Yellow (South East) Turkey Tour

Overview

This epic 9-day ‘Yellow Turkey (Southeast) Tour’ is a deep dive into the cradle of civilisation, exploring the historically rich and culturally diverse landscapes of Southeast Anatolia before returning to the magical heart of Cappadocia. The adventure begins in Istanbul with a taste of its imperial grandeur before a flight transports you to the ancient city of Mardin, an ‘open-air museum’ perched on a rocky hill near the Tigris River. Here, you will stroll through a UNESCO-protected old town, known for its unique Artuqid architecture and history as a centre for numerous cultures and religions. The journey continues to Urfa, the ‘City of Prophets,’ a place steeped in legends of Abraham, where you will visit the sacred pools of the Sacred Carp and the ancient village of Harran with its iconic adobe ‘beehive’ houses.

The highlight of the tour is a visit to the oldest known temple in the world, Göbekli Tepe, a Neolithic site predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years. Another unforgettable experience awaits you in Adıyaman, with a pre-dawn ascent of Mount Nemrut to watch a beautiful sunrise among the colossal stone statues of kings and gods of the ancient Commagene Kingdom. The tour then moves from the sun-drenched plains of Mesopotamia to the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, with a scenic drive that includes a stop at a 13th-century Seljuk caravanserai. In Cappadocia, you have the opportunity to take an optional hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys, explore the Göreme Open Air Museum and descend into a vast underground city before completing the grand circuit back to Istanbul via Ankara and Bolu.

Highlights

  • The Old Town of Mardin: explore the UNESCO-protected city, known for its Artuqid architecture, ancient bazaars, Zinciriye Madrasa, and Grand Mosque.
  • Urfa, ‘City of Prophets’: Visit Abraham's Cave and the Sacred Tent Pools, and stroll through the oriental covered bazaar.
  • Harran beehive houses: see the fascinating adobe “beehive” houses in the village where Abraham is said to have spent his final years.
  • Göbekli Tepe: Visit the archaeological excavation at the world's oldest known temple, founded in the tenth millennium BC.
  • Sunrise on Mount Nemrut: watch the beautiful sunrise from the summit among the colossal statues and heads of the kings and gods of the Commagene Kingdom.
  • Cappadocia: Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Göreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar, and an underground city, with the option of a hot air balloon ride at sunrise.
  • From Ankara to Bolu: Visit Ataturk's mausoleum in the capital city of Ankara before spending the night in Bolu.
  • Bosphorus Cruise: Conclude your tour of Istanbul with a sightseeing cruise on the Bosphorus, a visit to the spice market, and the Golden Horn.

Itinerary

Day 01 :
Istanbul City T our (L-D)

Welcome to T urkey! At the Istanbul airport terminal meet with your guide and according to arrival time ,transfer to the hotel or halfday tour Additionally guide will briefly inform you about tour and timing in the bus. we begin to experience the magnificence of Istanbul. We will stroll through the historical heart of the old city, making stops along the way to the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, majestic TOPKAPI PALACE and the HAGIA SOPHIA. In the afternoon take an optional cruise down the Bosphorus river and see the epic skyline. After Tour, go to restaurant for dinner then transfer to hotel, overnight at Istanbul.

Day 02 :
Istanbul – Mardin (B-L-D) by Flight

After breakfast, transfer to Airport ,check-in domestic flight(2h) to Mardin City is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for the Artuqid architecture of its old city, and for its strategic location on a rocky hill near the Tigris River that rises steeply over the flat plains. The old town of the city is under the protectioncof UNESCO, which forbids new constructions to preserve its façade. Demographically, a 2013 study showed that although Kurds are the provincial majority, within the city itself the population is split evenly between Kurds and Arabs. Historically, as a rich cultural hub with traces ‘’from Muslim, Syriac, Yakubi, Chaldean, Nesturi, Yezidi, Jewish, Kurdish, Arab, Chechen, and Armenian influences", Mardin has been promoted as an "open-air museum". Reach to Mardin around 10 to 11 am and departure to city center. we will have a coffee break while our guide explaining us about the Saharan legend of Mardin. After lunch, Do a walking tour of the old town such as back streets and passages of Mardin, Old post office building, Old bazaars, Great mosque of Mardin, Zinciriye Madrasa, Archaeology Museum and Kirklar Church. After tour , departure to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 03 :
Mardin – Urfa (B-L-D)

After breakfast, drive to Urfa (Sanliurfa), officially known as Şanlıurfa, a city in southeastern Turkey with a population of over 2 million. It is the capital of Şanlıurfa Province and was known in ancient times as Edessa. Urfa is a multiethnic city with Turkish, Kurdish and Arab populations. It is situated on a plain about 80 km east of the Euphrates River. It has an extremely hot, dry summer climate and cool, moist winters. About 12 km (7 mi) northeast of the city is the famous Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe, the world's oldest known temple, founded in the 10th millennium BCE. The area was part of a network of the first human settlements where the agricultural revolution took place. Due to its association with Jewish, Christian and Islamic history, and a legend according to which it was the hometown of Abraham, Urfa is nicknamed the 'City of Prophets'. When you arrive in Sanliurfa, visit Abraham's Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp surrounding the cave after lunch. Then walk around the oriental covered bazaar before driving to Harran, a village with spellbinding "beehive" mud-brick houses mentioned in the Book of Genesis where Abraham spent the last years of his life. Visit the ruins of Harran, including the city walls, the oldest Islamic university, and the 18^(th)-century castle. After the tour, drive to the hotel and check in. Dinner and overnight stay in Sanliurfa.

Day 04 :
Urfa – Gaziantep (B-L-D)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and depart at 8 am. Our first stop will be the ongoing archaeological dig at Göbekli Tepe, the oldest known temple in the world, predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years. After a guided tour and photo opportunity, we will return to Şanlıurfa to visit the Archaeology and Mosaic Museum, the largest museum complex in Turkey. Here, you can see life-size replicas of the megaliths from Göbekli Tepe. Take a lunch break in Urfa city centre. Then depart for Gaziantep (150 km, 2 hours), still informally called Antep. It is the capital of Gaziantep Province in the western part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region, located some 185 kilometres (115 miles) east of Adana and 97 kilometres (60 miles) north of Aleppo, Syria. It is probably located on the site of the ancient city of Antiochia ad Taurum and near the ancient city of Zeugma. The city has two urban districts under its administration: Şahinbey and Şehitkamil. It is the sixth most populous city in Turkey. Ethnic Turks are the overwhelming majority in the city.

Day 05 :
Gaziantep – Adıyaman (B-L-D)

After breakfast, depart for Adıyaman (250 km, 3 hours), situated in the south-eastern part of Turkey. At an altitude of 669 metres, the land is mountainous, with the Taurus Mountains extending to the north. The famous Euphrates (Firat) River flows through the region, delineating the eastern and southern borders of the province.

The city lies very close to the plain of ancient Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. After lunch, visit the ruins of the Artemis Roman Bridge of Cendere and the Tumulus Tomb of Karakus. After the tour, enjoy dinner and spend the night at the hotel.

Day 06 :
Adıyaman – Capadocia (B-L-D)

Depart from the hotel very early in the morning and head up to the ruins on Mount Nemrut. After a twenty-five minute walk, you will reach the summit of Mt. Nemrut. Here, you can watch the beautiful sunrise between the colossal statues of kings and gods. Watch the sunrise from the top of Mt. Nemrut and your guide will tell you about the Commagene Kingdom and the statues while showing you around and giving you opportunities to take pictures. After the tour, drive back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, drive to Cappadocia via the Seljuk Caravansary (500 km, 6 hours). We will drive for seven hours, including several breaks en route. Visit the 13th-century Seljuk caravansary, Karatayhan, after passing Kayseri city. Our next stop will be in Pınarbaşı for a short tea break. Then drive to Tekir for lunch. Take pictures of the gorgeous T ekir Valley scenery, then continue to Cappadocia. When we arrive, we will drive to the Cappadocia hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 07 :
Capadocia (B-L-D)

Rise and shine! We will be starting the day early with an optional hot air balloon ride over the stunning landscapes and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia at sunrise. Alternatively, you can enjoy a leisurely start to the morning before we all fill up on breakfast.

We will explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Göreme Open Air Museum and tick off bucket-list sights along the way, including the Göreme Museum, Pigeon Valley, Uçhisar and Çavuşin. After lunch, we will get closer to Mt. Hasan, which played a very important role in the region's formation 10 million years ago. You will then discover the rest of the volcanic area. You will have the opportunity to explore the deepest underground city in Cappadocia. You will learn how people survived in these kinds of underground dwellings around 4,000 years ago. Tonight, put on your dancing shoes for our optional Turkish Night.

Please note that we will visit a carpet shop in Cappadocia, which is renowned for its beautiful rugs and carpets, available in a variety of colours, designs and sizes. The most famous ones in Turkey are those from the Yahyahli region, just two hours from Göreme. During the summer, the women in this area make the carpets in their yurts (tents) along the mountainside. They spin and dye the wool using natural plants, creating designs and motifs that make the carpets true works of art.

Our second visit is to a ceramics workshop in Cappadocia, which has been famous since Hittite times for its beautiful and unique ceramic art, created using the old wheel technique. For generations, families of artisans from the town of Avanos have created unique designs and reproduced antique pieces.

In Avanos, each workshop offers demonstrations by pottery craftsmen, and in some you can try the old wheel technique yourself. All pottery shops properly and safely wrap and package their products for transportation, and also offer home delivery anywhere in the world.

Day 08 :
Capadocia – Bolu (B-L-D)

After breakfast today, we will sit back and relax on the coach. We will watch the amazing Turkish scenery unfold before us and see small towns and villages as we pass by. We will drive through Ankara, the capital city (250 km, 3 hours), via Salt Lake, where we will stop to take photos, before continuing to Ankara. Firstly, we will visit the Atatürk Mausoleum and have lunch in Ankara City, then continue to Bolu (250 km, 3 hours), where we will have dinner and spend the night.

Note: the jewellery shop in Cappadocia offers handcrafted jewellery with unique designs and authorised recreations of pieces from the Ottoman Empire. The local jewellers are renowned for the beauty and quality of their work, as well as their use of precious metals and stones. The stores also offer tours of their workshops, explaining the types of jewellery made and the various pieces from the Sultan’s collection.

Day 09 :
Bolu - Estambul (B-L-D)

After Breakfast, Drive to Istanbul (250km 3h). When we arrive to İstanbul. Have a half-day sightseeing tour of İstanbul such as Bosphorous Cruise, spice market and golden horn. After Tour, go to Restaurant for dinner and Overnight at Istanbul.

Map

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Yellow (South East) Turkey Tour
  • Departures In English
  • Istanbul
  • Four Season
  • 8 Night / 9 Days
  • Istanbul > Mardin (by flight) > Urfa > Gaziantep > Adıyaman > Cappadocia > Bolu > Istanbul
  • 4-star and 5-star hotels

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