Trabzon Tour from Istanbul: 2 Days with Flights, Sumela & Uzungol

Trabzon in 2 days from Istanbul, Sumela and Uzungol: the key facts

This is a 2-day, 1-night trip to the Black Sea coast with flights from Istanbul. On Day 1 you fly to Trabzon at 06:00 and join a group tour to Sumela Monastery, lunch in Zigana, Karaca Cave and the village of Hamsikoy. You sleep in Trabzon. Day 2 is the Uzungol excursion, with stops at the Surmene knife makers, a tea factory in Of and a horse farm in Caykara, then an evening flight back to Istanbul.

It suits travellers based in Istanbul who want to see the green, mountain side of Turkey in a short time, and don't mind a 04:30 start. The price is from $640 per person.

What is the timetable for the two days?

Day 1 starts with a hotel pick-up at 04:30 for the 06:00 flight from Istanbul. You land in Trabzon and are met at 07:40, then driven to the meeting point to join the guide and the rest of the group. The tour ends around 17:30 at your Trabzon hotel. On Day 2 pick-up is at 10:00 after breakfast, and the Uzungol tour runs until about 17:00. You collect your luggage at the hotel at 18:30, reach the airport at 19:00 and fly at 21:30. You land in Istanbul at 22:50 and are taken to your hotel.

How do we get to Sumela Monastery, and how much walking is there?

Sumela Monastery is a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, built into the cliff of Mela Mountain in the Macka district. This page does not say how long the walk up from the road is, so ask your guide, and wear shoes with good grip. Karaca Cave, near Torul in Gumushane province, opened to visitors in 1996. Bring a light layer for inside. Overall the walking is light to moderate, but the 04:30 start makes Day 1 tiring.

Are lunches included?

The page is not clear, so get this confirmed in writing. The inclusions list names the hotel night with breakfast, the guide, transfers, flights and entrance tickets. Lunch is not on it. Yet Day 1 describes "a lunch of local dishes" at a restaurant in Zigana, and Day 2 has a lunch stop at Uzungol before free time. The overview also says you taste Black Sea food in Hamsikoy, which is mainly known for dishes made with anchovies. Ask whether the two lunches are in the $640 price or paid on the spot.

What does the Uzungol day include?

Day 2 has four stops on the way. First come the knife makers of Surmene, where knives have been made since at least Byzantine times. Then you visit a tea factory in Of to see how Turkish tea is produced and drink a glass. A short stop at a horse farm in Caykara follows. At Uzungol lake you see the man-made waterfalls, take photos from the hill above the lake, have lunch and get free time to walk around before the drive back to Trabzon.

When is the best time to go?

The page does not give a season. Uzungol is on a high plateau with cool mountain air, so bring a warm layer and a light rain jacket whatever the month. If you go in winter, ask us whether all stops on Day 1 and Day 2 are open on your date. Our Black Sea Turkey guide has more about the region.

Where do we stay, and what about Istanbul?

The one night is in a Trabzon hotel with breakfast. The page does not name it or give a star rating, so ask for the name in your written plan. There is no Istanbul hotel in the package. You need your own Istanbul hotel the night before, because pick-up is at 04:30. You also need one for the night you return, since you land at 22:50. Give us both hotel addresses so the pick-up and drop-off transfers can be arranged.

Is this a private tour?

No, this is a group tour. On Day 1 you join the guide and the other travellers at a meeting point in Trabzon, and you share the vehicle with them. If you want your own guide and vehicle, compare the private 2-day Trabzon tour from Istanbul from $785. If you are already in Trabzon, there are day tours too: the Trabzon Sumela Monastery tour from $120 per person and the private Uzungol day trip from $80 per person.

Can we add days or combine it with other regions?

You can ask for extra nights in Trabzon, and the page lists no fixed price for that. For a longer look at the coast and the highlands, the 7-day Black Sea tour from Istanbul is from $2,480. To combine Trabzon with the Aegean, the 3-day Istanbul, Trabzon, Ephesus and Pamukkale tour is from $1,315. See all Black Sea Turkey tours or the multi-city packages.

How do I book this Trabzon tour?

Choose your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page, or send us a WhatsApp message. Tell us your Istanbul hotel for the 04:30 pick-up and the 22:50 drop-off. We check the flights and the Trabzon hotel for your date. Then we send the plan in writing, with flight times, the hotel name and whether lunches are included. You pay only after you have read and confirmed it. The tour is run by Get Turkey Tours, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.