Eight days across the southeast, from Göbekli Tepe to the Tigris, with the food and the history of a part of Turkey most visitors never reach.
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Tour highlights
Göbekli Tepe, 11,000 years old and the oldest temple anyone has found
The stone heads of the Commagene gods on the summit of Nemrut, at 2,150 metres
The rock cut church of St Peter at Antakya, carved into the Taurus mountain
The Antakya mosaic museum, and the herbalist market by the Asi river
Gaziantep: the medieval castle, the copper workers, the Yemeni shoemakers and the baklava
Balıklıgöl in Şanlıurfa, the lake of Abraham, where the carp are treated as sacred
Harran, its beehive mud brick houses and the ruins of an 8th century Islamic university
Söğmatar, where 2nd century BC temples were laid out to match the planets
Boutique hotels converted from old Armenian houses and a caravanserai
A farewell dinner in Urfa with live traditional music
Southeast Turkey is where Kurds, Arabs, Armenians and Turks have lived alongside each other for centuries. This is Mesopotamia, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris, where grain was first farmed and where people raised the oldest temple we know of, at Göbekli Tepe. Over eight days you cross it with one licensed local guide, from the rock cut church of St Peter in Antakya to the stone heads on Nemrut and the holy fish lake at Balıklıgöl in Urfa.
The food alone would justify the trip. Antakya, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa argue among themselves over which has the best kitchen in Turkey, and you eat where local people eat. In between there are markets where copper and iron are still worked by hand, and herbalists who have a cure for everything.
Numbers are small, from two to twelve people, and nobody shares a room. You sleep in boutique hotels converted from old houses and caravanserais, including a former Armenian priest’s house in Urfa with a courtyard. There are no shopping stops built into the schedule, and in most places you will be the only visitors in the room.
The plan
Meet your guide and the group at your hotel, then half a day on foot through the old city with lunch included. The afternoon is yours, for a hamam, a Bosphorus boat or the sights you want to see at your own pace.
Morning flight south. The rock cut church of St Peter, the mosaic museum, the herbalist market and a walk through the old bazaar by the Asi river. Lunch is tepsi kebabı, baked with garlic and spices in a wood fired oven.
A last wander through Antakya, then a four hour coach ride east. Orientation walk through the old city, the ancient underground cisterns and the historic cafés, and dinner of beyran soup and pistachio kebab.
The medieval castle and the view over the rooftops, then the copper beaters, the spice sellers and the workshops where Yemeni leather shoes are still made. Free afternoon, with the Zeugma mosaic museum and its Gypsy Girl nearby if you want to go on your own.
An early start by private van up Nemrut mountain to the Commagene heads at 2,150 m, with the Euphrates below and rural life on the way. On to Şanlıurfa and a hotel converted from an Armenian priest's house.
The oldest temple yet found, then the planet temples of Sogmatar and the ruins of Harran, home to one of the first Islamic universities and to beehive houses of mud brick.
The old market where iron is still shaped by hand, the tailors' courtyard, lunch in a fifteenth century caravanserai and the fish lake of Abraham. The evening is a sıra gecesi, with live music and home cooked food.
An afternoon flight back to Istanbul and a farewell dinner arranged by your guide.
Days can be reordered around the weather and the roads. Your guide will tell you the night before.
Where we meet
Your hotel lobby in Istanbul, at 09:00 on the first morning. Arrival airport transfer is included, so tell us your flight and we will collect you.
Before you book
Worth two minutes before you book, so nothing on the day is a surprise.
Cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the start time and you are refunded in full. Inside 24 hours we cannot refund. Tell us as early as you can and we will move your date rather than lose you.
Tours run in rain and in heat. If conditions make a tour unsafe we cancel it ourselves and refund you in full, or move you to another date, whichever you prefer.
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This is the tour to book You could not have asked for a better tour of the palace. Our guide took us through the entire complex explaining everything we were seeing and gave us a flavor of what life was like in that time. He also was able to take us to the areas that normally get busy before the crowds got there. Since we were the only ones on the tour he was kind enough to help us get a transportation card so we could use the tram system. He was also kind enough to help some other confused tourists having trouble with the machines. He then took us to a local eatery off the main road that had good food. He also showed us what other food places have and explained what was in the dishes. He also gave us tips on when to go to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia to avoid some of the crowds. The entire experience was everything we could have hoped for and more. After the tour we felt very comfortable to explore on our own. I highly recommend this tour and these guides.
Hidden gems of Istanbul Salih was very knowledgeable and even though the weather was atrocious, it was snowing and raining, he took us to the hidden gems of Istanbul and kept us engaged and warm. We really recommend him!
Be surprised Firstly my guide Salih Batkin was really a great, calm, knowledgable, friendly person. Easy to talk to and answer questions. We went to off the beaten track mosques, neighbourhoods and past authentic butcher shops and restaurants. Tasted 2 authentic brewed drinks you don't see in the main area. I think this is a really good tour to see Istanbul life in the suburb. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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