Turkey Tour Package

Day 1 Thu : Istanbul
Arrival and transfer to hotel. Welcome briefing.

Day 2 Fri : Istanbul
Full day tour to include: Topkapi Palace (excluding harem), Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. Optional: Dinner with belly dancing entertainment. (B)

Day 3 Sat : Istanbul to Cappadocia
This morning we fly from Istanbul to Ankara and join our coach to drive to the world-wide famous Anatolian Civilizations Museum also known as Hittite Museum.Then we proceed to the Hittite capital Hattusas and The Grand Temple of Hittites in Yazilikaya.Today our destination isappaodicia. Over- night in Cappadocia. (B,D)

Day 4 Sun : Cappadocia
After having breakfast in the hotel visit to the Pigeon Valley near Uchisar; then proceed to the Open Air Museum in Goreme through Avcilar Valley and visit to the early Christian churches decorated with unique frescoes depicting various scenes from the Bible. Lunch in a restaurant and then visit to Kaymakli Underground City, the place early Christians hid from persecutors. Pasabagi in Zelve region and Avanos with shopping facilities for theWorld-wide famous handicrafts. Overnight in Cappadocia.
(B,D)

Day 5 Mon : Cappadocia – Tarsus - Adana
After breakfast drive on to Adana through Taurus Mountains, Cilician Pass. En route we visit St. Paul’s House and well, Cleoperta’s Triumphal Arch in the famous city of St. Paul, Tarsus. Overnight in Adana. (B,D)

Day 6 Tue : Adana – Antakya
Today make our way to lowely town of Antakya in the morning. After lunch we are covering the second largest Museum of Mosaics in the world. Visit the Church of St. Peter where first called Christians after a congreation in this particular church in the first century AD. Overnight stay in Antakya. (B,D)

Day 7 Wed : Antakya - Kahta
A scenic drive to Kahta check in the hotel and in the afternoon climb up to the mountain to see collosal statues of paganistic gods and goddeses Commonage Empire and enjoy the breataking sunset. (B,D)

Day 8 Thu : Kahta – Ataturk Dam – Harran – Sanliurfa
Today we depart for Ataturk Dam which is the 4th largest project in the world. In the afternoon we will continue to Harran which was the place where god told Abraham to seed his generations. Visit Sanliurfa Balikli Gol in the late afternoon. (B,D)

Day 9 Fri : Sanliurfa – Mardin
Drive to Suryani Deyr-ul Zaferan Monastery in the morning. Return to the city a walking tour including Kadim Kırklar Monastry and the famous anchelogical and Ethnographical museum of the city which is concider to be an open air museum under the protection of UNESCO. (B,D)

• This is where we still have a small community spaeking Aramic (Syriacs speaking the mother tongue of Jesus Christ)

Day 10 Sat : Mardin – Hasan Kehf – Akdamar Island – Van
Drive to Hasan Kehf in the morning and continue to visit the Akdamar Church near Van. We will take a small boat ride to get to Akdamar Island on Lake Van. This church has one of the most complete scene collections of the Old Testament carved on the façade of the church. Late afternoon tour of Van. (B,D)

Day 11 Sun : Van – Mt. Ararat – Kars – Van
Our first sight seeing will be at Dogu Beyazit. We will observe the beauty of the Mt. Ararat from a distance. Then we will continue to Ishak Pasa Palace which is one of the oldest and most complete palace complexes in the world. Enjoy the view of Van lake at sunset from the prehistoric Urartian Castle perched up on the near by mountain. Than we motor back to Van to fly back to Istanbul.(B)