Day 01: Arrive Istanbul

Upon your arrival at Ataturk Airport, you will be met by our representative before transfer to your Hotel.  Spend the rest of the day at your own leisure.  Check in time starts at 1500 hrs..

Overnight: Novotel Karakoy Hotel (2 nights)

Day 02: Istanbul

Today’s tour includes Topkapi Palace, St. Sophia, Blue Mosque and Spice Market. (B)

Day 03: Canakkale

This morning we depart to Gallipoli and visit Anzac Cove, Nek, Conk Bair, Lone Pine and 57th regiment memorial, cross the dardanelles. Continue to Canakkale

Overnight: Kolin Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 04: Troy/Pergamum/Kusadasi

Continue the drive to legendary to Troy; the site where the legendary Trojan War took place. Crossing the legendary mountain Ida arrival to Pergamum visit Acropolis before continue to Kusadasi.

Overnight: Ramada Resort or Charisma Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 05: Ephesus/Sirince/Kusadasi

A short drive this morning to visit Ephesus, we will have the opportunity to discover and understand the rich history behind local handicrafts like hand-made carpets & leather.  We continue to the marvelous village of Sirince where you will experience one of the most beautiful villages in Türkiye (Turkey).   At the village, you will have the opportunity to shop and taste delicious wines of the village. Return to Kusadasi. (B, D)

Day 06: Hierapolis/Pamukkale/Marmaris

Today’s drive to Pamukkale will be through the meander plains and cotton farms.  Enjoy the beauty of the cascading limestone structures and visit ancient Hierapolis.  Continue to Marmaris.

Overnight: Anemon Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 07: Koycegiz/Fethiye

We continue our drive to the lakeside town of Koycegiz.  Here we take a boat cruise to turtle beach and smother ourselves in mud at the local mud-bath before continue onto Fethiye.

Overnight: Atapark Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 08: Fethiye

After breakfast we explore the quaint Greek village of Kayako then head for Oludeniz for a swim.  Late afternoon return to Fethiye. (B)

Day 09: Saklikent Gorge/Antalya

This morning we visit the stunningly beautiful Saklikent Gorge, Türkiye (Turkey)’s longest and deepest canyon before continue to Antalya crossing the Tauros mountains. Upon arrival visit Duden Waterfalls

Overnight: B. W. Khan Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 10: Antalya/Aspendos/Konya/Cappadocia

An early morning departure for Konya, stopping enroute to visit Aspendos ancient theater. Upon arrival to Konya, we tour the monastery of the Mevlana Whirling Dervishes.  An afternoon drive to Cappadocia via Seljuk- a fine example of an ancient Silk Road caravanserai.

Overnight: Peri Tower Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 11: Cappadocia

Early in the morning there will be optional hot-air balloon ride (extra charge).  After breakfast we head out for a full day excursion in Cappadocia including visits to the Kaymakli Underground City, Open Air Museum in Goreme and natural fortress in Uchisar.   In the evening there will be an optional Turkish Folk dance & dinner performance (extra charge). (B)

Day 12: Cappadocia/Kahta (Adiyaman)

We leave the Land of Beautiful Horses and weird rock formations and head out across  Türkiye (Turkey)’s hinterland, along the ancient Silk  Road via Kayseri and stopping at Karatay Han before proceeding to Adiyaman.

Overnight: Samos Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 13: Kahta (Adiyaman)

After breakfast we travel to the top of Mount Nemrut to visit Tombs of Commagene Kingdom and the Colossal Statues of Gods. Climbing up to Tumulus of Antiochos, Arsameia and Nymphaios, the capital of Kommagene. We will visit Nemrutdag National Park along with Cendere the Roman bridge, Karakus cemetery the tumulus where the royal women of Kommagene were buried.  Continue on to Adiyaman.
(B, D)

Day 14: Kahta (Adiyaman)/Hasan Keyif/Batman

This morning we will be passing by the Ataturk dam on the Euphrates to Batman. Arrive and check in the hotel. Afternoon drive to Hasan Keyif, situated by the Tigris River; soon to be submerged under the flood waters of a new dam on the Tigris, Hasan Keyif has hundreds of caves, hidden waterways, tombs, a large and small palaces, as well as ruins of the Great Mosque. Return back to Batman for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Grand Hasan Keyif Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 15: Batman/Nemrut/Ahlat/Tatvan

We will drive to Tatvan via Bitlis. Before we come to Tatvan we will stop to see El Aman Han and then travel to Mount Nemrut crater and Crater Lakes. Nemrut Mountain (not to be confused with Nemrut Dagi in Adiyaman), which rises above Tatvan on the southwestern edge of Lake Van. The highest peak of the mountain stands at 3050 metres and is one of the largest complete calderas in the world. The volcanic cone was believed to have originally been higher at 4450 metres before its eruption (the last time it was active was in 1440 BC).  There are five lakes within the crater, and the largest two, which we will be visiting, are very different from one another. We then leave for Ahlat to visit the Seljuk monuments. Return to Tatvan for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Mostar Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 16: Tatvan/Van

This morning we head for Van via Akdamar Island where we visit the beautiful restored 10th century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross; built as a part of a palace and religious complex between 915 and 921 by the Armenian King Gagik Ardzruni.

Overnight: Rescate Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 17: Van

From Van we travel south for the last leg of our journey along the Silk Road (Ipek Yolu) in Türkiye (Turkey). We visit Hosap Castle. The main castle structure of Hosap was built straddling the Silk Road and served as both a means of protecting the road and as a point of charging tolls on travelers. Return to Van to visit the Citadel at sunset. On a large rock outcrop, the 3000 year old Urartian castle, once the centre of Tushpa, the Urartian capital, commands wonderful panoramic views of the city of Van, Lake Van and Mt. Suphan to the north-west and Mt. Nemrut. (B, D)

Day 18: Depart Van

Check out time is by 1100 hrs. Transfer to Van airport for your flight out. (B)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Departure Dates & Prices

We accept payments in US$, CA$ as well as in other convertible currencies like EUR, AUD and GBP. Tour prices have been costed in US$. CA$ price shown below is an indicative amount reached at by using the conversion rate at the time of web posting and will be applicable if there is no change in the conversion rate. Should the currency conversion rate change, the US$ pricing will prevail. Bestway Tours & Safaris offers a conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please click here

Notes

Inclusions

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 participants

Customised Itinerary

If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.

Contact Info
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call 1-604-264-7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1-800-663-0844.

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