Cappadocia - Nemrut - Urfa - Harran - Cappadocia Tour

Departing on Monday & Thursday through April-November

Mt Nemrut; At the junction of the East and West civilizations, Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut) is one of the most astounding sites in Turkey. A collection of colossal statues on a remote mountain 2150m high, adorning the temple and tomb of King Antiochus. Nemrut Dagi has since been a significant attraction, with thousands of visitors to see the stones in the best possible light. It has been designated a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO and is one of the most important National Parks in the country. In addition to the statues, the entire site includes art from the Commagene civilization, the Eskikale (Old Castle), Yenikale (New Castle), Karakus Hill, and Cendere Bridge. Most people use the nearby towns of Malatya, Kahta, or Adiyaman as a base, and the road to the summit is only open from mid-April to mid-October because of heavy snow the rest of the year.

The region that lies between the Taurus Mountains and the Euphrates was called Commagene during the Greek and Roman periods. Commagene was established originally as an independent kingdom in 162 BC by Mithridates Kalinikos. I. Mithridates brought together Persians and Macedonians and other communities in the area to form this powerful state and named it Commagene, which means "community of genes" in Greek. The kingdom was at the height of its splendor during the period of King Antiochos I (69-36 B.C.), who succeeded Mithridates. Most of the archeological remains, which survive to our times, including the tumulus at the peak of Nemrut Dag, which still refuses to reveal all its secrets, are from the time of Antiochos I. At the cone shape summit of this 2,200m elevated mountain one can find statues of mythical figures of Apollon, Zeus, Hercules, and others. These gigantic heads fallen from the tomb of the obscure Commagene king Antiochus, stare at you silently for more than 2000 years and were first found in 1881 by Karl Sester, a German archaeologist. They are carved around 63 B.C during the reign of Antiochus-I, the emperor of the Commagene King. Here you can wander around the cone shape, a man-made summit, where Antiochus´ tumulus was located which was hidden under the man-made limestone dome. In 1987, Nemrut mountain became a member of ''UNESCO World Heritage list.'' It is also a National park.

Details:

DAY 1: CAPPADOCIA-KAHRAMANMARAS-KAHTA
Meet the guide and driver in the hotel at 08:00 am and depart from Goreme. After passing Kayseri, we visit the Seljuk Karatayhan Caravanserai on the famous Silk Road. We then drive for lunch through the Taurus Mountains, affording us the opportunity to observe the countryside and everyday life of rural Turkey. After lunch, we drive to Kahramanmaras for a different experience-tasting the best ice cream in Turkey. We then drive to Kahta and check in to our hotel.

DAY 2: ADIYAMAN-MT.NEMRUT-HARRAN-SANLIURFA
We depart from the hotel very early in the morning up to Mount Nemrut. At the end of the road, we get off the van and walk twenty-five minutes until the summit. Here we watch the memorable sunrise between the colossal size statues and heads of the kings and Gods. We then visit Arsemia which was once the capital of the Commagene Kingdom before continues to the ancient Septimus Severus Bridge bridge over the Cendere stream, and the Karakus tumulus where members of the royal family were buried. We keep driving to Sanliurfa and Harran. We visit the Ataturk Dam which is the biggest dam in the Middle East, en route. We check-in at the hotel in Sanliurfa and have lunch there. After lunch, we visit Abraham's Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp surrounding it. We will walk around the oriental-covered bazaar and Gümrükhan. We drive to Harran a village of Mud-Brick "beehive" houses mentioned in the book of ''Genesis'' where Abraham spent the last years of his life. We also visit Gobekli Tepe which is one of the earliest temples in the world. Dinner and overnight in Sanliurfa.

DAY 3: SANLIURFA-CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast, we depart from Sanliurfa to Birecik which is famous for its bald-ibis (Kelaynak) birds. These birds are living only in Birecik in the world and there is a very limited population of them. We visit the breeding farm of Bald Ibis birds. After our lunch, we drive up to the Taurus Mountains. We have a short tea break and drive back to Goreme.

Details
Season: Every day (All year round)
Departure Time: Will be given by booking
! It is highly suggested that the clients reconfirm their departure/pick-up times by calling or emailing the local tour operator no later than 24 hr before the service.
Departure point: Hotel pick-up ** Please note that there might be an extra fee for the hotels beyond central locations. The extra fee will be informed in advance. 
Ending point: Pick up place
Duration: 3 Days
Service Basis: Sit in coach (max.12 people) during the tours and transfers

Good to know:
• Please wear comfortable clothes, hat, and shoes
• Take your camera (without professional equipment)

 Additional Info
• Clients must be ready at the departure point 15 minutes before the exact pickup time.
• If you cannot find the service you need please contact our dedicated Custom Team to advise of your requirements.
• Please take a passport for children if any.

Available Language(s):
• Local tour guide (Monolingual)
• English

Included Services:
• Admission fees to attractions and Mud bath
• English Speaking Guide
• All sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary
• Mentioned Breakfast, Lunches, and Dinners
• Transfer service from Hotels
• Land transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking vehicle

Excluded Services:
• Beverage during the tour
• Tips to the guide&driver(optional)