Turkey: Eastern Borderlands
Group Tour
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Overview
Promising adventure on a grand scale, this tour explores the diverse history and epic landscapes of eastern Turkey, where - a world away from Turkey’s popular coastal resorts - ancient civilisations have left a rich legacy of striking architecture, varied cultures and mouthwatering cuisine.
Our journey begins in the south's arid plains, close to the Syrian border and concludes in lands that once lay within the realms of ancient Armenia. Travelling from the Euphrates to the Tigris and ...
Promising adventure on a grand scale, this tour explores the diverse history and epic landscapes of eastern Turkey, where - a world away from Turkey’s popular coastal resorts - ancient civilisations have left a rich legacy of striking architecture, varied cultures and mouthwatering cuisine.
Our journey begins in the south's arid plains, close to the Syrian border and concludes in lands that once lay within the realms of ancient Armenia. Travelling from the Euphrates to the Tigris and beyond, we'll find a complex mix of cultures both past and present, discovering some of the region’s most evocative and architecturally important sites, including the mountaintop statues of Nemrut Dag, the history re-writing ancient remains of Göbeklitepe and 12,000-year-old Hasankeyf, now controversially submerged beneath the waters of a nearby dam.
We'll wander the old narrow city streets of Urfa and Mardin, revelling in their architectural delights and enjoy a walk along the crater rim of an ancient volcano. A boat trip on Lake Van will take us to explore ornate church reliefs before heading to the iconic Ishak Pasha Palace in the shadow of Mount Ararat and the enthralling ancient UNESCO Armenian capital of Ani. With its dramatic scenery, ubiquitous borders and fascinating history, this trip gives a truly varied insight into a part of Turkey rarely seen by foreign visitors.
HIGHLIGHTS
At a glance
MEALS
TRANSPORT
GROUP SIZE
EXPERT TEAM
ACCOMMODATION
ENTRANCE FEES
FITNESS RATING
WILD MILES
ACCOMMODATION
Wherever possible we aim to use characterful accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience. This can obviously vary greatly across both countries and tours. On this particular trip we will be in hotels, many of which are historic in nature so room sizes and facilities may vary, due to cultural reasons alcohol may not be available in the hotels and the use of swimming pools may be gender segregated. Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only and is always subject to availability.FITNESS RATING
LOW: You should be comfortable walking around towns and cultural sites. May include some optional walks (typically 1-2hrs).LOW/MODERATE: May be of a long duration and/or involve numerous border-crossings. May include easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-3hrs/day). You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle.
MODERATE: May include several easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-5hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle. Previous experience of similar trips helpful.
MODERATE/HIGH: May involve several days of moderate hiking (up to 3-6 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
HIGH: May involve several days of moderate/strenuous trekking (up to 4-7 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a very fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
Wild Miles Club
When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:
| Blue | More than 10,000 points | 2.5% discount |
| Bronze | More than 30,000 points | 5% discount |
| Silver | More than 45,000 points | 7.5% discount |
| Gold | More than 60,000 points | 10% discount |
Map & Itinerary
Individual departures may vary so please refer to the information in the tour specific links in the Dates and Prices section below
Day 1 Tour starts in Gaziantep
Day 1 Tour starts in Gaziantep
The tour begins this evening in Gaziantep with the suggested flights arriving in the evening.
Day 2 Gaziantep – Birecik – Halfeti – Nemrut Dag: Mosaics & Flooded Village
Day 2 Gaziantep – Birecik – Halfeti – Nemrut Dag: Mosaics & Flooded Village
We will spend our first morning in Gaziantep visiting the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, an astounding collection of Hellenistic and Roman mosaics from ancient Zeugma. We then set off for Birecik where we’ll take a boat ride on the reservoir to see some of the flooded villages such as Halfeti, with its submerged houses and with the minarets of its mosques still showing above the water. The scene is a rather evocative one, and the reservoir has had both negative and positive effects on the lives of those in the region which our boatmen will be able to tell us about. We then head for Mount Nemrut (known as Nemrut Dag in Turkish), the site of the famous UNESCO monumental sculptures, staying in the nearby village of Karadut.
Day 3 Nemrut Dag – Göbeklitepe - Urfa: Ancient Temples
Day 3 Nemrut Dag – Göbeklitepe - Urfa: Ancient Temples
A morning visit to the mountain top sanctuary of Nemrut Dag gives us the chance to see the colossal temple and tomb complex built by Antiochus I, complete with 60m high tumulus and groups of giant statues representing the heads of the gods he believed he was related to. Moving on to another ancient site, Göbeklitepe, home to what are considered to be the world’s earliest temples, we will find carved monoliths and stone benches dating back to 10,000BC. Our final destination for the day is the old Crusader town of Edessa, now Urfa.
Day 4 Urfa & Harran: Glorious Urfa
Day 4 Urfa & Harran: Glorious Urfa
We will explore Urfa today, believed to be the birthplace of Abraham. The historic centre has stone built houses, a caravanserai and a labyrinthine bazaar, inviting for its fascinating wares. Old madrassahs lie next to ornamental lakes and tea gardens, giving the appearance of a harmonious union between nature and architecture. We also take a trip to Harran, some 20kms away from the Syrian border, with its crumbling village dating back 5000 years and which is home to many distinctive and photogenic beehive-like houses, mainly now used for animals and storage.
Day 5 Urfa – Mardin: Historic Citadel
Day 5 Urfa – Mardin: Historic Citadel
A drive this morning brings us to Mardin, a city set on a rocky hillside topped by a historic citadel overlooking the plains of northern Syria. The old city is UNESCO protected for its 12th and 13th Century architecture and has a number of mosques, madrassahs, and, due to the Syrian Christian population a number of churches and monasteries. As we stroll the old city streets we will take in these ornate buildings as well as admiring the abarra, arched passageways between houses which provide both shade and cool breezes. We will also head to the old market and the city museum with its finds from local sites as well as trying out the local cuisine, famous in the region.
Day 6 Mardin – Hasankeyf – Malabadi Bridge – Tatvan: From Reservoir to Lake
Day 6 Mardin – Hasankeyf – Malabadi Bridge – Tatvan: From Reservoir to Lake
Heading to Hasankeyf this morning we will learn more about the effects that the dam projects have had in the region. This ancient town which had been continuously inhabited for 12,000 years was flooded when the Ilisu dam was completed in 2020 and much of the town and its historic architecture is now underwater. A boat trip will show us the sunken village along with the new town built on the lakeside representative of the two sides of Turkey, the historic and ultra-modern. After the visit we stop off at the Malabadi Bridge, a 12th Century pointed arch stone bridge spanning the Batman River before arriving in Tatvan at the western end of Lake Van.
Day 7 Tatvan – Nemrut Crater – Aktamar Island – Van: Crater Walk & Boat Trip
Day 7 Tatvan – Nemrut Crater – Aktamar Island – Van: Crater Walk & Boat Trip
We will drive this morning to the crater of Mt Nemrut, known as the second largest crater in the world, using a road which takes us close to the edge of the caldera, in which there are three crater lakes. We have two walking options of a good 5km hike along the crater rim or a shorter 600m walk to the rim. We can drive down to the crater lakes and swimming is possible in the summer. Driving on brings us to the shore of Lake Van from where we take a boat to Aktamar Island upon which there is a well-documented Armenian church with ornate reliefs depicting scenes from the Old Testament. We stay tonight in Van, on the eastern shore of the lake in this city dating back millennia. If possible, we plan tonight to have dinner tonight with a local family.
Approx. 2 hours walking (ascent 400m, descent 300m. Total distance 5km)
Day 8 Van - Muradiye Waterfalls – Doğubeyazıt – Kars: Waterfalls & Lava Flows
Day 8 Van - Muradiye Waterfalls – Doğubeyazıt – Kars: Waterfalls & Lava Flows
We will make a stop at the impressive 20m high Muradiye Waterfalls this morning before passing close to the Iranian border and the lava flows from Turkey’s youngest volcano. Arriving in Doğubeyazıt we will head up the hill to the Ishak Pasha Palace from where we should be treated to some fine views of Ararat. Ishak Pasha, a combination of Ottoman fortress and palace dates mostly from the 17th Century and is one of eastern Turkey’s most memorable and iconic sights. Later we drive on to Kars.
Day 9 Kars: Ani UNESCO World Heritage Site
Day 9 Kars: Ani UNESCO World Heritage Site
After a leisurely breakfast trying some of the famous cheeses of the area, we will walk from the hotel past some of the unusual Russian style mansions, to visit the Church of the 12 Apostles, which has been used by various religious congregations over its 1000 year history. We then stroll up to the basalt Kars Castle to view the town from above. We then travel 40km across the steppe to the ruined ancient city of Ani, which was the Armenian capital in the 10th century. The UNESCO ruins are right on the border with modern day Armenia, sitting above the Arpa river and controlling the crossing that was, at one time, an essential strategic point on an off-shoot of the Silk Route. The city became fabulously wealthy before, in the 11th Century, it was captured in quick succession by the Byzantine and the Turkish armies. We will explore the site and enjoy a picnic before returning to Kars later in the afternoon. This evening we have a final group meal.
Day 10 Tour ends in Kars
Day 10 Tour ends in Kars
The tour ends this morning after breakfast. Those on the suggested group flights will be transferred to the airport in time for check-in.
ACCOMMODATION USED ON THIS TOUR
Hotel El Ruha, Urfa
In the heart of historic Urfa, the "city of the prophets", Hotel El-Ruha has traditional architecture and a historical atmosphere. Many of the rooms and suites overlook the Fish Lake and the castle, all have en suite and are modern despite the hotel's historic nature. Guests can enjoy local cuisine in the restaurant and relax in the courtyard. There is a swimming pool but with segregated bathing and the hotel does not serve alcohol.
Maradin Hotel, Mardin
In the historic city of Mardin, the Maradin Hotel is ideally located for exploring the city, close to significant historic and cultural sights and the colourful bazaars. The hotel itself blends history, culture and comfort, guest rooms have ornate ceilings, rich fabrics, hand-crafted furniture and views out over the city or the Mesopotamian plains. Despite the historic nature of the building all rooms are equipped with modern amenities and en suite bathrooms. Fresh, local ingredients are used by the chefs to create delicious meals which are served in the restaurant or roof top terrace. Guests can relax in one of the living rooms, the central courtyard or enjoy a treatment in the spa.
Kardelen Hotel, Tatvan
Centrally located in Tatvan, a city set on the shores of Lake Van, the Kardelen, or Snowdrop Hotel is an excellent base for exploring the area, whether it be hiking in the mountains, boat trips on the lake or snowsports in the winter. The 82 rooms are a good size, modern in decor and well-appointed, many also have views out over the mountains or Lake Van. Meals can be enjoyed in the restaurant or on the terrace taking in the views of the lake and mountains while the chefs cook up Turkish and international dishes. The wellness centre with sauna along with the fitness centre provide a space for guests to relax and rejuvenate.
Elite World, Van
The Elite World Hotel in Van is known for its classical opulence, especially the large marble lobby, the centre piece to this modern, high rise hotel. Guest rooms are modern, classically designed and well-equipped, each with en suite bathroom, flat screen tv and tea and coffee facilities. A range of dining options are available, an all day brasserie and a Japanese restaurant along with a coffee shop and a lobby bar. An indoor swimming pool can be found near the spa and wellness centre which is complete with Turkish bath for a full relaxation experience.
Hotel Katerina Sarayi, Kars
It’s not often one gets the chance to stay in a Russian mansion, so take your chance here at Hotel Katerina Sarayi. Built during a brief period of Russian occupation (1878-1917), this grand palace is situated on the banks of the Kars River on the edge of town and is the perfect place from which to explore the local region – including the fabulous UNESCO World Heritage site of Ani. The rooms are all very spacious and comfortable – if decorated in a somewhat ‘over the top’ (gilded bedframe) manner – the dining area on the first floor is light and airy, and there is a lovely garden in front by the river in which you can sit and enjoy drinks either before or after dinner.
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. *Please refer to the Detailed Itinerary of your individual departure for more information.
PRIVATE HOLIDAYS: DATES DON’T FIT?
All group tours can be taken on a private basis.
Additional Details
Responsible Travel
With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.
When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats.
Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.
Reducing Single Use Plastic
We recognise the environmental issues and challenges around single-use plastic in many countries we visit and are actively working with our partners on the ground to reduce plastic waste on our tours and within the hotels and restaurants we visit. You can help to reduce your personal plastic waste by taking a refillable, filtered water bottle with you on your trip. Filtered water bottles can be refilled from water sources including your hotel room and restaurant taps, drinking fountains and refill stations. Every time you refill your bottle without the use of single-use plastic, you will be helping to reduce waste and protect the environment. Filtered Water Bottles | Wild Frontiers (wildfrontierstravel.com)
Getting There
If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from the UK (subject to change) are shown below.
If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
| Flight Code | Departing | Arriving |
|---|---|---|
| TK 1980 | London Heathrow (LHR) 11:20 | Istanbul (IST) 17:10 |
| TK 2236 | Istanbul (IST) 20:55 | Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport (GZT) 22:45 |
| TK 2715 | Kars Harakani Airport (KSY) 11:30 | Istanbul (IST) 13:55 |
| TK 1983 | Istanbul (IST) 18:45 | London Heathrow (LHR) 20:50 |
Visas & Vaccinations
VISAS
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact a reputable visa agency. More details can be found here - www.wildfrontierstravel.com/visa
For this tour UK passport holders do not require a visa for Turkey.
Passports should ideally be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the end of your tour.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
VACCINATIONS & ADDITIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers to Turkey.
For all destinations, please make sure you are up-to-date with any standard vaccinations (e.g. MMR, Hepatitis A, Tetanus) as recommended by your local health care provider.
For the most up-to-date information on all vaccination requirements and the most suitable anti-malarial tablets, we strongly suggest that you seek advice from your local travel centre or consult an official travel health website such as www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
Covid Testing: No mandatory testing is currently required for vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers.
If necessary, further details will be sent out to you upon booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas & vaccinations are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Extensions
If you have more time available, why not arrive early to adjust to a new time zone or just to get a feel for the country before your tour starts? Alternatively, you might choose to allow a few extra days after the tour to relax or to undertake some further exploration.
The choice is completely yours and we can usually arrange anything from simply additional accommodation and transfers to full tailor-made itineraries*. Please contact the office for more details and to discuss your requirements.
*Please note bespoke, tailor-made itineraries need to be a minimum of 7 days and we can only offer them in countries where we have a tailor-made expert
Governmental Travel Advice
Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.
Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.
Key Information
CLIMATE
During spring and autumn the daytime in eastern Turkey is generally warm (in the region of 25C) and dry, though as we will be spending significant time in the mountains you should come prepared for all eventualities, including cool nights and some rain.
IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?
It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. All our tours have a fitness rating as a guideline but you should check the day-by-day itinerary carefully. In certain instances we may ask you to complete a travel questionnaire before confirming your booking in order to ensure your suitability. Should you have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the office.
KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER
Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour, however, please note, there will be some walking at archaeological and ancient sites where the paths may be rough and there may be steep sections. We will also have a longer walk at the volcano crater which is optional. Whilst we endeavour to cater for all diets, vegetarians may find the choice and variety limited.
Please note that some of the days involve some necessarily long drives of approx 5-6hrs so do come prepared for this, although the epic scenery will, in many cases, more than compensate.
NEW TOURS
Never complacent, here at Wild Frontiers we are continually on the look-out for new tour ideas. Each year we aim to put on a selection of new tours in order to continually provide our clients with a fresh and varied choice of some of the best journeys on the planet. Although a lot of fun, these tours will often involve a greater element of unpredictability than our better-established tours, so please come prepared.
THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE TRAVEL
We feel that it’s worth pointing out that while we will always strive to stick as close to the stated itinerary as possible, it may be necessary from time to time to make changes to our itineraries or services (due to weather, political and religious influences etc.) and this can happen with little or no notice. This unpredictability can be one of the most exciting aspects of adventure travel and for many of our clients often leads to unexpected highlights as the tour-leader necessarily adapts the tour to the changing conditions. However we are aware that this lack of assuredness may not suit everyone. As such, with the greatest respect, if you are someone who needs to know that everything will happen exactly as planned, we would kindly suggest that perhaps our tours are not for you. Adventure travel can be infectious and once you’ve caught the bug, it is likely to never leave you, but especially if this is your first such tour we would strongly urge you to give us a call if you have any concerns whatsoever about your suitability for this trip.
TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip. On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour.
Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.
INSURANCE
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.
General Information
TOUR PRICE
All our tours are priced on a land-only basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour.
DEPOSIT
A 10% deposit is required to confirm your booking.
PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY
For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page
WILD MILES
This tour will earn you 4160 Wild Miles
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.
Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY
If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events.
WHY WILD FRONTIERS?
We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.