Sacred Lands & Nemrut
8 Days
from
$3,448
to
$3,888
per person*
Highlights:
Turkey
(Istanbul, Urfa, Gaziantep)
Trip Start/End:
Istanbul
/
Istanbul
Embark on this ancient journey of a lifetime by discovering Istanbul, a striking mosaic of east and west. Renowned for it's ancient structures, from its mosques to the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire influenced architecture, it is also a city rich in contrasts. Learn more about Byzantine architecture from your expert private guide. Take advantage of your guides knowledge on visits to St. Sophia Church, and the Blue Mosque, known for its blue colored tiles and architecture. Continue with a flight to Urfa, the enchanting capital of Sanliurfa province. Explore this city rich in history, also known as the city of Prophecy and Prophets. Visit Harran and discover the unique architecture of beehive-style mud hut dwellings. You may wish to take it all in at a traditional, open-air Turkish cafe with signature kebab, especially popular in Urfa. Your private guide will prove invaluable at your next stop, Mt. Nemrut, one of the most popular UNESCO world cultural heritage sites. As the sun rises, be amazed by the colossal heads and statues of ancient deities scattered throughout the summit while listening to your private guide recount the rich, captivating history of this ancient royal tomb. Finally, complete your journey to Gaziantep, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Tour this remarkable city with your private guide, visiting the Mosaic Museum only the second of it's kind worldwide. Complete your adventure with a boat ride on the Euphrates River, including a cruise around the Roman fortress of Rumkale.
Overview
| Day | Activities | Hotel |
- Day 1
- Istanbul
| - Transfer - Private - Airport (with Assistant) - Vehicle/Assistant/Driver
- Welcome Package
- Lunch (not included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Yasmak Sultan (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 2
- Istanbul
| - Private - St. Sophia Church, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace & Grand Bazaar Tour - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (not included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Yasmak Sultan (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 3
- Istanbul - Urfa
| - Transfer - Private - Airport (with Assistant) - Vehicle/Assistant/Driver
- Air - Istanbul - Urfa [Direct, 1 hr 45 mins] - Economy
- Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (not included)
- Private - Guide & Driver - Vehicle/Guide
- Dinner (not included)
| Manici (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 4
- Urfa
| - Private - City Tour with Harran (with Lunch) - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Manici (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 5
- Urfa
| - Private - Mount Nemrut (with Lunch) - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Manici (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 6
- Urfa - Gaziantep
| - Transfer - Private - Urfa - Gaziantep [City Tour and Mosaic Museum (with Lunch)] - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
- Lunch (included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Asude Konak (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 7
- Gaziantep
| - Private - Cruise (with Lunch) - Vehicle/Guide/Driver/Cruise
- Lunch (included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Asude Konak (4*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 8
- Gaziantep - Istanbul
| - Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Driver
- Air - Gaziantep - Istanbul [Direct, 1hr 40 mins] - Economy
| Depart
|
| B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, 1/2d = Half Day, Al = All Inclusive |
Trip Itinerary
Istanbul
Yasmak Sultan
Day 1: Istanbul
Enjoy a private airport transfer today with a car/driver and airport assistant.
A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, plane tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.
Accommodation: Yasmak Sultan (4*) Situated in the heart of downtown Istanbul, Yasmak Sultan (4*) neighbours celebrated museums, mosques, palaces shopping areas. Just a short walking distance from St.Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Covered Bazaar, the centre of old city Istanbul awaits discovery. Hotel Yasmak Sultan brings a refreshing alternative to the typical Istanbul Hotel, pairing boutique style with elegant guest service. Friendly, multilingual staff looks forward to welcoming you to the Yasmak Sultan Hotel.
St. Sophia Church
Day 2: Istanbul
Enjoy a privately guided full day tour of Istanbul and see the most important sights. Visit the St. Sophia Church, the pride and glory of the Byzantine architecture (excluding the Gallery floor); the Blue Mosque, famous for its blue tiles; Byzantine Hippodrome, where once chariot races were held; and the Grand Bazaar, world’s largest covered bazaar with 4000 shops. Visit Topkapi Palace, the famous residence of the Sultans (The Harem section is not included in the tour).
Accommodation: Yasmak Sultan (4*) 
Urfa 
Manici Hotel
Day 3: Istanbul - Urfa
Enjoy a private airport transfer today with a car/driver and airport assistant.
Flight from Istanbul to Urfa. The flight takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Enjoy a private airport transfer with Assistant or English speaking driver.
A guide & driver will accompany you .
Accommodation: Manici (4*) Manici Hotel (4*) is located in the city center of Urfa near Balikligöl and Urfa Castle. The hotel was renovated in a new architectural style and becomes one of the most favorite accomodations in the city. All rooms are renewed, two of which are suits, have the view of Balikligöl and Urfa Castle and balcony. In the hotel's restaurant, traditional kebab and the delicious tastes of Middle East cuisine. Besides the hotel's restaurant, there is another restaurant named Narli Ev where you can enjoy your meal in the special Eastern style rooms that are reserved for you and be a part of Turkish culture.
Ancient Ruins of Harran University
Day 4: Urfa
Today you will enjoy a tour of Urfa and a visit to the village of Harran with private vehicle and English speaking guide. Sanliurfa, often simply known as Urfa in daily language, is located in south-eastern Turkey, and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The history of Sanliurfa is recorded from the 4th century BC, but may date back to 9000 BC, when there is ample evidence for the surrounding site at Harran. Visits Harran, including the Ancient ruins of Harran University adopted as the first university in the World, Soil cone-roofed houses of Harran and the cave where Prophet Abrahama was born, Fish pound. Return to Urfa, where you’ll have time for lunch before exploring its Arab Quarter and Old Town.
Accommodation: Manici (4*) 
Mount Nemrut
Day 5: Urfa
Drive with a private vehicle and English speaking guide to Mount Nemrut, stopping along the way to visit the controversial Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates. The Atatürk Dam, originally the Karababa Dam, is a zoned rock-fill dam with a central core on the Euphrates River on the border of Adiyaman Province and Sanliurfa Province in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. You will also visit Gobeklitepe. In view of the scholars the Gobeklitepe site is no less than 14 thousand years old, in other words it is 7500 years older than the Egyptian Pyramids. According to Schmidt it was once part of the fertile golden crescent but the misuse of mankind resulted in the loss of this heaven on earth. Then the inhabitants, 8000 years ago, buried all these carved stone columns under a pile of earth in a regular sequence. Then you will have lunch before exploring Mount Nemrut —a UNESCO World Heritage Site —where the Armenian king Antiochus ordered huge statues built in honor of himself and the gods. The massive stone heads on the hillside—all that remain of his once-magnificent tribute to Hercules, Zeus and others—have become one of the most recognized symbols of Eastern Turkey. Return to Urfa.
Accommodation: Manici (4*) 
Gaziantep 
Asude Konak Hotel
Day 6: Urfa - Gaziantep
In the morning you will enjoy a 2 hour drive to Gaziantep with private vehicle and English speaking guide. Gaziantep previously and still informally called Antep is a city in southeast Turkey and amongst the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. After lunch you’ll visit the Mosaic Museum of Gaziantep, which houses relics from the ancient city of Zeugma. Continue with a tour of the old city and castle district, after you will be transfered to hotel. Entrance fee included.
Accommodation: Asude Konak (4*) Asude Konak Hotel (4*) a new boutique hotel in Gaziantep's historical and cultural texture which is called Sekeroglu Area where you may find many tourist attractions such as Gaziantep Castle, Naib Turkish Bath, Tahtani Mosque, Bakircilar Bazaar and War Museum, Culinary Museum, Glass Museum and Zeugma Mosaics and Arceology Museum and many more by walking. There are five different rooms from each other, a garden "which is called life", authentic living room and a cave.
Euphrates River and Romand Fortress
Day 7: Gaziantep
Embark upon a boat ride on the Euphrates River, including a cruise around the Roman fortress of Rumkale, where St. John the Apostle is said to have written his Gospel. Following a picnic lunch around Halfeti, you will return to Gaziantep to enjoy time for independent exploration.
Accommodation: Asude Konak (4*) Day 8: Gaziantep - Istanbul
Enjoy a private airport transfer with Assistant or English speaking driver.
Flight from Gaziantep to Istanbul. The flight takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Accommodation: Depart Depart from Istanbul airport - end of itinerary.
Accommodations
- Yasmak Sultan
Yasmak Sultan (4*) - Istanbul
Situated in the heart of downtown Istanbul, Yasmak Sultan (4*) neighbours celebrated museums, mosques, palaces shopping areas. Just a short walking distance from St.Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Covered Bazaar, the centre of old city Istanbul awaits discovery. Hotel Yasmak Sultan brings a refreshing alternative to the typical Istanbul Hotel, pairing boutique style with elegant guest service. Friendly, multilingual staff looks forward to welcoming you to the Yasmak Sultan Hotel.
- Manici Hotel
Manici (4*) - Urfa
Manici Hotel (4*) is located in the city center of Urfa near Balikligöl and Urfa Castle. The hotel was renovated in a new architectural style and becomes one of the most favorite accomodations in the city. All rooms are renewed, two of which are suits, have the view of Balikligöl and Urfa Castle and balcony. In the hotel's restaurant, traditional kebab and the delicious tastes of Middle East cuisine. Besides the hotel's restaurant, there is another restaurant named Narli Ev where you can enjoy your meal in the special Eastern style rooms that are reserved for you and be a part of Turkish culture.
- Asude Konak Hotel
Asude Konak (4*) - Gaziantep
Asude Konak Hotel (4*) a new boutique hotel in Gaziantep's historical and cultural texture which is called Sekeroglu Area where you may find many tourist attractions such as Gaziantep Castle, Naib Turkish Bath, Tahtani Mosque, Bakircilar Bazaar and War Museum, Culinary Museum, Glass Museum and Zeugma Mosaics and Arceology Museum and many more by walking. There are five different rooms from each other, a garden "which is called life", authentic living room and a cave.
Travel Info
Travel tips of Turkey
VISA/PASSPORT
A passport and visa are required for both US and Canadian citizens. Currently, holders of all types of passports, if they are traveling as tourists, can purchase a 90-day sticker visa at the port of entry for approximately USD$20 cash. Visas san also be obtained prior to arrival for approximately $75. Processing generally takes 3 working days. Travelers arriving by cruise ship for a day trip to Turkey do not require a visa if they are not staying on shore overnight.
Citizens of other countries may require a visa. Please ask your Sales Advisor. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of Turkey for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is recommended. Medical facilities are good quality. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/turkey.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Ankara.
Government: Republic since 1923.
Language: Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken by a minority in the southeast. French, German and English are widely spoken in major cities and tourist areas.
Religion: Muslim, mostly Sunni, with a very small Christian minority. Turkey is a secular state which guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.
Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Telephone: Country code +90.
Mobile Telephone: Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mostly good, but can be patchy in some rural areas in eastern Turkey.
Internet: Internet cafes exist in main urban areas. Some restaurants and hotels have Wi-Fi Internet access.
What's Included:
- Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services
What's not Included:
- Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance
Trip Terms & Conditions
- Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $350). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.
- Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of 30% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.
- Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
- Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
- Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
- Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions
- Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.
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