TURKEY TOUR
EASTERN TURKEY TOUR
Day 1 ISTANBUL
After breakfast, a visit to the Sadberk Hanim Museum, a
little known yet exquisite privately endowed museum. Lunch
on the liquid history of the Bosphorus, followed by a free
afternoon. Overnight at the Hotel. (B,L)
Day 2 ISTANBUL
A day's visit to the Asian side of Istanbul & the Princess
Island. These areas are sometimes missed by the tourist yet
they present a totally different facet of Istanbul. We shall
visit some of the most beautiful residential areas and take
a boat to the leisurely resort of the Princess Island.
Overnight at the Hotel. (B,L)
Day 3 ISTANBUL-TRABZON
(TREBIZOND)
Transfer to Istanbul airport for a morning flight to Trabzon
founded in the 8th century BC. A visit to the spectacular
Sumela Monastery clinging to a cliff hundreds of meters
high. After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the 14 th
Century monastery church of Hagia Sophia, built by Emperor
Manuel i Comnenus. It is a combination of Christian and
Muslim architecture. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D) 
Day 4 TRABZON
A day trip to Camlihemsin, a village deep in the magnificent
Kackar Mountains, where we hope to encounter both the Laz
and Hemsin people who still live in isolated communities. We
return to Trabzon for dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 5 TRABZON-ERZURUM
 A
drive to Erzurum, the largest city in Eastern Anatolia. City
walls and the fortress remind the visitor of the
Turkish-Russian conflicts over the centuries. The elaborate
stone carvings on the Cifteminareli Medrese dating from 1253
add to the fascination of Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman
remains throughout the city. Dinner and overnight at the
Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 6
ERZURUM-KARS-DOGU BEYAZIT
A drive through splendid mountain scenery leads to Kars,
standing at an
 altitude
of 1,750 metres. Kars is particularly famous for its
distinctive kilims and carpets and it retains a strong
heritage of folk-dancing. It is the ancient Armenian capital
and we shall see some strikingly naturalistic frescoes at
the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Our route takes
us near Mount Agri, Turkey's most famous natural monument,
an enormous volcano capped with ice and often shrouded in
dark clouds. Its name is derived from Urartu. It is 5.137
Metres high and is believed to be the mountain upon which
Noah's Ark came to rest. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel.
(B,L,D)
Day 7 DOGU BEYAZIT-VAN
Only 6 km from Dogu Beyazit is the site of the spectacular
Ishak Pasha Palace, used to control the silk road. It has a
mixture of architectural styles and was reputed to contain
366 rooms, one for each day of We continue to Van, the
ancient Urartian capital. At the Rock of Van near the shore
of the lake are long cuneiform inscriptions. Van is the
market town for the Kurdish tribes who live in the mountains
of extreme South-Eastern Turkey. Lake Van is Turkey's
largest inland body of water. At 5500feet above sea level it
is also one of the world's highest lakes. Dinner and
overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 8 VAN
We visit Van Museum, where we shall see ancient artifacts,
including the gold and silver breastplates belongigng to the
Hurrian and Urartian Empires. A full day to explore the
ancient remains of Van will enable us to catch sight of the
famous cats of Van which are pure white and have one blue
and one green eye. On an island in Lake Van, stands the 10th
Century Church of the Holy Cross. Its outer stone walls are
richly decorated with Old Testament scenes and characters.
Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 9 VAN-DIYARBAKIR
Our drive south of Lake Van to Tatvan we visit Nemrut Crater
Lake & continue to Diyarbakir. The River Tigris flows past
the mighty black basalt walls (second only to the Great Wall
of China). They are between 5.5 and 6 kms in length and with
its 16 keeps and 5 gates give the city an ominous
appearance. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 10 DIYARBAKIR - MARDIN
 Our
journey takes us to Midyat and we visit the active
Syriac-Jacobite Monastery of Mar Gabriel, dating from the
5th Century. Fourteen nuns and three monks occupy separate
wings, as well as a fluctuating number of local lay workers,
guests and students sent by Turkish emigrants to learn the
Syriac language. and retie hazy cultural connections. We
continue on to Mardin, where, froma distance, the golden
stone of the houses, blend into the rock on which the city
is built. Dinner and overnight at the. (B,L,D)
Day 11 MARDIN
Mardin is an architectural 'treasure chest' with its ancient
citadel, 14th and 15th century Islamic masterpieces. Views
of the Mesopotanian Plain will entrance you. The deyr-az
zaferan
 or
"saffron monastery", so named for the yellowish rock from
which it is built was founded in 493, and was, from 1160
until the 1920's, the seat of the Syrian Orthodox
Patriarch-until he relocated to Damascus. Dinner and
overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 12
MARDIN-SANLIURFA
Sanli Urfa was known as Ur in ancient times, and later as
Edessa. Tradition relates that it was the birthplace of
Abraham. Sacred carp swim in a quiet pool. The ancient va ulted
bazaar captures the atmosphere of the exotic East. The
afternoon is free for you to wander as you wish. Dinner and
overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 13 SANLIURFA
A very early departure for Nemrut Dag's rugged peak. built
in honour of Antiochus a Commegene ruler. On the way we
visit Ataturk Dam which harnesses the waters of the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers. The Dam Lake has been planned to
provide holiday and recreation facilities for the region.
Dinner and overnight at
the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 14 SANLIURFA
A free morning followed by an afternoon visit to the
beehive-style mud houses of Harran. This is one of the most
ancient continuously inhabited sites on Earth and is where
Abraham and his wife Sarah spent some years. Here you will
see the largest ancient Islamic University, the site of the
Assyrian Temple of Sin (famous for its astronomers), city
walls dating from the 8th century and an ancient citadel.
Dinner a nd
overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 15
SANLIURFA-GAZIANTEP-ANTAKYA
On our drive to Gaziantep we briefly visit Birecik on the
Euphrates, This is ancient Bronze Age country where 400
limestone tombs with jewellery, vases and other objects have
been found.. The Museum, which we visit briefly, holds
artifacts of every period of the area. Our journey continues
to Antakya for dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 16 ANTAKYA
We visit the mosaic museum and the grotto of St. Peter, in
the old Antakya with its maze of narrow streets. The
Arabic-speaking resort town of Samandag and the Roman tunnel
of Titus & Vespasiyanus presents further evidence of an
ancient sophisticated society. Dinner and overnight at the
Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 17 ANTAKYA-ADANA
A visit to the Karatepe Arslantap National Park, with its
fine neo-Hittite stone carvings on our way to Toprakkale
Castle (the earth castle), Anavarza fortress city on top of
a hill dominating the fertile plain built by the Romans.
Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. (B,L,D)
 Day
18 ADANA-ISTANBUL
Our drive takes us to Tarsus, where St Paul was born almost
2000 years ago. We visit St Paul's well and the old houses
of Tarsus before transferring to Adana airport for our
flight to Istanbul. Overnight at the Hotel (B,L)
Day 19 ISTANBUL
 Today,
we explore the lively streets of "Old Istanbul". At the
western end of the old city is Edirnekapi, where the ancient
walls of Theodosius once marked the borders of
Constantinopole. Lunch will be at Zeyrekhane Restaurant,
followed by a drive to the Balat district of the Golden
Horn. A coffee break at the Pierre Loti Cafe will give
photographers an unequalled view of the Golden Horn.
Overnight at the Hotel. (B,L)
Day 20
 Transfer
to Istanbul Airport for your flight back home. (B)
(B= Breakfast,
L= Lunch,
D= Dinner)
INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE
- HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
IN SUPERIOR TOURIST CLASS HOTELS.
- ACCOMMODATION BASED
ON TWIN WITH PRIVATE FACILITIES.
- CONTINENTAL
BREAKFASTS (B), LUNCH (L) AND COURSE DINNERS (D) AS PER THE
ITINERARY.
- AIRPORT / HOTEL /
AIRPORT TRANSFERS.
- MODERN AIR
CONDITIONED COACH WITH RECLINING SEATS.
- WELCOME DRINK.
- HOTEL TIPS, LOCAL
TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE
- TRAVEL INSURANCE.
- ANY ITEM OF A
PERSONAL NATURE SUCH AS LAUNDRY, TELEPHONE CALLS ETC.
- PASSPORT & VISA
COSTS.
- AIRPORT TAXES.
- ANY ITEMS NOT
MENTIONED IN ABOVE-MENTIONED ITINERARY.
Reservation
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