8 Days Mesopotamia and Eastern Anatolia Tour with Accommodations

Day 1 · Meeting Point 12.30 Gaziantep Met Gold Hotel

1. 1

   Zeugma Mosaic Museum

   1 h 30 min Admission not included

   Zeugma Mosaic Museum: in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey, is the biggest mosaic museum in the world, containing 1700 m² of mosaics. It opened to the public on 9 September 2011. The 30,000 m² museum features 2,448 m² of mosaic and replaces the Bardo National Museum in Tunis as the world's largest mosaic museum.

2. 2

   Gaziantep Province

   3 hours

   3-hour walking tour encompassing the copper artisans' bazaar, Gaziantep Castle, Gaziantep water cisterns, Gaziantep baths, and Silk Road caravanserais offers a therapeutic experience of understanding the soul of Gaziantep.

Met Gold Hotel Gaziantep

Day 2 · Halfeti / Kahta / Mount Nemrut

1. 1

   Halfeti

   one hour

   Halfeti Boat Tour: The Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which we visited in Gaziantep and which houses the remains of the ancient city of Zeugma, actually owes its existence to the Birecik Hydroelectric Power Plant. This historical waterway, including Nevali Çörü, has enabled the excavation of many ancient settlements. When the dam began to hold water in 1999, dozens of villages and houses, including Savaşan Village, were submerged. Today, the Savaşan Village Mosque, with half of its minaret still underwater and the mosque itself completely submerged, still beckons to you.

2. 2

   Karakus Tumulusu

   20 min

   an ancient tumulus belongs to mother, sister and wife of Mithridates.

3. 3

   Cendere Bridge

   20 min

   Cendere (Septimus Severus Bridge)

   Historical Bridge from The Period of Septimus Severus over Chabines River.

4. 4

   Mount Nemrut

   1 h 30 min Admission not included

   Mount Nemrut:

Euphrat Hotel Mt. Nemrut

Day 3 · Göbeklitepe / Şanlıurfa / Harran

1. 1

   Sanliurfa

   1 h 30 min

   Lake with the fishes

2. 2

   Gobeklitepe

   1 h 30 min Admission not included

   Göbeklitepe: Oldest Known Religious Structure: Göbekli Tepe is widely regarded as the world's oldest known temple complex, dating back to around 12,000 years ago (10th–8th millennium BCE). It predates other major ancient sites like the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge by thousands of years. Its age makes it a critical discovery in understanding the origins of religious and ceremonial practices in human history.

   Today, Göbekli Tepe is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its discovery continues to inspire both scientific inquiry and public fascination with the ancient past.

3. 3

   Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum

   1 h 30 min Admission not included

   Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum: About 10.000 artifacts are being exhibited at Şanlıurfa Archaeological Museum. This figure is much above Turkish standards. Those who visit the Museum will be able to see the oldest statue of the world, imitation of Göbeklitepe D Temple, original Nevali Çori Temple, numerous periodical animations, Prophet Abraham Animation, about 10.000 artifacts and most esthetical mosaics in the world at the New Şanlıurfa Museum.

4. 4

   Harran Ruins

   45 min Admission not included

   Harran Ruins and Conic Houses

Accommodation in Gaziantep

Day 4 · Dara / Beyazsu / Midyat

1. 1

   Dara Mesopotamia Ruins

   one hour Admission included

   Dara, one of the most important settlements in Upper Mesopotamia, was founded in 505 by the initiative of Emperor Anastasius (491-518) as a military garrison city to protect the eastern border of the Eastern Roman Empire against the Sassanids. With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city lost its importance over time.

2. 2

   Beyazsu

   1 h 15 min Admission not included

   Lunch Break

3. 3

   Midyat

   1 h 30 min

   Midyat City Tour

Accommodation in Mardin Reyhani Kasrı

Day 5 · Artuklu-Mardin / Kasımiye / Deyrulzaferan

1. 1

   Mardin

   4 hours

   Half day city tour

2. 2

   Deyrulzafaran Monastery

   one hour Admission included

   After the 15th century, the monastery began to be called Deyrulzafaran (Saffron Monastery) because of the zafaran (saffron) plant that grew around it. Today, the monastery is one of the important religious centers of the Syriac Church.

3. 3

   KasImiye Medresesi

   30 min Admission included

   Kasimiye Medresesi:

Accommodation in Mardin Reyhani Kasri

Day 6 · Diyarbakır / Tigris Bridge / Fortress / Mound Amida

1. 1

   Tigris River (Tigri)

   30 min

   10 Arched Bridge

2. 2

   Diyarbakir City Walls

   30 min Admission included

   One of the greatest, and most well-maintained, set of ancient walls in Diyarbakir city.

   The Diyarbakir city walls have an ancient history dating back to the Romans. Today, the walls are largely intact, and form a ring around the old city that is over 5km (3miles) in circumference. The walls are over 10 meters (about 33 feet) high and are 3-5 meters (about 10-16 feet) thick.

3. 3

   Four-Legged Minaret

   15 min

   Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque in Diyarbakır was built in 1500 by Kasım Bey, one of the Akkoyunlu rulers.

   It is one of the most important monumental works of the Akkoyunlu.

   It was built on the land where Sheikh Mutahhar's tomb is located.

   It is popularly known as Sheikh Matar Mosque, but in historical sources it is also referred to as Kasım Bey Mosque or Kasım Padişah Mosque.

4. 4

   Diyarbakir

   30 min

   The Great Mosque

Accommodation in Tatvan Taşar Delux Hotel

Day 7 · Akdamar Church / Castle of Van / Cat House

1. 1

   Akdamar Island

   1 h 30 min Admission included

   Akdamar Church:

2. 2

   Van Kalesi

   1 h 30 min Admission not included

   Urartu Castle

Accommodation in Gaziantep

Day 8 · Ishakpasha Palace / Noah’s Ark / Salt Cave / Ani Ruins

1. 1

   Ishak Pasha Palace

   1 h 15 min Admission not included

   Ishakpasha palace 17th century Ottoman Palace constructed in Seljuken style

2. 2

   Tuzluca

   45 min

   Salt Cave

3. 3

   Ani Ruins

   2 hours Admission not included

   Ani Ruins: