Our tour does not include tiring long bus journeys or connecting flights. We travel from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Van with a direct flight, and return from Gaziantep Airport to Izmir again with a direct flight (SunExpress). In this way, instead of wasting time on the road, we spend 5 full days exploring to the fullest. Our regional transfers are provided by luxury tourist vehicles.
No, the Şanlıurfa Sıra Gecesi and Van Lake (Akdamar) and Halfeti boat tours are extra activities, and participation is entirely at our guests’ discretion. However, we recommend joining them in order to fully experience the spirit of the region and not miss these unique experiences. Our guide will provide the necessary directions for these arrangements during the tour.
Since there may be temperature differences between Eastern Anatolia (Van, Ağrı) and Southeastern Anatolia (Urfa, Antep), you should choose layered clothing that you can adjust throughout the day (a T-shirt during the day, a cardigan/jacket in the evening). Also, to walk comfortably in ancient cities and on stone streets, you should definitely bring an orthopedic pair of sports shoes. Appropriate clothing for mosque and monastery visits (a scarf for our female guests), sunscreen, and a hat should also be in your bag.
Our tour is planned in a near half-board concept. Breakfasts taken at the hotels and dinner on the 1st and 3rd days at the hotel are included in the price. The first day’s breakfast, all lunches, the free-time dinner in Diyarbakır, and the dinner with a regional menu at the Şanlıurfa Sıra Gecesi are extra and are the responsibility of our guests.
For sites affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, such as Göbeklitepe, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Van Castle, and Ishak Pasha Palace, we strongly recommend getting a Müzekart (those who have a Müzekart can enter these places free of charge). Museum entrance fees are not included in the tour price. Entrance fees for places where the Müzekart is not valid and which are operated by private businesses or other institutions (such as Mor Gabriel Monastery) are paid by our guests at the entrance.
Thanks to our direct round-trip flights, it is a much less tiring itinerary than bus tours. Although there are short walks and stairs at some points such as the streets of Mardin or ancient cities, it is generally a comfortable cultural route that people of all age groups can enjoy with ease.