Caravan-Serai Tours to Turkey

Eastern Turkey
September 10 - 25, 2011
$4200 Single
Supplement: $839

Sept 10: Arrival in Istanbul in the morning, transfer to our flight to Keyseri, with arrival in Cappadocia at about 2pm. We will be met and transferred to our hotel for overnight.

Sept 11: After breakfast we will begin our exploration of the region of Cappadocia. We will see the Devrent Valley, Zelve Open-Air Museum and Monk's valley (Pasabagi) where you will see the famous "fairy chimneys." Break for lunch in Avanos and then continue on to the Goreme Open-Air Museum, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, to visit the numerous rock carved churches and monasteries. Afterwards we depart for a panoramic view of Esentepe and then on to Uchisar, a natural rock castle. Return to our hotel for overnight.

Sept 12: Today we will visit the old Christian village of Cavusin. Afterwards we will visit Pigeon Valley, and then experience the intriguing Underground City of Kaymakli and then on to Ortahisar, a castle carved out of the living rock. (Optional Balloon tours are available at extra cost). Overnight in Cappadocia.

Sept 13: After breakfast we will check out and depart for Nemrut Mountain in Adiyaman, famous throughout Turkey for its enigmatic summit - top statues of the gods. These unforgettable monuments will be seen in the late afternoon - a spectacular vision at sunset. Today is a long drive but we will have plenty of stops to stretch our legs and take photos. Overnight in Adiyaman.

Sept 14: After breakfast we depart for Urfa. On our way we will stop to see the Ataturk Dam. This is part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), a massive hydro- electric and irrigation project on the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In Urfa we will have lunch and then enjoy some sightseeing. Urfa is called the city of prophets for its biblical connections. After a stop off at the castle with Roman columns we will visit the "Pool of Sacred Carp" and then on to the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham. 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. It 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 they pre-date pottery, writing, Stonehenge and the Pyramids! Overnight Urfa.

Sept 15: This morning we depart for Diyarbekir and Marin, with a stop in Harran on the way. Harran is a famous city from ancient Mesopotamian times: a mystical and ancient place of "bee hive" houses built of mud brick. Genesis speaks of this town as the place where Abraham and his family lived. It is also the site of the first Islamic University of the world. Continue on to Diyarbekir. At least 5000 years old, Diyarbekir is one of the oldest cities in the world, encircled by a massive parapet built of jet-black blocks of basalt. It is a city based on a Roman plan with four gates. A tour takes us to the fortification walls, the ancient walls of Diyarbekir. There will also be time to visit Ulu the (Great) Mosque from the Seljuk period, and the 3rd century Aramaic Church of the Virgin Mary. Continue to Mardin for overnight.

Sept 16: This morning we check out and begin our day with a tour of Mardin: located on a high hill overlooking the plains of southern Turkey and Syria. We will visit Deir-Al-Zafaran (the Saffron Monastery), center of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchy and still an active monastery. After lunch drive to Hasankeyf, situated by the Tigris River. Soon to be submerged under the flood waters of a new dam on the Tigris, Hasankeyf has hundreds of caves, hidden waterways, tombs, a larger and smaller Palace, as well as ruins of the Great Mosque. After visiting Hasankeyf we drive to Tatvan for diner and overnight.

Sept 17: After breakfast we depart for Van. On the south eastern shore of Lake Van we find Nemrut Mountain (not to be confused with Nemrut Dagi in Adiyaman) rising above Tatvan. The highest peak of the mountain stands at 3050 meters. The volcanic cone was belived to have originally been higher. It was at 4450 meters before its eruption. The last time it was active was in 1440 BC. There are five lakes within the crater, one of which we will visit, are wonderfully different. The Cold Lake (13 sq.kms) has an average depth of 100 meters. The Hot Lake has a visible amount of steam rising from its thermal springs. The heat may reach up to 60 degrees centigrade! We will see and visit with the nomadic people who spend their summers around Nemrut Crater Lake. (Maybe a picnic at the crater). After our visits we continue on to Van via Akdamar Island, with its ancient Armenian Church of the Holy Cross. Overnight in Van.

Sept 18: Today we go to Dogubeayzit via the waterfall at Muradiye. The road to Dogubeyazit contains numerous views of Mt. Ararat with its permanently snow capped peak rising above fertile plains. Just outside Dogubeyazit, Ishak Pasha's pleasure palace sits on a hill to the east of the old town over looking the plains of Ararat, the final resting place of Noah's Ark and the setting place for the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue on to Erzurum for overnight.

Sept 19: After breakfast we will have a full day sightseeing in Erzurum. Erzurum was an important Seljuk Turkish city in the 1100s and 1200s, and has important Seljuk buildings such as the Çifte Minareli Medrese, the Mongol-built Yakutiye Medrese, a very old citadel, and various distinctive Seljuk Turkish tombs. In winter, the Palandöken ski resort on the city outskirts draws skiers from throughout Turkey to its dry powder. Overnight in Erzurum.

Sept 20: Depart after breakfast for Trabzon, on the Black Sea coast. Once we are in Trabzon we will visit to the 14th century Byzantine church of Hagia Sofia overlooking the Black Sea before proceeding to the cliff side monastery of the Virgin Mary at Sumela in the Altindere National Park. Overnight in Trabzon.

Sept 21: Today we will have a full day of sightseeing in Trabazon. We will visit the Trabzon Museum and the Trabzon Ayasofya Church (Turkish: Ayasofya Müzesi), a monastery church constructed between 1238 - 1263 at the time of the King Manuel of the Trabzon Kommenos Empire. When Trabzon was conquered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, the building was first converted into a mosque and then eventually into a museum. Next we will visit the Atatürk Kö?kü, the villa museum where Atatürk had stayed when he visited Trabzon in 1924. Overnight in Trabzon.

Sept 22: Check out and transfer to the airport for our flight to Istanbul. On arrival we will transfer to the hotel to check in. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Istanbul.

Sept 23: After breakfast we will depart for a half day tour of Istanbul. Our tour will include the Haggia Sophia Basilica and Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Blue Mosque of Sultan Ahmet. The rest of the day is free to explore on your own. Overnight in Istanbul.

Sept 24: Enjoy another free day exploring and relaxing on your own. In the evening we will have a dinner cruise on the Bosporus. Overnight in Istanbul.

Sept 25: After breakfast transfer to the airport for departure.

End of services.

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