Programme

At the gateway of the Orient, follow the trails of ancient builders and discover a country still teeming with mysteries !

This trip is without doubt one of the most exciting circuits of Scope Voyage : a journey of 11 days and 10 nights with full board included (three meals per day, from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day) and lodging in 4* and 5* hotels. Our team will be there to guide you and be on hand at all times.

The stops : Ankara – Hattuşa – Amasya – Giresun – Trabzon – Erzurum – Kars – Van, return home via Istanbul.

A unique circuit to discover the different facets and cultures of Anatolia, from Ancyra, the capital of the Eastern Gauls, where Saint Paul addressed his Epistle, as far as the shores of the Black Sea on which the Argonauts sailed.

Northeastern Anatolia lies on the borders of Georgia and Armenia, in the heart of an impressive mountain range and at the crossroads of several civilisations.  A region often heckled with and reshaped by history.

An unforgettable journey and first introduction inside this mysterious and barely known « little Turkish Caucasus » where you you will experience such kind hospitality of these mixed communities of Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian people

A superb circuit in the forgotten lands and a cultural trip from Ankara to Van, discovering the Hittites, Byzantines, Seljuks, Christians and Armenians.

You will see splendid panoramas and landscapes in the Turkish high mountain ranges at two ideal times of the year, in the spring and autumn.

Optional : start your trip with a weekend in Istanbul or extend it with a stay in Antalya.

100% customisable programmes.

THREE REASONS FOR CHOOSING AFEL TRAVEL 

1. IRREPROACHABLE QUALITY

• Enjoy full board throughout your stay : tour price includes catering from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.
• Reap the benefits of small group travel : 18 participants maximum.
• Be accompanied by an experienced bilingual and knowledgeable tour guide. Individual audio-phones for all guided tours will also be provided.
• Delight in the high standards and comfort of the 4* and 5* hotels we have chosen for you.
• Participate in food and wine tastings of local products.

2. ABSOLUTE COMFORT

• Discover Turkey while having fun and relaxing. Our tours are designed to give you just the right amount of time to explore and the journey from Van to Istanbul will be by plane.
• Airlines : Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Sun Express.
• Comfortable, spacious and air-conditioned coaches equipped with Wi-Fi.
• Excellent roadway infrastructure, guaranteeing comfortable travel.

3. A UNIQUE CIRCUIT OF ITS KIND

This tour is one of the few which organises a visit of central and eastern Anatolia, the monastery of Sümela (classified by Unesco), the coasts of the Black Sea, Mount Ararat where Noah’s ark ran aground (Genesis, VIII, 4) and Lake Van.

You will see gems such as the Ishak Pasha Palace, the site of the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross and the Georgian churches of Ishan and Öskvank.

Itinerary

DAY 1 : Flight to Ankara

Meeting point at your departure airport. Assistance with check-in and boarding of your flight to Ankara.   Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your guide, then transfer to your hotel. Welcome cocktail before heading to your room.

Accommodation and dinner at the Hilton 5* or similar hotel.

The Mausoleum of Atatürk.  The Turkish people pay tribute to the great man that he was.  Mustafa Kemal passed away in 1938, but to this day, he remains very present in the lives of the Turkish people.

DAY 2 : Ankara – Hattusa (190 km – 2 h 15)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, you will discover the mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, followed by a visit of the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, where in 1995 the World Exhibition was held.  In 1997, it was winner of the European Museum of the Year Award.

You will continue with a stroll through the old part of Ankara with its remarkable wooden houses dating from the Ottoman period. Then visit of the Ethnographic Museum and the Spice Market.

Close to the Parliament, you will have lunch at the Hacibey restaurant, the most famous restaurant in Ankara, renowned for its cuisine.

In the middle of the afternoon, departure for Çorum, where you will spend the night.

Accommodation and dinner at the Anitta 5* or similar hotel.

A 7,700 year-old terracotta sculpture, found in Çatalhöyük, on display at the Ankara Museum.  Cybele has different names depending on the period and the culture: Great Mother, Mother of the Gods, Great Goddess.  Sitting on a leopard-shaped seat, she embodies the wild power of nature and is therefore placed among the fertility divinities.

DAY 3 : Çorum – Amasya (90 km – 1 h 15)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning, you will visit the site of Hattuşa, capital of the Hittites, where one of the kings, Muwatalli, around 1274 BC, was the great rival of Pharaoh Ramses II.  The city is famous for its ramparts, Gate of Lions, Royal Gate and Pantheon.

For five centuries (from 1700 to 1200), the Hittites undoubtedly held the power in the Middle East, establishing their dominance throughout Anatolia and then in northern Syria, thus extending their empire to the Levant.

They are known for their hieroglyphic writing, even more unusual than writing found along the Nile.

Then on to visit the rocky site of Yazilikaya, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

You will continue your journey on to Amasya, ancient Amesis, also once the city of the famous women warriors, the Amazons.   Visit of this beautiful princely Ottoman city and birthplace of Strabo, a historian and geographer.

This region is off the tourist beaten track.  Nevertheless, it has sublime landscapes, mountains of more than 2,000 metres, huge fir and beech tree forests and many deserted beaches.

Walk along the banks of the Green River and admire the wooden houses, the tombs dug in to the rock and the citadel, which overlooks the city.  You will have plenty of time there to explore.

Accommodation and dinner at the Sarı Konak Boutique Hotel & Spa or similar hotel.

Hittite writing was first cuneiform, then hieroglyphic.  Our knowledge of Hittite mythology comes from the cuneiform tablets discovered in the ruins of Hattuşa, now Bogazkale.

DAY 4 : Amasya – Ordu – Giresun (320 km – 3 h 30)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, direction the north!  Still continuing along the Green River, you will follow an impressive road through the Bridge Mountains to Yason Burnu (« Cape Jason »).

On this rugged cape with its grandiose landscape, a small chapel replaced an ancient temple built by sailors at the place where Jason and the Argonauts had braved the waters to reach Colchis (now Georgia) in search of the Golden Fleece.

From here on, it is the region where hazelnuts are grown (85% of the world harvest) as well as sweet cherries, known as « bird cherries ».  It was probably the Roman general Lucullus, who, after occupying the city in 69 BC, introduced the cultivation of these fruit trees to Europe.

Accommodation and dinner at the Gayasis Resort 4* or similar hotel.

Cape Jason :  it is here that, according to Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts, aboard their ship Argo, faced incredible danger.

DAY 5 : Giresun – Trabzon (130 km – 1 h 45)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning, take a walk in the fishing port of Giresun and meet some of the local people from the Black Sea area.  Visit of the Virgin Mary Monastery tucked away in the rocks and recently restored and transformed into a museum.

Lunch in Akçaabat, well known for its cuisine.

After this break, departure for Trabzon, historically known as Trebizond, and along the way you will be able to admire the Black Sea coastline.

Discover the city strolling through its alleys which date back to the time of Alexis Comnenus.  From the year 66 BC, Trebizond was under Byzantine rule.  Driven from Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204, the imperial family, led by Alexis Comnenus, found refuge and established their court here.

Like wriggling little anchovies of the Black Sea, the people of this region are very dynamic!  Pontic dance is characterised by quick small steps, swinging of arms, knee squats and sudden stops.

Then on to the Sümela Monastery, whose name is a deformation and contraction of the Greek « Panagia Theotokos Tou Melas » which literally means « The Most Holy Mother of God of the Black Mountain».  The monastery, clinging to the edge of the mountainside »  Altindere Park and the « Golden River », is located 1,200 metres above sea level.

With its churches built in the rock and its frescoes, the Sümela site is classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

(The last 250 metres can be done on foot or by minibus).

You will arrive at your hotel at the end of this wonderful day.

Accommodation and dinner at the Ramada Plaza 5* Trabzon or similar hotel.

To the south of Trabzon, amidst lush vegetation, stands the Sümela Monastery, built in 386 during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Great.  The monastery was enlarged in the 14th century and during the Ottoman period.

DAY 6 : Trabzon – Bayburt – Erzurum (260 km – 4 hours)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

You will continue your journey directly south, through the Pontic Mountains to the town of Erzurum, originally known as Karin and built on a high plateau at an altitude of 1,950 m.

Near the Armenian and Georgian borders, eastern Anatolia unfolds its breathtaking landscapes, mixing green valleys, mountain ranges, vast forests and rivers with clear waters.  You will certainly appreciate the charm of Eastern Anatolia, authentic and less populated than the rest of Turkey, it reminds us of the countries of Central Asia.

You will discover the old town of Karin, which the Seljuks called Arz-u-rum, « land of the Romans » with its three Kumbets, its School of Astronomy, School of Medicine and its great mosque, built by the daughter of Sultan Seljuk Aladdin Kaykubat.  Its twin minarets, with their geometric patterns and turquoise earthenware tiles, are fine examples of oriental art.

Arrival at your hotel, where dinner and comfortable accommodation will be waiting for you.  You will stay at the hotel for two nights.

The Seljuk style mosque with its two minarets, an imposing construction dating from the 13th century.

DAY 7 : Erzurum – Ishan – Öskvank (220 km – 4 hours)

After breakfast, and without your luggage, today’s excursion will take you into the heart of the countryside and nature itself.  Stop-off, for a picnic lunch specially prepared for you by the organisers themselves!

On the programme, two beautiful monuments with Georgian architecture dating from the 8th and 10th centuries will be visited: the churches of Ichkhan and Öchvank.

Return to Erzurum. Dinner and night.

In a village, lost in the midst of sublime landscapes and at the end of a narrow and winding road, stands a majestic cathedral dating from the 10th century.  You have arrived at Öchvank.

JOUR 8 : Erzurum – Ani – Kars (280 km – 4 hours)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

This morning, you will explore the Transcaucasia region, in the direction of Ani along the Aras river.  En-route, you will admire the 16th century Çobandede Bridge, built by Mimar Sinan, the master architect of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Visit of the city of Ani, which lies on the border of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia.

Located on an important trade route, in 301, it was the first official Christian state in the world.  Over the years, the city expanded and in 961 it became the capital of Armenia.  Thousands of monasteries, churches and crosses carved in stone are scattered in the mountains.  Ani at that time had more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Many remains of Armenian and Seljuk monuments can still be seen: the Great Cathedral, the Church of the Saviour, the Church of St. Gregory,  the Mosque of  Honentz, the Seljuk Palace the Turkish bath (hammam) and the Seljuk market.

After lunch at the Ocakbasi restaurant in Kars, renowned for its oriental specialities, you will visit two remarkable ancient monuments dating from the 10th century: the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles and the castle overlooking the city.

Accommodation and dinner at the hotel Kale 4* or similar hotel.

The Arpaçay River, which flows below this church, is the natural border between Turkey and Armenia.  The day when the «bridge» is finally rebuilt between these two countries, the city of Ani will rejoice!

DAY 9 : Kars – Dogubeyazit – Van (350 km – 4 h 30)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Your journey will continue towards Dogubeyazit and the foot of Mount Ararat (5,165 m), the summit and place where Noah’s Ark stopped.

The plateau and slopes of Mount Ararat are rich in flora and fauna, inhabited by turtles, eagles, hawks, partridges, foxes and sheep along with many varieties of flowers and plants.

In Dogubeyazit, you will visit the sublime Ishak Pasha Palace, a real palace of the thousand and one nights.

Its foundations are 3,000 years old.  In 1784, the Ottoman Emir Ishak Pasha restored and embellished the citadel, transforming it into a fortified palace, using several styles including the Ottoman Baroque style.  Upon completion, he had his architect’s hands cut off so that he could never build such a palace again.

After lunch in Dogubeyazit, you will leave for Van (1,750 m) via the Tendürek pass (2,644 m).

Along the way, you will stop off at the Muradiye Falls, a paradise 1,700 m above sea level and on the shores of the largest lake in Turkey, Lake Van.  The reflections of numerous Armenian churches can be seen in the lake’s waters.

The city of Tuspa (now Van) was founded by the Urartians in the 9th century BC.

The Kingdom of Urartu reached its peak between 900 and 600 BC and encompassed much of the Near-East.  The war against the Assyrians and the invasions of the Scythians and Medes sign its decline.  Alexander the Great ruled this region for some time.  After a period of Persian ruling, the territory passed under Armenian control.  In the 4th century, Van became a Byzantine city until 1387, when it was destroyed by the Mongols.  Persians and Ottomans also disputed its lands but it is the Ottomans who took control and developed the city.

Upon arrival in Van, in the last rays of daylight, you will be able to admire the lake from the top of the fortress.  The fortress was built on a long limestone ridge in the time of Sardur I, the founder of the Kingdom of Urartu.

Dinner and accommodation at the hotel Tamara 4* or similar hotel.

The incredible home of Ishak Pasha, both palace and fortress, which dominates the city of Dogubeyazit.  In the distance, the mythical Mount Ararat, with its summit eternally covered with snow.

DAY 10 : Van – Çavustepe (25 km – 25 minutes)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning, you will stop at a carpet cooperative.  Van kilims are particularly popular with connoisseurs, not only for their Turkish-Kurdish patterns but also for their Armenian and Persian designs.

The Citadel of Çavustepe, 25 km south of Van, was built by King Sargon II some 2,800 years ago. It offers a superb example of Urartean architecture: in the upper part, are the remains of a pagan temple and in the lower part, the ruins of a palace, a second temple, tombs of princes and in particular a pantry containing thirty barrels on which their capacities are inscribed in cuneiform characters.

For lunch today, the Deniz de Gevas restaurant will prepare the most delicious meal to the delight of your taste buds!

After lunch, you will take a boat ride to the small island of Akdamar located 4 km from the shore of Lake Van.

The Church of the Holy Cross, was built on this island in the year 920, restored and inaugurated in 2007, it remains an important place of worship for Armenians.   For centuries, it was the seat of the patriarchate and is one of the most beautiful Armenian churches in the world.  Sculptures adorning the exterior walls depict episodes from the Old and New Testaments and the reliefs on its facade demonstrate the strong and dual influence of both Christian and Islamic art.

Return to Van, dinner and night at the hotel.

Çavustepe :  Armenian, Seljuk, Byzantine and Ottoman walls have layers of inscriptions in cuneiform characters engraved in the rock by the kings of Urartu.

DAY 11 : Return flight home

Breakfast and transfer to Van airport according to your flight schedule.

Assistance with check-in and departure to your destination.

The red church with its umbrella roof, stands out in front of the majestic snow-capped Mount Artos with Lake Van stretching below.

The price includes

✈ International round trip flights.

✈ Domestic flight Van/Istanbul.

o Meeting upon your arrival.

o Transfers airport/hotel/airport.

o Assistance from your experienced bilingual guide during the tour.

o Double room accommodation in the assigned hotels or ones of similar standing, hotel luggage porters.

o Full board from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.

o Transportation in comfortable vehicles adapted to the size of the group, a window per person.

o Visits and entrance fees to sites and museums mentioned in the programme.

24/7 assistance from our agency.

The price does not include

X Single room supplements.

X Drinks and personal expenses, tips for the guide and the driver.

X No insurance is included (Afel Travel recommends you purchase travel insurance).