Private Eastern Turkey Tour: 9 Days from Nemrut to Sumela by Flight

In the morning we pick you up from your hotel in Istanbul or Izmir and take you to the airport for your flight to Adiyaman. The tour begins as soon as you land at Adiyaman airport.

On the road to Mount Nemrut we stop at the Karakus Tumulusu (Black Bird Burial Mound), the Roman Bridge at Cendere, the old castle of Arsemia and the new castle at Kahta.

Then we drive up to the summit of Mount Nemrut. Before sunset you explore this UNESCO World Heritage site: the tomb of the famous king Antiochus, ringed by dozens of statues, and reliefs that show the oldest known images of people shaking hands.

We watch the sun go down from the summit, then return to Kahta after dark and check in to your hotel.

After breakfast we set off for Sanliurfa.

The first stop is the active excavation at Gobekli Tepe, the oldest known temple in the world, built some 6000 years before Stonehenge. A guided tour is followed by time for photos.

Next is the Abraham Pool, a deeply sacred place for both Christians and Muslims. Tradition says Abraham (Ibrahim) was thrown into a fire here, and God turned the fire into water and the burning logs into fish.

From the pool we continue to the cave believed to be the birthplace of Abraham. In the evening you check into your hotel in Sanliurfa.

After breakfast we drive to Mardin, a beautiful town spread across a hillside.

Here you can enjoy a cup of coffee with the Mesopotamian Plain stretched out below, and feel the city's mystical mood as you walk its stone-paved streets past historic buildings, madrasas, churches and mosques.

Tonight's hotel is built of specially cut stone, so the character of the city stays with you even indoors. In the evening you are free to browse the local shops and try Mardin's famous kebabs.

After breakfast we head to Midyat, where modest doorways open onto large courtyards framed by finely carved walls, windows and niches.

We then follow the ancient River Tigris as far as the historic Malabadi Bridge, stopping at Hasankeyf on the way.

Before sunset we reach Ahlat, home to the largest Seljuk tomb in the area. Its giant gravestones are a highlight of the day.

The day ends in Tatvan, a small town on Lake Van, where you spend the night.

Van is known around the world for its unusual cats, but its history goes back as far as 5,000 BC. Over the centuries Urartian, Armenian, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman rulers all shaped the city, and you can see their traces everywhere, from the Urartian Van Fortress to the Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral.

Van also sits beside the largest body of water in Turkey. After a drive of about 2 hours to Van, you take a boat across the lake to Akdamar Island and visit the Holy Cross Cathedral. This 10th-century Armenian church holds faded but impressive frescoes, and its outer walls are carved with dramatic biblical scenes.

Later you have free time to walk around town, see the odd Lake Monster statue and perhaps spot a Van cat.

Overnight in Van.

After breakfast the journey continues to Ishak Paşa Sarayı, the Ishak Pasha Palace.

The palace stands on a hill above the historic town of Doğubeyazıt and is a superb example of Ottoman architecture. It was built in the 17th century for Ishak Pasha, a powerful Ottoman governor, and blends Ottoman, Persian and Seljuk styles with fine craftsmanship and design.

• The Harem: the private quarters of Ishak Pasha's family, with detailed tilework, decorated fireplaces and private gardens.
• The Mosque: with its ornate minaret and quiet courtyard, it shows the religious side of life in the palace.
• The Divan Hall: the grand hall once used for official meetings and gatherings, known for its fine acoustics and architectural detail.
• The Treasury: now a museum displaying artifacts and relics from the Ottoman period.

Walking through the palace feels like stepping back into an age of wealth, art and power, and its mix of styles makes it a rewarding stop for anyone curious about the grandeur of the Ottoman Empire.

Overnight in Kars.

The day starts at Ani, the ruined capital of the medieval Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. The kingdom first ruled from Kars, but in the 10th century King Ashot III moved the capital here, closer to the main trade routes.

Ani stands on a headland above the valley of the Arpa Cayi River, surrounded by rolling steppe and right on the Armenian border. This atmospheric ghost town of crumbling ruins is among the most romantic places to visit in Turkey.

After exploring the ruins, including the Church of Christ the Redeemer, split neatly in half, you head to Karagol, a lake tucked away in nature, for a late lunch. After lunch we continue to Artvin for the night.

You may know the phrase “for all the tea in China”, but in fact Turkey drinks more tea than any other nation.

Today you learn more about Turkish tea in Rize, the country's tea capital. The road runs east along the coast past green tea plantations, and in Rize you taste the local brew.

Then the route turns inland to the foot of the Kackar Mountains, where rolling fields meet rugged peaks tipped with frost. A late-afternoon hike through alpine meadows takes you past a medieval castle and old stone bridges, before you settle in for the night in the village of Camlihemsin.

We set out for the still mysterious Sumela Monastery through the Altındere Valley, up to the Black Mountain where the monastery stands. On the way up you stop at the edge of the road for photos with Sumela in view, then leave the vehicle.

A 15-minute walk brings you to the monastery. After a break you return to the vehicle at an easy pace and drive on to Zigana, with an hour's stop in the pine forest to have lunch at the restaurants, take photos and enjoy the clean mountain air.

Next is Karaca Cave, where the temperature is lower and the views are remarkable.

On the way back we stop at a factory showroom where you can buy the famous dried fruit pulp.

The third stop is the Torul Glass Terrace, where the height gives you a real rush of adrenaline.

The last visit is the lovely village of Hamsikoy, known for the best Sutlac (rice pudding), fresh air and beautiful scenery.

After the tour we take you to Trabzon airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Goreme): $310
• Extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
• Two extra hotel nights in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $125