeti on the Euphrates, and the dazzling Roman mosaics of the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, before the tour ends in Adana. Prices are per person.
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Welcome to Türkiye. You are met at Trabzon airport and transferred to your hotel on the Black Sea coast. The rest of the day is at leisure to rest after your journey and stroll the lively streets of this historic port city. Overnight in Trabzon.
After breakfast you drive up into the misty Pontic mountains to the Sumela Monastery, a Byzantine monastery built into a sheer cliff face high above a forested valley. Back in the city you visit the frescoed Trabzon Hagia Sophia and the Ataturk Pavilion in its hillside gardens. Lunch is included. Overnight in Trabzon.
You cross the mountains to Erzurum, the highest city in Türkiye. With your guide you explore the Seljuk-era Cifte Minareli Medrese with its twin fluted minarets, the Yakutiye Medrese, the Three Tombs (Uc Kumbetler), the Ulu Mosque and Erzurum Castle. Lunch is included. Overnight in Erzurum.
Today you travel to Kars and the extraordinary ruins of Ani, the medieval Armenian capital once known as the "City of a Thousand and One Churches", spread across a grassy plateau beside a river gorge on the old Silk Road. In Kars you also see the castle and the Archaeological Museum. Lunch is included. Overnight in Kars.
Driving south you visit the Ishak Pasha Palace, an eighteenth-century blend of Ottoman, Persian and Seljuk styles perched above the plain, with views of Mount Ararat. En route to Van you stop at the Muradiye Waterfalls. Lunch is included. Overnight in Van.
A boat carries you across the blue waters of Lake Van to Akdamar Island and its tenth-century Church of the Holy Cross, famous for the carved reliefs on its walls. In the afternoon you visit the Urartian fortress of Cavustepe and the clifftop Hosap Castle. Lunch is included. Overnight in Van.
You travel around Lake Van to the Nemrut Crater Lake, Türkiye's largest volcanic crater lake (not to be confused with Mount Nemrut), then continue to Ahlat with its remarkable Seljuk cemetery and carved mausoleums before reaching the lakeside town of Tatvan. Lunch is included. Overnight in Tatvan.
Heading into Upper Mesopotamia you visit Hasankeyf, an ancient settlement on the Tigris River, the Syriac monastery at Anitli and the old town of Midyat with its honey-coloured stone houses and traditional silversmiths. In the evening you arrive in the terraced city of Mardin. Lunch is included. Overnight in Mardin.
A full day in Mardin, exploring the stepped lanes, the Kasimiye Madrasa and the bazaars of the old city that look out over the Mesopotamian plain. You visit the ancient Syriac Orthodox Deyrulzafaran Monastery and the Roman city of Dara near the Syrian border. Lunch is included. Overnight in Mardin.
Today you reach the oldest monuments of all: the Neolithic sanctuaries of Karahantepe and Gobeklitepe, the world's oldest known temple complex, built more than eleven thousand years ago. You continue to Sanliurfa for the Cave of Abraham, the Sacred Pool of Balikligol, the historic bazaar and the Haleplibahce Mosaic Museum. Lunch is included. Overnight in Sanliurfa.
You set out for Mount Nemrut, climbing to the mountaintop sanctuary of King Antiochus I with its colossal stone heads of gods and kings in the Nemrut Dagi National Park. Along the way you see the Roman Cendere Bridge, the reliefs of Arsameia and the Karakus Tumulus before descending to Adiyaman. Lunch is included. Overnight in Adiyaman.
A scenic drive takes you to Halfeti, where a boat ride on the Euphrates passes the fortress of Rumkale and the half-submerged village drowned by the dam. You then travel to Gaziantep to visit the ancient city of Zeugma and the celebrated Zeugma Mosaic Museum, home to the famous "Gypsy Girl" mosaic. Lunch is included. Overnight in Gaziantep.
The morning is free to enjoy Gaziantep, renowned for its bazaars and its baklava. In the afternoon you transfer to Adana for a short city tour that includes the Sabanci Central Mosque and the Archaeological Museum. Lunch is included. Overnight in Adana.
After breakfast and check-out you are transferred to Adana airport for your onward journey, with memories of a fortnight spent crossing the length of eastern Anatolia and ancient Mesopotamia. End of the tour.
Trabzon → Erzurum → Kars → Van → Tatvan → Mardin → Sanliurfa → Adiyaman → Gaziantep → Adana
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 — Trabzon, Erzurum, Kars, Van, Tatvan, Mardin, Sanliurfa, Adiyaman, Gaziantep, Adana.
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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!