Iconic Gap Tour | 3 Nights with Flights, Departing from Istanbul
Gaziantep / Coppersmiths’ Bazaar / Zeugma Mosaic Museum / Antep Castle / Tahmis Coffeehouse / Halfeti / Rumkale / Şanlıurfa / Balıklı Lake / Aynzeliha Lake
FROM GAZİANTEP TO URFA – THE WATERS OF THE EUPHRATES, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ANCIENT CITIES
On the first day of our tour, we arrive at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at least two hours before our flight time and, after completing our check-in / baggage procedures, begin our journey that will open the gates of Mesopotamia with a flight to Gaziantep. Our flight time is 06:25, a scheduled flight operated by AJet Airlines. The moment we step off the plane, we are welcomed by lands that make us feel the breath of thousands of years of civilizations. Together with our guide, who will meet us at the airport exit, we board our vehicle and make our first contact with the city. A short breakfast break is provided along the way for guests who wish to take one. In Gaziantep, which has earned the title of “Gastronomy City” not only for its flavors but also for its deep-rooted culture, our first stop is the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, where time has been engraved into stone. In these unique mosaics that have survived from the Roman period to the present day, mythology, humanity and destiny intertwine. The Gypsy Girl, who still watches visitors with her gaze, establishes a silent connection between the past and the present. Following our museum visit, we proceed toward the heart of the city. While the centuries-old Antep Castle greets the city from above, the traditional arts taking shape in the hands of masters at the Coppersmiths’ Bazaar, Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans’ Bazaar, Yemeni Shoemakers’ Bazaar and Elmacı Market reveal Gaziantep’s living memory. During our break at Tahmis Coffeehouse, once a popular stop for caravans, merchants and travelers, the aroma of menengic coffee blends with conversations from the past. During our free time, you can lose yourself in this historic texture and shop for local products. At the designated time, we set off and arrive at Halfeti, surrounded by the tranquil waters of the Euphrates River, where time flows slowly. In this melancholic town famous for its Black Rose, guests who wish may take an extra boat tour to see the old villages submerged beneath the waters of the Birecik Dam and Rumkale, built atop steep cliffs. As we glide over the Euphrates, traces of the past silently wink at us from beneath the water. After the boat tour, we take a short, extra lunch break. With the last light of the day, we turn our route toward Şanlıurfa, the city of faiths and legends. Upon arriving in the city, we reach the Balıklıgöl complex, considered the heart of the land of prophets. In this sacred place, where legend tells that fire turned into water and wood into fish; the Halil-ür Rahman Mosque, Rızvaniye Mosque, Ayn-ı Zeliha Lake and the Shrine of Prophet Abraham are visited, allowing us to experience Urfa’s mystical atmosphere. After our sightseeing, we settle into our hotel and surrender to the serenity of the day. Guests who wish may participate in the extra Urfa Sıra Gecesi program, an indispensable part of Urfa nights, and get to know the spirit of these lands more closely through folk songs, hoyrats and ancient stories.
Important Note: Dinner at the hotel is not included in today’s accommodation. Dinner may be enjoyed as part of the Sıra Gecesi with Dinner program arranged as an extra.
Food and Beverage Information:
Breakfast: May be taken as an optional local breakfast in Gaziantep (Extra/optional)
Lunch: May be taken during free time at the designated restaurant in Halfeti (Extra/optional)
Dinner: Guests who wish may participate in the Sıra Gecesi with Dinner program (Extra/optional)
Accommodation: Şanlıurfa / Middle East Hotel – Vera Hotel – Güven Hotel – Harran Hotel – Grand Urfa Hotel – Gülizar Hotel and similar.
Şanlıurfa / Göbeklitepe / Harran / Harran University / Cone-Domed Houses / Old Mardin / Republic Square / Latifiye Mosque / Grand Mosque / Historic Post Office Building / Deyrulzafaran Monastery / Mardin Streets / Ancient City of Dara
FROM ŞANLIURFA TO MARDİN – THE LANDS WHERE CIVILIZATION WAS BORN
On the second day of our tour, after having breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we set off for Göbeklitepe, one of the oldest known centers of belief in human history. Dating back approximately 12,000 years, this unique archaeological site has radically changed our perspective on world history with its temple structures built before the transition to settled life. During our visit among the enormous T-shaped obelisks, we discover the belief system of Neolithic Age people and the mysteries behind this enigmatic structure through our guide’s explanations. Following our visit, we turn our route toward Harran, whose name means “the place where roads intersect” and which is one of the oldest settlements in Mesopotamia. In Harran, one of the important centers of science, trade, and culture with its approximately 5,000-year history, we see the remains of Harran Grand Mosque and University, considered the first university in the Islamic world, as well as the castle, caravanserai, and distinctive Harran Houses with Conical Domes. This unique architecture is a living testament to the harmony that the people of the region have established with nature over the centuries. After our visit to Harran, we follow the Viranşehir – Kızıltepe route and, after approximately a three-hour journey, arrive in Mardin, known as the “Capital of Civilizations.” This ancient city, where stone is transformed into art, is a unique open-air museum where Syriac, Arab, Kurdish, and Turkish cultures have coexisted for centuries. For guests who wish to participate, an extra tour of the ancient city of Dara is organized at this point. (Our visit to the ancient city of Dara is an extra program and will take place provided that full participation is achieved.) In Dara, one of the important garrison cities of the Eastern Roman period, we have the opportunity to see rock tombs, water cisterns, and the remains of city walls. Our first stop in Mardin is the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, which served for centuries as the patriarchal center of the Syriac Orthodox Church. With its golden-yellow stones and mystical atmosphere, this structure carries the ancient religious heritage of Mesopotamia into the present day. We then visit the Kasımiye Madrasa, notable for its commanding position over the Mesopotamian Plain, and gain an insight into the scholarly and architectural understanding of the Artuqid period. Continuing our tour, we take a walk through the Old Mardin streets accompanied by our guide. As we proceed among narrow stone streets, arched passageways, and abbaras, we have the opportunity to see the Grand Mosque, Şehidiye Mosque, Latifiye Mosque, the Historic PTT Building, Republic Square, and the historic structures surrounding it. At every step, we will encounter the traces left by stone craftsmen from centuries past to the present and feel Mardin’s timeless spirit. After the free time allocated in the bazaar area, we proceed to our hotel. Dinner and accommodation will be at our hotel in Mardin or Midyat.
NOTE: Guests who wish may join the Mardin Night Tour, known as “a necklace at night and a promenade by day,” and explore the Old Mardin Streets accompanied by nighttime illumination, or participate in the Mardin Reyhani Night. (Extra)
Food and Beverage Information:
Breakfast: Served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: May be taken at the designated restaurant in Mardin (Extra/optional)
Dinner: Served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (Included in the tour price)
Accommodation: Mardin / Raymar Hotel – Artuklu Kervansaray Hotel – ParkDedeman Mardin – Yay Grand Hotel – Anemon Hotel, etc. Midyat / Katori Hotel – Matiat – Asur Hotel, etc.
Mardin / Midyat / Midyat Guesthouse / Filigree Workshop / Sıla Mansion / Hasankeyf / Batman / Diyarbakır / Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum House / Ten-Eyed Bridge / Mardin Gate / Four-Legged Minaret / Great Mosque of Diyarbakır / Adıyaman
FROM MIDYAT TO DIYARBAKIR – IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF STONE, SILVER AND ANCIENT RIVERS
On the third day of our tour, after having breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we set off towards Midyat, one of the most important centers of Syriac culture. This stone city, where different faiths and cultures have coexisted for centuries, takes its visitors on a journey through time with its narrow streets and elegant architecture. Our first stop in Midyat is the Midyat Guesthouse, which has become one of the symbols of the region. This historic building, which has hosted many television series and films such as Sıla, Hercai and Ah Bir Bulut Olsam, reflects the finest examples of Syriac stone craftsmanship. During our visit to the guesthouse, we take photo breaks among the courtyards and arched passages. Afterwards, we visit a filigree workshop to discover more closely the tradition of filigree, which Syriac masters have turned into an art and an identity over the centuries. Visitors are given the opportunity to see examples of this elegant art, in which fine silver wires are patiently worked, and to shop if they wish. Following our visit to the filigree workshop, we have free time among the historic houses of Midyat. After experiencing the spirit of Midyat among stone balconies, narrow streets and abbaras, we meet our vehicle waiting for us in the bazaar and take a short break to shop for local dry coffee and nuts. We then turn our route towards Hasankeyf, the silent witness of Mesopotamia. Standing on the banks of the Tigris River with a history spanning thousands of years, Hasankeyf is almost an open-air museum with its caves and historic structures. Here, we see Hasankeyf Castle, the secret water tunnel, the minaret of the El Rızık Mosque and caves carved into the rocks. After a short period of free time, we depart for Batman. Following our extra lunch in Batman, an extra tour of the Malabadi Bridge is organized for our guests who wish to join. After lunch, we arrive in Diyarbakır, one of the ancient cities of Mesopotamia. After taking a panoramic view of the Ten-Eyed Bridge over the Tigris River and the fertile Hevsel Gardens, we begin our tour at Keçi Bastion and Mardin Gate, important points of the Diyarbakır Walls, considered among the oldest defensive structures in the world with a history of approximately 9,000 years. Afterwards, we visit the Diyarbakır Grand Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Anatolia and considered the 5th Haram al-Sharif in the Islamic world. We then see the Four-Legged Minaret (Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque), built by Kasım Bey in 1500 during the Aq Qoyunlu period and distinguished by its unique architecture constructed on four columns. Following our tour of Diyarbakır, we bid farewell to this ancient city and follow the Diyarbakır–Siverek–Kahta–Adıyaman route. We cross the Nissibi Bridge, rising over the Euphrates River and known as the “Bosphorus Bridge of the East,” and arrive at our hotel in Adıyaman. Dinner and accommodation will be at our hotel. (NOTE: Depending on the ending time of our tour program, our accommodation tonight will be in Diyarbakır or Adıyaman.)
Food and Beverage Information
Breakfast: Served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (Included in the tour price)
Lunch: Will be served at a local restaurant in Batman (Extra/optional)
Dinner: Served at the hotel as an open buffet or set menu (Included in the tour price)
Accommodation: Adıyaman / Taşsaray Bardakçı Hotel, Park Dedeman Hotel, Samos Hotel and similar. Diyarbakır / Sv Business Hotel, Plaza Hotel and similar.
Nissibi Bridge / Kahta / Mount Nemrut / Karakuş Tumulus / Cendere Bridge / Airport
AT THE SUMMIT OF NEMRUT – THE LEGACY OF GODS AND KINGS
On the final day of our tour, after having breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we set off by following the route of Atatürk Dam, one of the iconic structures of the GAP Region. We take a short photo break at the Nissibi Bridge, which rises over the Euphrates River and connects the two sides of the region, and continue towards Kahta accompanied by this magnificent view. After arriving in Kahta, we begin our Nemrut Mountain program, organized as an optional extra, together with our guests who wish to participate. On this journey, where we will follow the traces of the Kingdom of Commagene, our first stop is the Karakuş Tumulus, known for its eagle statue and commissioned by King Antiochos I of Commagene in honor of his mother and sister. Built on a high terrace, this monumental tomb reflects the kingdom’s magnificent burial tradition. Continuing our tour, we visit the approximately 1,800-year-old Cendere Bridge, which carries the engineering genius of the Roman Empire into the present day. Rising like an elegant arch between the mountains, this structure is a witness to history that still stands despite the ravages of time. Afterwards, we reach the Summit of Mount Nemrut, located at an altitude of 2,150 meters and included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here, the magnificent tumulus, where King Antiochos I had his own tomb and a pantheon of gods built, welcomes us. The colossal statues of Zeus (Oromasdes), Apollo, Mithras, Helios, Hermes, Heracles, Ares, Commagene, Tyche and King Antiochos, located on the eastern and western terraces, reveal a unique synthesis of Greek and Persian beliefs. Accompanied by our guide’s explanations, we recall Antiochos’s worldview, in which he regarded himself as equal to the gods, and his famous testament: “Let my birthday be celebrated as a festival every month and every year; on these days, let tables be set for the gods, my nation and me, and let people eat and drink and be joyful.”
With these words, at Nemrut we try to understand not only a monument, but also a king’s desire for immortality and his world of faith. After our Mount Nemrut tour, we board our bus and begin our return journey. Before completing our tour, we provide free time in Diyarbakır, depending on our guide’s schedule. At the designated time, we depart for Diyarbakır Airport and begin our return journey with AJet Airlines’ scheduled 20:50 VF3189 Diyarbakır–Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen flight. We conclude our tour with the memories we have made in this unique geography and bid farewell to you, our valued guests, hoping to meet again on another cultural journey.
Meals and Beverages Information:
Breakfast: Served at the hotel as an Open Buffet or Set Menu (Included in the Tour Price)
Lunch: Will Be Taken in Diyarbakır at Guests’ Preference (Extra/Optional)
Dinner: It Is the Return Day; Dinner Is Not Planned Due to the Flight Time
Child Discount and Circular Rules
The child discount is valid for the 7–12 age range.
The tour circular is valid as of the date it was published, 19.01.2026. Circulars published on later dates for the same tour invalidate the previous circular.
Mandatory additional services are included in the tour price.
Important Information About Tours with Flights
- For tours with flights, all procedures related to flights are subject to the provisions of the airline agreement.
- Cancellation insurance does not cover air transportation.
- A tiered pricing system is applied; the advertised prices are starting prices from the lowest class.
- Economy class flights are used in tour programs with flights.
- Flight tickets are issued as a round trip together. If the outbound flight is not used, the return flight also becomes invalid in accordance with the airlines’ “sequence of use” rule. Therefore, participation in only the return flight is not possible.
Museum – Archaeological Site – National Park Entrance Fees
All museum, archaeological site and national park entrance fees are the responsibility of our guests. Our guests may obtain a Müzekart from Müzekart sales points before or during the tour in order to benefit from advantages at museums and archaeological sites where the Müzekart is valid.
Package Price Includes
Our package tour prices include hotel accommodation, transportation and the excursions specified in the program.
Rest Stops
Breaks are taken at rest facilities along the route. Due to crowding, renovations or similar force majeure reasons, rest stops may be changed, provided that they are equivalent in terms of service quality and location.
Extra Tours and Program Flow
Night tours and extra excursions included in the tour program are organized depending on the number of participants and the availability of the assigned staff. Extra tours conducted along the route may take place even if not all guests participate. Guests who do not wish to join the extra tour will be directed by our guide to rest areas before the city entrances or to city centers. In this case, guests who agree to wait at the rest area will be deemed to have participated in the tour.
Due to weather conditions, road conditions or similar reasons, the guide may make changes to the sequence of the program (visiting points within the day or between days) if deemed necessary.
Go-Turkey cannot be held responsible for points that cannot be visited despite being included in the program due to force majeure (weather conditions, road conditions, crowding at visiting points, etc.) or because guests fail to comply with the timings provided by the guide.
Health Notification
Our guests are required to carry with them reports and information concerning any health problems they may experience during the tour, pregnancy status or medications they use regularly.
Accommodation Information
The hotel names specified in the program are the primary accommodation facilities. Hotels may be changed depending on availability. The information about the hotel where guests will stay will be shared with our guests, upon request, no later than 48 hours before the tour departure. If the hotel is changed due to crowding or force majeure reasons, provided that the standards remain the same, our guests will be informed by Go-Turkey representatives.
Important Notes
- On tours with flights, flight delays may occur due to heavy traffic.
- Night tours are extra and are organized depending on participation.
Vehicles Used
Tour vehicles are planned as follows according to the number of participants:
Bus (28–46 people):
Mercedes Travego / Tourismo, Neoplan Cityliner / Tourliner, Mitsubishi Safir
(ABS, ASR, air conditioning, monitor, refrigerator, kitchen unit, reading lamps, announcement system, CD/DVD)
Midibus (17–27 people):
Isuzu Turkuaz
(ABS, ASR, air conditioning, monitor, refrigerator, announcement system)
Minibus (up to 16 people):
VW Volt, VW Volt EL, Mercedes Sprinter, Mercedes Sprinter EL
(Specially designed reclining seats, ABS, ASR, air conditioning, refrigerator, announcement system)
Recommendations
- Clothing and footwear suitable for the geographical features and weather conditions of the tour region should be preferred.
- It is recommended that you bring the necessary charging equipment for taking photographs and videos.
- Regularly used medications should not be forgotten; allergic, chronic or hereditary conditions should be reported to the guide.
- Personal care products, a backpack and personal belongings that will make the journey more enjoyable should be kept with you.
- For programs that include boat tours and swimming breaks, it is recommended that you bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and similar marine equipment.
The tour program and explanations above have been specially prepared by Go-Turkey. They may not be copied, reproduced or published without permission. The program has been prepared in accordance with the Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 and should be evaluated as a whole.
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