Beginning in Trabzon - the ancient city of Trebizond- taking in such sights as Ani, the palace of Ishak Pasha, Ararat, the soon to be sunken ruins of Hasankeyf, the astounding mountain top monument to man's folly on Nemrut and finishing up at the ancient home of the patriarch Abraham before returning to Istanbul, the capital of ancient empires past.

Day 1 (Trabzon)

Fly to the Black Sea port city and meet with guide. We will start the tour with a visit the Hagia Sophia Museum and eat lunch at a local seafood restaurant, after lunch visit Trabzon Museum. Sightseeing in the city. Dinner and over night Trabzon.

                    
Day 2 (Uzungöl)

Drive to Lake Uzungöl, where we will spend the night. This lovely alpine lake is surrounded by mountains, meadows and forests. It is excellent for camping, hiking and fishing. We will explore the lake shore, and a drive up the mountains to take in the scenery and the mountain tracks. Dinner and overnight Uzungöl.

Day 3 (Erzurum)

After breakfast in Ayder, we will drive to the ancient fortress city of Erzurum. We will visit the castle, Cifte Minarets and Grand Mosques and Yakutiye Medrese(old religious school).

Day 4 (Kars, Ani)

A drive to the northeast will bring us to Kars, where we will eat lunch and visit Kars Castle. In the afternoon we will visit the spectacular ruins of the medieval city Ani.

Day 5 (Dogubeyazit)

Driving through the Igdir Plain we will stop at one of the quaint local villages for lunch. Arriving in the afternoon in Dogubeyazit, we will visit Ishak Pasha Palace. From the palace, there are beautiful views of Mount Ararat.

                   
Day 6 (Van)

Leaving Dogubeyazit, we will travel to the Muradiye Waterfall, break for a picnic lunch. Arrive in Van to explore the ancient citadel and watch the sunset over the lake.

Day 7 (Van)

This is a rest day. We will take you to a campsite on the shores of Lake Van where you can swim and relax (lunch provided). Alternatively, our guides are available if you have any particular requests, for example; visit the Van Cat breeding centre at the University of Van, go to a Turkish bath or simply shop in the bazaars and markets.

Day 8 (Cavustepe, Hosap Castle & Lake Van)

We will visit the mountaintop ruins of Cavustepe (a Urartian fortress) and Hosap Castle. On our way back to Van we will stop to see local artisans creating traditional rugs and learn about Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish, and Azerbaijani rugs and kilims. Returning to Van, we will travel by ferryboat across Lake Van, stopping on Akdamar Island to see a spectacular 10th century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, eat a lunch of local fish, and swim in the lake.

Day 9 (Tatvan)

After stopping for refreshments in Tatvan, we will drive to Mount Nemrut crater and have a picnic lunch by the Crater Lakes. We will then visit the tombs of Seljuk Kings in Ahlat and return to Tatvan for dinner.

Day 10 (Batman, Hasankeyf, & Mardin)

Continue on to the town Hasankeyf for lunch. In Hasankeyf (soon to be submerged under a lake) we will visit some of the many caves and the ruins of the medieval Byzantine city. On our way west to Mardin for dinner, we will stop in Midyat to see Mor Gabrial Monastery.

                  

Day 11 (Diyarbekir)

Visit Deir-Al-Zafaran (Saffron Monastery) and the bazaar. For lunch, we will travel northwest to Diyarbekir. While there we will take a walking tour of the ancient walls, the Ulu (Great) Mosque, and the 3rd century Aramaic Church of the Virgin Mary. Crossing the Euphrates river at the Ataturk dam, we will stop in Kahta for dinner and lodging.

Day 12 (Mount Nemrut, Urfa & Gobekli Tepe)

Waking early, we will travel to the top of Mount Nemrut to see the sunrise in front of Tombs of Commagene Kingdom and the Colossal Statues of Gods. Returning to the hotel for breakfast, we will pass through many small villages such as Arsemia and Karakus. In Urfa, we will have lunch, see the sights, and stay for dinner.

In the late afternoon we will visit the on going archaeological dig at Gobekli Tepe. Although this site is not widely known it is one of the most important archaeological digs currently being undertaken anywhere - this site represents a major shift in our understanding of man's early history. Here lie the remains of the earliest religious structures built by man yet to be discovered. At about 11000-13000 years old the pre-dated pottery, writing, Stonehenge and the Pyramids!

Day 13 (Harran & Gaziantep)

Travel to Harran on the Syrian border to see the "bee hive" houses and the world's first Islamic University. To the west, we will stop in the town of Birecik to see the endangered Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) birds.

We will finish our trip in the city of Gaziantep, known for its pistachio nuts and baklava. We will have lunch, visit a museum, and then fly back to Istanbul.

                  
Day 14 (Istanbul)

This part of the tour will be based on what you want to see and what you want to do...the possibilities are immense. We recommend a chaperoned tour by commuter ferry up the Bosporus to Anadolu Kavagi, the last stop on the Asian shore, for lunch in one of the many superb fish restaurants. This is the best way to capture the sights and sounds of this amazing city while mixing with the locals in a friendly relaxed atmosphere. You will return in plenty of time to visit one of the great Imperial Mosques such as the Suleymaniye or the Blue Mosque. Alternatively, you can shop until you drop in the shops and bazaars. Why not try what is probably the oldest shopping mall in the world- the Covered Bazaar or, the atmospheric Egyptian Spice Bazaar? In the evening you may take your pick of the many wonderful restaurants- Turkish cuisine, a true fusion of different cultural influences, is one of the great cuisines of the world. Istanbul is, without question, a foodie's paradise!

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