Sure, you have been to Turkey! However, it is in the East of Turkey, on the borders of Armenia, Iran and Georgia which still feels like Turkey of yesteryears. A Turkey which is Scenic and raw like exploring a new country. Like, experiencing Turkey all over again! Getting a taste of the Kurdish Hospitality, and eastern charm!
| Departures | April - May (Spring) |
|---|---|
| Days | 8 Nights / 9 Days |
| From | Gaziantep to Kars |
| Tour Cost |
Will be updated soon |
| Includes |
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| Excludes |
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| Night Stay |
08 Nights l 09 Days 1N Gaziantep 1N Adiyaman 1N Tatvan 3N Van 2N Kars |
| Booking Procedure |
Step 1 - Advance of INR 50000 + EUR 1000 + 5% GST + TCS (as applicable) together with a copy of your passport and Pan Card, 60 days before the tour departure date. |
| Cancellation Policies |
Under any other circumstances other than government or flight restrictions, the following charges will be considered as a cancellation fee. |
On arrival, we will proceed to the Hotel. In the evening we will have free time to have a walk in the neighbourhood with our guide.
In the morning after breakfast we will check out and visit Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the world's largest mosaic museum. We shall drive to Adiyaman where we will check in. The Cendere Bridge and the ruins around it will be on our late afternoon itinerary before we drive uptown the Mt. Nemrut summit. The summit is known as the thrown of the gods where heads appear out of nowhere on the top of the mountain, and what better time to see these than during sunset. Return back to Adiyaman for night stay.
This morning we will driver further east first to Diyarbakir, the navel of Kurdistan. In Diyarbakir, we will visit the Tigris River's 10 Arches Bridge and the current walls, which are made of massive black basalt blocks and are the world's longest continuous defensive wall, second only to the Great Wall of China. We will also make a stop at the Diyarbakir's Great Mosque before we move to Tatvan on the western shores of Lake Van, the biggest fresh water lake in Turkey and the Armenian highlands.
After breakfast, we'll drive to Mount Nemrut crater (not to be confused with Adiyaman's Nemrut Dagi), which rises above Tatvan on the southwestern edge of Lake Van. The highest peak of the mountain, at 3050 meters, is one of the world's largest complete calderas. There are five lakes within the crater, and the two largest, which we will visit, are quite different. The two lakes are the Cold Lake and the Hot Lake.
We will then drive to Van after visiting the tombs of the Seljuk Kings in Ahlat.
This morning we will take the ferry across the lake to Akdamar Island, which has an impressive Holy Cross church. The walls are in excellent condition, and the wonderful relief carvings are one of Armenian Art's masterworks. Visit the lovely Van Castle. Van Fortress is a sight to behold, perched on a steep hill overlooking the waters of Van Lake. We'll also go to the old city of Van, which is located to the south of Van Fortress. The city, which consisted of streets lined with single or two-story houses, mosques, churches, and other structures, was inhabited from the thirteenth to the twentieth centuries, until the Russian invasion of 1915.
We'll learn a lot about the Urartian Empire after the traditional Van breakfast. We set out for Urartian Hosap Castle, which has an impressive entrance getaway in the shape of a round castle. The Van Museum is a gleaming glass structure at the foot of Van Castle, it houses the world's most important collection of Urartian exhibits, including exquisite gold jewellery and an array of bronze belts, helmets, horse armor, and terracotta figures. The evening is free in Van.
We will check out of our hotel and travel to Kars along the shores of Van Lake. Kars appears to be a slice of Russia teleported to northeastern Anatolia, with its pastel-colored stone buildings dating from the 19th-century Russian occupation and its well-organized grid plan. We will make a stop en route to the Ishak Pasha Palace, which is located on a hilltop near the Iranian border. Drive on to our destination and rest for the evening.
We journey to the site of Ani, the former capital of the Armenian kingdom. In the mid 10th century, nothing in Europe could rival this capital of the Armenian kingdom in terms of either size or magnificence. The remains of the ruined city include several churches as well as the shell of the Cathedral of Ani, the citadel and a mosque. There are also some exciting remains of frescoes in the Church of St Gregory (Tigran Honentz) despite having been exposed to the elements for centuries.
After a leisurely morning we will check out and drive to the Kars airport to board our flight to Istanbul from where we depart for Mumbai.
DOCUMENTS
Note: If applicant holds Valid USA/UK/Schengen Visa, above documents are not required.
The Embassy reserves the right to request additional information/documents and, if deemed necessary, to interview the applicant.
VISA NOTE :
Our management team will do its best to ensure you acquire your visa in time. Still, we hold no responsibility if your visa application gets rejected or is kept on hold till departure, resulting in the cancellation of your tour due to any unforeseen circumstances.
In this case:
- The tour cost will be non-refundable and cancellation charges will be applicable
- Additional costs for re-application of visa and consulate visits outside Mumbai will be charged
- Additional costs will be charged for changes in the tour itinerary due to visa issues