5 Day Tour of Magical Cappadocia and the South East of Turkey

5 Day Tour of Magical Cappadocia and the South East of Turkey

This is a fantastic tour of some amazing places in Turkey. You will first start with the magical and mesmerising Cappadocia and see the stunning landscape of the fairy chimneys and tour the Kaymaklı Underground City. You also have the option to take an unforgettable sunrise hot air balloon ride
Next, you will go to Şanlıurfa (the Prophets' City; also known as Urfa), is a pilgrimage town and spiritual centre. This is where the prophets Job and Abraham left their marks, and the Dergah complex of mosques and the holy Gölbaşı area is imbued with a compelling atmosphere redolent of the Middle East.
You will also visit Mount Nemrut, one the highest peaks of the Mesopotamia, with a summit at 2,206 metres above sea level and contains the tomb of King Antiochus I of Commagene that was commissioned by himself. The gigantic statues of gods that each weigh 6 tons and are 10 metres tall and indicate what kind of super-human effort was spent on the construction of the tomb.

Itinerary

Day 1: Istanbul- Cappadocia

Stop At: Kaymakli Underground City, Derinkuyu Turkey
Fly from Istanbul to Cappadocia, and upon arrival, you will be met at the airport just outside the arrival’s gate and transfer to Cappadocia. 



Tour the Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most fascinating underground settlements in Cappadocia then drive to Sahinefendi ( Sobesos ) which is newly discovered (01 May 2002) mosaic houses and Archaeological excavation site.

Villages in the valleys are surrounded by the “tabletop” mountains which are spectacular.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Keslik Monastery, Urgup Turkey
Continue to the Keslik Monastery close to Cemil, that hides its frescoes behind a thin smoke layer which you can only see by torchlight.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Mustafapasa, Mustafapasa, Urgup, Cappadocia
Visit Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with its spectacular old Greek houses; outstanding examples of late Greek settlements and architecture.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Saruhan Exhibition and Culture Center, Yeni kayseri Yolu 6 km, Nevsehir 50500 Turkey
Visit Saruhan Caravanserai, a roadside inn where travellers would rest and recover from their day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of information, commerce and people across a network of trade routes of North Africa, Asia, and South-Eastern Europe on the legendary Silk Road and the Spice Road.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Red Valley, Nevsehir Ortahisar, Nevsehir 50650 Turkey
Continue with the panorama of the Red Valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations and is in the heart of Cappadocia but still away from the tourist crowd.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Hotel in Cappadocia

Day 2: Cappadocia Hot Air ballooning with sunrise (optional, extra)

Stop At: Göreme Balloons, Sivritaş, koyun yolu sokak No:5, 50400 Ürgüp/Nevşehir, Turkey
Early in the morning, you have the option to take a once in a lifetime hot air balloon to have some magnificent views of Cappadocia (extra charge).

Meet at the hotel reception after breakfast, then have your first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia with some rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley, walk-in Pasabag near Zelve and wonder at the “fairy chimneys” where the sound of the wind mixes with the “songs of fairies”.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Devrent Valley, Devrent Mevkii No:1 Aktepe Koyu Turkey
Meet at the hotel reception after breakfast, then have your first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia with some rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Pasabag, Urgup Turkey
Walk-in Pasabag near Zelve and wonder at the “fairy chimneys” where the sound of the wind mixes with the “songs of fairies”.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Avanos, Avanos, Cappadocia
Lunch in Avanos which has been the centre of terra cotta work of art since around 3000 BC and you will get a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Goreme National Park, Goreme 50180 Turkey
In the afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century).


Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Uchisar Castle, Uchisar Turkey
Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Hotel in Cappadocia

Day 3: Cappadocia – Kahta

Stop At: Karatay, Karatay
Depart from your hotel in Cappadocia in the morning and 

drive to Karatay Caravanserai and visit the caravanserai.

On the way to Kahta (Nemrut) stop at Kahramanmaras for lunch and a taste of its famous ice cream.

Arrive at the hotel in Kahta city and the rest of the 
evening at your leisure.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel in Kahta

Day 4: Mt. Nemrut – Urfa ( Gobekli Tepe)

Stop At: Mount Nemrut, Adiyaman 50100 Turkey
Hike to the summit of Mount Nemrut (one of the most popular UNESCO world cultural heritage sites) and watch the sunset, be in awe of the colossal heads and the statues of ancient deities, as you take a step into mythology. This magnificent landmark sits at an elevation of 8000 ft.

The mountain top complex is made up of two flat areas that are strewn with statues and are separated by a false peak of crushed rock. Antiochus constructed the entire complex around 2000 years ago as a dedication to his divine ancestry.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Gobekli Tepe, Dağeteği Mahallesi, Sanliurfa 63290 Turkey
Also, you should take time to visit the old castle, Arsemeia, cross over the still functioning Cendere Bridge (Septimius Severus bridge) dating back to the 3rd century and Tumulus Tomb of Karakus.

Then drive back to your hotel for breakfast before driving to Urfa on the way visit Ataturk dam, a modern-day wonder. You will also see Gobekli Tepe which is a hilltop sanctuary that is erected on the highest point of a mountain ridge around 15 km northeast of the town of Sanlıurfa.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel in Urfa

Day 5: Urfa (Harran) – Gaziantep- Istanbul

Stop At: Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum, Camlik Caddesi, Sanliurfa 63200 Turkey
After breakfast, check-out from your hotel and drive to Sanliurfa which has been occupied since the Babylonians were followed by the Hurrites, Hittites, Assyrians and Greeks.

Today we will visit Urfa Archaeological Museum that exhibits a vast collection, founded from Harran and Gobekli Tepe Area. We will also see the holy sites at the Ainzelha, which is a lake that has millions of domesticated fish.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Gaziantep Museum, Istasyon Caddesi, Gaziantep Turkey
Drive to Gaziantep where we will visit the Gaziantep Zeugma Museum with a collection of magnificent mosaics t from the ancient site of Zeugma (Belkis). This museum has also become one of the most extensive mosaic museums in the world.

Transfer to Gaziantep airport and take an evening flight back to Istanbul.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.