Brief Description
Our journey begins in Şanlıurfa, where we'll visit the magnificent Halil-ur-Rahman Mosque and stroll around its peaceful carp pool before exploring ancient Roman catacombs. We'll then visit Abraham's Cave and another beautiful mosque. Our next stop is the ancient village of Harran, featuring the world's oldest Islamic university, the Great Mosque, and distinctive adobe beehive houses—a unique regional architectural style found in just a few places worldwide. We'll explore the village's old fortress and ancient settlement walls. The journey continues to Göbekli Tepe, a sacred site that houses what archaeologists believe to be the world's first temple, constructed even before humans transitioned to a settled lifestyle.
In Mardin, we'll explore winding streets and visit the covered bazaar. The city's rich religious heritage shines through its Great Mosque and active Orthodox church. The city reveals its true splendor at sunset. The Orthodox monastery Deyrulzafaran lies just 5 km away. We'll also discover the ancient city of Dara, with its well-preserved ruins creating an enchanting atmosphere.
At Mount Nemrut, we'll climb to 2,150 meters to explore a remarkable archaeological park. The tomb-sanctuary features magnificent 8-9 meter statues representing Ancient Greek, Armenian, and other deities.
In Diyarbakır, we'll wander the old town's main street and visit its great mosque—Anatolia's oldest. We'll explore the historic caravanserai and walk along the UNESCO-listed black basalt fortress walls. Next comes Midyat, whose historic quarter echoes Mardin's beauty. Here, we'll visit the Syriac monastery of Mor Gabriel, where services continue in Aramaic—the language of Jesus.
Our journey takes us to Halfeti, a town partially submerged by the Euphrates River. We'll cruise the reservoir by boat, gliding past countless caves and the magnificent Rumkale fortress. We'll witness the eerie sight of Savaşan—a ghost village whose minaret emerges from the waters. Our final stop is Gaziantep, where we'll wander through the old town and traditional markets. The journey's crown jewel is the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, showcasing an impressive collection of ancient mosaics spanning over 1,700 square meters. From Gaziantep, we'll return back to Istanbul.
This program provides an overview of the trip’s key details. If you need a solution tailored to your specific circumstances, please contact us via email. We can arrange flights from anywhere in the world to the trip’s starting point, as well as airport/hotel transfers and any required documents. Our team will support you throughout the entire planning process. Feel free to reach out via email!
Basic Information
Dates: April 28 - May 4, 2025; September 25 - October 1, 2025; If you are a group of at least 5 or 6 people, we can organize this journey at any time and dates convenient for you.
Duration: 6 nights/7 days;
Group: 7 participants;
Price for the program in southeastern Turkey without airfare: 1,395 euros/person (group of 7 people). If the group is smaller than 7 people, the price will increase slightly;
Note: You can join the group from Istanbul.
The price includes:
Guide/driver: Professional guide and driver;
Transportation: Modern air-conditioned minibus with driver throughout the region;
Accommodation: 6 nights in quality 3-star hotels with breakfast, featuring twin or double rooms for families and couples;
Price does not include: lunches and dinners, entrance fees to attractions, travel insurance (we can arrange this if needed), and personal expenses.
(1) Airline tickets/flights with Turkish Airlines
The group will fly from Sofia, Bulgaria to Urfa, Turkey via Istanbul, Turkey. We can book flights from your home country to Istanbul or directly to Urfa. We'll also arrange your transfer to the Urfa hotel. Contact us for available options.
Departure:
Istanbul 13:40 - Urfa 15:25;
Return:
Gaziantep 15:30 - Istanbul 17:25;
You can join the group in Istanbul or fly with low-cost carriers from Istanbul Sabiha Airport. We'll provide options for alternative ways to reach the starting point of our southeastern Turkey program.
Program
Day 1 Arrival in Urfa, Turkey
This afternoon we arrive in Şanlıurfa (Urfa) in Southeastern Turkey. After transferring to our hotel and resting, we'll take an evening stroll around the city. Overnight in Şanlıurfa.
Day 2 Urfa, Harran and Göbekli Tepe
After breakfast at the hotel, we head to Göbekli Tepe—a sacred site believed to house the world's oldest temple, built around 9000 BCE before humans adopted a settled lifestyle.
We continue to Harran, the ancient city mentioned in the Bible. Here we'll explore the remains of the world's oldest Islamic university and the magnificent Ulu Cami (Great Mosque). The highlight is a well-preserved complex of traditional houses that now serves as a tourist attraction. At Harran's southeastern edge stands a fortress built by the Numairid dynasty. Though in ruins, the fortress can be viewed and photographed from the outside, though interior access isn't allowed.
The rest of the day is devoted to exploring Şanlıurfa. We'll stroll through its magnificent canal-lined gardens and visit Abraham's Cave (known as Ibrahim's Cave in Arabic)—the alleged birthplace of the saint. Several mosques surround the cave complex, including the Mevlid-i Halil Magarasi with its stunning marble courtyard. Overnight at the hotel in Şanlıurfa.
Day 3 Mount Nemrut with its giant statues
Today we journey to Mount Nemrut. In 62 BCE, King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene constructed an impressive tomb-sanctuary at the mountain's summit. The site features colossal 8-9 meter statues, including two lions, two eagles, and various figures representing Greek, Armenian, and other deities.
The site sits at an altitude of 2,150 meters, offering a breathtaking 360-degree panorama despite the shaded, windy conditions. In the evening, we return to our hotel in Şanlıurfa.
Day 4 Mardin, Deyrulzafaran Monastery, ancient city of Dara
We'll start early today to reach the Mardin area (a two-hour drive). Our first stop is the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, located 5 km from the city. This historic monastery, built atop a 4,500-year-old pagan temple, served as the patriarchal seat of the Syrian Orthodox Church until 1932.
We continue to the ruins of Dara, a significant Eastern Roman fortress. The site's impressive remains feature numerous cisterns, with many still concealed beneath the ground.
In Mardin, we'll walk along the main street of the old town and climb the narrow streets to the upper part of the city, where you'll get an excellent view of the Mardin Castle. We'll explore the covered bazaar and visit the Great Mosque—the city's most important religious temple. We'll also visit an active Orthodox church. As the day ends, we'll enjoy dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Mesopotamian plain at sunset. Overnight in Mardin.
Day 5 Diyarbakir, Midyat, The Syriac Monastery "Mor Gabriel"
After breakfast, we depart for Diyarbakir. We'll explore the central old quarter along its main street and visit the great mosque of Diyarbakir—the oldest mosque in Anatolia, built in the 11th century by Malik Shah, the Seljuk Turkish emir. Directly opposite the mosque stands the old caravanserai, now home to charming restaurants, cafes, and shops.
The Diyarbakır fortress is included in UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Next is Midyat, with an old quarter similar to Mardin's. We'll wander through narrow streets lined with ornate sandstone houses featuring decorative facades. The quarter contains the ruins of nine Syrian Orthodox churches.
We will visit the Syriac Monastery of Mor Gabriel, where church services are still conducted in Aramaic—the language of Jesus. We return to our hotel in Mardin.
Day 6 Halfeti and Gaziantep
Our journey takes us to Halfeti, a fascinating town on the Euphrates River. In 1999, the Birecik Dam—part of the Southeast Anatolia Project providing water to the region's semi-arid areas—partially submerged the old town. The submerged section features several restaurants and a striking mosque whose foundations now lie underwater. A new Halfeti has been built on higher ground, which visitors pass through en route to the old town. From this elevation, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the river reservoir and the historic settlement below.
Here we'll take a boat cruise around the reservoir (not included in the total price) and pass by dozens of caves. The ancient fortress of Rumkale stands impressively along the way—originally built by the Assyrians and later held by Byzantine and Armenian forces.
Our boat journey takes us to the village of Havash, another victim of the flooding, where we'll see the haunting sight of a mosque's minaret emerging from the water.
In the afternoon, we continue to Gaziantep. The city's crown jewel is the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the world's second-largest mosaic museum. We'll explore its stunning collection of over 1,700 square meters of mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma. The city was reportedly founded as Seleucia by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals. Overnight at a hotel in Gaziantep.
Day 7 Gaziantep, return flight to Sofia
Gaziantep, the largest city in southeastern Turkey, will be our final stop. We'll spend the morning exploring the historic city center and browsing one of the region's largest markets. In the afternoon, we'll head to the airport for our return flight to Sofia via Istanbul.
How to join us
Please email us for information about this trip or to reserve your spot. We'll respond promptly and keep you updated on all trip details and arrangements. If you have a group of 5–8 people ready to travel, we can discuss dates that work for you. You can also join our waiting list for future planned trips by simply sending us your names.
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