Trabzon 7-Day Itinerary: Uzungöl, Ayder and Sumela for Gulf Families

Seven days is the right length for Trabzon and the eastern Black Sea: two nights in Trabzon for the city and Sumela Monastery, two nights at Uzungöl, and two nights in the Ayder highlands, flying in to Trabzon and out of Rize-Artvin Airport. Our private day tours in the region start from $75 per person for the Trabzon city tour, and the whole week can be run with one driver and car.

This itinerary is written with Gulf families in mind, since many of them choose the region for a summer escape, but it works for any traveller who wants green mountains, cool air and slow days.

The week at a glance

The order matters. Doing Trabzon and Sumela first means the long mountain drives come after you have settled in, and ending in Ayder lets you leave from Rize-Artvin Airport, which opened in May 2022 about 34 km east of Rize, instead of driving all the way back to Trabzon.

Getting to Trabzon from the Gulf

Most travellers connect through Istanbul, where flights to Trabzon run many times a day. In summer there have also been seasonal nonstop flights between Trabzon and Gulf cities: for the 2026 season, for example, Qatar Airways flew from Doha and Pegasus scheduled flights from Jeddah and Kuwait City. Summer 2027 timetables are published by each airline, so check them before you fix dates.

Entry is simple for GCC nationals: the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists citizens of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman as visa-exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and Qatari citizens for up to 90 days within six months of first entry. Family members or staff on other passports should check our Turkey visa overview.

If you are flying in via Istanbul, two or three days there before the Black Sea make a natural first week; our Istanbul and Trabzon tour combines both with flights, from $1,455 per person.

Days 1 and 2: Trabzon city

Arrive, check in and spend the first evening on Boztepe, the hill above the city, where tea gardens look out over the harbour and the sea. It is the easiest first evening after a flight, and children have space to run around.

On day 2, the city tour covers the main sites in a relaxed day:

• Hagia Sophia of Trabzon: a 13th-century church built when Trabzon was the capital of the Empire of Trebizond. It has been a mosque since 2013, and its frescoes can be seen outside prayer times.
• Kızlar Monastery: a former Greek Orthodox convent on the slopes above the city.
• The old centre and seafront: Meydan square, the covered bazaar and the shops selling local hazelnuts, honey, butter and anchovy dishes.

Our Trabzon city tour covers Hagia Sophia, Kızlar Monastery and Boztepe, from $75 per person.

Day 3: Sumela Monastery

Sumela Monastery clings to a cliff face at about 1,200 metres in the Altındere valley, in Maçka district, roughly 47 km from central Trabzon. Tradition dates its founding to the 4th century; most of what you see today is later rebuilding, restored in recent years.

Is it open? Yes, as of November 2026. After a long restoration the monastery reopened in stages from 2019, and it recorded its busiest year in the 2026 season. Short maintenance closures still happen (one took place in June 2026), and winter weather can close the road, so check before visiting on your dates.

What to expect on the day:

• The last part of the visit is on foot, up a path and then a long, narrow stairway to the entrance. It is steep; grandparents and small children should take it slowly.
• Weekends in summer are crowded. Go early or on a weekday.
• Bring a light jacket. The valley is shaded and often misty even in July.

Our Sumela Monastery tour from Trabzon, from $120 per person, adds Karaca Cave, a stalactite cave further inland, on the same day.

Days 4 and 5: Uzungöl

Uzungöl is a lake in the Çaykara district, roughly 95 to 100 km south-east of Trabzon. It was formed when a landslide dammed the valley stream, and today a mosque, wooden hotels and restaurants line its shore, with forested slopes rising straight up on both sides.

Why two nights instead of a day trip:

• The light changes. Early morning, before the day visitors arrive, the lake is still and quiet. Evenings are cool and good for a walk around the shore.
• The highlands above. On day 5, a driver can take you up to the high plateaus and viewpoints above the lake, where the air is noticeably cooler and the views open out over the valleys.
• Less time in the car. Families who visit Uzungöl as a day trip from Trabzon spend much of the day on the road.

If your time is short, our Uzungöl day trip from Trabzon, from $80 per person, covers the lake and the nearby highlands of Karester and Lustra in a single day.

Food at Uzungöl is simple and local: trout from the mountain streams, kuymak (a cheese and cornmeal dish), Black Sea flatbreads and local honey.

Day 6: Rize, the Fırtına valley and Ayder

This is the longest day of the week, so start early. Along the way:

• Rize's tea gardens: Rize province is the centre of Turkish tea growing, and the slopes above the coast are covered in tea bushes. A stop at a tea garden for a glass of fresh tea is part of the day.
• The Fırtına valley (Storm Valley): a river valley with old stone arch bridges, rafting points in summer and Hemşin villages on the slopes.
• Zilkale: a medieval castle on a rocky outcrop high above the river, surrounded by forest.
• Ayder: a highland village at about 1,250 metres in the Kaçkar Mountains, with wooden guesthouses, waterfalls and a thermal spring bath.

Our Ayder and Storm Valley day tour from Rize, from $85 per person, covers this route with Zilkale; on this itinerary you stay the night in Ayder instead of returning.

Day 7: Ayder and the flight home

Use the morning for a short walk to one of Ayder's waterfalls or a soak in the thermal baths, then drive down to Rize-Artvin Airport. Most flights from there connect through Istanbul. If the timing works better from Trabzon, allow extra time for the drive back along the coast.

Practical notes for Gulf families

• A private car is the easiest way. There is no railway on this coast, and the highland roads are narrow. With one car and driver for the week, your luggage stays in the car and you stop where you like.
• Weather: rain and fog are common here even in summer; that is what keeps the region green. Pack a rain jacket and a warm layer for the evenings in Uzungöl and Ayder.
• Food and prayer: halal food is the norm in local restaurants, and every village has a mosque. Ask your driver to plan stops around prayer times.
• Hotels: Uzungöl and Ayder hotels are small and fill up in July and August. Book family rooms early, especially around Eid.
• Guide language: drivers in the region usually speak Turkish. An Arabic-speaking guide can be arranged on request, subject to availability; see Arabic-speaking guides.

For an overview of the whole region, read our Black Sea Turkey guide and our page on the Black Sea tour. For long weekends and summer timing from the Emirates, see Turkey trip from the UAE in 2027; for a wider family package that includes Trabzon, see our Turkey packages for Gulf families.

Tours that cover this

• Trabzon city tour: Hagia Sophia, Kızlar Monastery and Boztepe, from $75 per person.
• Sumela Monastery tour with Karaca Cave: from $120 per person.
• Uzungöl private day trip from Trabzon: lake, Karester and Lustra, from $80 per person.
• Ayder highland and Storm Valley tour: with Zilkale castle, from $85 per person.

For a shorter trip, the 2-day Trabzon tour from Istanbul with flights, Sumela and Uzungöl starts from $640 per person. All options are listed under Black Sea tours.

Frequently Asked Questions