Eastern Turkey : Forgotten Kingdoms and Lost Empires

Itinerary

Day 1

London – Istanbul - Trabzon Fly to Istanbul with connecting flight to Trabzon. Dinner and overnight Usta Park Hotel, Trabzon.

Day 2

Trabzon Depart for St. Sophia (Ayasofya), a 13th century church with an extraordinary collection of Byzantine frescoes. Visit Gülbahar Hatun Mosque, Ataturk's Mansion, Ortahisar Mosque, a Comnenid cathedral in the old town. Lunch at a seaside restaurant in Akçaabat. Afternoon we explore the cobbled stone streets of Trabzon. Drive to Boztepe for a panoramic view of the city. Overnight Usta Park Hotel, Trabzon.

Day 3

Sümela Monastery - Zigana - Karaca Cave - Erzurum Morning visit the 4th century Sümela Monastery, the monastery of the Panaghia. Founded in the year 386 AD it clings dramatically to a sheer cliff face in a deep forest of the Altindere Valley National Park. After lunch, we travel along the Silk Road through the Zigana Mountains (Pontic Alps) to Karaca Cave, considered to be the most beautiful in Turkey for its colours and drip-stones. Drive to Erzurum via Bayburt. Overnight Palan Hotel, Erzurum.

Day 4

Erzurum - Kars After breakfast visit Çifte Minaret Medrese. Built as a theological school in the mid 13th century it takes its name, Twin Minaret Madrasa, from the two fluted minarets that crown the monumental façade. Also visit the Archaeological museum. After lunch, drive to Kars passing on the way Sarikamis, the coldest spot in Turkey. We will arrive in Kars. Dinner and overnight at the Karabag Hotel.

Day 5

Kars – Ani – Kars Drive to Ani, a ruined medieval Armenian city, once the capital of a mediaeval Armenian Kingdom. Impressive fortified walls still encircle the ruins of numerous churches, mosques and caravansaries. Visit the Cathedral, Citadel, church of Holy Apostles and St Gregory the Illuminator. Overnight at the Karabag Hotel.

Day 6

Kars - Dogubeyazit This morning we will drive for 3 ½ hours along the Silk Road to Dogubeyazit. We will have the opportunity to see various views of Mount Ararat, over 18,000 feet high.  In the afternoon we will stop and visit the Ishak Pasa Palace, one of the most beautiful in the whole of Turkey. Constructed in the 17th-century, this complex is a combination of a mosque, a fortress, and a palace which originally had a room for every day of the year! Below you can also see the remains of Eski Bayazit, an Urartian City which flourished in 1000 BC. Overnight at the Simer Hotel in Dogubeyazit.

Day 7

Dogubeyazit – Ahlat - Tatvan Departure for the medieval city of Ahlat on the shores of Lake Van. Visit the 12th century Seljuk monumental tombs with elaborate gravestones, continue to Tatvan fortress. Overnight at the Kardelen Hotel, Tatvan.

Day 8

Tatvan - Van We travel by small boat to the Island of Akdamar, the biggest island on Van Lake to visit the Church of the Holy Cross built between 915-921 by Armenian's King I Gagik. Continue to the city of Van to stay at the Tamara Hotel, Van overnight.

Day 9

Van Visit the Urartian fortress of Sardurihinilli at Çavustepe which was built by the Urartian King Sarduri as his capital in the 8th century BC. Continue to the wonderful castle of Hosap, built on a rock outcrop, was built by a Kurdish ruler in the 17th Century. Overnight Tamara Hotel, Van.

Day 10

Van Morning visit the Citadel and Old City, and the Museum which includes material from Toprakkale and other Urartian sites. Overnight Tamara Hotel, Van.

Day 11

Van - London Transfer to the airport for flight to Istanbul with connecting flight to London.

Tour Details

DATE:

26 June – 6 July 2012

PRICE:

£2995 From London

INCLUDES:

Airfare from London, twin or double bedded rooms, with bathroom, all excursions with local guides including entrance fees, UK departure tax, transfers, full board, expert leader.

Single supplement £400. (Can be joined without flight).

NOT INCLUDED:

Regional connecting flights if not departing from London, Airline taxes other than UK Departure tax (UK passenger service charge, security tax, foreign departure tax, fuel surcharges), insurance, drinks, tips to driver & local guide.

*May be joined without flights. Ask us for the land-only price.

ACCOMMODATION:

3-4 star. We are using some of the best available accommodation throughout this tour, based on our years of experience offering holidays to this part of the world; however in a few places the hotels will be comfortable but not luxurious and have been chosen because of their location. Wherever possible we try and use 4* but in some of the places we visit only 3* hotels are available.

FITNESS LEVEL:

Moderate - We have graded the fitness level required for participation in this tour as Moderate. This is a relatively full itinerary, with some long days and lots of travelling by road. There are no hikes in this tour; however many of the sites are large, with steps, an incline or frequent uneven ground. We may be out on site visits for several hours at a time without the possibility of returning to the hotel. Participants need to be able to keep up with the group. For these reasons we feel that this tour is unsuitable for the frail or for anyone who routinely uses a walking aid. If unsure whether this tour is for you, please check with us.

Trip Lecturer

Dr Peter Sarris is University Senior Lecturer in Late Roman, Early Medieval, and Byzantine History and a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. His research interests include the social and economic context of Justinian’s reform programme and the rise of Islam.

Dr Sarris lectures on late Roman and early medieval history, including the history of Sasanian Persia and the early Islamic world, and supervises on 'The Transformation of the Roman World' and 'The Near East in the Age of Justinian and Muhammad'. He has recently supervised topics include early Byzantine monastic literature, scepticism towards the cult of the saints in early Byzantine Constantinople and Rome, iconoclasm, the Middle Byzantine aristocracy, and Byzantine merchants.

Fast facts

• Sovereignty: Turkey is a Republic
• Language: Turkish. English is widely understood
• Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL)
• TimezoneTurkey is 2 hours ahead of the UK all year round
• Immunisations: NHS Fit for Travel advises that all travellers to Turkey Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain - including vaccines given to special groups because of risk exposure or complications (e.g. hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly). Additional Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A; diphtheria; tetanus. Vaccines sometimes advised: typhoid; hepatitis B; rabies. Although Malaria is present in some parts of Turkey, the areas we are visiting on this tour are considered low to no risk and antimalarials are not usually advised.*Note this advice is intended to be a guide only, as we are not qualified to give out medical advice. Travellers should always consult their own GP before they travel to get up-to-date information which is relevant to their own circumstances.
• Visas: A visa is required by most nationalities. US, UK and other EU passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival for a fee which varies by country (i.e. £10 for UK, US$20 for USA, free of charge for French and German passport holders) Check with your local Turkish consulate before you travel.
• Flying time: hours to Istanbul from London
• Will my phone work: Turkey uses the 900 and 1800 MHz bandwidth so almost all UK phones will work there as long as your provider has authorised its use abroad. Reception is widespread.

Extensions in Turkey

We recommend a three night stay in fascinating and vibrant Istanbul, with its thousands of years of history, layer upon layer. Please call us for inspiration.