MARDIN GAP TOUR BY PLANE (09-13.11.2025 - Mid-Term Holiday)

MYSTERIOUS MESOPOTAMIA, WHERE HISTORY BEGINS, THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS, AND THE CENTER OF FAITH

When you embark on the Mardin-GAP tour, prepare to embark on a journey where history and nature intertwine. This adventure, stretching from the mysterious streets of ancient cities to the peaks of mystical mountains, invites you to a unique experience in the heart of Mesopotamia. Enriched by the captivating stone architecture of Mardin, the fertile lands of Harran, the magnificent statues of Nemrut, and the underwater stories of Halfeti, this route carries the deep traces of the past into the future. The legends of Balıklıgöl, the art of the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, and the secrets of Göbeklitepe, these directions will transport you to a different time period at every step. If you're ready, let's set out to discover this historical and cultural treasure!

TOUR PROGRAM;

DAY 1: MARMARIS-IZMIR TRANSFER - IZMIR-GAZIANTEP FLIGHT - ZEUGMA MOSAIC MUSEUM - COPPERMAKERS' MARKET - HAMAM MUSEUM - HOTEL DINNER

Our valued guests will meet with our representative at our meeting point at Eşref Girginç Park (across from LC Waikiki) at 11:45 PM on Friday, September 26, 2025. We will depart for Izmir Airport to board the 6:00 AM Izmir-Gaziantep flight (Sun Express XQ 9128). After an approximately one and a half-hour flight, we arrive in Gaziantep and have a free breakfast break to unwind from the travel fatigue. After breakfast, we will begin our visits in Gaziantep. We first visit the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, famous for the Gypsy Girl Mosaic, which displays the unique mosaics that adorned the homes and palaces of Mesopotamia's elite. We explore the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the world's second-largest mosaic museum, in detail. After completing one of the highlights of our trip, we find ourselves in the Coppersmiths' Bazaar. Here, one of Gaziantep's oldest crafts, "Coppersmithing," is still practiced as a handicraft, and you can still hear the sound of hammering around every corner. We take a guided walking tour of this nostalgic, historic, and always-bustling bazaar. Along the way, we pass the Zincirli Bedesten Bazaar, visit the Hamam Museum, and reach a panoramic view of Gaziantep Castle. Afterward, we'll have some free time. We all know that most tourists come to Gaziantep for gourmet exploration. Therefore, we'll provide you with the opportunity to explore the most beautiful places during your free time. You can find all the local delicacies around this market, including the best baklava, the famous tahmis coffee, chickpea wraps, kebabs, beyran, and katmer. After free time, we'll meet at the time and location specified by our guide and head to our hotel in Gaziantep. Overnight and dinner will be at our hotel in Gaziantep. (GAZİANTEP ACCOMMODATION)-4* Gaziantep Safir Hotel

DAY 2: OPTIONAL HALFETİ BOAT TOUR - GÖBEKLİTEPE - BALIKLIGÖL - SIRA NIGHT - HOTEL

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and head to Şanlıurfa. Along the way, we'll stop in the district of Halfeti. Formerly known as Rumkale, the city became Halfeti after two young people, Halil and Fatma, who threw themselves into the Euphrates. On the Euphrates River, we'll see Rumkale and the village of Savaşan, now submerged by the Birecik Dam. Guests who wish can join a boat tour and see the half-submerged village. After sampling local cuisine at our restaurant overlooking the Euphrates, we'll head to Göbeklitepe, one of the most important sights of our trip. A product of great organization and imagination, Göbeklitepe, beyond being the oldest monument of its size and a first, represents a groundbreaking point in history in many ways. We'll take you on a detailed tour of Göbeklitepe, which we believe will inspire new thoughts and leave you in awe, guided by our guide's narration. After our Göbeklitepe tour, we'll head to Urfa city center and visit Balıklıgöl (Pool of Fish), also known as Lake Halil-Ür Rahman, and Aynzeliha. This sacred region is home to legendary carp fish. Legend has it that after Abraham was thrown into the fire, a miracle occurred, transforming the surrounding area into a bed of roses. It's believed that Balıklıgöl and its surroundings were the scene of this miracle. After visiting the Halil-ül Rahman Mosque, we'll conclude our visit and check into our hotel. Guests who wish can join the Urfa Sıra Gecesi (Sira Night) event in the evening, where they can unwind from a long day with Mesopotamian melodies, folk songs, and games. Guests not attending Sıra Gecesi are welcome to enjoy a free dinner to sample Urfa's famous kebab. Overnight at our hotel in Şanlıurfa. (ŞANLIURFA ACCOMMODATION) 5* Nevali Hotel & Convention Center

DAY 3: ŞANLIURFA-NEMRUT MOUNT – MARDİN

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel in Urfa and head towards the Mount Nemrut National Park, known as the 8th Wonder of the World, a place whose mystery remains unsolved. Located within the borders of Adıyaman province, Mount Nemrut, at 2,150 meters, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The mountain's unique value lies in its ancient tombs, monumental statues, architectural remains, and unparalleled views. King Antiochus I of Commagene, who ruled in ancient times, left some of the most magnificent remains from the Hellenistic Period here to show his gratitude to his gods and ancestors. We listen to these stories with our guide's insightful narration and capture stunning photos. After completing one of the most unforgettable visits of our trip, we head to our hotel in Mardin, where we will stay overnight. After dinner at our hotel, we offer our valued guests free time. (MARDIN ACCOMMODATION) 4* Park Dedeman Mardin Hotel

DAY 4: DARA ANCIENT CITY - MİDYAT - FILGIREE ART - HASANKEYF - HOTEL

After breakfast at our hotel, we set off to visit the ancient city of Dara, known as the Ephesus of Mesopotamia. This vast ancient city boasts churches, a bazaar, an agora, bridges, an armory, dungeons, specially carved caves, silos, and tombs carved into the rocks by Roman soldiers who believed they would be resurrected. We explore this valuable ancient city, founded by the Persians in 300 BC, in detail. Afterwards, we depart for Midyat, a town lush with vineyards and blended with Syriac culture, where we will witness the tolerant fusion of two different religions that have preserved their beliefs and traditions for two thousand years. With its centuries-old houses and mansions that have hosted TV series, Midyat will feel like a movie set. Our guide will take you on a tour of Midyat, where we will also have the opportunity to observe firsthand the five-thousand-year-old art of filigree. Here, we will have the opportunity to both shop and learn about filigree. After our lunch break, we will depart for Batman to visit Hasankeyf. Located in Mesopotamia, one of humanity's oldest settlements, Hasankeyf has maintained its strategic importance throughout the ages thanks to the Tigris River flowing through its center, its protected geography, and its thousands of caves used as dwellings. We will see what it looked like after being completely submerged and receive valuable information from our guide. This visit concludes our day and we will return to our hotel in Mardin. (MARDIN ACCOMMODATION) 4* Park Dedeman Mardin Hotel

DAY 5: DAIR-UL-ZAFERAN - OLD MARDIN STREETS - MARKET AND FREE TIME - DIYARBAKIR 10-EYED BRIDGE - DIYARBAKIR WALLS - GRAND MOSQUE - COPPERMAKERS' MARKET - DIYARBAKIR-IZMIR FLIGHT - MARMARIS TRANSFER

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete check-out and depart. Our first stop is Deir-ul-Zaferan, an ancient Syriac church and monastery, a temple approximately 4,000 years old. The monastery is a complex dating back to 1000 BC and later used as a fortress by the Romans. Afterwards, we take a walking tour through the old streets of Mardin. On this tour, we'll see Artuqid monuments, including the Zinciriye Madrasa, the Ulu Mosque, and the Şehidiye Mosque. As we wander the historic streets, where you'll feel like you've stepped into a movie, we'll savor a lunch of regional delicacies. After some free time in the historic bazaar, where you can shop, we'll meet at the time specified by our guide and depart for Diyarbakır. First, we'll visit the Ten-Armed Bridge, one of Diyarbakır's symbols. We'll marvel at the magnificent view of this historic structure, crowning the majesty of the Tigris River, and capture some of the most beautiful photos of our trip. We invite our guests, who are said to have danced the halay on the bridge, to show off their skills. After visiting the Diyarbakır Walls, we'll visit the Ulu Mosque, one of Diyarbakır's most popular tourist attractions and the oldest mosque in Anatolia. As we tour the mosque, we can easily appreciate the ancient and multicultural nature of Diyarbakır. The Grand Mosque, with its awe-inspiring architecture, atmosphere, and stonework, is also recognized as the 5th largest religious structure in the Islamic world. Finally, after shopping for unique Diyarbakır souvenirs at the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, we conclude our visit and depart for Diyarbakır Airport to catch our 11:05 PM flight from Diyarbakır to Izmir (Sunexpress XQ9283). After landing at Izmir Airport and collecting our luggage, we board our waiting vehicle and depart for Marmaris. We drop you off at our designated meeting points in Marmaris and bid you farewell, hoping to see you again on future adventures.

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

GENERAL CONDITIONS

**Child discounts apply when traveling 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 type of vehicle (minibus, midibus, or bus) used 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 and airport-Marmaris return trips. There is no seating arrangement during these transfers, and guests are free to sit wherever they wish.

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

**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.

**Our company cannot be held responsible for any additional costs that may arise due to airline companies changing their schedules or flights.

**Child discounts apply when staying with two adults.

**Prices listed are early booking prices and will be valid for reservations made until May 30, 2025. After May 30, 2025, the price will change to 23,950.00 TL (per person in a double room).

**You can take advantage of these prices by pre-registering with a 7,500.00 TL deposit per person at the time of your initial reservation.