East of Turkey Cultural Tours
Miracles of Eastern Turkey
16 Days
Eastern and Southeastern Turkey form a breathtaking treasury of ancient kingdoms, Silk Road trade routes, and diverse cultural traditions, offering extraordinary opportunities on our comprehensive East of Turkey Cultural Tours to retrace millennia of heritage across Mesopotamia, the high plateaus, and ancient Anatolian crossroads.
As a dedicated Turkey DMC and Travel Specialist, Talisman Tours specializes in ground handling, complex route planning, and logistics for expert cultural itineraries. We work exclusively with international travel agencies, cultural societies, universities, and specialized tour operators to design tailored private exploration routes, led by experienced licensed local guides.
Below is our sample comprehensive cultural itinerary spanning the extraordinary heritage of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia—from the Byzantine sanctuaries and cliffside monasteries of Trabzon (Hagia Sophia and Sumela Monastery), the historical madrasas and museums of Erzurum, the medieval ghost city of Ani and archaeological collections in Kars, the sublime architecture of Ishak Pasha Palace in Ağrı, the Urartian fortresses and island sanctuaries of Van (Citadel, Hoşap Castle, Çavuştepe, and Akdamar Island), to the deep Mesopotamian history of Diyarbakır (Great Mosque and Archaeological Museum), the ancient cave architecture of Hasankeyf in Batman, the stone-masonry heritage of Mardin and Deyr ez-Zafaran, the royal sanctuary atop Mount Nemrut in Adıyaman, the ancient traditions of Şanlıurfa and Harran, the world-famous mosaics of Gaziantep, and extending down to the archaeological treasures of Hatay (Mosaic Museum and St. Peter Church). Every route can be fully customized based on your group’s specific focus—whether it is deep ethnographic exploration, architectural heritage, or ancient history.
Explore Living Heritage with Licensed Local Guides Our private cultural tours bring the rich history and traditions of Eastern Turkey to life through expert storytelling, local insights, and seamless professional narration, ensuring an authentic and enriching travel experience at every stop.
Key Cultural Destinations Along the Route Experience the profound landmarks of the East—from the cliff-edge splendor of Sumela and the medieval grandeur of Ani to the Urartian fortresses of Van, the stone alleys of Mardin, the monumental statues of Mount Nemrut, and the peerless mosaics of Gaziantep.
Comprehensive Itinerary Tailored for Your Group From expert private coordination to seamless ground handling, complex regional logistics, and handpicked boutique accommodations, every detail is managed with professional precision to guarantee a smooth, flawless journey.
Trabzon : Hagia Sophia, Sumele Monastery
Erzurum : Archaeological Museum, Yakutiye Madrasah
Kars : Ani, Archeology Museum
Agri : Ishak Pasha Palace
Van : Citadel, Hosap Castle, Archaeological Museum, Cavustepe, Akdamar Island
Diyarbakir : Great Mosque, Archaeological Museum
Batman : Hasankeyf
Mardin : Midyat, Deyr el Zafyran
Adiyaman : Nemrut Mountain
Urfa : Harran, Pools of Abraham, Citadel
Gaziantep : Citadel, Archaeological Museum, Ethnographic Museum
Hatay : Mosaic Museum, St. Peter Church
If you find our tour interesting, or would like to learn more about it, please mail us
- All transfers
- 15 nights Accommodation at FC hotels
- Welcome cocktail
- Transportation by modern Air-Conditioned Vehicle
- Baggage Handling
- 15x breakfast and 15x dinner
- English speaking Prof. Tour Guide
- All Domestic Flights
- All entrance Fees
- All applicable Taxes
- Tips at the hotels
- Beverages
- Customary tips for guide and driver
Average weather for Istanbul
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave High Temp °c | 8 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 14 | 10 |
| Ave Low Temp °c | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Ave Rainfall (mm) | 100 | 70 | 50 | 60 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 60 | 100 | 100 |
Average weather for Ankara
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave High Temp °c | 3 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 18 | 11 | 5 |
| Ave Low Temp °c | -5 | -4 | -2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 3 | -1 | -3 |
| Ave Rainfall (mm) | 60 | 40 | 30 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
Average weather for Antalya
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave High Temp °c | 15 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 26 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 26 | 20 | 16 |
| Ave Low Temp °c | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| Ave Rainfall (mm) | 180 | 130 | 80 | 80 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 90 | 180 | 210 |
Average weather for Izmir
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave High Temp °c | 11 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 13 |
| Ave Low Temp °c | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Ave Rainfall (mm) | 126 | 95 | 77 | 47 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 41 | 84 | 144 |
What Our Guests Say About Turkey
We were a most fortunate group to have our guide. His command of English is amazingly good. Is English his native tongue? I am coming home with a new found knowledge of Turkey, amazed at what I saw what we did.
Charles & Charlotte Short
Eastern Turkey Tour was all the more enjoyable thanks to expertise, friendliness professionalism and their respective roles of tour guide and driver. Truly a memorable experience and a great group of travelling companions.
John & Catherine Colthorpe
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