Join historian Garrett Ryan and a professional licensed tour guide Alp Edward Watmough in exploring the wonders of Eastern Turkey. This tour will take travelers from the ancient metropolis of Antioch to the lonely ruins of Ani. Along the way, we’ll see the world’s first temples at Göbeklitepe, the breathtaking mosaics of Zeugma, the colossal statues of Mount Nemrut, the snowy summit of Ararat, Ottoman palaces, Roman forts, and much more. 

Experience a part of the world virtually untouched by mass tourism. This is travel as it used to be, and as it should be. 

The tour starts with a Welcome Meeting and Welcome Dinner at 7 PM. We recommend all travelers to arrange their flights accordingly. You may either arrive at Hatay Airport (HTY) or Cukurova International Airport (COV).

Due to the limited flight options to Antakya Airport, travelers who arrive at Cukurova International Airport (COV) with 2 flights listed below will get an included airport transfer. 

10:15 ISTANBUL Istanbul Airport (IST)

Airline - Flight number: Turkish Airlines - TK2460

11:55ÇUKUROVA Cukurova International Airport (COV)

13:50 ISTANBUL Istanbul Airport (IST)

Airline - Flight number: Turkish Airlines - TK2460

15:35ÇUKUROVA Cukurova International Airport (COV)

If you arrive earlier straight to Hatay Airport (HTY) or Cukurova International Airport (COV) and may need an assistance with early accommodation and airport transfer, please feel free to reach out to us. Our expert team will help you settle! 

Pre-trip in Istanbul

Guests interested in exploring Istanbul before the beginning of the tour can join an optional pre-trip, during which an experienced local guide will introduce Turkey’s largest and most storied city. 

Day 1 (22-May-25):  Welcome to Istanbul, free and easy day

Day 2 (23-May-25): Istanbul Old City Tour (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Underground Cistern, Hippodrome Square, Grand Bazaar)

Day 3 (24-May-25): Istanbul (Bosphorus Cruise, Kadikoy Asian Side Street Food)

Day 4 (25-May-25): Flight to Cukurova International Airport (COV). (transfer is included but flight is not included)

Pre-tour includes: 2 days guided tours, entry fees as per itinerary, 3 nights accommodation, Airport Transfer for the domestic flight to Antakya.

Pre-tour excludes: Meals, Arrival airport transfer, Tips for the guides

Payment

A package deposit is required upon reservation. 

Cancellation

The services mentioned in the itinerary is booked upon the official confirmation. 

The following cancellation fees will apply:

60 days prior to the departure – Deposit of 30% 

59-45 days prior to the departure – 25% of remaining package price 

44-30 days prior to the departure – 50% of remaining package price 

29 Days prior to the departure – 100 % of the package price

Others

Please find in the Terms & Conditions. 

Upon arrival at Cukurova International Airport (COV), you will be welcomed by Dr. Ryan and your guide. After a brief orientation meeting, you'll be transferred to your hotel. The day will conclude with dinner at a local restaurant, where you'll have an opportunity to get acquainted with your fellow travelers.

Included Meals: Dinner

Overnight: Antakya,  Konak Avula Hotel or similar

We’ll start our first full day with a visit to the Tunnel of Titus, a marvel of Roman engineering carved through mountains. We’ll continue to St. Simeon Stylites, a ruined monastery built around the pillar where a Christian hermit sat in the sixth century. Before returning to Antakya, we’ll stop at Vakıflı, the only surviving Armenian village in Turkey. 

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Antakya, Konak Avula Hotel or similar
 

In the morning, we’ll visit Antakya’s Church of St. Peter – one of the oldest Christian sanctuaries in the world – before proceeding to the Antakya Museum, which houses a spectacular array of Roman sculptures and mosaics. Then we’ll visit the Yesemek Open Air Museum before continuing to Gaziantep. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Gaziantep,  Şirehan Hotel or similar 

After visiting the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the most impressive collections of Roman mosaics anywhere, we’ll drive to the nearby archaeological site of Zeugma, where most of the museum’s treasures were unearthed. You’ll have part of the afternoon free to explore the markets and historic center of Gaziantep.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Gaziantep,  Şirehan Hotel or similar 

A short drive from Gaziantep, we’ll embark on a boat tour along the Euphrates, passing a Byzantine border fort and the half-submerged ruins of Halfeti. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Şanlıurfa – ancient Edessa – where we’ll visit the Great Mosque and a pool of sacred fish believed to date back to the time of the prophet Abraham. 

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Sanliurfa, Tessera Hotel  or similar 

In the morning, we’ll visit the Neolithic ruins of Karahantepe before continuing to the more famous site of Göbeklitepe, home to the world’s oldest temples. Afterward, we’ll drive to Harran, once the last pagan city in the Byzantine Empire, now known for its imposing ruins and beehive-shaped houses. We’ll return to Şanlıurfa in the evening. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Sanliurfa, Tessera Hotel  or similar 

After driving to Kahta, we’ll head up Mount Nemrut to experience sunset from the summit, where colossal sculptures guard the mountaintop tomb of King Antiochus I. As twilight falls, we’ll return to our hotel in Kahta. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Kahta, Euphrat Hotel  or similar 

We’ll spend the day in Diyarbakır (ancient Amida), where we’ll visit the city walls – arguably the best-preserved Roman fortifications anywhere – and the medieval Bridge of Ten Arches over the Tigris. Later, you’ll have time to explore the city’s traditional shops and markets, which sell everything from spices to handicrafts.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Diyarbakir, Hasuni Taş Hotel or similar

We’ll drive through a spectacular landscape to Lake Van, an inland sea ringed by mountains. There, we’ll take a boat to Akdamar Island, home to a medieval Armenian church famous for its elaborate carvings and breathtaking views. Afterward, we’ll continue to our hotel in the city of Van.  

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Van,  The Conforium Hotel  or similar

A visit to Van Castle, first fortified by the mysterious Iron Age kingdom of Urartu, will start the day. We’ll learn more about the Urartians at the Urartu Museum, then take a study break at the Van Cat House, dedicated to the preservation of a rare and beautiful breed of cats. 

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Van,  The Conforium Hotel  or similar

Another scenic drive will bring us to the picturesque Muradiye Waterfalls. After a short stop there, we’ll continue to the Ishak Pasha Palace. This sprawling Ottoman complex, perched on a cliff overlooked by Mount Ararat, is considered one of Turkey’s most spectacular buildings. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Dogubeyazit, Tehran Hotel or similar

In the morning, we’ll drive over the high steppes of the Anatolian Plateau to Kars. There, we’ll explore the medieval citadel, which offers spectacular views of the city and surrounding plains, before visiting the local museum, a Russian Orthodox church converted into a mosque, and the imposing Armenian cathedral of the Twelve Apostles.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Kars, Kars-ı Şirin or similar

We’ll begin with a delectable visit to the Cheese Museum of Kars. Then we’ll drive to majestic Lake Çıldır, known for its stunning landscapes and frozen beauty in winter. We’ll continue to Ani, once a hub on the Silk Road, where the ruins of countless churches and palaces are sinking into a sea of grass. 

We’ll end the day – and our trip – with a farewell dinner in Kars.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Kars, Kars-ı Şirin Hotel or similar

You’ll be transferred to the Kars airport for your return flight. 

Included Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: None