Southeastern Turkey Tour: 9 Days Private, Gobeklitepe & Mount Nemrut

We collect you at your Istanbul hotel and drive you to Istanbul Airport for the flight to Gaziantep. At Gaziantep Airport your guide is waiting, and the southeastern Turkey tour starts.

First comes the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, home to Roman-era and Late Antique mosaics.

You then wander through the Coppersmiths' Bazaar and the busy Historical Bazaar. Lunch is at a traditional local restaurant, and the day ends at Gaziantep Castle, among the best-preserved castles in Turkey.

Night in Gaziantep.

Following breakfast, a one-hour drive brings you to Zeugma Ancient City, a Roman border city on the Euphrates.

The next stop is Halfeti, part of which disappeared under the waters of the Birecik Dam. It is the only place in the world where black roses grow naturally, and they stand for eternal love and a longing that can never be fulfilled.

A relaxed boat trip on the Euphrates gives you fine views of Rumkale. For lunch you have the eggplant kebab the region is known for, grilled over an open fire with a deep smoky taste.

In the afternoon you go to the Bald Ibis (Kelaynak) Sanctuary, one of the few places where this endangered bird, sacred in history, is protected.

You spend the night in Halfeti, a quiet town in a riverside setting like no other.

Breakfast is followed by the drive to Adiyaman and the ancient Kingdom of Commagene.

You start at Arsameia, once the summer capital of the kingdom, where rock inscriptions and reliefs survive.

Next is Karakus Tumulus, a burial mound of the Commagene royals, with an eagle standing on its southern column. Before the climb to Nemrut you stop at Cendere Bridge, a Roman bridge that still spans the river.

Late in the afternoon you head up Mount Nemrut, where enormous stone heads of ancient gods sit at the top. Seeing the sun set over this remarkable mountain sanctuary is a high point of the whole trip.

Afterwards a drive of about 3 hours takes you to Sanliurfa for the night.

After breakfast the day starts in Sanliurfa, a city counted among the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth.

Your first visit is the Sanliurfa Archaeological Museum, which displays objects left by prehistoric peoples and the early civilisations of Mesopotamia.

Then you head to Gobeklitepe, called "the zero point of time". At over 11,000 years old, it is the earliest temple complex known anywhere, and it has reshaped how we see human history.

In the afternoon you visit Balikligol (the Pool of Abraham). This site is sacred in Islamic tradition, which holds that the Prophet Abraham was cast into the fire here.

Night in Sanliurfa.

Today, after breakfast, you trace the ancient roots of Mesopotamia. The first stop is Harran, which was once an important centre of astronomy and scholarship. Its well-known beehive houses and the remains of its old university still rise from the desert plain.

You continue to Karahantepe, a sister site to Gobeklitepe, where recently excavated structures reveal more about the beliefs of early humans.

The day ends at Sogmatar, an old sacred city cut into the rock, famous for its distinctive symbols and its temples to the gods of the sky.

Night in Sanliurfa.

After breakfast a drive of about 3 hours brings you to Mardin, known for its stone buildings and its mix of cultures.

You begin at Kasimiye Madrasa, a fine 15th-century school designed to represent the stages of life.

Next is Deyrulzafaran Monastery, a working Syriac Orthodox monastery and a spiritual centre for over 1,500 years.

Later comes Mardin Grand Mosque, which combines Artuqid and Islamic styles. You finish with a walk in the Old City, where terraced houses and narrow lanes overlook the Mesopotamian plain.

Night in Mardin.

After breakfast the first visit is the Sakip Sabanci Mardin City Museum, a good introduction to the many cultures that shaped the city.

From there you travel to Midyat, an attractive town of stone mansions and Assyrian churches, also known for telkari, its traditional filigree silverwork. The day ends at Mor Gabriel Monastery, the oldest Syriac Orthodox monastery to survive, still in use and full of spiritual atmosphere.

Night in Mardin.

You start the day at Zinciriye Madrasa, a 14th-century Islamic school built in graceful Artuqid style.

Then you see Mor Behnam Church (Kirklar Church), one of the oldest churches of the Syriac Christians where services are still held.

The afternoon is spent at Dara Ancient City, once a Roman military settlement cut into the rock, where you see tombs, city walls and underground cisterns.

Night in Mardin.

A drive of about 2 hours after breakfast takes you to Diyarbakir, a city famous for its long past and its black basalt buildings.

First you visit Zerzevan Castle, which was once a Roman military base. Within its walls is a rare Mithraeum, an underground temple where followers of the old Roman mystery cult of Mithras worshipped.

Next you walk the Diyarbakir City Walls, counted among the longest and best-preserved city walls on the planet. The tour finishes at the Diyarbakir Archaeological Museum, whose collection runs from prehistoric to Ottoman times.

A transfer takes you to Diyarbakir Airport for the flight to Istanbul. Our representative meets you there and drives you to your hotel.

Our services end here. Thanks for choosing to travel with us, and we hope to welcome you on another trip.