Eastern Turkey Grand Loop: from Nemrut to Kars by the Doğu Express

An eastward journey from the Euphrates to the Caucasus border: the mosaics of Zeugma and half-drowned Halfeti, sunrise among the stone heads of Mount Nemrut, Göbeklitepe and Şanlıurfa, the stone town of Mardin and the basalt walls of Diyarbakır, Akdamar Island on Lake Van, Mount Ararat and İshak Paşa Palace, the ruined Armenian capital of Ani, a day on the Doğu Express and Sümela Monastery above the Black Sea.

The tour starts and ends in Antalya: a domestic flight takes the group to Gaziantep and another brings it back from Trabzon. Ten nights in named hotels, an English-speaking guide and a comfortable mini- or midibus throughout. Departures on request for groups.

Prefer to start in Istanbul and spend longer in Mardin and Tur Abdin? See our 13 days of Eastern Turkey from Istanbul.

Day 1 — Fly to Gaziantep. An early-afternoon flight from Antalya; your guide meets the group at Gaziantep airport. The old bazaars, with baklava and katmer and a pistachio Turkish coffee. Overnight: Gaziantep

Day 2 — Zeugma mosaics and Halfeti (220 km). The world’s largest mosaic museum, Gaziantep Castle, damaged in the 2023 earthquake, and a boat across the Birecik reservoir to old Halfeti and its half-submerged minaret. Overnight: Adıyaman

Day 3 — Sunrise on Mount Nemrut, then Şanlıurfa (293 km). A very early start and a half-hour walk to the burial mound of King Antiochus I of Commagene and its colossal statues. Back to the hotel for breakfast, then on to Şanlıurfa, the city of prophets: the Archaeology and Mosaic Museum, Balıklıgöl and free time in the bazaars. Overnight: Şanlıurfa

Day 4 — Göbeklitepe and Mardin (213 km). The T-shaped pillars of Göbeklitepe, then Mardin above the Mesopotamian plain: the Kasımiye Madrasa, the Kırklar Church, the Great Mosque and a walk through the old town. Overnight: Mardin

Day 5 — Deyrulzafaran and Diyarbakır. The 5th-century Syriac monastery of Deyrulzafaran, then Diyarbakır: the Ten-Arched Bridge over the Tigris, the basalt city walls, the Great Mosque and Hasan Paşa Han. Overnight: Diyarbakır

Day 6 — Malabadi Bridge and Bitlis. The Malabadi Bridge of 1147, then Bitlis in its deep valley on the old Silk Road: the İhlasiye Madrasa and Bitlis Castle. Overnight: Tatvan

Day 7 — Nemrut crater lake, Akdamar and Van. The crater lake of the Nemrut volcano, a half-hour boat trip to Akdamar Island and its 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross, then Van Fortress and the Urartian capital of Tushpa. Overnight: Van

Day 8 — Muradiye, Mount Ararat and İshak Paşa Palace. The Van Cat research centre, the Muradiye waterfall, a photo stop at Mount Ararat (5,137 m) and the 18th-century İshak Paşa Palace. Overnight: Doğubayazıt

Day 9 — Ani and Kars. The salt caves of Tuzluca, a long walk through Ani, the ruined Armenian capital of a thousand and one churches, the museum of the Caucasus front and the old centre of Kars. Overnight: Kars

Day 10 — The Doğu Express to Erzurum. Five hours across the eastern highlands in reserved Pullman seats, then Erzurum and on to Bayburt. Overnight: Bayburt

Day 11 — Sümela Monastery and the flight to Antalya. The Karaca Cave, then Sümela Monastery on its cliff in Altındere National Park, and the domestic flight from Trabzon to Antalya.

Included: domestic flights Antalya–Gaziantep and Trabzon–Antalya · 10 nights in the hotels below or similar · English-speaking guide from Gaziantep airport to Trabzon airport · luxury mini- or midibus throughout · boat trips to old Halfeti and Akdamar Island · reserved Pullman seats on the Doğu Express.

Not included: international flights to and from Antalya · personal expenses · tips. Meals and entrance fees are confirmed in each quote.

Hotels: Gaziantep — Ravanda 4★ · Adıyaman — Ramada by Wyndham 4★ · Şanlıurfa — Aswana Suit 4★ · Mardin — Raymar 5★ · Diyarbakır — New Garden 4★ · Tatvan — Kardelen 3★ · Van — RUA World 4★ · Doğubayazıt — Boutique Hotel Tehran · Kars — Işıl Park 4★ · Bayburt — Hotel Bayburt 4★.