South Eastern Anatolian Tour 1

Adana - Antakya - Gaziantep - Mount Nemrut - Atatürk Dam - Sanliurfa - Mardin - Diyarbakir - Van

This tour takes in some of the highlights of southeastern Anatolia, from the spectacular stone heads of Mount Nemrut, to the mosaics of Zeugma, the lake of sacred carp at Sanliurfa and the magnificent Lake Van.
1 night in Adana
1 night in Gaziantep
1 night in Sanliurfa
1 night in Kahta (for Mount Nemrut)
1 night in Mardin
1 night in Batman
1 night in Van

1. UK to Adana
Fly to Adana (via Istanbul) with Turkish Airlines from London, Birmingham or Manchester where you will be collected by one of our drivers and taken to your hotel.

2. Gaziantep
Visit the fascinating Hittite fortress and open air museum of Karatepe before heading to Gaziantep. Its Archaeological Museum is one of the finest of its kind and proudly displays a number of mosaics originating from the ancient city of Zeugma.

3. Zeugma and Sanliurfa
Start the day with a visit to Zeugma, and the imposing ancient fortress of Rumkale, before continuing to Sanliurfa, to visit the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham and the Halil Rahman Mosque with its lake of sacred carp.

4. Harran, Atatürk Dam & Mount Nemrut
Explore Harran, the famed city of Mesopotamia, a mystical and ancient village ‘bee hive’ houses built of mud bricks where you will also see the world’s first Islamic University. Visit the Atatürk Dam, one of Turkey’s biggest projects, the GAP (South Eastern Anatolia) Project then visit Mithridates I’s Hierothesion in Arsemia, once the capital of the Commagene Kingdom before continuing on the old Roman Cendere Bridge over the Cendere stream and the Karakus tumulus where members of the Royal family were buried. End the day in spectacular style by watching the sun set over Mount Nemrut to see the huge monumental stone heads, all that remains of the statues in the Commagene Temple, which overlook the plateau and Atatürk Dam. Overnight in Kahta.

5. Diyarbakir to Mardin
Drive on to Diyarbakir where you will visit the basalt city walls, built by the Roman and Ulu Cami, the first of all Anatolia’s great Seljuk Mosques. Continue towards Mardin, with its tiered layers of houses, mansions, mosques and churches rising out of the endless, level plain and clinging to a huge citadel topped rock.

6. Mardin, Midyat & Hasankeyf
After exploring Mardin, drive to Midyat to visit its famous handicraft fair, before continuing to Hasankeyf, on the banks of the river Tigris, a city with a long and ancient history. Continue to Batman for overnight.

7. Van
Visit Hosap Castle, constructed at the behest of Sari Süleyman Mahmudi, a local strong man in the 1640’s, where according to legend, he was so pleased with the result when the castle was completed that he had the architect’s hands chopped off to ensure that he would never build another to rival it. Continue to Çavustepe, the site of an Urartian Royal palace, built between 764 and 735BC by King Sardur II. Visit Van Castle, 100m high and 300m wide at the base, we will also do our best to show you a Van Cat, famous for its eyes of two different colours.

8. Van to UK
Fly back to UK from Van (via Istanbul).

7 nts small group tour from £1249

Prices are per person (min 2 people sharing) per person, single supplement £225. Departure dates: 23 May and 26 September. Price includes: scheduled flights (inc. meal & drinks) from London, Manchester or Birmingham, 4* Hotels (or 3* where 4* is not available) on HB basis, lunch, entrance fees, professional guide, caring driver, air-conditioned non-smoking minibus/midibus.