DIYARBAKIR - BITLIS - VAN TOUR

A Historical and Cultural Journey Through the Mysterious Geography of the Southeast!

Get ready for an unforgettable journey in the heart of Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilizations, where you'll trace thousands of years of history and become lost in the mystical atmosphere of ancient cities! From the city walls of Diyarbakır to the historical fabric of Bitlis and the unique natural beauty of Van, this tour will allow you to witness the rich cultural heritage of Southeastern Anatolia, savor local delicacies, and create unforgettable memories with the friendly people of the region.

TOUR PROGRAM:

DAY 1: IZMIR-DIYARBAKIR FLIGHT – 10-EYED BRIDGE – DIYARBAKIR INNER CASTLE – HZ. SÜLEYMAN MOSQUE, TOMB OF THE 27 MARTYRS, GRAND MOSQUE, CAHİT SITKI TARANCI MUSEUM, COPPERMAKERS' MARKET, FOUR-LEGGED MINARET, HASANPAŞA HANI, HOTEL

We will meet you, our valued guests, at Eşref Girginç Park (across from LC Waikiki) on Wednesday evening, October 15th, at 11:30 PM. We will depart for Izmir Airport to board the 5:40 AM Izmir-Diyarbakır (Sun Express XQ 9192) flight. After an approximately two-hour flight, we arrive in Diyarbakır, board our waiting vehicle, and begin our tour. First, we will visit the Ten-Arches Bridge, one of Diyarbakır's iconic landmarks. We will marvel at the magnificent views of this historic structure, which crowns the Tigris River with its majesty, and take some of the most beautiful photographs of our trip. We invite our guests who wish to demonstrate their skills on the bridge, where many visitors are said to have danced the halay (traditional folk dance). After breakfast, we continue our visits to the İçkale Open Air Museum. The museum, where we will embark on a long journey through history, is considered the site of Diyarbakır's first founding and displays artifacts belonging to the kings and states it has hosted throughout history. After touring the magnificent architectural structures with our guide and receiving important information about Diyarbakır, we visit the Hz. Süleyman Mosque, also located in İçkale. This mosque, which houses the tombs of 27 martyred companions and stands out for its spiritual atmosphere and architectural appeal, also stands out for its architecture. We then proceed to the Hızır İlyas Church (Saint George Church) for our final visit in İçkale. After lunch, we proceed to the Ulu Mosque, one of Diyarbakır's most popular tourist attractions and the oldest mosque in Anatolia. Visiting the mosque reveals the ancient and multicultural nature of Diyarbakır. The Grand Mosque, awe-inspiring for its architecture, atmosphere, and stonework, is also recognized by the Islamic world as the fifth-largest religious structure. Afterwards, we visit the Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum, the birthplace of Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı, one of the leading poets of the Republican era, born in Diyarbakır. After our museum tour and shopping for unique Diyarbakır souvenirs at the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, we visit the Four-Legged Minaret (Şeyh Mutahhar Mosque) and finally, we enjoy a cup of ground coffee at Hasan Paşa Hanı, concluding our tour. After exploring Diyarbakır to our heart's content, we return to our hotel for dinner and a rest. (DIYARBAKIR ACCOMMODATION) 4* Plaza Hotel

DAY 2: DIYARBAKIR-BITLIS JOURNEY - BÜRYAN KEBAB TASTE BREAK - MOUNT NEMRUT CRATER LAKE - AHLAT SELJUK CEMETERY - EMİR BAYINDIR TOMB - HOTEL

After breakfast at our hotel, we depart and head towards Bitlis. After our journey, we take a break to savor büryan kebab, a dish specially prepared in tandoor ovens and considered one of the city's most important treasures. After our break, we board the waiting minibuses and head to Mount Nemrut Crater Lake. Nemrut Crater Lake, the world's second largest and Türkiye's largest, is also known as "Alexander's Paradise" because it is believed to have been discovered by Alexander the Great during his Eastern Campaign. After enjoying these natural beauties, we visit the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery in the Ahlat district of Bitlis, a site steeped in the Urartian, Seljuk, and Ottoman traditions, with views of Mount Nemrut on one side and Mount Süphan on the other. This historic cemetery, considered one of the most important sites in the Turkic world after the Göktürk Inscriptions, is known as the largest early Turkish-Islamic cemetery, boasting 1,400 tombstones. After visiting the Emir Bayındır Tomb, we conclude our day's excursions and check into our Van hotel for our overnight stay. (VAN ACCOMMODATION) - 4* Royal Palas Hotel

DAY 3: AKDAMAR ISLAND - AKDAMAR CHURCH - PEARL MULLET TASTE BREAK - VAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM - VAN CATS - SAVAT SILVERWORK - VAN CARPET - HOTEL

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we depart for Gevaş. We board the boat waiting for us in Gevaş and head to Akdamar Island, a famous tourist attraction on Lake Van. We visit the Akdamar Holy Cross Church on the island. This monumental church, with its central dome and four-leaf clover-shaped cross plan, is most striking in its decorative walls and magnificent stonework. Following our guided tour of the church, we take a break to sample Lake Van's famous pearl mullet. Afterwards, we visit the Van Archaeological Museum to better understand the region's historical development. This valuable museum, centered around Van, presents the region's history from Paleolithic times to the present day, the lives of its people, and is divided into halls with artifacts and recreations. After this visit, we see Van cats, Van's world-famous endemic cat species. Niello silversmithing, a legacy of the Urartians and a history spanning approximately 3,000 years, has survived to this day as a handicraft unique to Van. After visiting the Van cats, we observe this valuable handicraft in person and then head to our hotel. Overnight and dinner are at our Van hotel. (VAN ACCOMMODATION) - 4* Royal Palas Hotel

DAY 4: MURADİYE WATERFALLS - VAN RUSSIAN MARKET - SHOPPING FREE TIME - VAN-IZMIR FLIGHT - MARMARIS TRANSFER

After breakfast at our hotel, we complete check-out. First, we visit Muradiye Waterfall, located on the Bendimahi River, fed by Tendürek Mountain in the Muradiye district of Van, offering a visual feast in every season. After enjoying this natural wonder, we stop by a rug and carpet shop where we can find exquisite examples of rug weaving, one of Van's most famous handicrafts. Afterward, we head to Russian Market Street, also known as the Russian Market, one of Van's major shopping centers. We'll give you free time to shop for local products and souvenirs. After your free time, we'll meet at a time and location determined by our guide and depart for Van Airport. We board the SunExpress (XQ 9185) Van-Izmir flight at 1:25 PM and arrive at Izmir Airport after a journey of approximately three hours. After collecting our luggage, we meet with our driver and vehicle waiting for our valued guests and depart for Marmaris. We plan to return to Marmaris in the evening with fond memories. We bid farewell to our valued guests at the points where we met, hoping to see you again on another tour.

NOTE: Our company cannot be held responsible for flight schedule changes due to airline companies. In such cases, our company reserves the right to make changes to the tour itinerary.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

**Child discounts apply only to guests staying with two adults.

**Seating arrangements in our vehicles are determined by seat numbers. Seat numbers are automatically assigned after the initial payment. If you have any concerns about seat numbers, please contact us.

**The vehicle type (minibus, midibus, or bus) will be determined based on the final number of participants. Our company assigns the most suitable vehicle for the tour based on demand.

**The type of vehicle (minibus, midibus, or bus) for the tour is determined based on the final number of participants. Our company assigns the most suitable vehicle for the tour based on demand.

**The seat numbers provided do not apply to Marmaris-airport departures or airport-Marmaris return trips. There is no seating arrangement during these transfers, and guests can sit wherever they wish.

**Our guide reserves the right to make changes to the program and routes, provided that all visits are completed, taking into account circumstances such as weather and road conditions that may affect the tour.

**If physical conditions make a visit impossible (road, weather, natural disaster, etc.), our agency cannot be held responsible for the cancellation of that visit.

**Our company cannot be held responsible for flight schedule changes that may occur due to airline companies. In such cases, our company reserves the right to make changes to the tour program.

**The prices listed are early bird rates and are valid for reservations made until June 6, 2025.

**You can take advantage of these prices by pre-registering with a deposit of 6490.00 TL per person at the time of your initial reservation.