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Akdamar Island in Van Lake, The Armenian Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross, Turkey
Home Group Tours Eastern Turkey - Empire of Forgotten Giants

Turkey

Eastern Turkey - Empire of Forgotten Giants

  • EXPERT-LED GROUP TOUR
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Start date End date Days
Prices from
ex. flights
Single Supplement Tour Expert Group Size Status
05/07/26 05/19/26 13 days $4,440 pp $700 Ian Colvin 15 Max LIMITED Reserve place
09/18/26 09/30/26 13 days $4,440 pp $700 Ian Colvin 15 Max FULL
04/16/27 04/28/27 13 days $4,695 pp $780 15 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place
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Home to some of the most important archaeological sites found anywhere in the world, Eastern Turkey is a fascinating melting pot of history and culture. The sites of Mount Nemrut, Gobekli Tepe and Akdamar Island are remarkable and only attract a fraction of the footfall of the other regions.

This 13 day itinerary, led by your expert tour leader, includes the above sites, and more. Journey from Sivas to Gaziantep and sacred Sanliurfa, known as the city, that changed human history, and predates Stonehenge by 6000 years. Onto UNESCO Diyarbakir the cradle of 26 different civilisations throughout its 5000-year history and the beauty of Lake Van, before ending in Kars, close to the Armenian border. Throughout, experience larger than life landscapes and visit incredible sites in the company of real experts.

Introducing your expert

Ian Colvin

Ian Colvin

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Ian Colvin is a historian and has previously worked as a researcher at the University of Cambridge covering the South Caucasus, Byzantium and Sasanian Iran.

Alongside work for the School Classics Project, he is Director of the Anglo-Georgian Archaeological Expedition to the important site of Nokalakevi in Samegrelo, West Georgia–a project he established in 2001 in collaboration with the Georgian National Museum. He speaks and reads Georgian and has been known to supervise for the Near East in the Age of Justinian and Muhammad course (History Faculty).

Key Highlights of this Itinerary

Gobekli Tepe, Sanliurfa, Turkey 1

Gobekli Tepe

Visit the UNESCO site of Göbekli Tepe, the world’s first temple, and uncover the origins of civilisation.

Gypsy girl Mosaic, Gaziantep, Eastern Turkey 2

Extraordinary Mosaics

See some of the finest Roman mosaic in the world in Gaziantep, including the Gypsy Girl Mosaic.

statues on Mount Nemrut in Turkey, UNESCO 3

Mount Nemrut

Discover the mountain tomb-sanctuary atop Mount Nemrut, one of Mesopotamia’s highest peaks.

Medieval Church, Lake Sevan, Armenia 4

The Anatolian Plateau

Cross rolling plains and volcanic landscapes to reach the shores of Lake Van and the distant Mount Ararat.

Explore our suggested itinerary

Map View List View

  • Day 1

    Sivas

  • Day 2

    Sivas

  • Day 3

    Sivas to Gaziantep

  • Day 4

    Gaziantep to Sanliurfa

  • Day 5

    Sanliurfa

  • Day 6

    Sanliurfa to Nemrut Dagi

  • Day 7

    Nemrut Dagi to Diyarbakir

  • Day 8

    Diyarbakir to Van

  • Day 9

    Van

  • Day 10

    Van

  • Day 11

    Van to Kars

  • Day 12

    Kars

  • Day 13

    Depart Kars

Day 1

Sivas

Arrive into Sivas and transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of the morning at leisure. This afternoon meet with the rest of the group to explore the city of Sivas, visiting two 13th century Seljuk medreses as well as the Grand Mosque.

Day 2

Sivas

After breakfast drive around two and a half hours to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Divrig to visit its magnificent Seljuk mosque complex, built by the Mengujekid Turks in the early 13th century.  Return to Sivas in the afternoon.

Day 3

Sivas to Gaziantep

After breakfast, journey around six hours to Gaziantep via Malatya, visiting the UNESCO World heritage site of Aslantepe. Archaeological evidence from the site testifies to its occupation from at least the 6th millennium BCE, up until the Medieval period. Continue on to Gaziantep to check into your accommodation.

Day 4

Gaziantep to Sanliurfa

After breakfast today drive to the Mosaic Museum, home to an extraordinary collections of mosaics from the nearby site of Zeugma. Dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC, they are some of the finest mosaic examples in the world. This afternoon drive to Sanliurfa, a journey of around two hours where we will check into our hotel before visiting the city sites and taking a stroll in the bazaar.

Day 5

Sanliurfa

This morning travel to the site of Gobekli Tepe, one of the most important archaeological digs currently being undertaken anywhere. Its discovery in the 1990s took the archaeological world by astonishment as the site represents a major shift in our understanding of man’s early history. Spend plenty of time exploring before continuing on to another archaeological site at Karahan Tepe where recent excavations have uncovered a remarkable stone statue in the human form.

Return to Sanliurfa to spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Day 6

Sanliurfa to Nemrut Dagi

Morning drive towards Mount Nemrut, stopping to take in the panoramic views from Ataturk Dam and visit Karakus Tumulus funerary monument where the royal women of Kommagene were buried. Also stop in Cendere to walk across the Roman bridge. After lunch, continue to the top of Mount Nemrut adorned with stone heads, discovered in 1881 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Day 7

Nemrut Dagi to Diyarbakir

After breakfast, drive to Diyarbakir, a journey of around three hours. On arrival explore the city that was the cradle of 26 different civilizations throughout its 5000-year history. See the 10 Arches Bridge on the Tigris River, the Ulu Cami (Mosque and Church), and the cities Great wall.

Day 8

Diyarbakir to Van

After breakfast drive to Ahlat via Bitlis, stopping to visit Malabadi bridge which was built in the 12th century by Artuqid. On arrival in Ahlat visit the tombs of Seljuk Kings before continuing on to the lakeside city of Van. Total journey time today will be around six hours.

Day 9

Van

Travel south from Van along a branch of the Silk Road to visit Hosap Castle. The main castle structure of Hosap was built straddling the Silk Road and served as both a means of protecting the road and a charging point for traveller tolls. From Hosap, return to Cavustepe to see another Urartian Castle. Continue onto Gevas where you will transfer by boat to Akdamar Island, the largest island in Lake Van and home to the beautifully restored 10th century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Day 10

Van

A full day to explore Van, from the large Urartu collection at the museum to the distinctive local breed of domestic cat and a stroll in the old city before ending the day watching the sun set over the lake from the 3000 year old Citadel.

Day 11

Van to Kars

After breakfast, depart Van, following the eastern shore of the lake before travelling through mountains, plains and local villages to reach Muradiye Fallsm, a 20 metre high waterfall. Onto Dogubeyazit, to visit two major highlights: the awe-inspiring Mount Ararat and the equally breathtaking Ishak Pasha Palace.

Day 12

Kars

Travel to the site of Ani, the former capital of the Armenian kingdom. In the mid 10th Century, nothing in Europe could rival this capital of the Armenian kingdom in terms of either size or magnificence. Today, all that is left of this once great city are several church ruins as well as the shell of the Cathedral of Ani, the citadel and a mosque.

Day 13

Depart Kars

Transfer to the airport for your onward flights.

Grand Mosque, Divrigi, UNESCO, Sivas, Eastern Turkey
Grand Mosque in Divrigi
UNESCO Treasures

Aslantepe, Divriği & Diyarbakir

Eastern Turkey is packed with history, featuring many incredible sites recognised by UNESCO that remain largely under the radar. Archaeological evidence from Aslantepe testifies to its occupation from at least the 6th millennium BCE until the Medieval period. Divriği boasts a magnificent Seljuk mosque complex, and the UNESCO-listed walls of Diyarbakir preserve a fascinating mix of Armenian churches, a Chaldean church, and several mosques, containing more historical buildings than any Turkish city except Istanbul.

Gobekli Tepe site from afar, Sanliurfa, Eastern Turkey
Gobekli Tepe site from afar
Gobekli Tepe, Sanliurfa, Eastern Turkey
Gobekli Tepe
Ancient wonders unearthed

Gobekli Tepe

Göbekli Tepe, discovered in the 1990s, has dramatically shifted our understanding of early human history. Inhabited from 9500 to 8000 BCE, it features large circular structures and the world’s oldest known megaliths, crafted by prehistoric people who hadn’t yet developed metal tools or pottery. Some researchers suggest it could be the biblical Garden of Eden. Klaus Schmidt, a German archaeologist, believes Göbekli Tepe to be the world’s oldest temple, containing the earliest known religious structures, predating Stonehenge and the Pyramids. Nearby, Karahan Tepe is another significant site where archaeologists have found 250 obelisks with animal figures and a remarkable stone statue in human form.

Nemrut Dagi, Turkey
Nemrut Dagi
Antiochus’s Mountain Sanctuary

Mount Nemrut

In 62 BC, King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built this mountain top tomb-sanctuary, featuring colossal statues, originally thought to stand up to 10 metres tall, of himself, two lions, two eagles, and various Greek, Armenian, and Iranian gods. Once seated with inscriptions of each god’s name, the heads of the statues have at some stage been removed from their bodies, and they are now scattered throughout the site. Discovered in 1881 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Constructed to glorify Antiochus’s rule, although the tomb of King Antiochus has never been found, despite numerous excavations, it is still believed to be within the sanctuary.

Hosap Castle, Van, Turkey
Hosap Castle
Lakes, Churches & Castles

Lake Van

Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey and the biggest sodium water lake in the world. Situated on the high grounds of the Eastern Anatolian region, four small islands are located in the southern part of the lake: Akdamar, Carpanak, Adir and Kus islands, all of which were declared archaeological sites in 1990. Akdamar Island is home to the beautifully restored 10th century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross – seat of the head of the Armenian Church for almost 800 years, it is beautifully decorated with biblical carvings. Also in the region and located on a branch of the Silk Road (Ipek Yol) is Hosap Castle. Built straddling the Silk Road it once served as both a means of both protecting the road and a charging point for traveller tolls.

Group Tour FAQs

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Why should I travel with Steppes Travel to Eastern Turkey?

For the expertise of Ian Colvin and Sam Dalrymple whose knowledge and passion about this little-visited region, will bring history to life. In addition, this small-group tour offers the opportunity to travel with like-minded individuals to a region of Turkey that offers a fascinating history.

“Ian Colvin knowledgeable, kind, diligent and most helpful.” Armenia and Georgia Group tour with Ian.

Is it safe to travel to Eastern Turkey?

Eastern Turkey is bordered by Georgia and Armenia, to the north and Syria, Iraq and Iran to the south, which has caused its colourful past. However, in recent years these borders have stabilised and allowed tourism to slowly restore in this region.

What will the roads be like?

The roads over the last decade have improved immeasurably and the region is very well serviced by a good choice of regional airports.

What is the standard of accommodation on this tour?

Accommodation is varied in this region, where possible, we have carefully selected a range of small comfortable hotels and three to four-star guest houses for this group tour.

Is this tour suitable for solo travellers?

Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places does provide security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.

If you are willing to share, we will always do our best to match you up with another solo traveller of the same sex so that you do not have to pay for a single room.

If you would prefer the privacy of your own room and would like this guaranteed, then the single room price supplement will apply.

What is the food like?

The food in this region is wonderful with Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic influences. Make sure you sample the wonderful Turkish breads in this area which are delicious.

Do I need to be physically fit to enjoy this tour?

You need to be relatively fit to enjoy this tour. Although there are no substantial hikes involved, there will be days where moderate walks are required to access castles or churches.

Please make sure you bring a good comfortable pair of walking shoes as some of the sites, cities and areas we visit will have uneven surfaces.

Can I extend my time in Turkey?

Yes, this can easily be arranged at the beginning or end of the tour. Private travel arrangements with a car and driver will be provided and a private guide arranged for sightseeing. Please speak to one of our Turkey travel experts for ideas and information.

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Includes / Excludes

Important Information

Activity Level
Moderate Activity
Single Supplement

Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.

Flexibility

To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.

What is included

  • Accommodation as detailed
  • Accompanied by a local guide throughout
  • Accompanied by Ian Colvin or Sam Dalrymple throughout
  • Entrance to all sites mentioned
  • All meals except lunch on the first and last day
  • Transportation throughout

What is excluded

  • Insurance
  • International Flights
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Drinks with meals
  • Gratuities for local guides, drivers and porters
  • Visas (if required)

Other available dates

For further information about any of these tours please call 1(800)272-4163

Start date End date Days
Prices from
ex. flights
Tour Expert Group Size Status
05/07/26 05/19/26 13 days $4,440 pp Ian Colvin 15 Max LIMITED Reserve place
09/18/26 09/30/26 13 days $4,440 pp Ian Colvin 15 Max FULL
04/16/27 04/28/27 13 days $4,695 pp 15 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place

Reserve your place on this group tour

Our travel experts have a wealth of first-hand knowledge, so if you have any questions about this expert-led group tour, please get in touch. They would love to help. We hope you can join us on this tour.

01285 880 980

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