6-Day Istanbul, Cappadocia & Southeast Turkey Tour with Mount Nemrut
Overview
6-Day Istanbul, Cappadocia & Southeast Turkey Tour with Mount Nemrut
In six days this tour links Istanbul and Cappadocia with the ancient sites of southeastern Turkey. You begin with a guided walk through Istanbul's old city and fly to Cappadocia the same day for a night in a cave hotel.
After a full day among the fairy chimneys, a long scenic drive brings you to Mount Nemrut in time for sunset among its ancient statues. The next day you visit Göbekli Tepe, thought to be the oldest temple complex in the world, the mudbrick village of Harran and the bazaar of Sanliurfa, before flying back to Istanbul.
Hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and entrance fees (except optional sights) are included.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul & Hotel Transfer
Arriving at Istanbul airport, you are greeted by a driver for the direct ride to your hotel. Today holds no other plans; on the following morning at 09:30 AM you meet your guide.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City Tour & Flight to Cappadocia
At 09:30 AM your guide collects you from the hotel for a full day on foot through the historic core of Istanbul, where the Byzantine and Ottoman empires left their finest monuments.
Stops on the walk:
- Topkapi Palace (optional): the palace where the Ottoman sultans lived and ruled, full of history and fine architecture.
- Blue Mosque: one of the best-known sights in Istanbul, admired for its scale and its blue tiles.
- Hippodrome: the old chariot-racing ground of the city, still marked by the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain.
- Hagia Sophia (optional): step inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site and take in its vast Byzantine interior.
- Grand Bazaar: the oldest covered market on earth, a lively maze where you can shop for souvenirs, spices and textiles.
After the tour you transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Cappadocia. On arrival we take you to your cave hotel, where breakfast is included.
Day 3 – Cappadocia: Zelve, Pasabag & Love Valley
If you wish, you can start the morning with a hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia's remarkable landscape (optional).
The tour usually starts at around 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.
Highlights of the day:
- Goreme Esentepe – Panoramic View: the day opens at the Esentepe lookout between Uçhisar and Göreme, with wide views over the fairy chimneys and the town of Esentepe.
- Zelve Open-Air Museum: a former monastic settlement and centre of Christian learning, where monasteries, churches and chapels still hold well-preserved frescoes from the region's past.
- Pasabag (Monks Valley): known for its three-headed fairy chimneys and also called “Pasha's Vineyard”, this valley has some of the most striking rock shapes in Cappadocia.
- Devrent Valley: a short drive away, its small pointed chimneys look like a moonscape, and many visitors spot animals and mythical creatures in the rock.
- Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos has made pottery since 3000 BC using clay from the Red River, and a visit to a traditional workshop lets you watch the potters at work.
- Love Valley: the last stop, where millions of years of erosion have left cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys up to 40 meters tall, one of the most photogenic corners of Cappadocia.
You then return to your cave hotel for the night, with breakfast included.
Optional evening: a Turkish Night Show with traditional music and dance.
Day 4 – Drive to Mount Nemrut & Adiyaman
- 07:00 AM – Leave Cappadocia: set off by private vehicle or guided transfer for the Nemrut Mountain region. A breakfast stop on the way is optional.
- 12:00 PM – Kahramanmaraş (optional): pause in Kahramanmaraş for a short rest and a taste of the city's famous ice cream.
- 02:30 PM – Adıyaman: arrive in the Adıyaman area, the gateway to Mount Nemrut, for lunch at a local restaurant and a chance to freshen up before the mountain.
- 04:00 PM – Nemrut National Park: the road climbs through scenic country and past historical sites towards the mountain.
- 05:30 PM – The ascent: from the base of Mount Nemrut you head for the summit, on foot or by shuttle if one is running.
- 06:30 PM – The summit: time to look closely at the ancient statues and hear the story of the Commagene Kingdom at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 07:00 PM – Sunset: watch the golden evening light fall across the statues and the wide landscape below.
- 08:30 PM – Descent: come down the mountain and drive to the centre of Adıyaman.
- 09:30 PM – Hotel: check in at your hotel in Adıyaman and rest after a long day.
Day 5 – Gobeklitepe, Harran, Sanliurfa & Flight to Istanbul
- 09:00 AM – Leave Adıyaman: a private transfer takes you from Adıyaman to Göbekli Tepe, often called the zero point of history (about 1.5 hours).
- 10:30 AM – Göbekli Tepe: explore the archaeological site thought to be the oldest known temple complex in the world, and look closely at stone carvings more than 12,000 years old.
- 12:00 PM – On to Harran: leave Göbekli Tepe for Harran, known for its beehive-shaped mudbrick houses and long history.
- 12:45 PM – Harran: walk around the historic village, see its old buildings and the famous mudbrick houses, and learn why Harran mattered in the ancient world.
- 15:00 – Sanliurfa Bazaar: after the drive to Sanliurfa (about 1 hour from Harran), browse the busy markets of a city known for its history and local flavours.
After the tour you fly back to Istanbul and have free time on arrival to relax or do some last-minute shopping.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 6 – Departure Transfer
Check out after breakfast. Our representative looks after your transfer to the airport for your departure flight, which brings our services to an end.
Extra nights in Istanbul can be added if you would like to stay longer.
Important Notes
Optional add-ons
- Cappadocia hot air balloon flight (Göreme): $310
- One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
- Upgrade to a private tour: $300
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Accommodations with breakfast
- ✓Professional guide
- ✓All flights in the itinerary
- ✓Air-conditioned vehicles
- ✓Admission Fees to enter sights (Except optionals)
- ✕International flights to Istanbul
- ✕Dinner and lunch
- ✕Optional additional tours or activities during free time
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Istanbul, Cappadocia and Southeast Turkey in 6 days: the key facts
This 6-day, 5-night group tour joins the usual first-timer pair, Istanbul and Cappadocia, with two sites in the southeast that few short packages reach: the stone heads on Mount Nemrut and the prehistoric temple at Göbekli Tepe. You tour Istanbul's old city on Day 2 and fly to Cappadocia that evening, see the valleys on Day 3, drive east to Mount Nemrut for sunset on Day 4, and visit Göbekli Tepe, Harran and the Sanliurfa bazaar on Day 5 before flying back to Istanbul. Day 6 is your departure.
It suits travellers with an interest in ancient history who are fine with one very long road day. The price is from $2,140 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 6 days / 5 nights |
| Route | Istanbul - Cappadocia - Adiyaman (Mount Nemrut) - Göbekli Tepe - Harran - Sanliurfa - Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour (private upgrade $300) |
| Start / end | Airport pick-up in Istanbul on Day 1 / departure transfer from Istanbul on Day 6 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast, professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles, entrance fees (except optional sights) |
| Extra | International flights, lunch and dinner, hot air balloon ($310), Turkish Night show, optional activities |
How long is the drive to Mount Nemrut?
Day 4 is the hardest day of the trip. You leave Cappadocia at 07:00, pass through Kahramanmaraş around noon, reach the Adıyaman area at about 14:30 for lunch, and enter Nemrut National Park at around 16:00. The final climb to the summit starts at about 17:30, on foot or by shuttle if one is running. You stay for sunset at around 19:00, come down at 20:30 and check in at your Adıyaman hotel at about 21:30. That is more than fourteen hours, much of it in a vehicle, so bring snacks, water and a warm layer for the summit. Read about Mount Nemrut.
Can we do this tour at any time of year?
Check your dates first. Snow usually closes the road to the Nemrut summit in winter, and the date it reopens in spring changes from year to year; in 2026 heavy snow kept it shut until April. Sunset also moves through the year, so the 19:00 timing on the page is a guide only. If you plan to travel between late autumn and spring, ask us to confirm in writing that the summit visit can go ahead, and what happens if it cannot. Our Eastern Turkey guide covers the region more broadly.
What do we see on the Göbekli Tepe day?
On Day 5 you leave Adıyaman at 09:00 for a drive of about 1.5 hours to Göbekli Tepe, where you spend time among stone pillars carved more than 12,000 years ago. At midday you continue to Harran, the village of beehive-shaped mudbrick houses, and then drive about an hour to Sanliurfa for its bazaar at around 15:00. After that you fly back to Istanbul. Our Göbekli Tepe guide and the Göbekli Tepe attraction page give the background.
How much of Istanbul and Cappadocia is covered?
One guided day each. Day 2 in Istanbul starts at 09:30 and covers the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar, with Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia optional; there is no Bosphorus cruise on this tour. Day 3 in Cappadocia runs from about 09:00 to 16:00: Esentepe, Zelve, Pasabag, Devrent Valley, an Avanos pottery workshop and Love Valley. If you want more time in either place, add a night in Istanbul or ask about an extra Cappadocia day. See our Cappadocia guide.
Is it really a group tour on the eastern days?
The page calls this a group tour, but Day 4 mentions travelling "by private vehicle or guided transfer" and Day 5 mentions a private transfer from Adıyaman. Ask us to confirm in writing how the eastern days are run for your date: whether you share the vehicle with other guests, and whether the same guide stays with you from Cappadocia to Sanliurfa. If you would like it private throughout, the page lists an upgrade for $300.
Is the balloon included, and what about the evening show?
Neither is in the price. A sunrise balloon flight from Göreme on Day 3 costs $310, and it is your only morning in Cappadocia, because Day 4 leaves at 07:00. If wind cancels the flight there is no second chance. A Turkish Night show with folk music and dance is offered as an optional extra on the evening of Day 3; with a 07:00 start the next day, think about how late you want to be out. Our balloon price guide compares the flight types.
What should we wear?
For the Istanbul mosques, cover shoulders and knees, women also cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door. For Nemrut, bring a fleece or jacket for the summit after sunset, and shoes with grip for the final path to the statues. Göbekli Tepe and Harran involve walking on paths in the open, so a hat and sunscreen help. Our what to wear in Istanbul page covers the city.
Are there shorter or cheaper versions?
Yes. If you have already seen Istanbul, the 4-day Konya, Cappadocia, Nemrut and Göbekli Tepe tour starts from $680, and the Mount Nemrut and Göbekli Tepe 2-day tour by plane starts from $1,050 per person. Bear in mind the Konya tour replaces the Istanbul day with Konya and uses an overnight bus to reach Adıyaman, while this 6-day tour stays in hotels every night. Our page on a Mount Nemrut tour from Istanbul compares the ways of getting there.
How do we book this tour?
Choose your date and group size in the booking form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. Tell us your arrival time in Istanbul and whether you want the balloon or the private upgrade, and ask us to confirm the Nemrut road for your dates. We send the full plan in writing before you make any payment. Get Turkey Tours is a TÜRSAB-licensed agency (A-15751).
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