7 NIGHTS \ 8 DAYS EXPLORE EASTERN TURKIYE

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL TO ISTANBUL AND CATCH YOUR GAZIANTEP FLIGHT.
According your arrival to Istanbul catch your Gaziantep flight. (Please inform your Istanbul arrival
flight code when you will booked) Below options of Gaziantep flights included.
Turkish Airlines TK 2224, Istanbul (IST) to Gaziantep (GZT): 08:50 – 10:25 am
OR Turkish Airlines TK 2222, Istanbul (IST) to Gaziantep (GZT): 12:20 – 14:00
OR Turkish Airlines TK 4962, Istanbul (IST) to Gaziantep (GZT): 18:55 – 20:30
Welcome at airport and private transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Gaziantep at: http://anadoluevleri.com/ or similar for 2 nights on bed and breakfast
basis.

DAY 2 – PRIVATE GAZIANTEP TOUR
Gaziantep city of gastronomy also with famous baklava shops
besides its history. We will be
visiting new Zeugma Mosaic
Museum – 2nd biggest in the
world after Hatay Archeology
Museum. Our exploring the city
will continue with old city and
copper makers bazaars and
Gaziantep War Museum.

DAY 3 – DRIVE TO ŞANLIURFA ON THE WAY VISITING RUMKALE AND HALFETI
After breakfast we
will head to Şanlıurfa
with visit Rumkale
hopefully we will also
see Bald Ibis’, then
an amazing stop on
the way at Halfeti at
the banks of river
Euphrates , a boat
trip on the village
sunken under the dam waters and arrive to Şanlıurfa.
Overnight in Şanlıurfa at https://www.elcikonagi.com/ for 2 nights on bed and breakfast basis.

DAY 4 – PRIVATE URFA, GÖBEKLİ TEPE AND HARRAN TOUR
We will visit Urfa Museum, city tour with Abraham’s pool,
Harran plateau and finally Gobekli Tepe the oldest temple of
the world a game changer in archeology world. What a
researcher would find in the
books and articles about Neolithic
Age until 15-20 years ago as the
most popular idea until a German
archaeologist, Klaus Schmidt
discovered Gobekli Tepe within
18 km. distance of Urfa, one of
the renowned mystic cities of human history. The world was dazzled with
this surprising discovery because Gobekli Tepe was not only the earliest
sanctuary on Earth, it was the oldest architectural monument too. It was
dated to 10.000 B.C. to Pre-pottery Neolithic age miraculously predating
the earliest settlements in
Mesopotamia by 5000 years, Stonehenge in England 7000
years, Egyptian pyramids 7.500 years and Ggantija Temples in
Malta 6.500 years.
This fact indicates
that humans had
already achieved an
unexpected level of
imagination and
complex thinking at a time they were thought to be simple
hunter-gatherers without any sign of agriculture yet. Back
to Urfa (Şanlıurfa) for overnight. We will experience the
Sira Night (Sıra Gecesi) in Urfa.

DAY 5 – DRIVE TO DİYARBAKIR ON THE WAY VISITING Mnt. NEMRUT
We will check out and head up to Mt. Nemrut
passing through still functioning Cendere Bridge
built by Septemus Severus on the 2nd Century,
Tumulus Tomb of Karakus, and Arsemeia and
continue driving to the peak to
get to the top of Nemrut for the
stunning Sunset visiting East &
West galleries. Drive to Diyarbakır. Diyarbakir and another ancient
settlement; at 5000 years old is one of the oldest cities in
the world. An overwhelmingly Kurdish city Diyarbakir is
famed for its ancient city walls; constructed by the Romans,
the current walls, built of massive black basalt blocks is,
after the Great Wall of China, the longest continuous
defensive wall in the world.
Overnight at: http://www.anemonhotels.com/oteldiyarbakir/
anemon-diyarbakir.aspxor similar for 1 night on
bed and breakfast basis.

DAY 6 – DRIVE TO MARDIN & PRIVATE MİDYAT TOUR
After leisure and relaxing breakfast; we start with Midyat,
a district of Mardin city. The ancient city is the epicenter
of a centuries-old Christian Assyrian/Syriacs enclave in
Southeast-Turkey, widely familiar under its Aramaic name
Tur Abdin. Several Assyrian citizens of the city are living
in Western countries today but their legacy is preserved
although they are not in use. Deyrulumur Monastery also
known as Mor Gabriel Monastery still has Assyrian
residents. Thes e Christians only avoid visitations when
they are worshipping.
Overnight at: https://www.zinciriye.com/or similar for 2 nights on bed and breakfast basis.

DAY 7 – MORNING DRIVE TO HASANKEYF & TATVAN
After breakfast we will drive to Hasankeyf now
submerged under the flood waters of a new dam
on the Tigris. From here we will continue to
Batman and then up the Bitlis River Gorge to
Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van. End of
the tour drive back to the hotel.

DAY 8- PRIVATE TRANSFER TO AIRPORT FOR YOUR FLIGHT BACK HOME VIA ISTANBUL
Below options of Istanbul flights included.
Turkish Airlines TK 2675, Mardin (MQM) to Istanbul (IST): 09:20 – 11:30 am
OR
Turkish Airlines TK 2677, Mardin (MQM) to Istanbul (IST): 19:50 – 21:55
End of the services.