8 Days Mesopotamia and Eastern Anatolia Tour with Accommodations

Day 1: Meeting Point 12.30 Gaziantep Met Gold Hotel

1. Zeugma Mosaic Museum
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Zeugma Mosaic Museum: in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey, is the biggest mosaic museum in the world, containing 1700 m² of mosaics. It opened to the public on 9 September 2011. The 30,000 m² museum features 2,448 m² of mosaic and replaces the Bardo National Museum in Tunis as the world's largest mosaic museum.
2. Gaziantep Province
   3h
   3-hour walking tour encompassing the copper artisans' bazaar, Gaziantep Castle, Gaziantep water cisterns, Gaziantep baths, and Silk Road caravanserais offers a therapeutic experience of understanding the soul of Gaziantep.

Day 2: Halfeti / Kahta / Mount Nemrut

1. Halfeti
   1h
   Halfeti Boat Tour: The Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which we visited in Gaziantep and which houses the remains of the ancient city of Zeugma, actually owes its existence to the Birecik Hydroelectric Power Plant. This historical waterway, including Nevali Çörü, has enabled the excavation of many ancient settlements. When the dam began to hold water in 1999, dozens of villages and houses, including Savaşan Village, were submerged. Today, the Savaşan Village Mosque, with half of its minaret still underwater and the mosque itself completely submerged, still beckons to you.
2. Karakus Tumulusu
   20m
   an ancient tumulus belongs to mother, sister and wife of Mithridates.
3. Cendere Bridge
   20m
   Cendere (Septimus Severus Bridge)
   
   Historical Bridge from The Period of Septimus Severus over Chabines River.
4. Mount Nemrut
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Mount Nemrut:

Day 3: Göbeklitepe / Şanlıurfa / Harran

1. Sanliurfa
   1h 30m
   Lake with the fishes
2. Gobeklitepe
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Göbeklitepe: Oldest Known Religious Structure: Göbekli Tepe is widely regarded as the world's oldest known temple complex, dating back to around 12,000 years ago (10th–8th millennium BCE). It predates other major ancient sites like the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge by thousands of years. Its age makes it a critical discovery in understanding the origins of religious and ceremonial practices in human history.
   
   Today, Göbekli Tepe is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its discovery continues to inspire both scientific inquiry and public fascination with the ancient past.
3. Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum: About 10.000 artifacts are being exhibited at Şanlıurfa Archaeological Museum. This figure is much above Turkish standards. Those who visit the Museum will be able to see the oldest statue of the world, imitation of Göbeklitepe D Temple, original Nevali Çori Temple, numerous periodical animations, Prophet Abraham Animation, about 10.000 artifacts and most esthetical mosaics in the world at the New Şanlıurfa Museum.
4. Harran Ruins
   45m · Admission ticket not included
   Harran Ruins and Conic Houses

Day 4: Dara / Beyazsu / Midyat

1. Dara Mesopotamia Ruins
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Dara, one of the most important settlements in Upper Mesopotamia, was founded in 505 by the initiative of Emperor Anastasius (491-518) as a military garrison city to protect the eastern border of the Eastern Roman Empire against the Sassanids. With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city lost its importance over time.
2. Beyazsu
   1h 15m · Admission ticket not included
   Lunch Break
3. Midyat
   1h 30m
   Midyat City Tour

Day 5: Artuklu-Mardin / Kasımiye / Deyrulzaferan

1. Mardin
   4h
   Half day city tour
2. Deyrulzafaran Monastery
   1h · Admission ticket included
   After the 15th century, the monastery began to be called Deyrulzafaran (Saffron Monastery) because of the zafaran (saffron) plant that grew around it. Today, the monastery is one of the important religious centers of the Syriac Church.
3. KasImiye Medresesi
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Kasimiye Medresesi:

Day 6: Diyarbakır / Tigris Bridge / Fortress / Mound Amida

1. Tigris River (Tigri)
   30m
   10 Arched Bridge
2. Diyarbakir City Walls
   30m · Admission ticket included
   One of the greatest, and most well-maintained, set of ancient walls in Diyarbakir city.
   The Diyarbakir city walls have an ancient history dating back to the Romans. Today, the walls are largely intact, and form a ring around the old city that is over 5km (3miles) in circumference. The walls are over 10 meters (about 33 feet) high and are 3-5 meters (about 10-16 feet) thick.
3. Four-Legged Minaret
   15m
   Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque in Diyarbakır was built in 1500 by Kasım Bey, one of the Akkoyunlu rulers.
   
   It is one of the most important monumental works of the Akkoyunlu.
   
   It was built on the land where Sheikh Mutahhar's tomb is located.
   
   It is popularly known as Sheikh Matar Mosque, but in historical sources it is also referred to as Kasım Bey Mosque or Kasım Padişah Mosque.
4. Diyarbakir
   30m
   The Great Mosque

Day 7: Akdamar Church / Castle of Van / Cat House

1. Akdamar Island
   1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   Akdamar Church:
2. Van Kalesi
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Urartu Castle

Day 8: Ishakpasha Palace / Noah’s Ark / Salt Cave / Ani Ruins

1. Ishak Pasha Palace
   1h 15m · Admission ticket not included
   Ishakpasha palace 17th century Ottoman Palace constructed in Seljuken style
2. Tuzluca
   45m
   Salt Cave
3. Ani Ruins
   2h · Admission ticket not included
   Ani Ruins:

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness