An exceptional tour of the Megalithic sites of Turkey. Experience a rich cultural heritage, where you can literally get close to the stones.

Minimum participants 2 people, maximum 12 people.

3 day tour extension (optional): 780 USD

Urartian fortresses, Çavuştepe, Van Kalesi
Museum of Urartu, Upper Anzaf, Ayanis

• 1
  Day 1 - Konya

  Arrive Konya.  Settling in and orientation meeting.

  Overnight Konya.
• 2
  Day 2 - Visit Çatalhöyük & Konya

  Konya, the capital of the Selcuk Sultanate of Rum and the home of the Sufi Order of Whirling Dervishes is our jumping off point for Çatalhöyük.  Established in approximately 7,500 B.C. Çatalhöyük is thought to be the oldest genuine urban settlement yet to be identified.

  Overnight Konya.
• 3
  Day 3 - Ankara (overnight Ankara)

  Travel to Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey.

  Overnight Ankara.

• 4
  Day 4 - Ankara. Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and Anitkabir

  The Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, one of the World’s premier museums covering the history of Anatolia from Neolithic to Ottoman times.  The museum is adjacent to the City of Ankara which possesses a commanding view of the entire city.  After lunch we will visit Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, this building and its complex is an extraordinary fusion of architectural styles found in Anatolia and is probably as close as you will get to the feel and look of a temple precinct of the 1st Millennium B.C.

  Overnight Ankara.
• 5
  Day 5 - Boğazkale. Alacahöyük and Yazilikaya

  We depart for the Hittite fortress town of Alacahöyük and then the rock sanctuary of Yazilikaya.

  Overnight Boğazkale.
• 6
  Day 6 - Hattuşa. Depart Cappadocia

  We will spend the morning exploring the extensive site of Hattuşa, the Hittite capital city.  After lunch we depart for Cappadocia.

  Overnight Cappadocia.
• 7
  Day 7 - Underground Cities and Rock Churches and Monasteries

  We will explore the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, where local inhabitants would escape to in times of trouble.  We will investigate the rock Churches and Monasteries of the region including Ihlari valley and the 8th Century Selime Monastery carved from the living rock.

  Overnight Cappadocia.
• 8
  Day 8 - Cappadocia to Gaziantep

  Breathtaking views across the fairy chimneys and unique geological formations of Cappadocia.  A hearty breakfast then we depart for Gaziantep, an important stop on the Silk Road where we will visit the stunning Zeugma Mosaic Museum.

  Overnight Gaziantep.
• 9
  Day 9 - Şanliurfa and Göbekli Tepe

  We depart Gaziantep for another important Silk Road stop at Şanliurfa with a visit to Şanliurfa Archaeological Museum with its unmissable collection of archaeological artefacts stretching from the Neolithic period through the Classical period and to the times of Crusader Edessa, followed by the mosaic museum and the newly excavated Necropolis of Edessa. Then a visit to the covered bazaar and the Pools of Abraham.

  Overnight in Şanliurfa.

   
• 10
  Day 10 - Göbekli Tepe and Nemrut Mountain Sanctuary

  Early morning visit to Göbekli Tepe, the extraordinary ritual complex from 10,000 B.C. and then onto Adiyaman for our visit to Nemrut (Mountain of the Gods).  En-route we will visit the Karakuş Tumulus, where the women of the Kommagene Dynasty where buried and the Cendere Bridge built by the Roman army in honour of the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and his sons.

  Overnight Adiyaman.
• 11
  Day 11 - Depart or continue with tour extension to the Urartian capital of Tushba on the shore of Lake Van

  Depart or continue with tour extension to the Urartian capital of Tushba on the shore of Lake Van.

  For those continuing with the tour extension – overnight Van.
• 12
  Day 12 - Urartian fortress and Royal Palace of Cavuştepe. Upper Anzaf (3 day tour extension)

  We will visit the Silk Road Fortress of Hosap built by the Kurdish Chieftan Sari Suleyman in the mid 17th Century on the foundations of a Urartian Fortress.  Onto an 8th Century Urartian fortress, royal palace and granary at Cavuştepe.  Then we go to Upper Anzaf Fortress on the outskirts of Van to see very unusual and unique Urartian rock carvings.

  Overnight Van.

   
• 13
  Day 13 - Ayanis Castle (current excavation). Van Citadel (3 day tour extension)

  We will visit Ayanis Castle on the North Eastern shore of Lake Van, facing the stratovolcano Mount Suphan.  This is an ongoing excavation of a fortress and palace with an important 7th Century B.C. Temple.  On return to Van we will visit Van Citadel, established in the mid 8th Century B.C. and very possibly the longest continually used fortress in the world, having seen military action as recently as 1922.  It is still in use today with a mosque at its summit.  the Citadel has stunning views of the incredible Lake Van.  Lake Van is a tectonic, endohereic lake formed by volcanic activity of this highly volatile region and is surrounded by a ring of dormant volcanoes including Mount Artos, Mount Cadir, Mount Nemrut (not to be confused with the mountain of the same name in Adiyaman) and Mount Suphan.

  Overnight in Van.
• 14
  Day 14 - Depart (3 day tour extension)

  Depart.