Eastern Turkey Encounters

On arrival at Istanbul Airport – the start of your journey in this storied city – we transfer you to your centrally located hotel, passing lively neighbourhoods en route. You then have free time to explore at your own pace, discovering streets, markets and historic landmarks. In the evening we hold a welcome meeting to meet your guide and fellow group members and outline the days ahead.

We tour Topkapi Palace – former residence of the Ottoman sultans – strolling through grand courtyards and ornate chambers. Within the complex we visit Hagia Irene before exploring the Harem for a glimpse of courtly life. We continue to the Blue Mosque to admire its domes, minarets and exquisite tilework, then step into the monumental Hagia Sophia, where Byzantine and Ottoman history meet. We finish at the Hippodrome of Constantinople – once the ceremonial and sporting heart of the city.

We transfer you from your hotel to the airport for the flight to Kayseri, gateway to Cappadocia. On arrival we drive into a landscape of distinctive volcanic formations and valleys. We visit the Göreme Open Air Museum to explore rock cut churches adorned with early Christian frescoes, continue among the fairy chimneys shaped by erosion, and venture into an underground city to discover its tunnels and chambers.

We walk through Pigeon Valley – known for pigeon houses carved into soft rock – then continue to Red Valley for colourful formations and sweeping views. We explore Cavusin Village, one of the region’s oldest communities hewn into the cliffs, and round off in Avanos at a pottery workshop to learn about traditional ceramic techniques.

We drive from Cappadocia to Adiyaman via Kahramanmaras, passing varied Anatolian scenery. In the late afternoon we visit Mount Nemrut to watch the sunset over colossal statues and the tomb sanctuary of Commagene.

We make our way from Adiyaman to Sanliurfa, pausing at the Ataturk Dam near the city to appreciate its impressive scale. We continue to Harran to wander age old lanes and see distinctive beehive shaped houses built from mud brick. Back in Sanliurfa we visit the Pools of Abraham and the nearby Cave of Abraham, revered locally as the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham.

We head from Sanliurfa to Gobekli Tepe – one of the world’s oldest known temple sites – to examine remarkable carvings and monumental pillars carved in a distinctive T shape. Returning to the city, we delve into its cultural treasures at the Haleplibahce Mosaic Museum, continue to the Kizilkoyun Necropolis to explore rock cut tombs, and finish at the Sanliurfa Archaeology Museum. We return by road to the city – you may then continue exploring its museums at your own pace.

We head from Sanliurfa to Gaziantep – famed for its rich culinary and cultural heritage – then continue to Halfeti on the Euphrates for a boat excursion. We cruise past the striking sight of partially submerged buildings from the river’s sunken settlement before returning by road to Gaziantep. Back in the city we visit the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, and you can then continue exploring at your own pace. Later we transfer to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul – the country’s main cultural and transport hub.

You have free time to explore Istanbul at your own pace – perhaps wandering its streets, browsing markets and revisiting favourite landmarks. Later we transfer you from your hotel to Istanbul Airport for your onward departure.